Saturday, May 5, 2012

I got mooned ...


Here in Nova Scotia, while air is warming up, the Atlantic Ocean remains very cold.  You don't even feel tempted to sit on a dock, and dangle your delicate toesies in the water just yet.

For that reason, I was pretty surprised at what I saw in the water beside the boardwalk in Halifax harbour.


There, in the sparkling water, something round, floating gently beneath the surface.  In fact there were several somethings.  


Moon Jellyfish, according to my marine life guide, are common in our area, from midsummer through fall.  I am not sure how unusual it is for them to be sighted here in mid-spring.
Feeding on plankton, small fish and crustaceans, they in turn are a common food species for leatherback sea turtles and various fish species.   


Unlike some of their cousins, their short tentacles only issue a mild sting.


Gently they undulate along.  

The photo below, includes a smaller jellyfish called a Sea Gooseberry, that comes from the Comb Jelly family.   Interestingly, my marinelife book says that they are common near the surface in late summer and autumn.  Summer ? Huh ?

If you click on the photo you can see better the Sea Gooseberry's two long tentacles.


My good chum Amy-Lynn of Flandrum Hill fame, blogged about her encounter with jellyfish back in 2010.  That post can be found here.

I need to spend more time just sitting my the water, and looking.

Just looking.


10 comments:

  1. How Cool! So that's what they look like not washed up dead on the beach!
    ITC-1

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sybil, they are so beautiful and you got such great photos!! That's pretty amazing that they're here already.

    ReplyDelete
  3. You write the greatest titles--and blogs, too. Mooned by jellyfish! Very cool photos and post. Wondering now about all the secrets that water carries. With a little time and patience, just think what we'd learn.

    ReplyDelete
  4. That's pretty cool, Sybil! When I saw the title of your post, I thought it was going to be about the "supermoon"!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Now that is something you don't see Around Here. How beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I agree with a previous comment that the title of the post is brilliant, I love your photos.
    I've seen moon jellyfish at the Aquarium, but I didn't realize they came right up to the shore or that turtles ate them...

    ReplyDelete
  7. That is so cool! Jellyfish are so...unique. They just fascinate me.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Sybil, are you still being mooned? Thought for sure you'd have a new blog for us. :) Happy Mother's Day over there near the big sea.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Wendy, they fascinate me too. It's amazing all the everyday things I miss.

    Thanks Rosie, this is the first time I've seen them so close. Not sure if that's just because I never really looked before.

    Thanks Kathy.

    Gerry, there aren't too many jellyfish in the Great Lakes.

    Karma, I did see some other Blogs with wonderful shots of the "supermoon".

    Amy-Lynn, I was pretty pleased with the photos too.

    ReplyDelete
  10. really clear jelly fish photos! Saw some the other day as well.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for stopping by. I really do love to read your comments.