Mile 97 Report
September 6, 2006
by D Bilderback
Other Mile 97 Reports (73)
2013
December 8, 2013 - D Bilderback
A nearly nonexistent driftline with just a few Chrysaora jellies and a few small rocks. Beach was flat with large amounts of decaying Bull Kelp sloping at 4 degrees to the ocean. 19 Snowy Plovers and...
June 9, 2013 - D Bilderback
A light diftline of a few Postelsia, some Fucus, Ulva, Hymenena and Nereocystis, crab molts, broken Sand Dollars, jellies, the Ctenophore, Pleurobrachia, the Tunicate, Salpa maxima and Phyllospadix,...
March 19, 2013 - D Bilderback
Sparse driftline of small rocks, a few shells and broken Sand Dollars, one clump of Bull Kelp (Nereocystis) and a few strands of Macrocystis. A small number of plastic bottles on the beach. A few...
2012
November 24, 2012 - D Bilderback
European beachgrass dominated the driftline. A few Bull Kelp, Sea Palm and oak acorns also were present. Broken Sand Dollars and shells also present in the driftline. Twenty-two Snowy Plover resting...
September 18, 2012 - D Bilderback
Shells, rocks, crab carapaces, a few kelp/algae, wood, green phytoplankton scum, broken sand dollars in driftline. Seven Snowy Plover on dry sand and Sanderlings on dry sand and at surfline. One...
June 17, 2012 - D Bilderback
Light driftline of many Ctenophores, small rocks, a few shells and crab carapaces, one Sea Star and pieces of the flowering plant, Lasthenia maritima. A big rope tangle on the dry sand. One Caspian...
2011
December 30, 2011 - D Bilderback
Light driftline with fresh water aquatic plants- Myriophyllum (Water Milfoil), terrestrial plant debris-stems, leaves and needles and saltwater plants, Phyllospadix (Surfgrass)and Eelgrass, Zostera....
September 19, 2011 - D Bilderback
The beach consisted of a high ridge of accumulated sand with a six degree slope and lagoons in the runnel. The ridge was broken by a riptide embayment and lagoon outflow. Tangles and individual...
June 19, 2011 - D Bilderback
The driftline consisted of discrete clumps of kelp/algae, Eelgrass and Surfgrass as well as shells, crab molt, small rocks, Ctenophores, worm tubes, broken Sand Dollars and snail egg cases. Pacific...
February 21, 2011 - D Bilderback
A few Sanderlings and 190 Least Sandpipers were on the high beach. Driftline was very limited with an occasional shell and a few small rocks. More logs,dunegrass debris and wood was at the south end...
2010
December 31, 2010 - beachnut
We finally got a break in the wet, windy, chilly weather--and this was a super end to the year on our lovely beach. A family of 3 was hauling SOLV bags full of rubbish and scads of fishing nets as we...
October 23, 2010 - D Bilderback
Light wrack of shells, feathers, mole crab carapaces, gastropod egg cases, kelp/algae and the flowering plants, Zostera (Eelgrass) and Phyllospadix (Surfgrass). Some Nereocystis (Bull Kelp) stipes...
September 10, 2010 - D Bilderback
A light wrack of seaweeds (Fucus, Macrocarpus, Egregia and Postelsia), Eelgrass (Zostera) and Surfgrass (Phyllospadix), two Aurelia Jellies, wood pieces, a large wooden box and a small amount of...
August 6, 2010 - beachnut
More people (9) were on this usually deserted beach, two with unleashed large dogs. The wind from the NW was strong and chilly. Shell fragments as well as rockweed and eelgrass were scattered along...
June 19, 2010 - D Bilderback
Driftline consisted mainly of small rocks, a few isolated kelp/algae (Macrocystis, Fucus, Cystoseira, Hymenena, Postelsia, Ulva, Laminaria, Nereocystis, Porphyra, Sargassum, Analipus and Egregia),...
April 18, 2010 - beachnut
No one was out at 8 a.m. on my stretch, though on the return 5 vehicles had arrived, but no one walked my mile. It turned into a glorious, mild, nearly windless day. Seven Snowy Plovers sought food...
March 13, 2010 - beachnut
High surf and vicious winds of the last several days have removed most of the logs and large branches that were here on my last walk. Surf and wind also brought in lots of plastic and glass bottles,...
February 17, 2010 - D Bilderback
Few shells, small rocks, bits of European Dunegrass, sponges (Neoesperiopsis), Hydrozoa and kelp/algae (Cryptopleura and Callophyllis) in the driftline. Little ocean-based debris. Two large clumps of...
January 30, 2010 - beachnut
Most notable today were the lines of beachgrass in the tidelines and the profusion of logs on this stretch of beach that usually doesn't have much. Logs were even thrown up into the grassy dunes....
January 20, 2010 - D Bilderback
A large amount of European Beachgrass with some Gorse, shells, wood pieces and ocean-based debris in the driftline. Drift logs on the beach. Seventeen Snowy Plovers resting on the beach. Two flocks...
2009
December 28, 2009 - beachnut
This was a glorious beach-walking day (probably the last windless one of the year), and I took advantage of it. No people were out with me: just scads of shorebirds gathered up the beach on the wet...
December 19, 2009 - beachnut
A very mild, fine beach day that I was alone in enjoying. Too bad....Surf was running high as the tide was coming in. Lots of marine trash; I carted out a SOLV bag full and could have lugged more if...
December 13, 2009 - D Bilderback
Light driftline with a few shells, small rocks, Sea Nettle jellies (Chrysaora fuscescens) and broken sand dollars. Two groups(3&10) of California Sea Lions swimming south and riding the waves....
November 21, 2009 - D Bilderback
A light driftline consisting of feathers, gastropod egg cases, infrequent kelp and algae, few shells and rocks, two logs covered with pelagic gooseneck barnacles, barnacle and sand crab castings,...
November 7, 2009 - beachnut
Even a walk at low tide was fraught with exciting moments in this period of stormy surf, but it was a fine day nonetheless. Two dead seabirds and one harbor seal were the only downers. Lots of foam...
October 22, 2009 - D Bilderback
High tide extended to foredune with water accumulated in runnel. Outflow channels cut across the sand ridge. A few shells, crab carapices, Hydrozoa and kelp as well as one skate egg case with more...
September 17, 2009 - D Bilderback
A few shells, Hydrozoa, crab carapaces, a large dried clump of Feather-duster worms, kelp/algae and Zostera (Sea Grass) in the driftline. Flocks of Sanderlings and 12 Snowy Plovers on high beach....
July 13, 2009 - D Bilderback
Shells, crab casings, kelp/algae, Sea Grass, broken Sand Dollars, a few Sea Jellies, many worm casings and small rocks in driftline. Western and Semipalmated Sandpipers foraging on beach. Two Snowy...
June 20, 2009 - beachnut
As noted in the mile 98 report of today, the phantom atv operator came across China Creek and proceeded south until he reached the snowy plover habitat restoration area, where he turned around and...
June 19, 2009 - D Bilderback
Shells, small rocks, broken sand dollars, leather Bryozoa, Hydrozoa, the vascular plants, Lasthenia and Zostera and a little kelp/algae in the driftline. Two large aggregations of crab and barnacle...
May 21, 2009 - D Bilderback
A few shells, animal casings and small rocks in the driftline. Beach flat with a slope of 3-5 degrees with two riptide embayments. Sanderlings foraging on beach. Flocks of Canada Geese and...
May 13, 2009 - beachnut
I watched a regular beach walker on this stretch of coast come down the Christian Camp path and go under the "DO NOT CROSS" Snowy Plover fencing to access the beach today. He is old, has bad teeth,...
May 7, 2009 - beachnut
Finally the vicious winds and lashing rains abated enough for a long walk. Many piles of bull kelp lined the high-tide line, where small shorebirds (a few Snowy Plover as well as sandpipers and...
April 20, 2009 - D Bilderback
Light drift of shells, broken sand dollars and small rocks. One tar glob. Flocks of Sanderlings, Black-bellied Plover, and Brant's Geese migrating north. A small flock of Marbled Godwit feeding in...
April 11, 2009 - beachnut
The morning was overcast, wind from the south (though not too bad at this point), and I had it all to myself. I was surprised to see four huge flocks of Canada geese flying over, heading south....
March 21, 2009 - D Bilderback
Light driftline with few invertebrates (Ctenophores, Hydrozoa, Mole Crabs, tunicate and molted appendages of barnacles), a few kelp (Cystoseira and Nereocystis), shells, small rocks, wood pieces and...
March 18, 2009 - beachnut
A heads-up for the "snowy plover police:" Someone walked the Christian Camp trail to the nesting signage and went under the ropes to get to the beach. There were no tracks yesterday when I walked my...
March 17, 2009 - beachnut
An overcast, chilly morning brought no bad things to view. The Snowy Plover nesting signage is up from China Creek south through the nesting restoration area (and probably beyond, but I didn't go...
February 13, 2009 - beachnut
The sky was a deep, scary gray and clouds moving fast. But it was dry and a good walk. Saw a few gulls in the tideline as well as Sanderlings and Dunlins in groups there. The storm tides have...
January 13, 2009 - D Bilderback
Very light driftline of small rocks and some wood pieces. 26 Snowy Plovers, flocks of Sanderlings, Dunlins and Least Sandpipers foraging at surfline. Dead birds included one dead Western Grebe and...
January 3, 2009 - beachnut
Forget quiet and fresh air on this part of the coast: the bulldozer is churning down the beach a mile and a half (very slowly, very loudly, belching obnoxious diesel fumes) to the snowy plover...
2008
December 30, 2008 - beachnut
I was sad to see a newly dead pelican in the high tide line today; no scavengers had hit it either on my walk south or north. There had been about 3 dozen flying along the beach yesterday, mostly in...
December 13, 2008 - beachnut
The winter high tides and storm surges are already obvious along my mile. Logs, bull kelp and displaced beach grass clumps all attest to this phenomenon. Happily, I've observed no dead marine life (...
December 11, 2008 - D Bilderback
A complementary report to that of Beachnut of 12/10/2008 to upload bird photos and the track of a motorcycle on a prohibited beach. 23 Snowy Plovers hiding among the kelp and in footsteps. One dead...
December 9, 2008 - beachnut
It was a perfect day on the beach; I only shared it with the birds, which were quite numerous in this hour after high tide. Many sandpipers clustered along the bull kelp in the storm line....
October 22, 2008 - D Bilderback
A few old decaying Bull Kelp (Nereocystis)knots, clumps of Eelgrass (Zostera), a small number of Sea Palm (Postelsia)and Hymenena, a few shells, a few broken Sand Dollars, small rocks, feathers, and...
September 25, 2008 - beachnut
Bird life was notable along my mile: pelicans fishing outside the breakers; plovers, sandpipers and Sanderlings foraging along the tidelines. A dead salmon shark of about two feet long was in the...
September 16, 2008 - D Bilderback
Few shells and broken sand dollars, animal casings, kelp/algae (Postelsia, Hymenena, Egregia, Macrocystis, Nereocystis, Cystoseira), Eelgrass (Zostera) and small rocks in a thin and spotty wrackline...
August 20, 2008 - D Bilderback
Light driftline of knotted and individual Nereocystis (Bull Kelp) and a few Postelsia (Sea Palm) and Cystoseira (Northern Bladder Chain). Beach sloping from 5 to 8 degrees. Five dead Common Murre...
August 1, 2008 - beachnut
Wildlife was abundant on this lovely day at low tide: Whimbrels, Turkey Vultures, Swallows, a couple of Snowy Plovers, one Crow, Sanderlings and, of course, gulls.Greenish goo was coming in with the...
July 25, 2008 - D Bilderback
Light driftline of a few shells, mole crab, broken sand dollars and small rocks. Harbor Seals swimming in surf. Heermann's Gulls, Ring-billed Gulls, Turkey Vultures, 3 Snowy Plovers observed....
June 19, 2008 - D Bilderback
Rocks, a few shells of clam (Macoma sp.) and Pacific Razor Clam (Siliqua patula), broken Sand Dollars (Dendraster excentricus), molts of Dungeness Crab (Cancer magister) and numerous molts of the...
May 14, 2008 - D Bilderback
Kelp (Cystoseria, Halosaccion, Macrocarpus, Porphyra, Egregia, Nereocystis and Postelsia), crab molt, shells and one Sea Star, Hydrozoa, Phyllospadix (surf grass), Dodecaceria colony, a worm that...
May 14, 2008 - beachnut
State Parks crews yesterday installed signs and roped off the foredune along my entire stretch, from the Christian Camp access south to the habitat restoration area for the plovers. The tide level is...
April 24, 2008 - D Bilderback
Kelp (Postelsia, Porphyra, Fucus, Plocamium, Polysiphonia, Macrocystis, Cystoseira and Nereocystsis), clumps of freshwater pondweed, Potamogeton and the green alga, Cladophora, crab carapaces, small...
April 10, 2008 - beachnut
The tide levels generally are declining, meaning less overtopping and erosion of the grassy dune areas in this mile. However, the midway point still is susceptible to high tides. Small stones are now...
March 26, 2008 - D Bilderback
Light driftline of rocks, a few broken sand dollars, Ctenophores and the kelp, Porphyra. A few Sanderlings foraging at surfline. One dead muskrat and one dead Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel. Little...
March 12, 2008 - beachnut
Dune erosion continues from China Creek south to New River/Two Mile. The Snowy Plover nesting signage and fencing are in place at China Creek in the usual area and also at the Plover Habitat...
February 26, 2008 - D Bilderback
A few Nereosystis (Bull Kelp), small rocks, wood and European Beachgrass stems in the driftline. One dead Common Murre and one dead Harbor Seal (previously reported to the Stranding Network). Beach...
February 8, 2008 - beachnut
It was a pleasant walk from China Creek to Two-Mile/New River, but amazing in that the ocean has eaten into the dunes to the extent it has. The large sign signaling the end of vehicle access was...
January 18, 2008 - D Bilderback
Very light driftline of Elodea, Hymenena, Hydrozoa, a few shells and rocks. Western Gull, a few Sanderlings and a flock of Semipalmated Sandpipers on the wet sand. One dead Western Grebe and one...
January 14, 2008 - beachnut
Storm surges and unusually high tides have eaten away the vegetated dune along my mile, as well as south and north of it. In addition, logs continue to accumulate -- even in the dune areas. The Snowy...
2007
December 11, 2007 - D Bilderback
Little driftline but with some small rocks on the wet sand. Large flocks of Sanderlings, Semipalmated Plover and Dunlins foraging in the wet sand. 25 Snowy Plover foraging on wet sand and on the...
December 5, 2007 - beachnut
This is a radically changed beach since the two-day windstorm/high-tide period. Tons of wood, lots of trash from the sea, and 4 injured birds, possibly Western Grebes. Tides have gone well into the...
November 26, 2007 - D Bilderback
Very light driftline of rocks, wood, beachgrass and straw with a few sand crab and crab carapaces. Small amount of kelp (Fucus, Odonthalia and Hymenena). Wind was 2.7 mph from SW. The air and ocean...
November 21, 2007 - beachnut
The body count on this stretch is higher than it has been in awhile (5 sea birds-1 gull, 1 Cormorant, 1 Common Murre and 2 unidentified birds, 1 Harbor Porpoise) during my almost daily walks. Though...
October 31, 2007 - beachnut
Ocean-borne litter is less abundant than usual, mostly plastic bags of various sizes this time. As usual, there is little sign of heavy human traffic -- perhaps 3 other people today on my stretch,...
October 25, 2007 - D Bilderback
Very light driftline with a few rocks and crab carapaces, eelgrass, and the algae: Nereocystis, Hymenena, Cryptopleura, Mazzaella, and Odonthalia. Beach slope of 6 degrees. 1 dead Northern Fulmar...
September 18, 2007 - D Bilderback
The kelps: Postelsia, Lessoniopsis, Cystoseira, Hymenena, Nereosystis and Ulva, in driftline or higher up on beach. Very light driftline with a few shells, crab carapaces, snail egg cases, and small...
August 21, 2007 - D Bilderback
Kelp/algae, shells, crab carapaces (molt and dead), small rocks, large amounts of pieces of Lion's Mane Jellies, one dead gravid Mole crab and a few Velella velella in driftline. Low human impact (1...
March 22, 2007 - D Bilderback
Foraging Sanderlings and Dunlins in surfline. Nereocystis luetkeana, Cystoseira geminata, Cladophora columbiana, Postelsia palmaeformis, Porphyra sp., Halosaccion glandiforme, Macrocystis...
February 22, 2007 - GermanShep
Generally a quiet area, people often take dogs down to the beach with occasional conflicts between dogs. Small amount of kelp/alage, animal casings, small rocks, wood, styrofoam, broken glass and...
2006
December 19, 2006 - D Bilderback
Eleven Snowy Plovers on dry sand and many Sanderlings foraging on wet sand. Nereocystis knots on beach. Small amount of Cryptoplura, Callophyllis and Rhodomenia in driftline with dune grass...