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Moon snail operculum on the left and knobbed whelk operculum on the right! What are these two pieces of thin shell? Well, these are called operculums. They are usually found attached to different sea snails, like knobbed whelks or moon snails. Operculum is Latin for “little door,” and as you can imagine, the job of…

Islands shaped by tide and wind,  Is where this little tale begins. Where land is thin, yet life runs deep— A coastal guard where secrets sleep. First comes the marsh, all green and gold, A nursery where young and old Of fish and fowl find food and rest, In grasses swaying, nature’s nest. Beyond the…

This lovely sea snail is called a banded tulip. Banded tulips use the thick lip of their shell to break a hole into their prey’s shell. Once a hole is created the banded tulip will insert its proboscis to eat its prey like oysters or clams. If you notice on top of the two long…

Live Limpet at the IOP Marina! Limpets are categorized as marine gastropods and have a distinctive cone-shaped shell that protects their soft, pliable bodies. These fascinating mollusks are primarily herbivorous, feeding on algae that grow on rocky surfaces, marina docks—such as those at the Isle of Palms (IOP) Marina—and even in tide pools. As limpets…

Below is a list of citizen science projects and we trying to share fun eco-minded, family friendly events too! Citizen science is a form of data collection that the public (of all ages) can participate in. It usually involves the collection of data and recording it or entering it into a database for different organizations….

Marine flatworms are invertebrates that usually are vibrantly colored. Most species of flatworms are more active at night and can be found around rocky substrates, fouling communities, or maybe even swimming around the IOP Marina! Tiger flatworm (Prostheceraeus crozieri) found at the IOP Marina! Some flatworms contain poison called tetrodotoxin. This toxin or poison is…

In honor of St. Patty’s day we thought it would be fun to share about a green sea creature that we sometimes get to see in our waters! This creature is a reptile and usually is seen in the Charleston area in the late spring, summer, and early fall.  This creature is the green sea…

Juvenile bald eagle on Capers Island! Some of the large birds we frequently spot—and still get excited about every time—include the Bald Eagle, Eastern Brown Pelican, and Osprey. While these species are more common today, they once faced significant threats to their survival. In the 1970s, harmful pesticides like DDT and endrin pushed them onto…

March 2025 Citizen Science We are going to continue our efforts of sharing citizen science projects as we come across them. With the citizen science projects list, we will try to share fun eco, family friendly events too! Citizen science is a form of data collection that the public (of all ages) can participate in. It usually involves the collection of data and recording it or entering it into a database for different organizations. A list of citizen science projects will be listed & linked below! Spring is SPRINGING. This is an incredible time for migration of several species and if you are looking to get involved with a local bird banding station please check out Sullivans Island Bird Banding Station! Sarah is always looking for volunteers and is an excellent teacher.  South Carolina DNR asks for diamondback terrapin sightings to be…

Fouling communities are fascinating groups of organisms that grow on artificial surfaces like docks, boats, and habitat traps. Some examples of organisms making up a fouling community include (but aren’t limited to) barnacles, tunicates, sponges, and algae! A fantastic way to sample these communities is by dip netting, which involves gently scraping a small net…

In the winter we see an influx of migrating ducks and other waterfowl that come spend time in the low country. During the winter there is less food for ducks available in areas that have harsher winters. Down in the low country we have several freshwater bodies of water AND salt water marshy habitats where…