Where Rivers

Meet the Sea

A Guide to

Washington’s

Estuaries Poster

R printed on recycled paperPublication # 98 - 104

Where Rivers Meet The Sea: A Guide to Washington�s Estuaries PosterThis guide is meant to accompanythe Washington State Departmentof Ecology’s 24" X 36" Estuariesposter. The poster is one of a seriesillustrated by nature artist LarryDuke.

Posters are available to thegeneral public through nonprofitorganizations. For a list ofdistributors, visit the Department ofEcology’s World Wide Web page atwww.wa.gov/ecology/ under the“Shorelands & Wetlands” section;or call Ecology’s Publication’sOffice at (360) 407-7472 and ask forPublication No. 94-151.

Public school teachers can ordercopies of the poster for classroomuse from the Superintendent ofPublic Instruction’s Office ofEnvironmental Education, at(206) 365-3893.

If you would like multiplecopies of this booklet, please feelfree to make copies. You candownload a master copy forprinting from Ecology’s web site atthe address above. For additionalsingle copies, call Ecology at(360) 407-7472 and ask forPublication No. 98-104.

AcknowledgementsPreparation of this book was acooperative effort involving staffand volunteers at the Padilla BayNational Estuarine ResearchReserve and the Washington StateDepartment of Ecology. Thanks toKuri Yamaura and Gina Perez forillustrations, Jim Kight and GinaPerez for text, and Tom Leonard forlayout. Also a thank you goes toSusan Wood, Glen Alexander, andTim Gates for guidance throughout.

The Padilla Bay National EstuarineResearch Reserve is managed bythe Shorelands and EnvironmentalAssistance Program, Department ofEcology, State of Washington, incooperation with the Sanctuariesand Reserves Division, U.S.National Oceanic and AtmosphericAdministration (NOAA). Thisdocument was funded in part by aCoastal Zone Management grantfrom NOAA’s Office of Ocean andCoastal Resource Management.

The Washington StateDepartment of Ecology is anEqual Opportunity and AffirmativeAction employer. If you havespecial accommodation needs,please contact EducationCoordinator, Padilla Bay NationalEstuarine Research Reserve, at(360) 428-1558 or (360) 757-1549(TDD).

EstuariesA tiny frozen crystal of water formshigh up in the sky. It grows bigger,getting heavier until it falls to a highmountain top. In the spring thesnow melts and starts a journeydown the mountain into a cascade offresh water. It travels throughforests, past cities, neighborhoods,and farms until it reaches saltyocean water. This place wherefreshwater and saltwater mix is anestuary. In some estuaries theoutgoing tide exposes mudflats -rich in dead organic matter calleddetritus. This is a place of productiveplant growth, nursery for crabs andsalmon, habitat for migrating birdsand inspiration for the human spirit.

Tiny salmon, when they begintheir journey to the sea, need theestuary for food and shelter.Eelgrass provides habitat for tinycrustaceans - the young salmon’sfavorite food - and a place to hidefrom predators. Because the wateris part fresh and part salty, it allowsthe young salmon to adjust to thesaltiness of ocean waters. As

salmon have been threatened or indanger of extinction inWashington’s waters, protectingestuaries has become even moreimportant.

Estuaries can be found all overthe world in coastal areas. Likeanimals, people use the estuaries inmany different ways. Since the firstpeoples, food has been gathered atlow tides and waters fished whenthe tide was high. Because estuariesoften make protected harbors,towns like Seattle, New York, andLos Angeles have grown up there.

Estuaries are vital links to otherecosystems, connected through theflow of water and the flow ofmigrating animals. They filterimpurities, absorb flood water, andrecycle nutrients - functions that aredwindling because of human activity.

Learning more about theconnections between humans andthese special places we callestuaries might help us take bettercare of them.

This pamphlet is designed tohelp you learn more about thefascinating plants and animalsfound in estuaries. Use the key onpage 2 to locate the 56 speciesrepresented on the poster. Read theinteresting facts about eachorganism. But don’t stop there!Each one of these species has aunique and intriguing life history.You can learn about these organismby watching them at estuaries, andby reading books (see list below).You can use the picture in thecenterfold as a coloring poster.

Find the mystery mistakeAs with most projects of this type,there is a small mistake in theEstuaries poster. As you study thespecies, see if you can find it!Clue: The mistake is a marking thatwould not be found on a livingmember of this species.The answer is on the back page,but don’t peek until you’ve donesome sleuthing.

Some good books about estuariesThere are many excellent booksabout estuary life. Here are somebooks to help you get started as youlearn about these wonderful places:

vMarine Wildlife of Puget Sound,the San Juans, and the Strait ofGeorgia, by Steve Yates

v Exploring the Seashore, by GloriaSnively

v Between Pacific Tides, by Rickettsand Calvin

v Seashore Life of the Northern PacificCoast, by Eugene Kozloff

v The Natural History of PugetSound, by Arthur Kruckeburg

Note: This book uses the metric systemof measurement to describe species.To translate metric numbers, multiplycentimeters by .39 to find inches.

Where Rivers Meet the Sea page 1

Species List1. Red-breasted Merganser - Mergusserrator2. Black Brant - Branta bernicla3. Common Goldeneye - Bucephalaclangula4. Greater Yellowlegs - Tringamelanoleuca5. Dunlin - Calidris alpina6. Black-bellied Plover - Pluvialissquatarola7. Bald Eagle - Haliaeetus leucocephalus8. Great Blue Heron - Ardea herodias9. American Wigeon - Anas americana10. Canada Goose - Branta canadensis11. Peregrine Falcon - Falco peregrinus12. Western Sandpiper - Calidris mauri13. Caspian Tern - Sterna caspia14. River Otter - Lutra canadensis15. Harbor Seal - Phoca vitulina16. Orange Striped Jellyfish -Gonionemus vertens17. Scallop - Pecten caurinus18. Stalked Jellyfish -Thaumatoscyphus hexaradiatus19. Opalescent Nudibranch -Hermissenda crassicornis

20. Hooded Nudibranch - Melibeleonina21. Brooding Sea Anemone -Epiactis prolifera22. Eelgrass Isopod - Idotea resecata23. Skeleton Shrimp - Caprella equilibra24. Chink Shell - Lacuna variegata25. Dungeness Crab - Cancer magister26. Hermit Crab - Pagurus granosimanus27. Sunflower Star - Pycnopodiahelianthoides28. Blood Star - Henricia leviuscula29. Long Rayed Brittle Star -Amphiodia occidentalis30. Bubble Shell - Haminoea virescens31. Native Littleneck Clam -Protothaca staminea32. Bent-nosed Clam - Macoma nasuta33. Mud Shrimp - Upogebia pugettensis34. Purple Shore Crab - Hemigrapsusnudus35. Lugworm - Abarenicola pacifica36. Chum Salmon - Oncorhynchus keta37. Chinook Salmon - Oncorhynchustshawytscha38. Pacific Spiny Lumpsucker -Eumicrotremus orbis

39. Shiner Perch - Cymatogasteraggregata40. Starry Flounder - Platichthysstellatus41. Pacific Staghorn Sculpin -Leptocottus armatus42. Bay Pipefish - Syngnathusgriseolineatus43. Eelgrass - Zostera marina44. Red Algae - Smithora naiadum45. Sea Lettuce - Ulva lactuca46. Lyngby’s Sedge - Carex lyngbyei47. Pickleweed - Salicornia virginica48. Seaside Arrowgrass - Triglochinmaritimum49. Pacific Silverweed - Potentillaanserina50. Saltgrass - Distichlis spicata51. Gumweed - Grindelia integrifolia52. Douglas Aster - Aster subspicatus53. Fat-hen Saltbush - Atriplex patula54. Tufted Hairgrass - Deschampsiacespitosa55. Damsel Fly - Argia vivida56. Green Darner - Anax junius

page 2 Where Rivers Meet the Sea

1. Red-breasted Merganser -

Mergus serratorThese divingbirds arecommon wintervisitors toestuaries. One ofthe swiftestducks, theyrapidly swim with their head andneck stretched out in front. They eatcrustaceans, molluscs and fish suchas young salmon. During wintercourtship, males give a cat-like calland make elaborate bodymovements.

2. Black Brant - Branta berniclaYou can spot aBlack Brantgoose by itswhite neck ringand whiteunder the tail.These birds eateelgrass in estuaries along thePacific Flyway. Some Brant migratethree thousand miles from Alaskato Baja, Mexico without stopping!

3. Common Goldeneye - Bucephala

clangulaThese divingbirds can befound inopen waterlooking for crustaceans andmolluscs to eat. The males attractfemales with an interesting dance.They circle the female, bend theirheads back to the tail feathers andspray water into the air with theirfeet.

4. Greater Yellowlegs -

Tringa melanoleucaA springand latesummervisitor toWashingtonestuaries,thisbeautifulshorebird can be seen wading inshallow water, gobbling up smallfish and crabs.

5. Dunlin - Calidris alpinaThese small shorebirdscan be seen on themudflats or beachhunting forcrustaceans, molluscs,worms and insects.They fly in large flockslike clouds that flashlight and dark as they turntogether.

6. Black-bellied Plover -

Pluvialis squatarolaSpendingsummers inthe Arctictundra andwinters onsandybeaches andmud flats, these shorebirds feed onworms, insects, crustaceans andmolluscs. They often fly in a flock,but scatter when feeding.

7. Bald Eagle -

Haliaeetus leucocephalusThese mightybirds can befound allyear inWashington.They rest intreetops, soar with flat wings, andswoop down to the water for fishand small ducks. Young bald eaglesare about five years old before theyget the white head and tail feathersof adults.

8. Great Blue Heron - Ardea herodiasThese birdslive allyear inWashington.With theirlong legs and neck, they arespecially adapted for fishing inshallow water. They eat estuary fishlike perch, sculpin, starry flounderand sanddabs.

9. American Wigeon - Anas americanaThese birdsare commonwintervisitors toWashingtonestuaries where they feed oneelgrass. They pick their matesduring the winter. The malescompete for females by repeatingwhistle calls and lifting foldedwings above their backs. By Marchmost females have mates beforethey migrate north to nest.

10. Canada Goose - Branta canadensisThese migrantsare found inWashingtonduring thespring and fall.They eat plantslike grasses andcorn. They arefun to watch, but do not get tooclose. They can be quite aggressive,especially when they have young.

11. Peregrine Falcon - Falco peregrinusThough these birdsare found throughoutthe world, you wouldbe very lucky to seeone because they arevery rare. With amazing speed, theycatch other birds in mid-air.Occasionally they eat insects. Thesebirds were once endangered in theUnited States because of the use ofDDT. Populations have beenrecovering since this toxic chemicalwas banned.

12. Western Sandpiper - Calidris mauriThese birds havetheir babies inAlaska then flythousands of milesto South Americafor winter. Theystop in estuaries toeat along the way.With their longpointed beaks,they catch wormsand shrimp-like animals. Falconslike to eat this bird.

Where Rivers Meet the Sea page 3

13. Caspian Tern - Sterna caspiaThis is the largestof the terns. Theyfly with extremegrace. Sometimesthey drop 30 feet ormore into the water to catch fish. Justa few flaps of their wings gets themup again. It is fun to watch themskimming the water, quickly shiftingdirection as they look for food.

14. River Otter - Lutra canadensisThesemammalslive in bothfresh andsaltwater.They are seenin and around the estuary and alsoin rivers and streams. They catchfish and crabs with their sharp teeth.Although these playful and curiousmammals are mostly seen in water,they often go on land to eat and restunder rocks or tree roots.

15. Harbor Seal - Phoca vitulinaWith theirgentleeyes andspottedfur, theseare the most common marinemammals in Washington. They eatmany species of fish includingherring, salmon, sculpin and hake.If you see them resting on shore, donot approach them. If you see amarine mammal that needs help,call 1-800-562-8832.

16. Orange Striped Jellyfish -

Gonionemus vertensDuring thesummer, largenumbers of orangestriped jellyfishattach themselvesto eelgrass and kelp with stickypads located near the tips of theirtentacles. When not attached theyswim much like other jellyfish.These tiny invertebrates are only 1.5cm across. They feed mostly onsmall crustaceans such asamphipods and the larvae of fishes.

17. Scallop - Pecten caurinusThese deliciousanimals are commonin Puget Sound.Scallops swim throughthe water with a jerkymotion by clapping their two shellstogether. Scallops have many (up to30 or 40) tiny eyes lining the insideedges of their shells.

18. Stalked Jellyfish -

Thaumatoscyphus hexaradiatusThe stalked jellyfishis an oddball thatattaches itself toeelgrass and kelp. Ithas eight clusters oftentacles attached to a 2.5 cm stalk.The tentacles have stinging cellscalled nematocysts that are used tokill prey. These jellyfish are shinygreen, yellow, orange, and brown.

19. Opalescent Nudibranch -

Hermissenda crassicornisThis sea slug iscovered with soft,orange tipped fingerscalled cerrata that actlike gills. A shinyblue line, like a neonlight, decorates eachside of its body. Iteats a variety of foods includingmolluscs, eggs, bits of detritus, andhydroids (anemone-like animalswith stinging cells). After beingeaten, the stinging cells from thehydroids migrate to the cerratawhere they help protect the sea slug.

20. Hooded Nudibranch -

Melibe leoninaThis strange looking,grayish or almostcolorless nudibranch(sea slug) movesslowly aroundeelgrass bedscatching smallcrustaceans with itsfringed “oral hood.”It grows up to 10 cm long and isable to swim using thrashingmovements. It can also fill its hoodwith air and float to a new location.

21. Brooding Sea Anemone -

Epiactis proliferaThis anemone iscommon on eelgrassblades where it feeds onplankton, smallcrustaceans, anddetritus. It has whitestripes and ranges incolor from red to brownto green. After the eggs hatch in itsstomach, the larvae (babies) comeout its mouth and attach to its sidewhere they grow.

22. Eelgrass Isopod - Idotea resecataEven though this is oneof the largest isopods(up to 5 cm), it can behard to spot clinging tothe eelgrass blades. It iscamouflaged by itsgreen color and narrowflat shape which lookslike the blades of eelgrass.

23. Skeleton Shrimp -

Caprella equilibraThis odd lookingcrustacean is alsocalled a caprellidamphipod. It clingstightly to theblades of eelgrasswith its hind legsand with a“bowing” motion ituses its front legsto pick up algae,bits of detritus and hydroids.Skeleton shrimp are an importantfood source for young salmon.

24. Chink Shell - Lacuna variegataThis tiny snail “waddles”like a duck as it movesabout scraping tiny plantsand animals from thesurface of eelgrass bladeswith its rough tongue. Itseggs, which look like littleyellow bagels, are oftenseen at the tips of eelgrassblades. It is called thechink shell because it has a widechink or groove in its shell.

page 6 Where Rivers Meet the Sea

25. Dungeness Crab - Cancer magisterThis crab canlive for eightto ten years.BabyDungenesscrabs like tolive in eelgrass and shallow waterwhile adults live in deeper water.This delicious crab is worthmillions of dollars in Washington asseafood.

26. Hermit Crab -

Pagurus granosimanusThis animal can befound living inempty snail shells.The shell providesprotection for its soft body. Hermitcrabs are not really crabs but arerelated to shrimp.

27. Sunflower Star -

Pycnopodia helianthoidesThis is one ofthe fastest andlargest of allsea stars. Theycan be up to ahalf meteracross. Adults can grow as many astwenty-four legs. No wonder theymove so fast.

28. Blood Star - Henricia leviusculaThe name ofthis sea stargives a hint ofits bright color.It can rangefrom tan toalmost purple. It is one of thesmaller sea stars - usually less than12 cm across. It eats sponges byputting its stomach out of itsmouth. When it is done feeding, itpulls its stomach back in.

29. Long Rayed Brittle Star -

Amphiodia occidentalisBrittle starshave verylong rays(arms). Itsrays canreach up to 6cm in length, but its center diskonly grows to about 6 mm across.The long-rayed brittle star livesburied in muddy sand, especially ineelgrass beds.

30. Bubble Shell - Haminoea virescensThis is a small snail thatlooks like a slug. It has athin shell that is muchsmaller than its body andfoot. Its shell only reachesabout 1 cm in length, butthe snail’s body may reach 2-3 cm.Bubble shells use their radula(rough tongue-like structure) toscrape food off eelgrass blades oroff the surface of the mud.

31. Native Littleneck Clam -

Protothaca stamineaThis is probably themost importantcommercial food clamin the Northwest. It isoval or round in shape,and is the only clamwith lines criss-crossing its shell.

32. Bent-nose Clam - Macoma nasutaThis clam iseasily recognizedby a bend in thetip of its shell. Itlives in protectedmuddy bays.This clam canbury itself 10 to20 centimeters in the mud. Theseclams live in places where there isnot much oxygen.

33. Mud Shrimp - Upogebia pugettensisThis blue-gray shrimplives in very muddyconditions. It digslong connectingtunnels under themud. By fanningwater through thesetunnels, it feeds ondetritus.

34. Purple Shore Crab -

Hemigrapsus nudusThere arelots of thesesmall crabsfound underrocks alongtheshoreline. It mostly eats algae(seaweed) such as Ulva. This shorecrab has a reddish tint with purplemarkings on the ends of its claws.Its relative,the green shore crab(Hemigraspus oregonensis), isusually a grayish green.

35. Lugworm - Abarenicola pacificaThese worms areeasy to locatebecause they leavelittle squigglypiles on thesurface of themud. The lugworm lives just belowthe piles in a J- shaped hole. Like anearthworm in a garden, a lugwormeats the dead stuff and helps turn itinto good rich mud.

36. Chum Salmon - Oncorhynchus ketaOn theirway to theoceanfromrivers, juvenile Chum spend 4-8weeks in the estuary feeding ontiny animals and adjusting to saltwater. People are concerned aboutthe decreasing numbers of Chumsalmon in the state of Washington.It is a species that is beingmonitored by the National MarineFisheries Service and citizen actiongroups to make sure it does notbecome extinct.

Where Rivers Meet the Sea page 7

37. Chinook Salmon -

Oncorhynchus tshawytschaChinook arethe largest ofthe Pacificsalmon andcan weighup to 145pounds. They are named after theChinook Indians, who depended onthe return of the salmon to theColumbia River each year. Due tohabitat loss and overfishing, thenumber of Chinook salmon hasdeclined dangerously in recentyears. To keep the salmon frombecoming extinct salmon habitat isbeing restored and protected and thenumber fished has been regulated.

38. Pacific Spiny Lumpsucker -

Eumicrotremus orbisThis funny littlefish looks like asmall puffer fish.It attaches torocks by using asucker on its underside. It grows toabout 12 cm, and eats smallanimals.

39. Shiner Perch - Cymatogaster

aggregataShiners havea silver colorand are 10to 13centimeterslong. They feed on skeleton shrimpand crustaceans that live on theeelgrass blades. They often move todeeper water in the winter.

40. Starry Flounder -

Platichthys stellatusThis flat fishswims alongthe mud flateatingcrustaceans,worms, and small fish. A flounder isborn with an eye on each side of itshead. After about two weeks, one eyebegins to move to the other side of itsface. The fish lives on the bottom ofthe bay with both eyes on top.

41. Pacific Staghorn Sculpin -

Leptocottus armatusSculpincan berecognizedby theirwide headsand largeside fins. They sit on the muddybottom of the bay waiting for foodto come to them. Sometimes, theyget stuck on the mud flat at lowtide. When this happens, they burythemselves in the mud and wait forthe next high tide.

42. Bay Pipefish -

Syngnathus griseolineatusA relative of the sea horse,the pipefish has a stiff,narrow body with a long“snout.” Its color can varyfrom green to brown tomatch its surroundings,and it often swims up anddown to look like theswaying motion ofeelgrass. The pipefish eatssmall crustaceans by sucking theminto its mouth like a vacuum.

43. Eelgrass - Zostera marinaThis is the mostimportant plant in theestuary. It has grass-likeleaves, and roots in themuddy bottom. It cangrow up to two meterslong. Many animals usethe eelgrass to hide frompredators and for a placeto lay their eggs.

44. Red Algae - Smithora naiadumThis algae attaches tothe eelgrass found inestuaries. It grows themost in the spring andsummer. This type ofred algae is onecell-layer thick. It canbe identified by itspurplish-red color.

45. Sea Lettuce - Ulva lactucaThis brightgreen algae isa commonspecies in theintertidalregion ofestuaries. It is two cell-layers thickand transparent. It plays a majorrole in the food web as food forgrazing animals.

46. Lyngby�s Sedge - Carex lyngbyeiThis commonwetland plant of thePacific Northwest isfound in low andhigh marsh areas ofestuaries. It grows toabout one meter tall.When found inintertidal areas, theabove-ground part ofthe plant dies back during thewinter.

47. Pickleweed - Salicornia virginicaThis plant hasround, fleshystems withtiny yellowflowersclustered at the tips. It is mostcommon in low salt marshes.During winter, its fleshy growth islost and it becomes a tangle ofwoody stems.

48. Seaside Arrowgrass -

Triglochin

maritimumThis salt marshplant is usuallyfound in areascovered by thetide twice aday. Manytiny, green or purple flowers areclustered along the upper part ofthe stalk. Seaside arrowgrass doesnot show in the winter. The upperpart of this plant is removed bywinter tides.

page 8 Where Rivers Meet the Sea

49. Pacific Silverweed -

Potentilla anserinaShiny, yellowflowers can beseen on this highsalt marsh plant.It is alow-growingplant withserrated leaf edges resembling thestrawberry plant. The undersides ofthe leaves are silver. This plant canbe found in non-wetland habitats ifit is in an area that has been diked.

50. Saltgrass - Distichlis spicataThis heartyplant can befound in highand low saltmarsh areas.It canwithstandhighsalinities by excreting the salt outthrough the leaves. Salt crystals canoften be seen on the surface of theleaves. Saltgrass is usually less than30 centimeters tall and often growsin thick mats.

51. Gumweed - Grindelia integrifoliaThis plant is easyto identify. Theentire plant issticky to touch. Itproduces yellowsunflower-likeflowers. Unopened flower budshave scaley, gummy coverings.

52. Douglas Aster - Aster subspicatusThis is a veryshowy wildflowerwith distinctivepurple rays andyellow centers. Thestem is stiff andfibrous, nearly woody at the base. Itresides high in the tidal marshes.

53. Fat-hen Saltbush - Atriplex patulaThis plant is seen indrier areas of coastalsalt marshes. Some ofits leaves are similarin shape toarrowheads. It isunique in that it hasdistinct male andfemale flowersgrowing on the same plant. Thisannual grows to be about 40centimeters tall.

54. Tufted Hairgrass -

Deschampsia cespitosaThis is the tallest plantof the salt marsh. Itgrows in thick patchesat or near the high tideline. As a perennial, itlives year roundturning from green insummer to a goldenbrown in fall and winter.

55. Damsel Fly - Argia vividaRelated to thedragonfly, thiswinged insectcan be found inand aroundwetlands. One way to distinguishthis insect from its close relatives isby the parallel position of its wingsto the body when it is at rest.Attacking its prey in flight, thedamsel fly feeds on other insects.These creatures need freshwaterhabitat to lay their eggs.

56. Green Darner - Anax juniusThis insect isrelated to thedragonflyand damselfly. Greendarnersgather together in the fall andspring in and around wetlands.Although most of the adults can beseen close to water, they may travela mile or more to pastures in searchof insects to eat.

Answertomysterymistake:TheholeintheshelloftheNativeLittleneckClam(#31)wouldhavebeenmadebyapredatorysnail.Thesnaildrillsaholethroughtheshellandsucksoutthemeat.Inreallife,thisclamwouldbedead.