Mile 171 - Heceta Beach South, almost to North Jetty - May 4, 2018

Report Details

Another pleasent morning for a stroll along Heceta Beach! Light NW wind, sunny and warm. There has been an ongoing mass stranding of Velella velellas (By-The-Wind Sailors) and the high water line is covered with a gazillion of them along the entire mile. Just one Pyrosome and lots of mole crab casings, particularily on the south half of Mile 171. Harbor seals were feeding in the "lagoon" on the north side of the Siuslaw River North Jetty. Several large (100+) flocks of Sanderlings, a half dozen Whimbrels with their districtive down-turned long beak, a solitary Ruddy Turnstone, and the usual squadron of unidentified grey gulls were feeding in the wave run-back. A pair of Peregrine falcons were flying just above the brush in the deflation plain area along the North Jetty Road.

Conditions

Temperature: 60 F. Cloud Cover: Sunny. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Wind Direction: NW.

Human Activities

Number of people: 5. Number of dogs: 3. Walking or running: 5.

Vehicles

Cars/trucks parking: 4.

Driftline Content

Seaweeds and seagrass, Shells, Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt).