Mile 202 Report
North Spit Alsea River
January 14, 2022
A beautiful day on Mile 202, with sunlight refracting through the clouds making the sun look huge.
Report Details
A beautiful day on Mile 202, with sunlight refracting through the clouds making the sun look huge. Recent storms have caused some erosion but have also brought in new sand, so much that the "landmark driftwood" which I've been photographing for two years is now almost covered up. A flock of threatened Western Snowy Plovers continues to winter here--I counted 36 near Alsea Bay and a pair further north. Although the human footprint of nesting disturbance and habitat destruction caused by development and the introduction of invasive European Beachgrass has resulted in the decline of Snowy Plovers, these little birds, like in the attached photo, will use actual human footprints as a partial shelter. Up on Oceania Drive, fronting the beach, the Bayshore Beach Club HOA recently spent a reported $5,000 to $7,500 to dig out and haul away sand from three of the Mile 202 beach access paths. Just a month later, the northern two access paths are doing well, however the 67D access, where the sand really blows, looks fated to return to its previous state.
Conditions
Temperature: 50 F. Cloud Cover: Partly Cloudy. Tide Level: 6.0 feet.
Human Activities
Number of people: 25. Number of dogs: 10. Walking or running: 25.
Notable Wildlife
38 wintering Snowy Plovers
Driftline Content
Small rocks, Seaweeds and seagrass, Shells, Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt), Wood pieces, Styrofoam.
Man-made Modifications
Sand removal. Bayshore Beach Club HOA has recently removed and hauled away sand from three of the beach access points on Mile 202. The HOA has reported this was done with the necessary permits.
Natural Changes
Some dune erosion but more sand accumulation than erosion
Mile 202 looking south towards Cape Perpetua
Beach erosion and new sand accumulation
"Landmark driftwood," 2/14/2020 and now
Part of wintering Snowy Plover flock
Snowy Plover resting in heel of human footprint
67D access path, 12/14/2021 after sand removal and now
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