April 10, 2024

Cloud Cover: Sunny. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light.

Number of people: 23. Number of dogs: 9. Walking or running: 14. Sitting: 9. There were 4 unleashed dogs on the beach on the north side of the river. I observed two of them barking at and chasing roosting gulls. There were 3 unleashed dogs on the river mouth banks. Two were barking at and chasing off buffleheads in the river. One was chasing balls into the river thrown by owner. There were 2 leashed dogs on the beach, both on the south side of the river. One of them was only put on a leash when they approached me.

People/dogs/vehicles in closure areas

Disturbances: Shorebirds moving in response to humans/dogs

A man passing me on the beach saw that I was using binoculars and he told me that he saw a river otter exit the ocean onto the beach, but when it saw him, it returned to the ocean. I didn't get to see it although apparently it happened shortly before. Birds observed on beach or river mouth area: Turkey vulture-1, Bufflehead-4, Great blue heron-1, Song sparrow-1, Tree swallow-2, Osprey-1, Cormorant sp.-11, Double-crested cormorant-2, Gulls sp.-30, Short-billed gull-3, Herring gull-1, Myrtle warbler-3, American crow-7, Western grebe-1, Loon sp.-1, Pacific wren-1, White-crowned sparrow-1.

Unusual concentration. Velella velella in wrack lines; photo.

Seaweeds and seagrass, Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt), Wood pieces. Velella velella in wrack lines. Some green mossy looking algae (?) in wrack along with alder catkins. Trash found: One plastic bottle with Asian writing and a gooseneck barnacle attached; photos. I took it home. One large tractor-type tire tread up against the foredune; photo.

Erosion of vegetated foredune. The Winchuck River mouth outlet is a straight shot to the ocean. It isn't meandering to the south like the last time I was here. The north parking lot is blocked off from the beach by the river at outgoing high tide. A few Camas blooming in meadow behind foredunes. These are rare plants here and should be protected from encroaching Scotch broom and cotoneaster.