Seashore find id please

[Tinkerbell]

We came across a few of these on beaches in Jersey recently. Has anyone any idea what they are? We're looking at the whitish mass - approx. 4 inches from top to bottom - not the leaves or pebbles!

[simon]

Hi Tinkerbell,
They are the dried up egg sacs from the Common cuttlefish Sepia officinalis


Simon

[Tinkerbell]

Thanks Simon - that is very interesting since we also found lots of cuttlefish bones on the beaches and wondered why so many? Do they perhaps lay the eggs and die? I did think myself that they may have been egg cases, but had no idea which fish they may have come from. Anyway, judging by the numbers of cases, and plenitude of masses seen there should be a good supply of cuttlefish around Jersey for some time to come!

[simon]

Hope you enjoyed your stay in Jersey, the beaches here do have quite a diverse selection of goodies, It certainly is very rich in wildlife.

Simon

[Tinkerbell]

We certainly did enjoy our stay in Jersey - very like some parts of Cornwall, but the beaches were quite extraordinary, particularly St Ouen when the tide was out (a huge expanse of sand). Similarly the very rocky beaches around St Helier towards Green Island which looked more like a moonscape at low tide - I've personally never seen anything quite like it elsewhere for the size and numbers of rocks. Potentially very treacherous to shipping I should think.

[simon]

Hope when you were at St Ouen’s you turned away from the sea to watch the Marsh harriers behind you?

Simon