Tag Archives: Sea Star

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May 31st had a minus tide that enticed Allen Vinson to head for Walk On Beach, on The Sea Ranch. The low tide revealed many wonders.

Look at all the Sea Anemones, and a Sea Star, an Ocher Star, on the right.

Here Allen's photo shows the intricate beauty of an Ocher Sea Star.

Thanks to Allen for allowing me to share his photos with you here. Check out the Independent Coast Observer's tide tables to find out the best time to go tide pooling!

Wind, windy, windiest - yep, it's windy on the Mendonoma Coast today.

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Mark Simkins and Kitty Wolfe were at The Sea Ranch when they saw this at low tide - thousand of mussels.

Low Tide at Shell Beach - thousands of Mussels by Mark Simkins

Other creatures to look for are Sea Urchins. Craig Tooley took this photo.

Sea Urchins by Craig Tooley

And Sea Stars, this one photographed by Noel Olson. It is an Ochre Sea Star.

Summer Cheerleader - an Ochre Sea Star by Noel Olson

Thanks to Mark, Craig, and Noel for allowing me to share their photos with you here. Tide pooling is a Coast tradition.

To see much more of Craig's nature photography, here is the link to his website: www.ruffimage.com.

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Peggy Berryhill enjoys exploring Cook's Beach at very low tides and she sees amazing things. Recently she saw an Ochre Sea Star eating a Dungeness Crab.

She also saw a juvenile Dungeness Crab.

Too small, perhaps, to capture the attention of a hungry Sea Star.

Thanks to Peggy for allowing me to share her photos with you here.

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Bettye Winters heard and then saw a very noisy Black Oystercatcher on the rocks at the north end of Manchester State Beach. As she watched a wave washed over the rocks and the Oystercatcher disappeared. It then reappeared a short distance away on another rock. I wonder if this bird was surprised to be washed off the rocks like that. He/she needs to heed the warning we humans are taught - never turn your back on the ocean!

If you look closely you can see an orange Sea Star, aka Starfish, on the rocks to the left.

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Will Ericson was exploring the tide pools at the Stornetta Public Lands at low tide. He ducked into a cave and discovered this Sunflower Seastar, Pycnopodia helianthoides.

This Sea Star is the largest sea star in the world, growing to more than three feet across. Will said this one was more than a foot across. They eat clams and snails but prefer sea urchins. A lovely "meadow" of sea urchins was nearby. They usually have between 16 and 24 limbs. It *looks* like this one has 21.

I thank Will for allowing me to share his unusual sighting with you here.

To see more photos of the Stornetta Lands at low tide, here's a link to a previous post: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2012/02/18/low-tide-at-the-stornetta-public-lands-in-point-arena-breathtaking/