Haven't Face, Will Portrait

Sunday, 30 August:

Sometimes, there just aren't very many birds.  This gives one (as if one needed it) an excuse to go tide-pooling.

  One of the best Farallon tide-pools is located in Jewel Cave. The sea life is diverse and lovely to behold but at least one creature was very poorly represented (with only two small individuals): Pisaster sea stars. They are suffering from a brutal affliction called sea star wasting syndrome and have declined dramatically along the west coast.  We also saw an unidentified eel, lots of sculpin-esque characters, and loads of shrimp.  My advice?  Go tide-pooling.

Strawberry anemones (Corynactis californica), a colonial Anthozoan.  Just add cheesecake or toast and butter.

On island marges everywhere,

Save the narrow beaches walled and bare

Of pebbly shingle, shell or sand,

Swayed by the sea tides to and fro,

The dreaming gardens of the ocean grow.

With the wide retreat of the war-like wave

From rock-bound basin, cove, and cave,

What hidden beauty lies revealed

That the foaming tides before concealed!

More verdant than the April mead

That skirts the island's southern strand,

Are these banks and beds of curious weed!

With graceful ferns and subtile moss,

As fine as webs of silken floss,

Sway blooms grotesque of rare hue

Than hang empearled with glistening dew!

And here are myriads of dainty shells,

Asleep on the banks of weedy dells,

Or cast adrift on the sandy bars.

Like thistles huge amid the vines,

Cling the sea urchins of unnumbered spines;

And strewn on rocky bank and bed,

Purple, dark, and richest red,

Lie forlorn, forgotten, fallen stars.

Sea Gardens, Milton S. Ray

Giant green anemone (Anthopleura xanthogrammica)

eBird checklist (worse and worse!)

And the battle rages on:
SEFI: 63
SCI:   55