Mile 224 Report
Beverly Beach north, Johnson Creek
May 6, 2013
Most notable sighting was of the many live and dead winged carpenter ants which might've been the reason for the unusual number of crows & gulls I saw on the beach today.
Report Details
Most notable sighting was of the many live and dead winged carpenter ants which might've been the reason for the unusual number of crows & gulls I saw on the beach today. Usually I see very few birds, today I saw 30+ gulls (some near where Johnson Creek flows into the ocean, others further south on the mile) and 10-15 crows (estimate) and 2 vultures (soaring). Observed crow harass vulture & persuade vulture to fly away from crows and gain altitude. Beach was surprisingly clean given how many people might've been on the beach this weekend (2 day heatwave, HMSC weather station listed high of 84+ on Saturday, 87+ on Sunday). I saw evidence of a fire in an area w/driftwood (near the base of the bluff) but otherwise beach looked very clean. Wonderful, beautiful walk on the beach. Started out sunny, fog bank moved in during the course of my walk. Report form needs to be revised so that people can enter the time they arrived on mile and time departed. I arrived about 4:30-4:40pm and left beach about 5:30pm, back at parking lot about 5:40pm.
Conditions
Temperature: 55 F. Cloud Cover: Foggy. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Wind Direction: SW. Tide Level: 2.0 feet.
Human Activities
Number of people: 7. Number of dogs: 3. Walking or running: 5. Sitting: 2. No vehicles on Lincoln county beaches w/out permit. Tide height and temperature are estimates only, low tide at Yaquina Bay was listed as 1.5' at 4:35pm today. Tide appeared to be pretty far out but had started to come in. It was sunny when I arrived but a fog bank moved in during the time I was on the beach (about 50 minutes). It never completely blocked the sun. Very few people on beach. All dogs under control.
Concerns
Apparent violations: no violations observed.
Vehicles
Cars/trucks parking: 5.
Notable Wildlife
Saw about 30 gulls, some crows & a couple of vultures (the last in the air and towards the south end of the mile). Also what looked like many live and dead (in driftline) carpenter ants in winged phase (or flying ants, large)
Dead Fish or Invertebrates
Small invertebrates in drift line, perhaps 2-3" at widest part of the shell, might've been molts.
Driftline Content
Seaweeds and seagrass, Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt). Dead winged carpenter ants or other ant in winged phase
Man-made Modifications
Nothing new observed
Natural Changes
Newly exposed roots/trees falling, Landslides/major boulder falls. usual slow erosion of bluffs, primarily south 1/2 of mile today
Actions & Comments
No action to be taken. Erosion is ongoing.
malachite
CoastWatcher
All Mile 224 Reports
Mile 224
Beverly Beach north, Johnson Creek
A dynamic beach observed today, notes re: features seen & photographed noted previously.
malachite
Mile 224
Beverly Beach north, Johnson Creek
Sunny & warm day, with more people & dogs then I've seen in years on the beach, probably because of the heat wave in PDX, the Willamette Valley & so much of the US. In addition to walking the mile to do a Coastwatch report, I participated in a Surfrider day after the 4th beach trash pickup.
s hogg
Mile 224
Beverly Beach north, Johnson Creek
Low tide at Yaquina Bay was listed as 12:16 pm today, the north jetty & a headland, and probably about 8-10 miles separate YB from the beach at Otter Rock where my mile is located, I don't know how much those factors change (or not) the exact tide level when I stepped onto the beach this morning OR when I left, about noon. Overall a beautiful day on the beach, on my arrival there were probably 23 people (including surfers) on the beach, that number increased to the number I entered.
S hogg
Mile 224
Beverly Beach north, Johnson Creek
Very low tide this am, I have no idea what the exact tide level was so I didn't enter a number.
malachite
Mile 224
Beverly Beach north, Johnson Creek
Pleasant if chilly walk on the beach.
malachite
Mile 224
Beverly Beach north, Johnson Creek
Quite a dynamic winter on this mile, more erosion noted, and a moderate sized slide seen on the mile.
malachite
Mile 224
Beverly Beach north, Johnson Creek
Nice day for a walk on the beach, clean beach, saw 6 cyclists (one solo, I think the rest were more or less together), first time I've seen cyclists on this beach, have seen them off & on from the south jetty north to Lucky Gap access.
malachite