School half term is almost upon us, and I suspect that many among you – especially those with children or grandchildren – may take advantage of the glorious weather and sneak in a trip to the beach.
Exploring rockpools is great fun at any age. Illustration: Chris Shields (rspb-images.com)
Even if your youngsters are all about the sandcastles and paddling, our coasts offer plenty of contact with the natural world, a host of new species to spot, and plenty to learn about.
In the current issue of Nature’s Home magazine, RSPB president and marine life enthusiast Miranda Krestovnikoff shines a spotlight on perhaps one of the most mysterious groups of marine animals - the jellyfish. These animals can navigate despite not having a brain, and move their muscles without a heart or vascular system - pretty cool!
In the coming weeks, as the seas warm, they’ll be blooming around our shores in all their gelatinous, jewelled glory, often followed by exotic visitors such as the Atlantic leatherback turtles that prey on them. But whether you’re staying firmly ashore or bobbing around in the beautiful briny, here are seven ways to make the most of a trip to the coast.
Enter the mysterious world of the jellyfish as they bloom around our shores this season. Photo: RSPB
1. Most UK jellyfish are harmless to humans, but it’s a good idea to wear a wetsuit if you’re going to join them for a dip, just in case there’s a stinger in there. It also helps keep you warm in our chilly seas - so benefits your comfort and enjoyment. Miranda also recommends neoprene gloves, hood and a layer of Vaseline over any exposed bits.
2. Choose a sheltered bay, and only swim where it’s safe. Keep an eye on recent sightings, perhaps of jellyfish, dolphins, choughs or something else, to give yourself a good chance of seeing something exciting.
3. Look but don’t touch - this applies not only to jellyfish but to other living marine life, too. Leave any birds’ nests undisturbed, don’t touch any swimming fish, leave shellfish on the rocks. If you do wish to pick up a crab for your examination bucket, pick it up gently by the widest part of its shell. When you’ve had a look, return the crab to the same spot, and before the water in the bucket starts to warm.
4. Go beachcombing. See what lies along the shoreline - razor shells, whelk shells, cuttlefish and weird seaweeds. Keep an eye out for mermaid’s purses. These egg cases of members of the shark, skate and ray family often wash up after the juvenile fish have hatched. You can identify and record egg case finds at eggcase.org
5. Go rockpooling! (see below). You can also make a bottle-scope to look inside a rockpool. All you need is a plastic bottle (you may even be able to remove one from the beach!), clingfilm, an elastic band and a penknife. Carefully cut both ends off the bottle and cover one end with clingfilm, held in place with the elastic band. Then wrap the whole lot up in black tape to block out the light. Pop the clingfilm end into a rockpool and peer down it to examine the marine life inside. What can you spot? See below.
6. Play sand games - how about a ‘draw and guess’ game, pictionary style, or create a sand sculpture instead of a castle? You could even sculpt some of the seabirds you see around you.
7. If staying on shore, remember your sunscreen, water and hats! On a hot, bright, fun day it’s easy to forget the basics, so stay safe and hydrated.
WE TRIED ROCKPOOLING
Mother of two Kirstie Duhig took her two kids rockpooling on a recent trip to the beach…
“Rockpooling is a great family beach activity; all you need is a fishing net and a bucket in which to observe your catch, and you never know what you’ll discover. Our previous trips have turned up wonders such as jellyfish, small crabs and spiky sea urchins.
We recently visited Blackpool Sands in Devon, where a rocky outcrop forms lots of small rockpools at high tide (do check the tides – just after high tide is usually the best time, when the rockpools are full but the tide has retreated). Here we discovered numerous cuttlefish bones, a mussel with a cracked shell (a seagull’s unfinished lunch we decided), a woodlouse-like bug (as yet unnamed) and lots of shells and seaweed.
Once we had observed and photographed our treasures we put them back into the pools where we found them, especially important if your rockpool has any live inhabitants.
In our family, the photographs of any unidentified species can then presented to Grandpa (a more reliable naturalist than we are) for identification!”
RSPB Arne, one of my favourite spots in southern England. Photo: David Kjaer, (rspb-images.com)
4 RSPB RESERVES WITH SANDY BEACHES
Arne, Dorset (pictured) - has a small, sheltered sandy bay in the calm waters of Poole Harbour. with plenty of bird life. Look out for rare sand lizards among the coastal heather, and Dartford warblers atop gorse bushes.
Titchwell Marsh, Norfolk - a seemingly endless strip of sand lapped by the North Sea. As you walk through the marshland to the beach, look out for avocet families with fluffy chicks, or even an elusive bittern.
Marazion Marsh, Cornwall - overlooking the mystical St Michael's Mount, this little reedbed fronts a strip of Cornish sand lapped by gentle turquoise waters. Home to more than 250 bird species (incliding Cetti's warbler, sand martins and chiffchaff) and 18 mammal species.
Balranald, Isle of North Uist - Scotland's western coasts are gilded with talcum-white coral sand, lapped by invigorating azure waters dotted with intriguing islands. Balranald is on one of them - and you can read more about that in the next (Autumn) issue of Nature's Home, out in July!
If you're off to the coast, we'd love to hear what you spot.