Report Details

Large number of people (184) observed. Two varieties of gull present in numbers. Body parts of several Common murre carcasses observed, including one being fed on by a gull. Large numbers of dislodged mussels and barnacles found in the wrack line. Of the birds I counted today, none were banded. On the return part of my little trek, the tide was rising over one of the birds.

Conditions

Temperature: 68 F. Cloud Cover: Sunny. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Wind Direction: NW. Tide Level: 7.5 feet.

Human Activities

Number of people: 184. Number of dogs: 5. Walking or running: 165. Tidepooling: 12. Other Activities: The remains of two bonfire areas showed that people had arranged long drift logs into open-ended rectangles to define the camps. One of the long logs showed charring, and was partially buried. In each case, the fires had been contained into pits, surrounded by stones..

Notable Wildlife

2 varieties of gull: 56 Stellar, 8 of the other occupied the area, some aloft, some resting, some strolling. Several of the many mussels lying stranded were still alive, as were 4 barnacles in the clusters lying loose on open sand in the wet-to-wrack zone. Onion kelp ball and frond (still crisp and juicy) several lay uprooted around wrack line & wet zone; 4 red seaweed, resembled palm trees; 5 clusters of succulents growing in the dry - moist zone bore buds at their tips. Even though 37 gulls occupied sky and sand nearby, a young gull daintily lunched on a common murre, undisturbed, in the rack line. The gull seemed to be removing feathers, as the breast of the murre was naked; tiny volcanoes that are characteristic of a plucked fowl that has not been immersed in hot water. I observed no breaks in the skin, the murre was still intact. There were no feathers lying about.

Beached Birds

Total dead birds: 4. Common murre 2 in. shin, body intact, except for missing breast feathers; murre, headless, entrails following the would-be neck line, feathers recently plucked from breast; murre 3 in. shin; murre 1.5 in. shin, mostly intact, top of head missing. No leg bands.

Dead Fish or Invertebrates

Unusual concentration. Dislodged mussels, over 100, in a variety of sizes lay along the wet zone & into the wrack, as did a dozen clusters of barnacles.

Driftline Content

Seaweeds and seagrass, Shells, Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt), Wood pieces, Land-based debris (picnics, etc.), Styrofoam. Brown glass beverage bottle, clear plastic litre beverage bottle, Halloween pringed plastic cup, small garden hand-rake.

Natural Changes

Heavy sand buildup covered the "haystacks" in "my" water zone up to a height that allowed me to see the top of them, while standing on the sand.

Actions & Comments

A fisherman from Garibaldi said that he caught 4 large tuna yesterday. He remarked that it was a small catch. A young mother with her 5-year old daughter, vacationing from Portland was delighted that I stopped to explain to the concerned young lady that all the cute baby crabs were not dead, but that the shells she was collecting in quantity were actually “outgrown clothes” that the crabs had discarded. Thank you, Fawn - - because of those workshops, I was able to show them the clean line and other signs that these were “molts”.

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All Mile 244 Reports

Showing 8 of 61 reports

Mile 244

October 31, 2023

Today was a beautiful day to walk on the beach with a dog or to take photos of the birds.

SallyG

Mile 244

July 5, 2023

Although there are signs prohibiting fires and fireworks, they don't seem to be enforced.

SallyG

Mile 244

April 14, 2023

I've attached photos of what appears to be a homeless shelter built into a cliff wall and a picture of children digging in the cliff wall.

SallyG

Mile 244

June 13, 2022

An incredible opportunity to watch two bald eagle on Lincoln City, Oregon Beach.

garretta

Mile 244

February 19, 2022

What stays the same here and needs attention is the plastic drainage pipes hanging down the cliff from private property that drain onto the beach.

Victoria

Mile 244

December 28, 2021

Crab fishing gear on the beach.

Victoria

Mile 244

July 30, 2021

A foggy morning on mile 244.

Victoria

Mile 244

July 5, 2021

Hot fireworks and smoldering fires on beach.

Victoria