Mile 171 Report
Heceta Beach South, almost to North Jetty
May 11, 2018
Lots of bird activitiy on Heceta Beach today.
Report Details
Lots of bird activitiy on Heceta Beach today. Two bald eagles, an osprey, the usual gaggle of turkey vultures, crows and ravens, sanderlings everywhere, several low-flying flocks of black turnstones heading north, a half dozen whimbrels, and a single Greater Yellowlegs (I think) with a long straight beak, tannish coloration, and noisy alarm calls as I walked by. The alarm calls are apparently a distinquishing feature, according to my birding guide.The turkey vultures have reduced the previously reported necropsied sea lion to not much more than a rib cage and hide and they're still working on it. Only a few fresh Velella velellas have washed ashore today. The usual gaggle of harbor seals were out feeding in the near-shore surf.I've been walking Mile 171 for 12 years. I went back and looked at older photos of the foredune at the south end of Mile 171 near the North Jetty Road parking lot. The once straight-line fordune has now morphed into an upside-down "Y" shape, with a newer beachgrass-induced foredune building to the west of the original, joining together about 1/4 mile north of the jetty. I'm guessing that since the sand can't migrate east anymore due to the beach grass, the beach is moving west ...
Conditions
Temperature: 60 F. Cloud Cover: Sunny. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Wind Direction: NW.
Human Activities
Number of people: 5. Number of dogs: 1. Walking or running: 2. Sitting: 3.
Vehicles
Notable Wildlife
Bald eagles, turkey vultures, harbor seals, sanderlings, whimbrels, greater yellowlegs (I think).
Driftline Content
Seaweeds and seagrass, Shells, Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt), Wood pieces.
All Mile 171 Reports
Mile 171
Heceta Beach South, almost to North Jetty
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Mile 171
Heceta Beach South, almost to North Jetty
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Mile 171
Heceta Beach South, almost to North Jetty
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oldMGguy
Mile 171
Heceta Beach South, almost to North Jetty
Nice sunny afternoon for a stroll on Heceta Beach.
oldMGguy
Mile 171
Heceta Beach South, almost to North Jetty
Whimbrels and sanderlings were feeding in the surf wash zone.
oldMGguy
Mile 171
Heceta Beach South, almost to North Jetty
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oldMGguy
Mile 171
Heceta Beach South, almost to North Jetty
Another nice Saturday afternoon for a stroll on Heceta Beach!
oldMGguy
Mile 171
Heceta Beach South, almost to North Jetty
A nice quiet wind-free afternoon to stroll Heceta Beach after the summer crowds have dispersed.
oldMGguy