 If
you have ever gone snorkeling in the Peconic Bays, it's a good bet that
you noticed most of the bay bottom tends to be cobble, sand, and mud dotted
with the occasional seaweed-covered rocks. Within the bay, there also exist
areas that provide an incredible opportunity to observe a tremendous variety
of marine life. These areas are eelgrass beds, also known as meadows.
Shellfish and invertebrates also share residency of the eelgrass beds
with a variety of fish. It is common to encounter eelgrass' namesake,
the American eel, silently gliding snakelike through the grass. Camouflage
is a common tactic among the blades of eelgrass and there is no better
example than the Northern pipefish. The pipefish will freeze in place
and pretend to be a piece of eelgrass, maintaining the act until it is
prodded, then swimming off. One of the more rare and amazing sights can
be observed in the spring, when male three-spine stickleback fish begin
their mating rituals and build a nest out of eelgrass or seaweed for their
mate. Atlantic silversides and killfish are quick to investigate any disturbance
of the bottom in search for food. Mid to late summer finds smaller bluefish
schooling over eelgrass beds and hunting the baitfish that hide in In all, eelgrass beds are a great place to explore and view a large number of bay animals in their natural habitat, some economically valuable and others aesthetically pleasing. An expedition into this world requires little in the way of equipment, just a mask, snorkel, and a deep breath. |
In
our bay, eelgrass beds grow in relatively shallow water (less than 12
feet) and were once common throughout the Peconic Estuary. Today, there
are not many beds left in the estuary, but the beds that remain still
teem with life. One of the more important members of the eelgrass community
is the bay scallop. The scallop is the silent sentry of the beds, constantly
on the lookout for danger with it's sixty little blue eyes. Hard clams
or quahogs can be found buried around the roots of the eelgrass and can
easily be missed if one does not look carefully. Horseshoe, green, hermit,
blue and lady crabs are also common in the beds, but they may be hard
to spot as they bury themselves at the first sign of danger. If one looks
closely at the base of eelgrass shoots, you may find brittle stars foraging
for food, or the dark, lacy tentacles of a buried sea cucumber. And still
other animals (worms, shellfish, etc.) are hidden on, among, and under
the eelgrass.