What is this? Seen plenty of these 'worms' near Browns Bay last month.

[Olde School]

Any marine biologists on the forum?
These things were plentiful near Browns Bay last month.
We think some seagulls were targetting them, but can't be positive.
At first I thought these things were just pine needles until I noticed they 'swim' in a spiralling motion.
After all my years on the ocean, this is a first.

What are they and what role do they play in our oceans?

 

[Dave S]

http://polychaetes.info/

 

[eaglemaniac]

I believe that particular worm is called a "Eyed Fringed Worm" (Cirratulus cirratus). There is an exact picture in my Audubon Society Pacific Coast guide. They are common on the entire Pacific Coast in rocky shores and lower tide zones etc. It feeds by extending it's filaments out of the tube and sweeping them over the bottom, picking up small organic particles for food. eman