Mile 202 Report
North Spit Alsea River
October 12, 2022
This was my first Mile 202 walk since the end of Snowy Plover nesting season in September.
Report Details
This was my first Mile 202 walk since the end of Snowy Plover nesting season in September. Of twenty-six documented Snowy Plover nesting attempts in Lincoln County this year, seven chicks were known to fledge after surviving their first month after hatching. Last winter's storms scoured out much potential nesting habitat, leaving Mile 202 as one of the few sandy beaches along the central coast suitable for nesting. All of this year's known fledglings in Lincoln County came from Mile 202, the most successful nesting attempts recorded in one season on the central coast in recent decades. Mile 202 is also an important wintering site for Snowy Plovers, which are now beginning to flock together. On this walk I encountered twenty-three Snowy Plovers resting in the sand, along with two Sanderlings, larger shorebirds which sometimes associate with Snowy Plovers, whose numbers here should increase during the winter months.
Conditions
Temperature: 55 F. Tide Level: 2.5 feet.
Human Activities
Number of people: 8. Number of dogs: 2. Walking or running: 8.
Notable Wildlife
23 Snowy Plovers, 2 Sanderlings, gulls. The former tsunami siren pole in the Bayshore Beach Club parking lot was repurposed into an osprey nest platform some years back. Ospreys occasionally visit the platform, however it is in a very exposed and windy location, and I have never observed ospreys actually nesting there. One of our local residents is proposing that the nest platform be reinforced so as to better withstand the wind.
Driftline Content
Very little driftline content
Natural Changes
Invasive European Beach Grass continues to encroach on the sandy beach. See photo showing encroachment and composite photo showing encroachment since February 2020.
Snowy Plovers resting in sand
Snowy Plover and Sanderling -- Can we be friends?
Landmark driftwood and Beach Grass, 2/14/2020 and now
Spreading invasive European Beach Grass
Mile 202 with new sand
Boaters enjoying Alsea Bay
Gulls and Alsea Bay bridge
Osprey nest platform
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
