Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. The Bubble Shell, Haminoea sp. is seasonally abundant intertidally and subtidally on mud flats and sandy-mud bottomed bays from Alaska to the Gulf of California. The shell is fragile, translucent, and too small to contain the body.

Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. The Eelgrass Isopod, Idotea resecata, occurs from Prince William Sound, Alaska, to Mazatlan, Mexico, on Macrocystis or eelgrass (Zostera sp.), which it eats. The body is brown when living on Macrocystis and green when living on eelgrass.

Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. The Sunflower Star Star, Pycnopodia helianthoides, is found on a variety of subtidal bottoms and in extremely low intertidal zones from Unalaska Island, Alaska, to Baja California, Mexico. The largest, heaviest, and quickest moving sea star, it measures up to 90 cm in diameter. Color ranges from orange to purplish.

Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Taylor's Sea Slug, Phyllaplysia taylori, is common on blades of eelgrass (Zostera sp.) in low intertidal areas from Nanaimo, British Columbia to San Diego, California. The body is dorsoventrally flattened and from 25 to 45 cm long. Its color mimics Zostera, with a bright green base with brown-black and white spots.

Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Hermissenda, Hermissenda crassicornis, also known as the Opalescent Sea Slug, is found in a variety of habitats including mud flats, rocky shores and wharf pilings. Its body is up to 80 mm long. Its dorsal surface has a single orange stripe and bright "electric blue lines, but otherwise is variable in color. Kodiak to Baja California.

Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Hermissenda, Hermissenda crassicornis, also known as the Opalescent Sea Slug, is found in a variety of habitats including mud flats, rocky shores and wharf pilings. Its body is up to 80 mm long. Its dorsal surface has a single orange stripe and bright "electric blue lines, but otherwise is variable in color. Kodiak to Baja California.

Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. The Mud Snail, Batillaria attramentaria, is abundant on soft mud or high intertidal zones of quiet bays and estuaries from Boundary Bay, British Columbia, to Elkhorn Slough, California . The shell is long, slender, and about 35mm long. It was introduced from Japan to the U.S. and is common where Japanese oysters were planted.

Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. The Nassa Snail, Nassarius fraterculus, was introduced from Japan and occurs on muddy beaches near Padilla Bay. It may soon appear in other areas of Puget Sound. It is up to 1.3 cm long with strong radial ribs.

Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. A Painted Tealia, Urticina crassicornis (formerly Tealia crassicornis), is also known as the Christmas Anemone, Red and Green Anemone, or Painted Urticina. This large anemone is found in low intertidal and subtidal zones. Column olive green with red splotches - oral disk is greenish with radiating red stripes across tentacles.

Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. The Shiner Perch, Cymtogaster aggregata, is found in shallow waters during summer months and in waters up to 146 meters in the winter. Body length is up to 21 cm with females growing larger than males. The body is bright silver with broken longitudinal dark stripes separated by three vertical yellow bars.

Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. The Bald Eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, adults (more than 5 years old) are unmistakable with dark brown plumage except for white head, neck and tails. The beak, eyes, legs, and feet are yellow. Wing span up to 2.5 meters, with females considerably larger than males. Immature eagles lack white plumage and yellow accents.

Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Migrating shorebirds gather to feed on the abundant invertebrate resources of Mud Bay near the base of Homer Spit. Kachemak Bay is a regular stop along the annual migration route between southern wintering grounds and arctic summer breeding grounds.

Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Black oyster catchers ( Haematopus bachmani) on offshore rocks, one of 70 shorebird species found in Kachemak Bay. Black oyster catchers are residents over most of their range, moving away from their breeding sites in winter.

Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. A red-necked phalarope ( Phalaropus lobatus) wades in shallow waters near shore. Pelagic in habit, this shorebird spends most of its time at sea. Phalaropes employ the unique feeding strategy of spinning-in-place on the water surface, creating a whirlpool beneath themselves that pulls up bottom-dwelling larvae for them to feed on.

Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. American bald eagles ( Haliaeetus leucocephalus) on the Homer Spit. A large population winters over here to take advantage of plentiful fish scraps from local processors.

Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. A harbor seal (Phoca vitulina ) hauls out on the floats at Homer Small Boat Harbor. These curious marine mammals are often seen peeking their heads up near shore to watch people on the beach.

Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. A killer whale (Orcinus orca) heads toward Cook Inlet from Homer. Orca whales most often enter Kachemak Bay in the summer months to prey on migrating salmon.

Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Beluga Slough at the heart of Homer is another popular destination for shorebirds along their annual trek northward. This tidal marsh offers habitat for a host of marine invertebrates which provide food for migrating birds.

Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Gull Island serves as a rookery for several bird species in Kachemak Bay. Gulls, terns, puffins, murres , and cormorants are among those who use the rocky cliffs to raise their young. The small island is popular with tourists and visiting school groups who must observe the birds from the water.

Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Gull Island serves as a rookery for several bird species in Kachemak Bay. Gulls, terns, puffins, murres , and cormorants are among those who use the rocky cliffs to raise their young. The small island is popular with tourists and visiting school groups who must observe the birds from the water.

Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Gull Island serves as a rookery for several bird species in Kachemak Bay. Gulls, terns, puffins, murres , and cormorants are among those who use the rocky cliffs to raise their young. The small island is popular with tourists and visiting school groups who must observe the birds from the water.

Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Gull Island serves as a rookery for several bird species in Kachemak Bay. Gulls, terns, puffins, murres , and cormorants are among those who use the rocky cliffs to raise their young. The small island is popular with tourists and visiting school groups who must observe the birds from the water.

Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. An aerial photograph showing beetle-killed spruce forest near Kachemak Bay. The infestation has resulted in increased logging throughout the Kenai Peninsula to reduce fire danger. Logs and wood chips are trucked to Homer for shipment to Asian markets.

Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Key Island, a barrier island, was infested with Australian pine trees, an invasive non-native plant that resul ted in significant loss of biodiversity of native plant communities. Salt-toler ant, they have shallow root systems that cause them to topple easily in high win ds, creating obstacles for Atlantic loggerhead turtles trying to nest on beach.

Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Key Island Before -- Australian pines took over the barrier island, shading out native vegetation and displacing sea oats, a native fore-dune stabilizer, and other native plants.

Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Key Island After -- Australia n pines were removed from the coastal strand adjacent to the beach. Approximate ly 8,000 native plants, comprising 15 different species, were reintroduced to the island's scrub and hammock habitats, and many other native plants have recolonized naturally.

Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. An abandoned road within the Reserve was restored to its original wetlands elevation to reestablish sheetflow and tidal flushing. Within a few months of the restoration, the recolonization of native wetlands had begun.

Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. This restoration site along Henderson Creek involved removal of illegally placed fill and non-native plants, reestablishing tidal flushing, and planting of mangroves. the restoration was initiated in 1990. Recolonization of native vegetation is visible along the cut lines.

Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. The Henderson Creek restoration site in 1996.

Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Berm Removal/ Before -- The Northwest Berm was densely overgrown with Brazilian pepper trees and other invasive exotic plants prior to restoration.

Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Berm Removal/ After -- The Northwest Berm was taken down to its natural elevation to allow tidal flushing and the natural re-introduction of mangroves through the area.

Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. A map of the coastal areas managed by the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Managed areas include approximately 110,000 acres.

Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. Satellite image of Sapelo Island. Sapelo Island is Georgia's 4th largest barrier island measuring approximately 11X3 miles.

Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. Georgia's marshes are home to many animals including bottlenose dolphins.

Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. Georgia's marshes are home to many animals including bottlenose dolphins.

Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. Pelicans rest on a shell deposit at low tide near Marsh Landing dock on the southwest side of Sapelo Island.

Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. Great egret wades the marsh in search of food.

Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. Green heron at Marsh Landing Dock.

Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. McIntosh County is home to a large nesting population of wood storks. Considered an endangered species, wood storks frequent both estuarine and fresh water systems.

Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. Bracket ferns line the West Perimeter Road.

Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. Bracket ferns line the West Perimeter Road.

Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. Salt wort and fiddler crabs.

Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. Salt wort and fiddler crabs.

Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. Deer tracks on the salt pan.

Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. Prickly pear cactus at the marsh's edge.

Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. Resurrection fern grows on the bark of live oak trees and thrives following rainy weather.

Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. Primary dunes.

Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve. Skimmers on the beach.