Centennial Beach, Boundary Bay Regional Park

Tsawwassen, B.C.

Site Description:       

Centennial Beach is on the west side of Boundary Bay, which is off of the Strait of Georgia.  The beach here is a very extensive tide flat with sand stretching as far as you can see.  A stream travels down the beach and out to the Bay, but even the stream is nearly out of view from the shoreline.  It is literally over a mile from the shoreline to the waters of the Bay during low tide.  There are some tide pools on the sand when you approach the stream and some eel grass beds in and near the stream.  A few stranded crab traps tend to dot the tide flat and provide the only home for the few gastropod species you find here.  Batillaria are the only common gastropod here and they are extremely abundant.  
 

Google Map
 

   
           Out on the tide flat looking west back toward the shore                     Near the stream in the middle of the flat looking east across the bay          


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
Clinocardium nuttallii  [2]
Cryptomya californica  [4]
Leukoma staminea  [2]
Lyonsia californica  [4]
Macoma balthica  [3]
Macoma nasuta  [2]
Macoma secta  [2]
Mya arenaria  [2]
Mytilus complex  [2]
Nuttallia obscurata  [2]
Rochefortia tumida  [4]
Simomactra falcata  [4]
Tellina nuculoides  [3]
Tresus capax  [2]
Tresus nuttallii  [3]
Venerupis philippinarum  [2]
 
     Gastropods
Batillaria attramentaria  [1]
Crepidula convexa  [2]  (on the Batillaria)
Haminoea japonica  [3]
Haminoea vesicula  [3]
Hima fratercula  [3]
Ilyanassa obsoleta  [4]
Lacuna variegata  [2]
Littorina scutulata  [3]
Lottia parallela  [2]
Nucella lamellosa  [3]
Ocinebrellus inornatus  [3]
Turbonilla sp.  [4]

     Nudibranchs
Phyllaplysia taylori  [4]

    
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This page last revised: 12-22-2009