Birch Bay State Park 

Whatcom Co., WA

Site Description:       

Birch Bay State Park is on the south side of Birch Bay, which is off of the Strait of Georgia.  The beach here is an extensive tide flat consisting mostly of sand bars.  Tide pools dot the area at low tide.  The upper beach is cobble with some scattered areas of small boulders.  At the point nearest the Strait of Georgia, the beach becomes a rocky headland.  There are also extensive eelgrass beds across the sand bars.  It is a very popular beach for clam digging.
 

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Species List:

     Following is a list of mollusk species observed at this location by members and associates of the club.  This is by no means a complete list of the species which may occur at this site.  Revisions and additions to the data are made as we acquire new information.   When a site contains more than one very distinctive type of habitat or if multiple sites were included in a single location, then a species list for each is included.
    We indicate frequency of occurrence based on our observations.  This is an indicator of how likely it is that you may be able to find this species yourself and is not a formal population survey.  

     Frequency Code:  (Based on the assumption that you are looking in the appropriate location where the species likes to live - on rocks, in sand, etc.)
     [4] - Rare - very difficult to find, maybe only a couple found after repeated visits to the site
     [3] - Uncommon - difficult to find, may not see on every trip but dedicated searching may turn up a few
     [2] - Common - easy to find, should locate a number of them on any given day
     [1] - Abundant - very easy to find, large numbers should be seen on every trip

     Bivalves
Callithaca tenerrima  [2]
Clinocardium nuttallii  [1]
Crassostrea gigas  [2]
Leukoma staminea  [1]
Lucinoma annulatum  [4]
Macoma balthica  [4]
Macoma inquinata  [2]
Macoma nasuta  [2]
Macoma secta  [2]
Mactromeris polynyma  [3]
Modiolus rectus  [3]
Mya arenaria  [3]
Mytilus complex  [1]
Nuttallia obscurata  [2]
Panopea abrupta  [4]
Pododesmus machrochisma  [3]
Protothaca restorationensis  [4]
Saxidomus gigantea  [1]
Solen sicarius  [4]
Tellina modesta  [4]
Tresus capax  [1]
Tresus nuttallii  [2]
Venerupis philippinarum  [2]
 
     Gastropods
Acmaea mitra [4]
Alia carinata  [2]
Alvania compacta  [4]
Euspira lewisii  [3]
Haminoea vesicula  [4]
Hima mendica  [3]
Lacuna variegata  [1]
Lirabuccinum dirum  [3]
Lirularia lirulata  [4]
Littorina scutulata  [1]
Littorina sitkana  [1]
Lottia parallela  [1]
Lottia pelta  [1]
Lottia scutum  [3]
Margarites pupillus  [3]
Nucella lamellosa  [1]
Nucella ostrina  [1]
Ocinebrina lurida  [4]
Oenopota sp.  [4]

     Chitons
Katharina tunicata  [3]
Mopalia muscosa  [3]
 
     Nudibranchs
Aeolidia papillosa  [4]
Aglaja ocelligera  [4]
Dirona albolineata  [4]
Hermissenda crassicornis  [4]
Melibe leonina  [4]

    
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This page last revised: 6-29-2010