Mile 156 Report
Oregon Dunes NRA, over dunes from Tahkenitch Creek
May 26, 2007
I saw more people on my mile this time than ever.
Report Details
I saw more people on my mile this time than ever. I believe this was because it was Memorial Day weekend, and a group of about 8 people had hiked in and camped on one of the oxbows of Tahkenitch creek, less than a 1/2 mile walk out to the beach. Also, the creek was low enough to wade across very easily, so some folks may have accessed my mile from the south from Tahkentich Lake campground trailhead. Otherwise there was nothing of any significance except for the unusual dead fish skeletons.
Conditions
Temperature: 61 F. Cloud Cover: Cloudy. Wind Velocity: Moderate. Wind Direction: NW. Tide Level: 0.0 feet.
Human Activities
Number of people: 10. Number of dogs: 1. Walking or running: 4. Sitting: 4. Fishing: 2.
Concerns
Vehicles
Notable Wildlife
Saw a half dozen barn or tree swallows on the esturine part of Tahkenitch Creek about 3/4 upstream of the mouth of the creek.
Beached Birds
Total dead birds: 2. Seagull and a common mure
Stranded Marine Mammals
Total stranded mammals: 1. Adult sealion carcass, approx. 7 feet long, missing the head, carcass was fairly rotted away. Found above the normal high tide line, half buried in the sand. Looked like it had been there for several weeks before I found it.
Dead Fish or Invertebrates
Several dozen whole dead crabs, many mole crabs, and frequent patches of an unusual fish carcass which was approx. 8" long, with spiny bones protruding outward like spines on a sea urchin and short, very fine dorsal fin bones running the entire length. Each one was entangled in a very narrow, snake like skin mass that often was entwined with small pieces or rope or little pieces of some netting. Very strange, I've never seen these before. My partner on mile 157 have many more, she is attempting to research what they might be (see her report the same date).
Driftline Content
Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt), Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt), Ocean-based debris (from fishing boats, ship trash, etc.), Shells, Small rocks, Wood pieces. One Skate egg case, two boards, a japanese detergent bottle, a few other plastic bottles
Man-made Modifications
none
Natural Changes
none
Actions & Comments
Very high volume of sand on beach. The foredune had almost no areas where there was a vertical face, the sand from the beach just transitions smoothly up into the foredune. I can't remember when there was this much sand on the beach so soon in the year. Must not have had any really nasty storms this past winter.
All Mile 156 Reports
Mile 156
Oregon Dunes NRA, over dunes from Tahkenitch Creek
Conditions here are much the same as at Mile 157.
GasiorowskiM
Mile 156
Oregon Dunes NRA, over dunes from Tahkenitch Creek
I had been wondering how I could get all the trash off my mile of beach since it is relatively remote in an area where vehicles are not normally permitted.
Radioguy
Mile 156
Oregon Dunes NRA, over dunes from Tahkenitch Creek
I cross Mile 157 to get to mile 156.
Radioguy
Mile 156
Oregon Dunes NRA, over dunes from Tahkenitch Creek
My first trip to mile 156.
Radioguy
Mile 156
Oregon Dunes NRA, over dunes from Tahkenitch Creek
The entire length of mile 156 is now a protected nesting zone for Snowy Plovers.
JELong
Mile 156
Oregon Dunes NRA, over dunes from Tahkenitch Creek
Due to the nice weather, I hiked the entire 4.
oldMGguy
Mile 156
Oregon Dunes NRA, over dunes from Tahkenitch Creek
Not much out of the ordinary for this stretch of beach.
JELong
Mile 156
Oregon Dunes NRA, over dunes from Tahkenitch Creek
What a great March day on the Oregon Coast!
JELong