Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Maritime slash pine savanna on MS/AL state line near Bayou Heron. MS Natural Heritage Program NERR Biological Assessment. 1998.

Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Maritime slash pine savanna on MS/AL state line near Bayou Heron. MS Natural Heritage Program NERR Biological Assessment. 1998.

Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Maritime slash pine savanna on MS/AL state line near Bayou Heron. MS Natural Heritage Program NERR Biological Assessment. 1998.

Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Maritime slash pine savanna on MS/AL state line near Bayou Heron. MS Natural Heritage Program NERR Biological Assessment. 1998.

Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Maritime slash pine savanna on MS/AL state line near Bayou Heron. MS Natural Heritage Program NERR Biological Assessment. 1998.

Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. View north from Crooked Bayou. 2000.

Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Maritime pine forest islands adjacent to Crooked Bayou. 2000.

Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Maritime pine forest islands adjacent to Crooked Bayou. 2000.

Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. View north - Bayou Heron transition to maritime slash pine savanna. 1999.

Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. View north - Bayou Heron transition to maritime slash pine savanna. 1999.

Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Maritime slash pine savanna on MS/AL state line near Bayou Heron. 1999.

Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. View south - Bayou Heron transition to maritime slash pine savanna. 1999.

Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. View north - Bayou Heron transition to maritime slash pine savanna. 1999.

Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. View south - Bayou Heron transition to maritime slash pine savanna. 1999.

Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. View north - Middle Bayou transition to maritime slash pine savanna. 1999.

Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. View north - Middle Bayou transition to maritime slash pine savanna. 1999.

Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. View north - Middle Bayou transition to maritime slash pine savanna. 1999.

Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. View east - Bayou Heron thunderstorm, August 1999. MS/AL state line

Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. View east - Bayou Heron thunderstorm, August 1999. MS/AL state line

Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Spartina (S. alterniflora) and black needlerush (Juncus roemerianus) marsh in approximate center of NERR. 1999.

Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Juncus marsh (Juncus roemerianus) looking east toward treeline along Bayou Cumbest. 1999.

Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Black needlerush (Juncus roemerianus). 1999.

Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Black needlerush (Juncus roemerianus) along Crooked Bayou. 1999.

Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Black needlerush (Juncus roemerianus) with maritime slash pine savanna in distance. 1999.

Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Alligator resting spot (flattened marsh grass in center of photo), Bayou Heron "alligator alley". 1999.

Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Emergency oil spill retention pond with fresh water marsh habitat at Chevron sour-oil refinery - looking east toward tree line along Bayou Cumbest. 1997.

Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Black needlerush (Juncus roemerianus) (brown) with Spartina alterniflora along the waters edge in Middle Bayou. 2000.

Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Vegetated piling in northern Bayou Cumbest. 2000.

Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Pickerel weed on the Moonakis River.

Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. A view along the Moonakis River. Note the apparent level of high tide on the marsh grass.

Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Eel grass meadows.

Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Eel grass meadows waving with the currents.

Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. A scene along the Moonakis River.

Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. A scene along the Moonakis River.

Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. A view of the bay headed for Sage Lot Pond.

Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Beach grass, seaside goldenrod, and dusty miller.

Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Dune beach grass.

Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Limonium nashii at Sage Lot Pond.

Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Beach grass, poison ivy, rosy mucosa, and cat-tails.

Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. An aerial view of an inlet at Waquoit Bay.

Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. An aerial view of the jetties extending out from the entrance of Waquoit Bay.

Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. An aerial view of the jetties extending out from the entrance of Waquoit Bay.

Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. A beach on the interior of Waquoit Bay.

Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve A Harbor Seal, Phoca vitulina, is a small phocid with a stubby, compact body and short limbs. Colors range from silver-gray to tan and all are spotted. They occur in almost all nearshore environments from Baja,California to the Bering Sea.

Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. The Graceful Kelp Crab, Pugettia gracilis, commonly found in eelgrass beds and on rocky shorelines from Alaska to Monterey Bay. It is distinguishable by rows of small hooks on the carapace into which it can place bits of algae, eelgrass and other organisms for camouflage. However, it is usually seen without camouflage on the carapace.

Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. The Graceful Kelp Crab, Pugettia gracilis, commonly found in eelgrass beds and on rocky shorelines from Alaska to Monterey Bay. It is distinguishable by rows of small hooks on the carapace into which it can place bits of algae, eelgrass and other organisms for camouflage. However, it is usually seen without camouflage on the carapace.

Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. The Dungeness Crab, Cancer Magister has a reddish-brown to purplish-brown carapace with white to ivory depressions and joints. It is most often found on sandy or muddy bottoms in subtidal regions and in eelgrass beds ranging from the Pribilof Islands, Alaska, to Santa Barbara, California.

Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. The Dungeness Crab, Cancer Magister has a reddish-brown to purplish-brown carapace with white to ivory depressions and joints. It is most often found on sandy or muddy bottoms in subtidal regions and in eelgrass beds ranging from the Pribilof Islands, Alaska, to Santa Barbara, California.

Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. The Dungeness Crab, Cancer Magister has a reddish-brown to purplish-brown carapace with white to ivory depressions and joints. It is most often found on sandy or muddy bottoms in subtidal regions and in eelgrass beds ranging from the Pribilof Islands, Alaska, to Santa Barbara, California. Here it is in the mud-molt stage.

Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. The Hooded Nudibranch, Melibe leonina, is also called the Lion Nudibranch. This mollusk is almost transparent with a slight yellowish-green cast. Unlike other nudibranchs, Melibe have no radula and M. Leonina has no jaws. It uses its oral hood, lined with 2 rows of tentacles to capture prey. Found in offshore kelpbeds and eelgrass meadows.