Mile 171 - Heceta Beach South, almost to North Jetty - December 23, 2009

Report Details

A beautiful winter day on Mile 171. Very clean beach, with harbor seals, sanderlings, and a few surf scoters feeding in and near the surf. One whale spout observed way off-shore. A lot of reddish-brown "Sea Nettle" jellyfish have washed ashore, along with a really dead Steller sea lion, located just SW of the Driftwood Shores complex

Conditions

Temperature: 44 F. Cloud Cover: Sunny. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Wind Direction: E.

Activities

Number of people: 14. Number of dogs: 5. Walking or running: 10. Photography: 5.

Vehicles

Cars/trucks parking: 11.

Notable Wildlife

Quiet day critter-wise. Several flocks of sanderlings flying by, the usual gulls, a couple of harbor seals feeding in the surf. One whale spout way out there ...

Beached Birds

Total dead birds: 2. unidentifiable wings and bones.

Stranded Marine Mammals

Total stranded mammals: 1. Ewwww - A very dead Steller sea lion washed ashore just SW of the Driftwood Shores complex. The prevailing winter breezes will blow the aroma directly to the buildings ...No visible signs of injury on the body. The facial soft tissues have already been harvested by the gulls.

Dead Fish or Invertebrates

Lots of "Sea Nettle" jellies along Mile 171 today, with the occasional Moon jelly mixed in.

Wrackline Content

Seaweeds and seagrass, Animal casings or molts, Ocean-based debris (from fishing boats, ship trash, etc.), Shells, Wood pieces.

Natural Changes

seasonal off-shore migration of lower beach sand is noticable.