Rockpooling Destination: Revisit Hemsby, March 2016

The intertidal sediments experience periods of erosion and deposition which in turn influence the sediments and organisms found or washed up on the shore.



In March the strandlines separate in to an upper, comprised of bryozoa (predominantly Flustra foliacea) and a lower, comprised of red seaweeds (predominantly combweed, Plocamium sp).

The sediments of the shore in March, comprise coarser elements than during the summer.

March 2016

The shore in Summer, 2014



Rockpooling destination: Hemsby, March 2016

During the months of February and March the eggcases of a variety of rays, skates and catshark are washed up onto the Norfolk shores. Common eggcases that can be found include the Thornback and Spotted ray and the curly ended eggcases of the catshark. Sometimes you can find the larger Blonde ray eggcases.

A walk along the shore turned up some nice mermaid purses and lots of the bryozoan, Flustra foliacea.

Rockpooling destination: Hemsby, changing strandlines over winter months

The strandline at Hemsby has changed in composition over the last few months.
In November it was dominated by red seaweeds, by December the proportion of red seaweeds being washed up had decreased and by January 2015, the strandline was dominated by hornwrack with ever increasing numbers of  washed up ray and catshark eggcases.



The sandy shore with a strand line dominated by red seaweeds. Habitat classification: LS.LSa.St (Strandline) and LS.LSa (Littoral sand).





The strandline is comprised of a variety of red seaweeds, the bryozoan, hornwrack (Flustra foliacea) and empty razor shells.

The shore at Hemsby in Januray 2015 has changed to become  dominated by the remains of the bryozoan, hornwrack (Flustra foliacea).




A small spotted catshark (Scyliorhinus canicula) egg case.

Rockpooling destination: Hemsby, November 2014

During the month of November, washed up red seaweeds dominate the strandline at Hemsby, Norolk.
  

The sandy shore with a strand line dominated by red seaweeds. Habitat classification: LS.LSa.St (Strandline), LS.LSa (Littoral sand) to LS.LCS (Littoral coarse sediments).

The strandline is comprised of a variety of red seaweeds, the bryozoan, hornwrack (Flustra foliacea) and empty razor shells.



A sponge (Porifera) washed up in the strandline.

Clawed Fork Weed (Furcellaria lumbricalis) washed up in the strandline.

Clawed Fork Weed (Furcellaria lumbricalis).

Epiphytic red seaweed on Clawed Fork Weed (Furcellaria lumbricalis).

A red tree weed.

A red tree weed.

Hemsby, January 2015

Winter storms have washed up quantities of hornwrack (Flustra foliacea) onto the sandy shore at Hemsby, Norfolk.

Many different things can be found among the washed up hornwrack, including the remains of crabs, sponges, razor shells and slipper limpets.

The sandy shore with successive strandlines dominated by the remains of the bryozoan, hornwrack (Flustra foliacea). Habitat classification: LS.LSa.St (Strandline) and LS.LSa (Littoral sand).

Hornwrack (Flustra foliacea)

The remains of Hornwrack (Flustra foliacea), crabs and seaweeds comprise the strandline.