Mile 222 Report
Moolack Beach N, Coal Creek, S of Wade Creek
January 29, 2022
Relatively high amount of people at the beach to enjoy low tide and the beautiful day.
Report Details
Relatively high amount of people at the beach to enjoy low tide and the beautiful day. Several families with adolescent aged kids, who all seemed to be enthralled by the beach and tide pools. Good day for birding; I had never seen oystercatchers at this mile; likely attracted by low tide exposing more than usual rocks. The hawk scavenging on a beached loon was notable, helped by being in a part of the beach that wasn't busy with people. No dogs on a leash, other than one, whose owner put it back on a leash as I approached. The other dogs seemed, at times, far enough away from their owners to be considered under direct control. None seen chasing birds.
Conditions
Temperature: 55 F. Cloud Cover: Sunny. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Tide Level: 1.1 feet.
Human Activities
Number of people: 30. Number of dogs: 6. Walking or running: 10. Playing in sand: 4. Sitting: 2. Tidepooling: 10.
Vehicles
Cars/trucks parking: 28. RVs/Buses parking: 2.
Notable Wildlife
30 surf scoters (in the surf); 10 sanderlings; at least 10 gulls, mostly in the air, but several scattered on the shoreline (at least two Western gulls); 4 American crows; 3 black oystercatchers; 1 fox sparrow (shrubs near the Moolack Beach parking lot); 1 red-tailed hawk (scavenging on a beached dead loon)
Beached Birds
Total dead birds: 1. No leg band seen; common loon (I think); ventral area had been scavenged (red-tailed hawk was feeding on it while I was there); I only saw 1 foot, but didn’t manipulate the bird to look more closely
Driftline Content
Small rocks, Shells, Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt), Wood pieces, Land-based debris (picnics, etc.), Marine debris (plastic, styrofoam, etc. washing in from the sea), Styrofoam, Ocean-based debris (from fishing boats, ship trash, etc.). No plastic bottles (!), but the usual lots of plastic pellets and styrofoam; one ragged, torn, moderate-large fabric tarp, presumably from a boat
Red-tailed hawk scavenging on a common loon. Devil’s Punchbowl and Otter Crest State Scenic Viewpoint in the center of background
Common loon after having been scavenged by red-tailed hawk
Ochre sea star near on the driftline.
Report Images
FlaningamM
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