Mile 20 Report
Saddle Rock, Crook Point
December 9, 2012
Peregrine Falcon resting on south end of Saddle Rock.
Report Details
Peregrine Falcon resting on south end of Saddle Rock. Flock of Red Crossbills, Black Phoebe, 26 Ring-billed Gulls, Evening Grossbeak, a flock of Pine Siskins & Bewick's Wren on beach. A pair of Black Oystercatchers each on Seal Rock and south beach. American Kestrel & Red-tailed Hawk flying over the beach. 46 Harbor seals on rocks in the bay. One dead Western Grebe. Some new drift logs added to but not much sand removed from north cove. Middle beach had a heavy deposition of forest duff with small amount of kelp/algae. Few invertebrates in driftline. Sand removed by run off and high seas leaving an eroded sand cliff. New drift logs on high beach. A small amount of Styrofoam and plastic bottles on the beach. Sand isthmus connecting offshore island covering rocky kelp beds. Large amounts of sand removed from south beach exposing large rocks and cobbles. New drift logs and large fish box on the cobbles. Air and ocean temperatues of 56 and 53.5 degrees F., respectively. Wind speed of 7.8 mph from the NW.
Conditions
Temperature: 56 F. Cloud Cover: Sunny. Wind Velocity: Moderate. Wind Direction: NW.
Human Activities
Number of people: 4. Walking or running: 4.
Notable Wildlife
Peregrine Falcon resting on south end of Saddle Rock, flock of Red Crossbills, Black Phoebe, 26 Ring-billed Gulls, Evening Grossbeak, Pine Siskins & Bewick's Wren on beach. A pair of Black Oystercatchers each on Seal Rock and south beach. American Kestrel & Red-tailed Hawk flying over the beach. 46 Harbor seals on rocks in the bay.
Beached Birds
Total dead birds: 1. Western Grebe
Driftline Content
Seaweeds and seagrass, Ocean-based debris (from fishing boats, ship trash, etc.), Styrofoam. Large amount of forest duff on middle beach.
Natural Changes
Visible retreat of solid bluff. sand removal
Actions & Comments
Some new drift logs added to but not much sand removed from north cove. Middle beach had a heavy deposition of forest duff wih small amount of kelp/algae(Saccharina- Sea Cabbage, Osmundea-Sea Laurel, Hymenena-Black-lined Red Seaweed, Callophyllis-Beautiful Leaf Seaweed, Mazzaella-Iridescent Seaweed, Pterygophora-Old growth Kelp, Nereocystis-Bull Kelp, and Lessoniopsis-Strap Kelp). Few invertebrates in driftline(Aplidium-Sea Pork and Flustrellidra-Leather Bryozoan). Sand removed by run off and high seas leaving an eroded sand cliff. Some erosion of headland. New drift logs on high beach. A small amount of Styrofoam and plastic bottles on the beach. Sand isthmus connecting offshore island covering rocky kelp beds. Large amounts of sand removed from south beach exposing large rocks and cobbles. New drift logs and large fish box on the cobbles. Air and ocean temperatues of 56 and 53.5 degrees F., respectively. Wind speed of 7.8 mph from the NW .
Report Images
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Mile 20
Saddle Rock, Crook Point
One person and two dogs were seen on the beach.
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Saddle Rock, Crook Point
Except for one small heavy patch of drift, the driftline was sparse with kelp/algae, Leather Bryozoa and crab carapaces.
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Saddle Rock, Crook Point
The driftline was absent except for two localized areas with terrestrial-derived leaves, mosses, wood pieces, some shredded blades of Pterygophora(Old Growth Kelp) and a few invertebrates and other algae and kelp.
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Saddle Rock, Crook Point
Peregrine Falcon resting on south end of Saddle Rock.
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Saddle Rock, Crook Point
Light driftline with 12 different genera of kelp and algae, terrestrial mosses, Leather Bryozoa (Flustrellidra corniculata), the flowering plant, Phyllospadix (Seagrass) and small rocks.
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Saddle Rock, Crook Point
Three boats seen drifting very close to offshore rocks.
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Saddle Rock, Crook Point
The south beach lacked driftline and sand has accumulated around the drift logs and over the large rocks at the base of the headland.
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The driftline was light on the southern and northern portions of the beach but heavy on the middle portion of the beach with large amounts of kelp/algae and forest duff.
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