Mile 327 Report
Clatsop Plains
November 21, 2015
Lovely day on beach.
Report Details
Lovely day on beach. People driving cars in accessible areas due to very cold weather, but sunshine. 19 people exploring beach. Few birds around, although we found 14 dead (see earlier list of species). Sand is building up dunes after the week of stormy weather.
Human Activities
Number of people: 19. Number of dogs: 2. Walking or running: 19. delightful day of people exploring the beach area. This mile can be driven in a car and most vehicles were driving, including two whom were racing.
Concerns
Fire
Vehicles
Cars/trucks parking: 3. Cars/trucks on beach, allowed: 25. ATVs/OHVs on beach, allowed: 1.
Notable Wildlife
4 birds (maybe plovers) were on the lower slope of the dune foraging. Northern Harrier was flying low over top of dune foraging.
Beached Birds
Total dead birds: 13. performed COASST survey today. Found 4 common murres, 3 northern fulmars, 1 large immature gull, 2 grebes (clarks or westerns), 1 glaucous winged gull, 1 cassins auklet, and 1 western gull.
Driftline Content
Seaweeds and seagrass, Shells, Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt), Wood pieces, Marine debris (plastic, styrofoam, etc. washing in from the sea), Ocean-based debris (from fishing boats, ship trash, etc.).
Natural Changes
sand is building up the dune as the slope is now rather unsteep (maybe 45 degree angle)
Actions & Comments
Found dead elk skin, and raccoon. Picked up a good deal of plastic trash and ropes, along with two large plastic bottles, and one aerosol can with Asian markings (iso 9001-2008 Golden Dragon) Chung His Chemical Plant, Ltd.
Report Images
Simonetal
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All Mile 327 Reports
Mile 327
Clatsop Plains
A morning walk on mile 327 revealed 3 species of kelp: chain bladder kelp, bull kelp, and rockweed, and some interesting invertebrates: purple mahogany clam (Nuttallia) and pelagic gooseneck barnacles attached to a plastic soap pump bottle.
sultanym
Mile 327
Clatsop Plains
A late afternoon walk on mile 327 revealed three species of kelp washed up on the wrack line: bull kelp, sea palm, and giant kelp, and three species of dead avifauna: Common murre, Northern fulmar, and rhinocerus auklet.
sultanym
Mile 327
Clatsop Plains
A morning walk on mile 327 on July 5th revealed a significant amount of human trash from the fourth of July festivities on the beach, including hundreds of fireworks, abundant single-use plastics, and many food containers/food waste.
sultanym
Mile 327
Clatsop Plains
A cloudy yet mild afternoon walk on mile 327 revealed an interesting diversity of arthropod species in the wrack line: Say's Stink Bug, Large Yellow Underwing, 61 Serrated Darkling Beetles, and ladybird beetles (Coccinella and Hippodamia).
sultanym
Mile 327
Clatsop Plains
A quiet, cloudy morning walk on the southern end of mile 327 reveals considerable trash from human activities around fire pits on the dry sand area above the high tide line.
sultanym
Mile 327
Clatsop Plains
Today was a welcome respite from the recent heavy rain, high winds, and stormy weather that accompanied the King tides of Jan.
sultanym
Mile 327
Clatsop Plains
Mid-morning walk south towards Gearhart beach at a very high tide along the tide line I saw a dead Western Snowy Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus) carcass with bands on its legs.
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