Mile 184 - N of Ocean Beach Picnic Area, S of Squaw Creek - July 17, 2015

Report Details

One Red tailed hawk perched beside path down to north end of mile. Nesting cliff swallows with babies nearby, sea stars on rocks too numerous to count. River otters playing/eating in tidal pool with 2 people photographing them with telephoto lenses from a safe distance. Some tube worm castings in pools, and some vellela vellela in wrack. One large metal crab pot too heavy to carry out. We carried out a plastic sink, plastic basket pieces, and a bag full of assorted items that we collected. The temperature of the stream flowing in at the north end was 56 degrees while the ocean was 56.4F. It was a sunny slightly breezy morning at -1' low tide.

Conditions

Temperature: 59 F. Cloud Cover: Sunny. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Wind Direction: N. Tide Level: -1.0 feet.

Human Activities

Number of people: 4. Photography: 2.

Vehicles

Cars/trucks parking: 2.

Notable Wildlife

3 river otters fishing in tidal pool on ocean edge. More than 100 sea stars on first outcropping of rock no disease noted. Many more sea stars on following rocks

Beached Birds

No dead birds noted

Stranded Marine Mammals

No stranded marine mammals

Dead Fish or Invertebrates

None noted

Driftline Content

Seaweeds and seagrass, Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt), Ocean-based debris (from fishing boats, ship trash, etc.), Shells, Small rocks, Wood pieces. plastic basket, plastic sink, some plastic bottles. 1 bag of smaller debris collected . One metal crab pot too large to carry.

Natural Changes

Landslides/major boulder falls.

Actions & Comments

Landslide appears to begin at edge of roadway on cliffs above beach. No action taken.