Low tide wanderings

This week has the last spell of really low tides (well below 0.1m) so we have been visiting the local rocky areas and pools exposed thereby.  In essence the low diversity of recent visits has continued.  No Abalone, no Elephant Snails, few Sea Anemones or Sea Stars.  On these visits even the hordes of Sea Hares have vanished (although a few tide-washed egg masses were seen at Bastion Point.  

One largeish crab was seen .  This appears to be a Purple Rock Crab (iNaturalist) or Swift-footed Shore Crab (Museum of Victoria), both agreeing on Leptograpsus variegatus.

On the steps at the end of the breakwater some Alyxia buxifolia was in bloom ...

.. or fruit.

AS we left an immature White-bellied Sea-Eagle passed by.

On 13 January I rode past the wharf where a large (my estimate was about 1 m across the wings) stingray was scarfing up the fish remnants dropped from the cleaning table. This is an Eagle Ray (Myliobatis australis) indicated by the shape of the head.  

In the afternoon we did the 3 Beaches walk starting at Betka.  A very pleasant stroll, but again very little wildlife.  Many dead beetles washed up on Betka Beach (ie Beach #1): as there were none on the other 2 beaches I wondered if they had been washed down the River.

On the second beach these rock bubbled reminded Frances (and me, once she had made the suggestion) of the lower regions of Skywhale.

On 14 January we went to Pebbly Beach to see what the low tide revealed there.  This is the approximate path we followed (I didn't start eBird until we were on the beach).

The first issue we noticed was that the rocks were very slippery.  Possibly this was due to some exudate from the kelp - visible on these rocks - being washed in.

A general view of the rock.  I scanned carefully for Tattlers (of either species) but none were present.  We did see two Eastern Reef Egrets fly past which was good.

A long-legged crab.  ID to come from iNaturalist - I hope.

A smaller, and definitely hyperactive crab. Again iNaturalist to be consulted.