Mile 157 Report
Oregon Dunes NRA, west of Perkins Lake
November 25, 2012
Gorgeous day at the beach (crappy and cloudy and cold in Eugene).
Report Details
Gorgeous day at the beach (crappy and cloudy and cold in Eugene). We arrived at about mid-tide and, at first glance, it didn't look like there was much in the driftline. But we wound up finding a lot of dead birds and a lot of a particular mystery animal of some kind (see below). Some possible tsunami debris (styro, tea bottle, one piece of dimensional wood but without any markings, couple of fishing floats), but not much of that kind of thing. And one large jelly on the beach. Lovely day. Enough dead birds that I was sorry I didn't bring my dead bird guide to facilitate more definitive IDs.RE mystery animal in driftline: Bill Hanshumaker of HMSC notes there have been reports of salps coming ashore. (http://science.kqed.org/quest/2012/07/03/ocean-overrun-with-gentle-gelat...) Apparently there are many kinds of salps and I suspect this might be one.
Human Activities
Number of people: 5. Number of dogs: 1. Walking or running: 5.
Vehicles
Cars/trucks parking: 5.
Notable Wildlife
About 4 gulls
Beached Birds
Total dead birds: 10. 4 northern fulmars, 5 or 6 common murres (some definite, some likely), one probable gull, one possible loon of some kind, plus a smaller bird (black wing with distinctive white patch) that I couldn't ID.
Stranded Marine Mammals
Total stranded mammals: 8.
Dead Fish or Invertebrates
Unusual concentration. I will post photo: we saw, in profusion in the driftline, what I later learned were salps (Thetys vagina), an organism about 4-5 inches long and about half that in width, with green streamers issuing from two corners at one end, nearly transparent, flat but for a firm, olive-size swelling. I do not remember seeing this on the beach before.
Driftline Content
Seaweeds and seagrass, Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt), Marine debris (plastic, styrofoam, etc. washing in from the sea), Shells, Small rocks, Styrofoam. Not a huge driftline content. One Japanese tea bottle, some styrofoam, one appliance lid or mostly metal door.
Natural Changes
High sand volume on beach (fishing boat not visible).
Report Images
bzenderson
CoastWatcher
All Mile 157 Reports
Mile 157
Oregon Dunes NRA, west of Perkins Lake
It was another beautiful day on Mile 157, which we entered from the upper part of the Oregon Dunes Loop Trail.
GasiorowskiM
Mile 157
Oregon Dunes NRA, west of Perkins Lake
Mile 157 is a beautiful, little-visited stretch of coastline.
GasiorowskiM
Mile 157
Oregon Dunes NRA, west of Perkins Lake
Beautiful New Years Day at the beach, while it was cold and foggy in the valley.
bzenderson
Mile 157
Oregon Dunes NRA, west of Perkins Lake
A rainy day; we had the beach to ourselves.
bzenderson
Mile 157
Oregon Dunes NRA, west of Perkins Lake
Gorgeous day at the beach (crappy and cloudy and cold in Eugene).
bzenderson
Mile 157
Oregon Dunes NRA, west of Perkins Lake
There is a lot of buzz about whether the stuff on the beaches these days is from the tsunami.
bzenderson
Mile 157
Oregon Dunes NRA, west of Perkins Lake
Fair amount of ocean-borne debris, but unlike my last walk here about a month earlier, when the debris was d0ominated by Japanese plastic bottles (tsunami debris?
bzenderson
Mile 157
Oregon Dunes NRA, west of Perkins Lake
Stunning winter day; we were totally overdressed, kept shedding clothes to the brink of immodesty.
bzenderson