June 2nd to June 8th 2014

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Daily Low Tides

Monday, June 2nd; shift extended 45 minutes due to tide and visitors
0.2' @ 10:26 AM

Tuesday, June 3rd; shift extended 45 minutes
0.6' @ 11:03 AM

Wednesday, June 4th; shift extended 1 hour due to tides and visitors
1.0' @ 11:44 AM

Thursday, June 5th; shift extended 1 hour
1.4' @ 12:30 PM

Friday, June 6th; shift extended 1 hour 15 minutes
1.8' @ 1:23 PM

Saturday, June 7th; shift extended 1 hour 15 minutes
2.1' @ 2:18 PM

Sunday, June 8th; shift extended 45 minutes
2.3' @ 3:13 PM

Notes from the Week

 Multiple swaps in tending the black oystercatcher nest in the saddle were observed. Bald Eagles, alone and in groups with adults and juveniles, continue to hunt. The eagles were seen taking a common murre on at least three days and sitting on a cormorant nest, possibly eating an egg. On Friday, a bald eagle family unit (2 adults and 1 sub-adult) were hunting with one other adult bald eagle; the adult from the family unit then started chasing the other adult eagle.


Bald Eagle; Photo by Susan Glarum

The end of the school year is bringing lots of school groups to Haystack Rock to learn about the intertidal. This week there were eleven school groups with at least 2 group each weekday and just over 500 total school visitors!

The highest visitor count was on Tuesday with a total of 172. Saturday saw three consecutive hours with counts over 100.

Creature Highlights

Birds
  • Black Oystercatchers (Haematopus bachmani) - Black oystercatcher still on their nest in the saddle.
  • Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) - Bald eagles again made multiple appearances this week. 
  • Common Murre (Uria aalge)
  • Pelagic Cormorant (Phalacrocorax pelagicus)
  • Peregrine Flacon (Falco Peregrinus) 
Fish
  • Kelp Greenling (Hexagrammos decagrammus) - 2 greenlings were spotted
  • Striped Surfperch (Embiotica lateralis) - The body of the striped surfperch is a deep oval shape and is compressed from side to side. It has a copper background color with  bright blue and orange horizontal stripes below the high-arching lateral line. 
  • High Cockscomb (Anoplarchus purpurescens) - The High Cockscomb is a small, ray-finned fish that looks similar to a tiny eel. It can be brown, olive, purple, orange, or black. This animal can be identified by their long tubelike body and soft dorsal rays that cover the entire back. It is most likely to be found under an rock in the intertidal.
  • Flatfish (Order Pleuronectiformes)
Invertebrates
  • Hermit Crab (Pagurus spp.) - Baby hermit crabs without shells were seen on Monday and Friday
  • Mossy Chiton (Mopalia muscosa) - Growing up to 2 3/4 inches, this chiton's valves or dorsal plates are brown, grey or black. The girdle is covered in stiff hairs, making it look somewhat fuzzy.  The mossy chiton does not hide under the rocks as most chitons do. It stays in once place until dark and then feeds on algae. 
  • Cooper’s Chiton (Lepidozona cooperi) - This chiton's color ranges from dull gray to olive of brown. Like most chitons, it is found under rocks, away from the sunlight and where it will not be easily seen by predators.

Photos From Haystack Rock


Cooper's Chiton on south side of Haystack Rock

Mossy Chiton on the south side of Haystack Rock


Juvenile Flat Fish; It's hard to see!


Striped surfperch; photos by Susan Glarum




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