2006

Adur Flood Plain

Chalk Downs

Coastal Fringe

Intertidal (Seashore)

River Adur Estuary

Lancing Nature Blogspot

Sea (off Sussex)

Town & Gardens

Widewater Lagoon

Garden Bird List 2006

Adur World Oceans Day 2006

 
Rockpooling

at KINGSTON BEACH, SHOREHAM-BY-SEA
with Andy Horton

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

 
Link to Kingston Rockpooling 2007

10 October 2006
The tide did not recede to Chart Datum and it was just the usual fare on the flat expanse (3) where Irish Moss decorated hundreds of rocks, more fish than expected were caught in a prawn net under  the second groyne (5). Usual fare included frequent juvenile Corkwing Wrasse, Symphodus melops, a  dozen medium-to-large Bullheads, Taurulus bubalis, a couple of medium-sized Blennies, Lipophrys pholis, one adult Rock Goby Gobius paganellus but scores of juveniles, and hundreds of Common Gobies Pomatoschistus microps, in the shallow pool by the pipeline (8). Oysters were frequently seen. Small prawns, Palaeomon elegans were frequent and there were a handful of very small Shore Squat Lobsters, Galathea squamifera,

12 September 2006
The tide had already come in too far (low at 1.0 metres) and there was one first year green Ballan Wrasse, Labrus bergylta, a handful of first year Corkwing Wrasse, Symphodus melops, the biggest ones under the groynes, one Rock Goby Gobius paganellus, one small Blenny, Lipophrys pholis, all in the larger pools; and hundreds of Common Gobies Pomatoschistus microps, in the shallow sandy pools. Two large prawns Palaemon serratus were netted under the groynes, a handful of very small Shore Squat Lobsters, Galathea squamifera under rocks and boulders near the low tide mark with one Hairy Crab, Pilumnus hirtellus, 

7 September 2006
The tide went out for such a long time I could not wait for it to come in again. A full-sized Velvet Swimming Crab Necora puber, below the Chart Datum gauge (1) was probably the first from this beach. Otherwise, a  dozen medium-to-large Bullheads, Taurulus bubalis, were netted, a couple of medium-sized Blennies, Lipophrys pholis, adult Rock Gobies Gobius paganellus, and two small first year Corkwing Wrasse, Symphodus melops, with Common Gobies Pomatoschistus microps, in the shallow sandy pools as the only fish seen. Crustaceans included hundreds of small prawns, one Hairy Crab, Pilumnus hirtellus, two smallish Edible Crabs Cancer pagurus, and a few small Hermit Crabs, Pagurus bernhardus.  Occasional very small Shore Squat Lobsters, Galathea squamifera, and very frequently tiny Long-clawed Porcelain Crabs, Pisidia longicornis, were seen on the underside of rocks and boulders. Oysters were frequently seen.

16 August 2006
The Little Egret was seen leaving its feeding station under the second groyne (5) where there were scores of first year Blennies and Rock Gobies and hundreds of small prawns.

13 August 2006
Drizzle coincided with the low spring tide as the warm weather gradually came to an end. The rocks overlooking the sea below Chart Datum (1) were covered in green Enteromorpha weed and potentially treacherous (i.e. slippery) and access was tricky, which may explain a small but varied haul in the prawn net of occasional medium-sized Rock Gobies Gobius paganellus, some very tiny first year Corkwing Wrasse, Symphodus melops, and one small first year green Ballan Wrasse, Labrus bergylta. 
 

	This crab got eaten in the aquarium before a picture could be taken
Long-legged Spider Crab	Short-legged Spider Crab	Long-clawed Porcelain Crab

Prawns were relatively few and there was only large one. Under the rocks, as well as the frequent Shore Crabs, Carcinus maenas, one large (for the species) Hairy Crab, Pilumnus hirtellus, and frequent miniature juvenile Shore Squat Lobsters, Galathea squamifera. There was at least one very small Edible Crab Cancer pagurus. The net brought in one Short-legged Spider Crab Eurynome aspera, and one Long-legged Spider Crab, Macropodia rostrata. Under the second groyne five very small Bullheads, Taurulus bubalis, were netted. Under rocks there were small Blennies*, Lipophrys pholis, also juvenile Rock Gobies, very frequent tiny Long-clawed Porcelain Crabs, Pisidia longicornis, crawling over the underside, and the occasional very small shrimp Athanas nitescens (this shrimp was seen before this year, but it was not included in the notes). Under the groyne nearest  the lock gates, there was shoals of juvenile Common Gobies, Pomatoschistus microps.
(*Most of these were caught by Dixie and Paris.)

A small Tern dived into the shallow sea and a Little Egret arrived at the water's edge as the tide came in quickly.
BMLSS Crabs

15 July 2006
There were none of the large edible prawns Palaemon serratus of the day before, but I did notice a small Rock Goby Gobius paganellus, a few ovigerous and adult Common Gobies Pomatoschistus microps, and the Common Goby fry were common in the shallow pools. 

14 July 2006
A Little Egret was probing as the low tide receded past the Chart Datum gauge (1) in the early morning (8:00 am), and there were scores of large prawns Palaemon serratus and hundeds of smaller prawns Palaemon elegans in the shallow sea, with a handful of Bullheads, Taurulus bubalis, frequent young Blennies, Lipophrys pholis, and some very tiny first year Corkwing Wrasse, Symphodus melops, the only fish seen. Two Terns dived to catch just below the surface, one of them seen to leave with a silvery fish in its beak. These ones seemed smaller than the usual Terns seen. 

Crustaceans included frequent Shore Crabs, Carcinus maenas, and an occasional Hairy Crab, Pilumnus hirtellus, two Shore Squat Lobsters, Galathea squamifera, one Hermit Crab, Pagurus bernhardus, in a Dogwhelk shell, one Long-legged Spider Crab, Macropodia rostrata, one Short-legged Spider Crab Eurynome aspera, and at least two small Edible Crabs Cancer pagurus. More Grey Topshells were seen on this beach. 
BMLSS Crabs

6 July 2006
Evening Primrose was in flower on Kingston Beach near the A259 coast road.

16 June 2006
Two Little Egrets were feeding on the mud and water edge as the tide came in. 
The Edible Crab Cancer pagurus, Spiny Spider Crabs Maja squinado, and Velvet Swimming Crabs Necora puber, collected for Adur World Oceans Day were returned to Kingston Beach. 
 

The rubble covered tidal shore was inhabitated by scores of juvenile Blennies, Lipophrys pholis, that were common (over a hundred) under rocks. 
 

There were also hundreds of Shore Crabs Carcinus maenas, as expected and a 5-Bearded Rockling, Ciliata mustela, and a small Common Starfish, Asterias rubens, under the same boulder with two Hairy Crabs, Pilumnus hirtellus and a small Edible Crab. One miniature brittlestar was discovered and this was a surprise. 
BMLSS Crabs

Kingston Beach: Supplementary Images

A new plant in flower on the shingle was the Bristly Ox-Tongue, Picris echioides. Common Mallow was now flowering. 
Images

8 June 2006
On a neap low tide, a Snakelocks Anemone, Anemonia viridis, was collected from the pool underneath the groyne for Adur World Oceans Day. It will be returned to the beach afterwards. 
BMLSS Sea Anemones

2 June 2006
A second Worm Pipefish, Nerophis lumbriciformis, was discovered underneath a small rock on Kingston Beach, halfway up the beach (3). These fish are so well camouflaged with brown seaweed that on both occasions I could not find the fish in the bucket that contained Irish Moss. The fish wraps itself around the seaweed until is virtually invisible. 
Another Bullhead, Taurulus bubalis, was caught underneath the broken wooden groynes (5). A half a dozen Blennies, Lipophrys pholis, were uncovered turning rocks on the beach between the first two groynes.
 

A brief look was made of the single plants on the raised shingle bank, including the familiar Sow Thistle, Sea Beet, Spear-leaved Orache, Common Mallow (not in flower), Ragwort, Chickweed, the less familiar Prickly Lettuce and also some that looked like garden escapes. I think one of the latter was Purple Salisfy. 
Shingle & Saltmarsh Flora & Fauna (flickr)

1 June 2006
A Worm Pipefish, Nerophis lumbriciformis, was discovered underneath a large rock (1) on Kingston Beach, the first discovered in this location. This fish is unusual (scarce or rare) from the Sussex coast. It is the only the second one I have discovered, the previous adult one was found at Worthing six years ago. This elongate fish is very easily hidden and may occur more often than it is found. This one was a juvenile fish.
BMLSS Pipefish

On a 1.4 metre low tide, the shallow seas fauna showed more variety (of the usual species) than expected with Sea Gooseberries (a cnidarian) transparent in the sea and only noticed when they appeared like globules in the prawn net and one small shoal of Pollack fry numbering about fifty and each small fish only 34 mm long. 

Small first or/and second year Blennies, Lipophrys pholis, were frequently caught and there were probably many more, and two second year Corkwing Wrasse, Symphodus melops, two largish for the shore (not measured) Bullheads, Taurulus bubalis, all but one of the Bullheads caught on the flood tide below Chart Datum (3) and some fish were retained for exhibition at Adur World Oceans Day 2006. In the shallow pools there were occasional Common Gobies, Pomatoschistus microps, and small prawns were common in the shallows and pools, but only Palaemon elegans were noted. 

Dogwhelks were in numbers (very frequent) I had never seen before and the Periwinkle population was a mere fraction before overcollecting (late 1970's), but had increased since last year and a small harvest for home use (one person was collecting winkles) was justified. Shore Crabs, Carcinus maenas, were noted under rocks, as expected. 

Two Mute Swans flew overhead.

Marine Life of Sussex

27 April 2006
The tide went out too far and I did not wait for it to come in. Rock turning produced one small Common Starfish, Asterias rubens, two juvenile Blennies, dozens of Common Gobies, (8 & 3) and a handful of juvenile Rock Gobies. The estuarine part of the beach west of the Lifeboat Station uncovered an Eel, Anguilla, under a boulder, and a Butterfish Pholis gunnellus. There was definite evidence of the recovery of the River Adur from TBT pollution with a congregation of Dogwhelks laying their egg capsules. A chemical component called tributyltin in anti-fouling paints caused female Dogwhelks to develop a condition called imposex which prevented them from breeding.
 

Common Starfish, Asterias rubens,  with an Oyster and a Mussel. The Starfish would eat these molluscs if it was bigger.

Small prawns were common, Shore Crabs, Carcinus maenas, frequent, and an occasional Hairy Crab, Pilumnus hirtellus, one Shore Squat Lobster, Galathea squamifera, one Hermit Crabs in a Netted Dogwhelk shell and one Short-legged Spider Crab Eurynome aspera.
A Crow managed to prise the open mussel shell clear of its byssus attachment and flew off with the meal in its beak. 
Rockpool Fish List

17 April 2006
The rockpooling season started late this year because of inclement weather. Under the first boulder (1) turned near Chart Datum two small Common Starfish, Asterias rubens, were seen. These echinoderms are only occasionally seen between the tides in Sussex. Other finds included fish: two adult Blennies, three juvenile Corkwing Wrasse, (1)  dozens of Common Gobies, (8) and a handful of juvenile Rock Gobies. Dogwhelks of all sizes are now back again after they were locally wiped out by TBT pollution. There were hundreds of small prawns, mosty Paleamon elegans, but at least one large prawn Palemon serratus. A Grey Topshell, Gibbula cineraria, was recorded under a rock near the groynes (5). This is a scarce find on this beach, although widespread and common on non-estuarine beaches of Sussex. For almost the whole hour, I was distracted by the cawing of a Crow. 
BMLSS Topshells

5 January 2006
I recorded my first arthropod of the year when a Shore Prawn, Palaemon elegans, was captured in the net in the pool under the second groyne on Kingston Buci Beach, Shoreham. My first non-avian vertebrate was also recorded as a juvenile of the small fish a Blenny, Lipophys pholis.
 

Kingston Beach Reports 2005