December 21, 2017

Number of people: 20. Number of dogs: 4. Walking or running: 15. Other Activities: hunting for glass float balls. Due to the steep stairs at SW Beach Ave access #48, usually only surfers are noted parking and using this access. Birds foraging on drift line are gulls and possibly plovers.

Litter

Apparent violations: Glass ball searchers.have created braided social trails in the grassy upper dunes among the driftwood logs from extreme high water events. Occasional I see bonfires using driftwood and some camping overnight (possibly homeless folks)..

Disturbances: Shorebirds moving in response to humans/dogs

Total dead birds: 1. no bands, undetermined type

Total stranded mammals: 1. Deceased sea lion washed up almost to the concrete wall at the Inn at Spanish Head, during early December's king tide. Called Jim Rice at OSU Stranded Marine Mammals.

Noted pyrosomes (sea pickles) all of the month of December in minimal concentrations on Mile 240.

Small rocks, Seaweeds and seagrass, Shells, Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt), Wood pieces, Land-based debris (picnics, etc.), Styrofoam, Ocean-based debris (from fishing boats, ship trash, etc.). Cigarette butts, shotgun shells, straws, segments of rope, plastic cups, water bottle caps, one Asian small table top, wire tangled with seaweed and dead coral, 3 washed up wine bottles, and one large dead fish(probably discarded by a fisherman).

Some erosion at the base of the cliffs north of the Inn at Spanish Head after Dec. King Tide. There was no beach to walk on when the waves were in.

I called Jim Rice at OSU Stranded Marine Mammals about the dead sea lion at the Inn at Spanish Head and another (baby) sea lion I saw on Mile 242, south of the Lincoln City, SW 11th Drive beach access.