Mile 202 Report
North Spit Alsea River
December 13, 2022
I entered the beach hoping to find and count the Western Snowy Plovers that winter here.
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I entered the beach hoping to find and count the Western Snowy Plovers that winter here. I encountered the flock spread out loosely over about fifty yards near the wet sand line. A dying Snowy Plover had been discovered here a month ago which, after its death, reportedly tested positive for HPAI avian flu, so I watched the plovers and looked for any unusual behavior but didn't notice anything. Mostly the birds just sat resting in human footprints, so I was able to get a good count of 44 plovers and two sanderlings, similar to previous counts and suggesting a fairly stable and healthy population of wintering plovers here. This was a successful nesting season for plovers on Mile 202, prompting Oregon State Parks, which manages the beaches, to discuss with the City of Waldport the city's annual July 3rd fireworks display which shoots up from the north beach of Alsea Bay, the object being to insure that the city's fireworks don't negatively impact future plover nesting. Hopefully, this will be resolved to everyone's satisfaction.I formerly but no longer volunteer for the U.S. Fish And Wildlife Service, so my comments above are solely my own as a CoastWatch volunteer. Aside from seeing the plovers, I walked down to Alsea Bay on this beautiful morning and watched recreational boaters fishing and crabbing, then I turned back north with the sea and sand and sky stretched out in front of me and not a person in sight. Don't tell anyone.
Conditions
Temperature: 45 F. Cloud Cover: Partly Cloudy. Tide Level: 4.0 feet.
Human Activities
Number of people: 3. Number of dogs: 3. Walking or running: 3.
Concerns
Apparent violations: As usual, fat tire electric bicycle tracks from the new "green" prohibited ATVs were seen..
Notable Wildlife
44 Western Snowy Plovers, 2 Sanderlings (see Summary)
Beached Birds
Total dead birds: 1. Gull remains, unknown species
Driftline Content
Small rocks, Seaweeds and seagrass, Shells, Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt), Wood pieces. The beach was very clean.
Man-made Modifications
The Bayshore Beach Club has created, midway on Mile 202 and with volunteer help, a nice seating and gathering area between its western parking lot and the dunes. There should be no impact upon the beach.
Natural Changes
The introduced European beachgrass, which forms a thick monoculture on Mile 202's dunes, continues to intrude and spread onto the sandy beach, beginning to create mini dunes as the beachgrass and its roots collect blowing sand.
Looking north from Alsea Bay
11 of the flock of 44 Snowy Plovers
Recreational boater on Alsea Bay
Our friend, the Coast Guard, coming into view
European beachgrass monoculture on dunes
Closeup, European beachgrass
European beachgrass beginning to form mini dunes
Big pile of Bull Kelp on beach
Glassy sea grass in driftline, I don't know ID
Fat tire bicycle tracks
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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
