Walking along Morro Strand I hear high-pitched screeches in the sky. I turn and see a cluster of terns wheeling onto shore. Sixty or more settle their white bodies onto... read more →
Palm trees in the ocean? Surely you jest! Nope-just a different type of palm-a seaweed one. Postelsia palmaeformis, the sea palm, is a dead ringer for a land-type palm tree. It lives in the... read more →
Sandcastles? Worms? These go together? Well, sandcastles are not just for kids. The sandcastle worm, Phragmatopoma californica lives in massive sand formations on rocks in the mid intertidal area. You... read more →
I’m lucky to live near Morro Strand, so most mornings find me striding along the beach, binoculars at hand ready for anything that comes into view. A few days ago... read more →
We’ve had a new treat on the Central Coast in the past few years--glowing blue waves!!! The glow is caused by wave action that disturbs millions of microalgae called dinoflagellates,... read more →
Camper Lillie shows off her finished seastar - photo credit Camper Parent Jen Lillie really enjoyed the week this week, and has been sharing her knowledge with us daily. Robin... read more →
Why, Diatom Art, of course! Each section in the photograph above is a microscopic diatom shell. Diatoms are phytoplankton, or microalgae. Their shells are made primarily of silica, which is... read more →
The Speedy Little Sand Crab The Pacific sand crab, (Emerita analoga), aka mole crab , is a small invertebrate decapod crustacean — meaning it lacks a backbone, but has five... read more →