Snowy plovers are among some of the cutest shorebirds, don’t you think? Or, are they a seabird or a wading bird? Find out what the difference is here.
Marine & Freshwater Environmental Education
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Christmas critter countdown: Snowflake eel
Eels have the ability to genuinely give me the creeps. It’s probably because of the scene from Princess Bride. But, actually it might have something to do with the fact that some have the ability to tie their bodies in knots and use this to gain leverage when tearing food. Find out some more uplifting […]
Beach Chair Birding
While enjoying the pleasures of beach chair conftiness when you add a the seat covers for wedding, it would be a real shame to overlook the wide variety of coastal birds that can be observed from a comfortable lean. I know, I know those seagulls may be obstructing your view, but if you head out […]
Who are the top celebrity ocean advocates?
Image via Wikipedia Wow! What a fun question to research, thank you! (You’ll surely notice I was picky because there are many environmental activists in Hollywood but and tried to keep the list to those that focus on primarily oceans.) I am such a fan of giving back no matter how much I believe we […]
Connecting to my watershed – Part I
I rarely preach on this blog. But, I just watched a documentary called “No Impact Man” where the writer, Colin, and his family decide to reduce their impact on the environment. He wanted to reduce to nothing. They even went for 6 months without any electricity in their 5th Avenue apartment. I was skeptical. He […]
UDub’s Dewey Decimal System of Ichthyology
I always love to share a new resource. When I stumbled upon the fish collection at the University of Washington I became extremely jealous. Don’t get me wrong … my undergraduate school had many other amazing attributes that were gems for studying fish (being situated next to an ocean in the middle of the pine […]
Why are some animals ‘wallflowers’ and others are ‘social butterflies’?
An animal has many reasons to behave more like a ‘wallflower’ vs. a ‘social butterfly’. Some of the more universal reasons to lean to one behavior more than the other would be 1) habitat, 2) predators or 3) availability of food. For instance, river dolphins (pictured right) typically are solitaire animals because their habitat is […]
Armed to the teeth
People often wear shark’s teeth around their neck. But, what is the significance and how do they get them? As the internet research states a sharks tooth symbolizes virility. I am not going to get any further into that aspect of the question. To each his or her own. Here is some information on the […]
Happy as a clam
Lately everyone has been asking me how the junior Beach Chair Scientist is doing and I often find myself saying, “Oh! She’s as happy as a clam!” It occurred to me that I didn’t fully understand the expression since clams are not known to smile. I did some research and found out that the phrase […]
What is a Marine Protected Area (MPA)?
“A marine protected area (MPA) in the ocean is similar in concept to what a national park is on the terrestrial environment.” Shifting Baselines There are many terms that mean ‘MPA’, including: sanctuaries, parks, preserves, or natural areas. All of these areas have some boundary in the oceans and are protected by either the Department […]
5 photography contests for nature lovers
If you’re anything like me, you love to snap pictures when you’re outside. It’s a great way to relive the tranquility you get from being outdoors once placed back into reality. It’s also a powerful way to share how you see the world and what matters to you with those near and far! In an […]
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- Robert Emahiser on Why you should never walk on dunes
- Lesa on 10 brief facts on bioluminescence
- Lisa on Limulus Love
- Beach Chair Scientist on 17 facts about the wee sea potatoes
- Bernard Rejterada on 17 facts about the wee sea potatoes
- Brian on What is the difference between a summer and winter flounder?
- Inbound marketing on 15 facts about the Portuguese man-of-war that’ll have you saying “Didya know…?”
- Donnie Huckabee on Wordless Wednesday | Shell art
- John on Why you should never walk on dunes
- ItzJaylaD on What I know about whale sharks
Top posts & pages from BCS …
- Hurricane vs. Cyclone vs. Typhoon
- A House for Hermit Crab
- How to handle a horseshoe crab
- Snot's your house
- Wednesday Wisdom: Various quotes (Alaska scenes)
- A naturalist's must-see destination: Fossil Hunting at Bayfront State Park in Chesapeake Beach, MD
- Belly biology creates lasting memories
- Five awful puns about courtship in the sea
- Horseshoe crabs confirmed as members of arachnid family
- Beyond the bag: Other plastics being banned
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