Mile 202 Report
North Spit Alsea River
May 6, 2024
Bayshore's HOA recently spent $2,500 for permits and bulldozing a path down to the beach behind the Bayshore clubhouse, a designated public access, smoothing out the drop-off resulting from winter erosion and restoring access for beach goers and our State Parks ranger's ATV.
Report Details
Bayshore's HOA recently spent $2,500 for permits and bulldozing a path down to the beach behind the Bayshore clubhouse, a designated public access, smoothing out the drop-off resulting from winter erosion and restoring access for beach goers and our State Parks ranger's ATV. South on the beach, I watched an adult bald eagle swoop down and snatch up a shorebird at the waters edge, the adult soon joined at the kill by two juveniles. The half dozen Snowy Plover nests here have all failed so far this year, probably due to weather and increasing numbers of avian predators, especially corvids. Nesting success usually improves later in the breeding season. Mile 202's wide southern beach continues to be encroached upon by European Beachgrass, creating new dunes and restricting Snowy Plover habitat. At the dunes overlooking Alsea Bay, winter storms have caused new erosion, exposing previously covered rip rap intended to protect Bayshore's more vulnerable waterfront properties.
Conditions
Temperature: 50 F. Cloud Cover: Partly Cloudy. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Tide Level: 6.0 feet.
Human Activities
Number of people: 2. Number of dogs: 1. Walking or running: 1. Other Activities: One person crabbing from shore of Alsea Bay.
Notable Wildlife
One adult bald eagle and two juveniles; three whimbrels, corvids and gulls, two ospreys on the nest platform at the Bayshore Beach Club east parking lot. The adult eagle snatched from the water's edge what I thought was one of a group of three whimbrels but was hard to identify because it happened so quickly. After being joined down the beach by two juvenile eagles, I believe a family group, I could identify one surf scoter carcass and another carcass, unidentified, which might have been one of the whimbrels I had seen (see photos)
Dead Fish or Invertebrates
Unusual concentration. Velella velella
Driftline Content
Some Velella velella, but not the huge numbers that washed ashore in March.
Man-made Modifications
Dune modification/removal. See Summary and photos regarding dune modification at the Bayshore Beach Club designated public beach access.
Natural Changes
Newly exposed rip rap, erosion of driftwood fence, European Beachgrass encroaching on beach and beginning to form higher dunes
Report Images
Jon French
CoastWatcher
All Mile 202 Reports
Mile 202
North Spit Alsea River
Today was the first windless day in awhile, shirtsleeve weather with a calm sea and a distinct marine layer offshore.
Jon French
Mile 202
North Spit Alsea River
Bayshore's HOA recently spent $2,500 for permits and bulldozing a path down to the beach behind the Bayshore clubhouse, a designated public access, smoothing out the drop-off resulting from winter erosion and restoring access for beach goers and our State Parks ranger's ATV.
Jon French
Mile 202
North Spit Alsea River
Mile 202 beach accesses and exits are now restricted because of erosion and sheering off of the sand cliffs along its northern portion, so I now need to plan for a receding tide if I want to walk the entire mile safely.
Jon French
Mile 202
North Spit Alsea River
After finding forty beached Cassin's Auklets on Jan.
Jon French
Mile 202
North Spit Alsea River
A beautifully calm, sunny day, maybe the last for awhile, with a fifteen mile view from Seal Rock to Cape Perpetua and hardly anyone on the beach except for two surf fishers and a couple valiantly trying to launch a kite with no wind.
Jon French
Mile 202
North Spit Alsea River
As I began yesterday's mile walk and monthly COASST beached bird survey, a light rain began to fall, the first in months.
Jon French
Mile 202
North Spit Alsea River
As I have done before, I combined today's walk with my monthly COASST survey for dead seabirds.
Jon French
Mile 202
North Spit Alsea River
The beach was fairly cool today after 99 degrees two days ago.
Jon French