Mile 202 - North Spit Alsea River - March 26, 2021 | Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition

Report Details

My wife and I joined our neighbor Nancy Thomas and her husband for today's walk. Nancy is a fellow CoastWatch (Mile 203) and Plover Patrol volunteer and today was doing a survey for beached birds for COASST (Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team), the 20 year old citizen science project housed at the University of Washington. We didn't find any intact remains but came across a half-buried wing and partial skeleton, the excavation, cleaning, measuring, and documentation of which is shown in the attached photos. Nancy will submit a report to COASST, which will attempt to identify the remains. If anyone is interested in doing beached bird surveys, there are many available stretches of beach.

Conditions

Temperature: 50 F. Cloud Cover: Partly Cloudy. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Wind Direction: NW. Tide Level: 6.5 feet.

Human Activities

Number of people: 30. Number of dogs: 8. Walking or running: 30.

Notable Wildlife

The usual hundred or so gulls sitting at the edge of Alsea Bay. A Bald Eagle over the bay. Only two Western Snowy Plovers seen today, a pair close together. Like last year at this time, it looks like the group of 30-40 plovers that winters here has begun to disburse for the nesting season.

Beached Birds

Total dead birds: 2. Wing and partial skeleton from one species; just a wing from another species. Nancy Thomas documented and reported to COASST

Driftline Content

Seaweeds and seagrass, Wood pieces, Land-based debris (picnics, etc.), Ocean-based debris (from fishing boats, ship trash, etc.). Not too much debris, a couple of fishing floats, some nylon rope, etc

Man-made Modifications

Dune modification/removal. The usual dumping of sand by a Bobcat over the edge of the high dunes, relocating sand from around Oceania Drive houses and driveways to the beach. See photo.

Natural Changes

New sand accumulation on beach. See photo comparison of Landmark Driftwood a year ago and now; and see photo comparison of driftwood debris along bay between January 2021 and now, being partially covered by sand.

Report Images

Discovering half-buried wing

Excavating remains, our dog Sweetie looking on in Coyote Vest

Nancy brushing off excavated remains

Arranging cleaned remains

Measuring and writing date

Nancy documents with photo

Oh no, another wing!

Bobcat dumping sand

Driftwood debris at Alsea Bay 1-19-2021

Driftwood debris at Alsea Bay 3-26-2021

Landmark Driftwood 3-26-2021

Report Images

Jon French

CoastWatcher

All Mile 202 Reports

Date

Showing 8 of 62 reports

Mile 202

North Spit Alsea River

July 16, 2024

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

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.

Jon French

Mile 202

North Spit Alsea River

March 7, 2024

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

January 28, 2024

After finding forty beached Cassin's Auklets on Jan.

Jon French

Mile 202

North Spit Alsea River

October 30, 2023

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