Mile 131 - Horsfall Beach, Oregon Dunes NRA - September 10, 2010

Report Details

Lovely day on the beach. Low tides are the best! Shells, animal casings, small rocks, wood pieces, land- and ocean-based debris, Styrofoam, 3 ft. long plastic pipe and a tire on rim in the driftline. Three gulls on beach, and small shorebirds flying south. One dead Western Gull. Sand deposition at base of foredune. New grasses and flowers. 25 people on the beach with 21 walking and four sitting on the beach. Six dogs. I removed three plastic bags worth of small and large plastic bottles, plastic rope, large chunks of styrofoam to the parking lot dumpster. Recycled the plastic bottles.

Conditions

Temperature: 63 F. Cloud Cover: Sunny. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Wind Direction: NW. Tide Level: 2.0 feet.

Human Activities

Number of people: 25. Number of dogs: 6. Walking or running: 21. Sitting: 4.

Vehicles

Cars/trucks parking: 11. ATVs/OHVs parking: 5. RVs/Buses parking: 3. ATVs/OHVs on beach, allowed: 2.

Notable Wildlife

no mammals, 3 gulls, 12 small birds flying south

Beached Birds

Total dead birds: 1. Western gull

Driftline Content

Seaweeds and seagrass, Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt), Land-based debris (picnics, etc.), Ocean-based debris (from fishing boats, ship trash, etc.), Shells, Small rocks, Styrofoam, Wood pieces. 3 ft-long plastic pipe, 2.5" dia., car tire on rim

Natural Changes

sand deposition on beach to base of foredune, new grasses and flowers