Our first autumn rains have brought out the slime moulds and fungi. Here’s a small collection of photos from a recent visit to Pacific Spirit Park in Vancouver.
Above is a close up of Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa, also known as Common Coral Slime.
Over the summer I was transfixed by these tiny crustaceans I noticed on the beach. I noticed their movement and dozens upon dozens of tiny holes near the tideline.
Getting my nose down to the beach, I got a view of these miniscule sand-hoppers emerging, jumping about, and digging themselves back down into the sand. The species is probably Megalorchestia pugettensis.
A few days ago I read about some research that revealed they (or at least their Californian cousins) move vast quantities of sand – on par with coastal erosion. Read about it here: Tiny beach-dwelling crustaceans are big-time sand movers, shaping the California coast.
I also learned about the field of biogeomorphology. Absolutely fascinating.
The sun rises over the low tide near Jericho beach, subtly changed with the approach of autumn. As the seasons fade into one another, the living world begins to change as well. Here’s a selection of photos from a recent visit.
As promised, here’s the second part of my recent photos from Stanley Park.
The park is home to a family of Common Ravens that are usually hard to miss – even if you don’t see them, you’ll almost certainly hear them. I found this adult near the Third Beach concession, one of their usual haunts.
