Mile 202 Report
North Spit Alsea River
March 31, 2020
Very little human activity today.
Report Details
Very little human activity today. Short-term vacation rentals at Bayshore have now been banned due to COVID-19.
Conditions
Temperature: 50 F. Cloud Cover: Partly Cloudy. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Wind Direction: SW. Tide Level: 1.5 feet.
Human Activities
Number of people: 5. Number of dogs: 1. Walking or running: 5.
Notable Wildlife
6 Western Snowy Plovers at approximate same location as previous walks. Photo at Latitude: 44.426752966828644 Longitude: -124.0833231434226 There are fewer plovers at each walk. Maybe the new sand deposits which are smoothing out the wrackline to foredunes sand is making for less attractive habitat. See photo comparisons from this date and previous. Two crows scavenging on dead seal pup; two turkey vultures circling overhead; a few gulls flying
Beached Birds
Total dead birds: 1. very weathered immature gull carcass
Stranded Marine Mammals
Total stranded mammals: 1. Dead seal on beach above wrackline, central portion of Mile 202. Approx 30" long without hind flippers. Body is fairly intact, but hind and front flippers are gone. Furred, with external ears (Northern Fur Seal pup?). Being scavenged on by two crows, with two turkey vultures circling. Latitude: 44.42992493044585 Longitude: -124.08468428067863
Driftline Content
Shells, Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt), Wood pieces. Beach pretty clean
Natural Changes
More natural new sand deposits. Compare tree trunk driftwood photo with 3/22/2020 and compare landmark driftwood photo with 2/14/2020.
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
