Mile 171 - Heceta Beach South, almost to North Jetty - April 7, 2010

Report Details

Five turkey vultures were busy feasting on a fairly fresh dead Steller sea lion (female?) 1/3 mile south of the Driftwood Shores hotel complex well up in the dry sand area of the upper beach. Osprey and brown pelicans were feeding offshore, with western grebes and cormorants feeding in the Siuslaw River outlet.The near shore surf was heavily colored brown with attendant greenish-brown sea foam - must be a fresh algae bloom going on. The discoloration formed a narrow parallel band at the shallow breaking surf area of the beach, with some staining on the wet sand regions.There has been significantly more upper beach sand removed along the south end of Mile 171, forming benches and exposing old driftwood logs, then I have observed over the past 3 years.

Conditions

Temperature: 58 F. Cloud Cover: Cloudy. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Wind Direction: SW.

Human Activities

Number of people: 23. Number of dogs: 7. Walking or running: 20. Playing in sand: 12. Photography: 10.

Vehicles

Cars/trucks parking: 11.

Notable Wildlife

Gulls, crows, western grebes, brown pelicans, osprey, and turkey vultures were observed feeding on this mile today.

Stranded Marine Mammals

Total stranded mammals: 1. One very dead Steller sea lion (female?) next to logs at high tide dry sand area, about 1/3 mile south of the Driftwood Shores hotel. Exposed internal organs looked fresh, but the outer skin had lost much of it's light brown fur.

Driftline Content

Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt), Shells, Styrofoam, Wood pieces.

Natural Changes

Significant removal of upper beach sand north of the Suislaw River north jetty. Many previously buried driftwood logs now exposed.