311/365 Mermaid’s purse

07 Thursday Nov 2019

Posted by sconzani in coastal fauna, fish, nature, seaside

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Cuckmere Haven, Mermaid's purse, ray eggcase

I found this egg case on the beach at Cuckmere Haven a week or so ago. With such a leathery, tough outer skin, it’s easy to see how well this could protect the embryo that must once have been inside.

191107 mermaids purse (1)

I checked the Shark Trust website’s identification page and, given the south coast location, I think this eggcase might belong to a ray, perhaps a Spotted ray (Raja montagui) or an Undulate ray (Raja undulata).

I’m not sure where the name Mermaid’s purse came from – perhaps it’s simply because the eggcases come from the sea, are vaguely purse-shaped and hold something valuable inside them.

A lunchtime fossick at Cuckmere Haven

22 Monday May 2017

Posted by sconzani in coastal fauna, nature

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British coastal fauna, chalk cliffs, Cuckmere Haven, Cuttlefish bone, limpet shell, Mermaid's purse, Seven Sisters Country Park, shingle beach, Whelk egg cases, whelk shells

170522 Cuckmere Haaven 7 sisters

To me, this is one of the most beautiful views in the world so what better place to sit and enjoy a picnic lunch after our wildlife walk around Seaford Head.

And, of course, I couldn’t resist a little fossick to see what the sea had washed in. Jill found the first Mermaid’s purse, one of the leathery brown-black egg cases of rays and sharks, then I found two more. The cream-coloured egg cases of Whelks were scattered all around, and Jill also discovered a sizeable chunk of Cuttlefish bone. Empty seashells lay everywhere amongst the shingle and flint, with limpets and whelks the most numerous. But then my eyes were drawn back to just soaking in the views of the incredible chalk cliffs of the Seven Sisters.

170522 Cuckmere Haven sea fauna