Rockpooling

The purple numbers (in brackets) are the locations on the map above. 

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Kingston Beach 
Photograph by Andy Horton

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WILDLIFE REPORT PAGES 2005


14 October 2004
As an ominous black cloud rolled in from the west and made the darkness set in early, it was the pools underneath the groyne to the east of the Launching Ramp (5) that produced the most life on a low spring 0.5 metre tide with a handful of Bullheads Taurulus bubalis, (in small number s of a common fish this summer) a single 5-Bearded Rockling, Ciliata mustela, a first year Corkwing Wrasse, Symphodus melops, and two Shore Crabs, Carcinus meanas.
 

Further down the shore (3) there were two Edible Crabs, Cancer pagurus, and a Hairy Crab, Pilumnus hirtellus, and a Shore Squat Lobster, Galathea squamifera, under rocks. There were a few small prawns, Palaemon elegans, in the pools.
A Dogwhelk, Nucella lapillus, was seen on the mussel beds (2) and a few Oysters were noticed (3). 
A pair of Mute Swans flew overhead from west to east as dusk descended. 

30 August 2004
On a low spring tide, a Little Egret was feeding on very small prawns or Common Gobies in the shallows and an Oystercatcher was on the mud flats.
The rock pools below Chart Datum had the usual moble fauna including edible sized prawns Paleamon serratus, first year Corkwing Wrasse, Symphodus melops, small Long-legged Spider Crabs, Macropodia rostrata, a first year Ballan Wrasse, Labrus bergylta, two Bullheads Taurulus bubalis, and very little else. Two nearly adult Rock Gobies, Gobius paganellus, were netted underneath the groynes at mid-tide level. 

5 August 2004
There was still too much silt from the flood tide dredging and despite forgetting the handle to my prawn net, there were enough (40+) edible sized prawns, Paleamon serratus,  to make a meal. Dozens of small first year and one second year Corkwing Wrasse, Symphodus melops, were captured in the net, together with a first year green Ballan Wrasse, Labrus bergylta, a tiny Blenny Lipophrys pholis, and small Bullhead Taurulus bubalis, and one each of a Short-legged Spider Crab Eurynome aspera, and a small Long-legged Spider Crab, Macropodia rostrata,
BMLSS Prawns and Shrimps

29 July 2004
In the pool of water left by the receding tide underneath the middle groyne (5) on Kingston Beach, a Snakelocks Anemone, Anemonia viridis, expanded its stinging tentacles. This anemone is unusual on this shore and reaches its easterly point of distribution on the northern coast of the English Channel at Shoreham. The pools also contained at least half a dozen small first year Corkwing Wrasse, Symphodus melops, which are a month earlier than usual between the tides. 
BMLSS Sea Anemones

3 July 2004
There was an Australian Black Swan in the mouth of the River Adur estuary. 

Report and Photograph by Peter Baxter (Southwick)


6 May 2004
On the low spring tide, there was a  small first year Corkwing Wrasse, Symphodus melops,  in the pools under the damaged groynes (5) at mid-tide level, which was uncommon. 

5 April 2004
Two Oystercatchers, Haematopus ostralegus, did not even fly off straightaway when approached and on the low spring tide they waddled from the mussel beds (1) to the mud flats. 
A single Butterfish, Pholis gunnellus, hid under a rock. A single dirty grey Dogwhelk, Nucella lapillus, (a predatory gastropod, snail-like, mollusc) was in the middle of laying egg capsules under another rock at mid-tide level (4) amongst the mussel beds. This was surprising as the first recorded observation of the egg capsules on Kingston Beach. The Dogwhelks were not seen from 1971 to 2001 and the absence may be because of TBT pollution, which prevented the Dogwhelks from breeding. The other possibility is the Dogwhelks returned after spreading from the new syenite rock sea defences on Southwick beach which are inimical to Dogwhelks and to the mussels and Acorn Barnacles on which they feed. 
Trouble with Dogwhelks
BMLSS Molluscs

6 March 2004
Four Oystercatchers, Haematopus ostralegus, and a Redshank probed amongst the mussels on a  low spring tide that nearly reached the Tide Marker (1) at its maximum ebb.

15 February 2004
An Oystercatcher, Haematopus ostralegus, and a Redshank probed amongst the mussels on a  low neap tide that revealed the end of the groynes at its maximum ebb. A single Mute Swan was resting on the swell in the entrance to Shoreham Harbour.

5 January 2004
As the Shoreham Harbour fog horn boomed, four Oystercatchers, Haematopus ostralegus, probed for worms amongst the mussel beds and sand. 



WILDLIFE REPORT PAGES 2003

21 October 2003
The black and white wing was the first indication of an Oystercatcher, Haematopus ostralegus,  that descended to land on the loose rock shore of Kingston Beach on a low neap tide. A careful watch for a few minutes through my binoculars and the Oystercatcher was attempting the repeated stabbing with its medium-length black beak, which is a behavioural characteristic of this bird. It was meant as one of several techniques to stab at mussels to get at the rich flesh inside. It was not successful and the tide would not go out any further to reveal the mussel beds (on a 1.9 metre low neap tide) and there would not be more than an occasional mussel exposed *, and it may have been stabbing at the hinges of exposed cockles?  (* Mussels need be submerged for every tide.)
The red legs of the Oystercatcher were matched by a well camouflaged Redshank between the launching ramp and the first groyne. 
Oystercatchers on Lundy (Behaviour)



The Groyne to the east of the Launching Ramp (5)
Tide level: 1.94 metres, neap low water

Over the shallow pool near the Lifeboat Station the red breast of a Kingfisher stood out from the pipeline it was perched on (8). Ironically, a couple of Crows had managed to prise out a clump of mussels. 

19 October 2003
The neap tide variation between 2.36 metres (low at 12.04 pm) and the high tide of 4.4 metres (6:14 pm in darkness) is one of the smallest possible. (The equinoctial spring tide variation could be up to 7 metres). 
BMLSS Tides

 


WILDLIFE REPORT PAGES 2003

Sussex Seaweed Project
Sussex Seaweed Project database


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Shoreham Lifeboat Station  is located at Kingston Beach

Shoreham Rowing Club meet at Kingston Beach

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Rockpooling Page
Tides

Wildlife News: Marine Latest