Community Scientists Make a Difference for Morro Bay

A plastic sand toy left on rocks at the beach.

While not everyone can be a marine biologist, a meteorologist, or a conservation ecologist, anyone can contribute to the wealth of data that these experts use and study. Our own Monitoring program uses data gathered by community scientist volunteers and staff members to keep an eye on long-term trends in water quality, bacteria levels, and other factors that influence stream and bay health. (We are not working with volunteers at this time due to COVID-19 precautions, but we look forward to having our volunteers back in the field as soon as it’s safe to do so.) Today, we’re sharing …

Sea Clowning Around: Triopha maculata and Triopha catalinae, by Robin Agarwal

December 13, 2019 Posted by Morro Bay National Estuary Program anudibranchmom belly biology estuary program iNaturalist morro bay morro bay national estuary program morro bay nudibranch nudibranch Robin Agarwal Sea Clowns sea slug sea slugs in Morro Bay Spotted Triopha T. catalinae T. maculata tidepooling etiquette tidepooling in Morro Bay Triopha catalinae Triopha maculata Blog Posts Sea Slug of the Month Wildlife spotlight

Triopha Maculata Sun Salutation, photographed in Santa Cruz, CA by Robin Agarwal

Spotted Triopha or Triopha maculata One of the most charming creatures found along the Central California coast is the Spotted Triopha nudibranch (Triopha maculata). With its colorful body, white polka dots, and bushy “beard”—properly called papillae—on the edge of its oral veil, this engaging sea slug is one of the most common you’ll encounter year-round, either on a dive or during a casual inspection of tidepools at low tide. Triopha maculata color variants The only minor difficulty is realizing that you’re looking at one. Spotted Triophas come in at least two color variants that caused even veteran scientists to …

A Sea Slug by Any Other Name, Guest Post by Robin Agarwal

November 15, 2019 Posted by Morro Bay National Estuary Program anuidibranchmom belly biology California tidepool evolutionary biology iNaturalist morro bay morro bay national estuary program morro bay wildlife nudibranch Robin Agarwal sea slug seaslug taxonomy what to see in Morro Bay Guest post Sea Slug of the Month Wildlife spotlight

Acanthodoris lutea nudibranch smells like citrus or cedar

This is the fifth post in our Sea Slug of the Month series by guest author, Robin Agarwal. A Sea Slug by Any Other Name: One Grossly Derivative Title Covering Three Random Thoughts About Scented Sea Slugs, Hopkins’s Rose, and the Ongoing Bother About Names “that which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet” —Juliet in Romeo & Juliet, William Shakespeare Although she was not particularly noted for her tidepool explorations, Juliet may have been surprised to discover that three of the nudibranchs (shell-less marine molluscs) living along the Central California Coast actually emit scents …

Sea Slug of the Month – Morro Bay’s ‘Gateway Nudi:’ Opalescent Nudibranch, Guest Post by Robin Agarwal

July 12, 2019 Posted by Morro Bay National Estuary Program a nudibranch mom Ángel Valdés anudibranchmom Austin L. Ka’ala Estores-Pacheco Hermissenda Hermissenda crassicornis Hermissenda opalescens iNaturalist nudibranch Robin Agarwal sea slug sea slug of the month seaslug Blog Posts Guest post Sea Slug of the Month Wildlife spotlight

Three Opalescent Nudibranchs (Hermissenda opalescens). Photograph courtesy of Robin Agarwal via Flickr Creative Commons License

“Whoaaaa…what is THAT?” “It’s gorgeous, whatever it is.” “It’s moving!” “Dude, check this out!” “So BLUE!” “What IS it?” Music to a science educator’s ears, of course, thanks to the astonishing colors and reasonably viewable size of one of California’s most iconic sea slug species, the Opalescent Nudibranch (Hermissenda opalescens). Found throughout the Central California coast, these brightly-colored carnivores are often the first nudibranchs to astonish and delight the humans venturing into their intertidal world during seasonal low tides. Photograph of Opalescent nudibranch, (Hermissenda opalescens) taken in Monterey, California. Courtesy of Robin Agarwal, under Creative Commons license via …

Help Put Morro Bay on the Bioblitz map: Snapshot Cal Coast 2018

June 15, 2018 Posted by Morro Bay National Estuary Program bio blitz bioblitz California Academy of Sciences California MPAs estuary iNaturalist Marine Protected Area MBNEP morro bay snapshot cal coast Blog Posts

Paula and Tom enter observations into iNaturalist during the Snapshot Cal Coast 2018 effort.

What is Snapshot Cal Coast bioblitz? During a bioblitz, citizen scientists document all living things in a certain area, during a specific period of time. Estuary Program staff and volunteers participate in an annual bioblitz called Snapshot Cal Coast, which is hosted by the California Academy of Sciences. This large-scale effort aims to document plants and animals all along the California coast, during a particular week in June. Participants are asked to complete their bioblitzes in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and to focus on intertidal zones (those areas that may be submerged during high tide and exposed during low tides). Help …

Citizen Scientists Make a Difference for Morro Bay

April 13, 2018 Posted by Morro Bay National Estuary Program Audubon citizen science ecoslo estuary iNaturalist marine debris MBNEP morro bay noaa Blog Posts

We used the Trash Tracker for the first time at our inaugural Pickup and Paddle event in 2017. We're excited to continue using it this year!

While not everyone can be a marine biologist, a meteorologist, or a conservation ecologist, almost anyone can help contribute to the wealth of knowledge that these experts draw from in their work. Our own Monitoring program uses data gathered by citizen scientist volunteers and staff members to keep an eye on long-term trends in water quality, bacteria levels, and other factors that influence stream and bay health. In honor of National Citizen Science Day tomorrow, we’re sharing a few ways that you can help move science forward at home and beyond. Marine debris projects Clean Swell This simple app created …

Bioblitz and July 4th Cleanups in Morro Bay

July 1, 2017 Posted by Morro Bay National Estuary Program beach cleanup bioblitz cal coast cleanup estuary iNaturalist los osos morro bay morro bay national estuary program Blog Posts

July Fourth Weekend is always busy on the Central Coast. Morro Bay and Los Osos are no exception. People come here for the beautiful views, the mild temperatures, the chance to enjoy the water and see abundant wildlife. Morro Bay’s sunsets even light up the sky like a natural kind of firework. Whatever your plans are for this weekend or the coming holiday week, we have two activities that you can easily participate in to help the bay and liven up your day. Bioblitz Snapshot Cal Coast Through Sunday, July 2 This fun citizen science project asks people up and …

iNaturalist: Bringing Technology and Nature Together in Morro Bay

July 22, 2016 Posted by Morro Bay National Estuary Program animals of morro bay estuary estuary program iNaturalist morro bay naturalist Blog Posts

In Morro Bay, the natural world surrounds us, no matter where we are. It’s right outside our windows. It lines the paths we walk, bike, and hike. It reminds us just how much life depends on its waters. Nature is why so many of us choose to visit and live in Morro Bay. If you’re the kind of person who loves to be surrounded by nature and who is also interested in science and technology, you might like iNaturalist. It’s a smart phone and tablet app that allows people to upload pictures of the plants and animals they see. …