Mile 202 Report
North Spit Alsea River
February 14, 2020
Fewer Western Snowy Plovers this walk than on 1/30/2020, approximately 20 total today (30-40 last visit) in two clusters south of beach access 67D (beyond the landmark driftwood in the attached photo and before the steep sand bluffs).
Report Details
Fewer Western Snowy Plovers this walk than on 1/30/2020, approximately 20 total today (30-40 last visit) in two clusters south of beach access 67D (beyond the landmark driftwood in the attached photo and before the steep sand bluffs). On my previous walk, the plovers were about a quarter of a mile further north, but that section of beach has been smoothed over by new sand/wind, and the plovers seem to prefer some roughness/undulations in the sand.
Conditions
Temperature: 50 F. Cloud Cover: Partly Cloudy. Tide Level: 1.1 feet.
Human Activities
Number of people: 6. Number of dogs: 6. Walking or running: 4. Playing in sand: 2.
Notable Wildlife
Two clusters of 8-10 Western Snowy Plovers per group (see Summary and photos). A few crows and gulls.
Beached Birds
Total dead birds: 2. Gulls. One dead bird was scavenged on by crow and/or gull while I walked the beach (see before and after photos)
Driftline Content
Shells, Wood pieces, Marine debris (plastic, styrofoam, etc. washing in from the sea), Styrofoam, Ocean-based debris (from fishing boats, ship trash, etc.). Plastic bottles, styrofoam, crabbing float, which I removed. The plastic water bottles were domestic origin (Arrowhead, Kroeger, etc), not Asian origin like last time.
Man-made Modifications
Dune modification/removal. A new sand dump resulting from removal of sand on Oceania Drive.
Natural Changes
The new dusting of sand on the southern steep sand bluffs from my visit on 1/30/2020 has now been scoured out by winds, and the layers of previous sand deposits forming the sand bluffs are visible in places.
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.
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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.
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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.
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After finding forty beached Cassin's Auklets on Jan.
Jon French
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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
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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