West Seattle wildlife: Shimmering sights, seen at low tide

More wildlife sights on West Seattle beaches today, as the lowest tide once again was minus three feet, and then some. Thanks to WSB’ers who shared photos – above, Machel Spence‘s photograph of what she explained was “a rare and sweet find at low tide … an opalescent a frosted nudibranch, I don’t see these very often except for the very low tides.” The next photo is courtesy of Jen, who said she and her daughter spotted it (among other creatures) while out this afternoonn. She added, “It was so much fun and beautiful out there.”

(Do you know what that is? We don’t!) Tomorrow’s low tide won’t be as low as the past two days, but still excellent for tide-walking depending on the weather – forecast right now as “partly sunny” – it’ll be minus 2.8 feet at 2 pm.

12 Replies to "West Seattle wildlife: Shimmering sights, seen at low tide"

  • Steve May 8, 2012 (8:22 pm)

    It’s a little sea anenome I believe…he won’t open up again until the tide comes back in.

  • Kam May 8, 2012 (8:25 pm)

    Looks like an anemone in the second one…?

    Beautiful nudibranch photo. Thank you for sharing!

  • shed22 May 8, 2012 (8:28 pm)

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_anemone?

    Whatever it is . . . really cool!

  • Tim May 8, 2012 (8:30 pm)

    I believe that’s an anemone all closed up as it’s exposed out of the water…

  • debbie May 8, 2012 (8:37 pm)

    That last one is an anemone with it’s tentacles tucked in.

  • Uhnehmuhnee May 8, 2012 (8:39 pm)

    Looks like an aggregating anemone to me! They always have them at the Pacific Science Center.

  • Machel Spence May 8, 2012 (8:43 pm)

    It’s actually a frosted nudibranch (Dirona albolineata), I sent you the wrong description LOL! That’s what happens when I write too fast and get excited about a sea critter…I screw up!

    • WSB May 8, 2012 (9:07 pm)

      Thanks, Machel and everyone, re: the anemone. (And I will amend the copy to “frosted nudibranch.”)

  • Machel Spence May 8, 2012 (8:46 pm)

    Oh and the second photograph is an aggregating anemone, an interesting point about them is that they can multiply asexually by dividing into two identical individuals!

  • Visitor May 8, 2012 (9:42 pm)

    Anthraplura elegatisama. Prettiest Latin name for this lovely anemone

  • Kim May 8, 2012 (9:49 pm)

    Beautiful, thank you for sharing these!

  • dbsea May 9, 2012 (9:41 am)

    So that’s an anemone? My daughters call them Sea Snots.

Sorry, comment time is over.