Mile 161 Report
Oregon Dunes NRA just north of Siltcoos River
April 2, 2025
At least twenty-nine different species of marine mammals occur in Oregon coast waters. In conclusion, for all of the evidence and data we collected from walking on mile 161, we found the remains of living and dead creatures and many other human-created things.
Report Details
At least twenty-nine different species of marine mammals occur in Oregon coast waters. On Oregon beaches, you can find a variety of animals, including marine mammals, like seals and sea lions, birds like bald eagles and pelicans, and intertidal creatures like crabs, starfish, and shorebirds. We paid attention to the surroundings around us, collected seashells, and also looked around to find what to use in the project we are completing in Stream Team. In conclusion, for all of the evidence and data we collected from walking on mile 161, we found the remains of living and dead creatures and many other human-created things. This includes a dead washed-up seal, which was already decomposing, and was being decomposed by turkey vultures, which is one of the animals that we saw quite often. The dead seal was one of the main highlights of our trip because it was one of the most interesting things we saw, and it also helped answer our question for this project. The question for our project is "What evidence of living or non-living things is found in the wrack line of mile 161?" From the page that holds all the data of the things that are living, the things that have lived, and the human-created things like plastic, is all collected on a separate page that is labeled data, and this can be found on the pie charts that have all of our information.
Conditions
Temperature: 46 F. Cloud Cover: Partly Cloudy. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Tide Level: 5.0 feet.
Activities
Number of people: 3. Number of dogs: 2. Walking or running: 2. Sitting: 1.
Other Activities: Walking dogs.
Concerns
Litter
Apparent violations: Lots of Styrofoam and ropes.Notable Wildlife
6 Snowy plovers, 3 turkey vultures, 2 bald eagles, 11 seals in the breakers
Stranded Marine Mammals
Total stranded mammals: 1. Dead seal, partially decomposed and being eaten by Turkey Vultures and Bald Eagles.
Dead Fish or Invertebrates
8 boat jellyfish
Wrackline Content
Significant wood debris due to recent high tides combined with heavy rainfall that caused flooding. Wrack line content will be shown in photo.
Non-living content of the wrack-line
Living or Once Living content of the wrack-line
Dead Sea Star
Dead Seal
Wood Debris in the Wrack-Line
Report Images
Siuslaw Middle School Stream Team
CoastWatcher
All Mile 161 Reports
Mile 161
Oregon Dunes NRA just north of Siltcoos River
We walked along the wrack line of mile 161 and tallied the living and the non-living things we saw. We estimated how many of the big groups of living and non-living things are on the mile, tallied the living and non-living things we saw, and we took a few samples.
Siuslaw Middle School Stream Team
Mile 161
Oregon Dunes NRA just north of Siltcoos River
What evidence of living or non-living things is found in the wrack line of mile 161? We went to the lowest rackline first, then, while going back, explored the top rackline. Then we explored the river’s mouth and went back to the starting point in the middle. We went the other way until we got to the big yellow sign that said 109A. We did the same thing here, we went to the lowest rack line, then the highest wrack line on the way back. In conclusion, the beach has many living things on the shoreline, and you should be careful of things there. We found lots of shells and other things to put on our posters. By Kaydence Gonzales, Olive Dougherty, Lillian Olson, Ella Gilkey, Myla Streck, Kinsey Boggs
Siuslaw Stream Team
Mile 161
Oregon Dunes NRA just north of Siltcoos River
We are the shoreline group of the first quarter 6th-grade Stream Team.
Siuslaw Stream Team
Mile 161
Oregon Dunes NRA just north of Siltcoos River
I was pleasantly surprised to spot many juvenile plovers near the water's edge and further up the shore, sitting in scrapes. I was dismayed to find long expanses of dead jellies. As always, the osprey were feeding and then watching me from their perch on an old fallen tree.
Anna Yori
Mile 161
Oregon Dunes NRA just north of Siltcoos River
I was happy to see less human encroachment this time into the protected, fenced-off areas designated for the endangered Snowy Plovers.
Anna Yori
Mile 161
Oregon Dunes NRA just north of Siltcoos River
I monitor this location as a USFS Snowy Plover docent.
Anna Yori
Mile 161
Oregon Dunes NRA just north of Siltcoos River
Many abiotic and biotic factors can be found along the shoreline of Siltcoos Outlet, Florence Oregon. Overall, we found many living and non living things along the wrack line of mile 161.
Siuslaw Stream Team
Mile 161
Oregon Dunes NRA just north of Siltcoos River
At least twenty-nine different species of marine mammals occur in Oregon coast waters. In conclusion, for all of the evidence and data we collected from walking on mile 161, we found the remains of living and dead creatures and many other human-created things.
Siuslaw Middle School Stream Team