March 22, 2020

Temperature: 48 F. Cloud Cover: Partly Cloudy. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Wind Direction: N. Tide Level: 6.8 feet.

Number of people: 25. Number of dogs: 18. Walking or running: 16. Sitting: 8. Fishing: 1.

Disturbances: Shorebirds moving in response to humans/dogs

Approximately 10 Western Snowy Plovers were standing in a loose group located at Latitude: 44.42569613456726 Longitude: -124.08244245685637, in the same area as my previous two walks (see photo and previous Mile Reports). As I was starting to continue past the plovers, two people with a smallish low-energy dog at their side walked through the plover area. Approx half of the plovers flew about 20-30 feet toward the surf and alighted and hunkered down in the sand (see photo). I don't think the other plovers moved. Neither the people nor the dog seemed to notice the plovers, which are easy to miss. When I returned back up the beach, the plovers were at their approx location as before. When I first saw the plovers, a larger, solitary shorebird (a Red Knot?) was with them but walked away quickly toward the dunes as I approached. Also seen on this walk were two Black-Bellied Plovers flying along the surf. Only 3 gulls seen flying, and one crow, but a lot of gulls were gathered around crabbing boats in the bay.

Total dead birds: 2. 2 very weathered immature gull carcasses

Small rocks, Shells, Wood pieces. The beach was very clean, just one new discarded soda pop can.

New sand deposits in places (see photo)