Mile 161 - Oregon Dunes NRA just north of Siltcoos River - 04/02/2024

Report Details

It was a foggy cool day. At mile 161 we walked the mile between the Siltcoos outlet & the signpost that closes the beach to DHVS. We saw people walking, taking photos, and fishing. We saw 8 harbor seals in the surf, 2 bald eagles, 5 plovers, 3 large flocks of sanderling, and a few gulls. Along the wrack line, we found many colors of plastics, lots of shells, and thousands of Vellela vellela. As we were leaving we witnessed a sheriff ticket 4 separate minors on dirt bikes for riding on the highway to enter the parking lot.

Conditions

Temperature: 51 F. Cloud Cover: Foggy. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Tide Level: 7.0 feet.

Human Activities

Number of people: 15. Walking or running: 2. Sitting: 12. Fishing: 1. Other Activities: People in the parking lot were riding dirtbikes.

Concerns

Apparent violations: 4 people were ticketed in the parking lot by the sheriff for riding their OHVs on the highway in to the parking lot area..

Notable Wildlife

2 bald eagles, 3 large flocks of sanderlings, 5 western snowy plovers, a few gulls, 8 harbor seals in the surfline.

Dead Fish or Invertebrates

23 dead or molted crab shells 1 dead jellyfish Thousands of washed-up Velella Velella in the wrack line.

Driftline Content

Small rocks, Seaweeds and seagrass, Shells, Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt), Wood pieces, Land-based debris (picnics, etc.), Marine debris (plastic, styrofoam, etc. washing in from the sea), Ocean-based debris (from fishing boats, ship trash, etc.). Blue Plastic Green Plastic Red Plastic Orange Plastic White Plastic Clear Plastic Rope Styrofoam Shotgun Shell Metal Glass Black plastic Brown plastic Trash Left behind Yellow plastic Dead European grass Vellela vellela Seals Sticks Shells Huckleberry leaf Alder flowers Salal leaf Lichen Seaweed Crab English ivy leaf Spruce cone Fishing Lure Jellyfish Feather driftwood Fishing hook Beer can Pine cone

Natural Changes

Erosion of vegetated foredune. Smaller cut bank compared to January's observation. Multiple larger dune areas with beach grass intact has begun eroding due to wave action, some beach grass is dead and washing up in the wrack line because of this erosion.