Mile 247 Report
South Spit Salmon River, Tillamook/Lincoln county line
June 11, 2024
A survey team of Sitka Center staff and local volunteers (Chris, Nancy, Lilly and Melissa) accessed the sand spit via kayak and canoe.
Report Details
A survey team of Sitka Center staff and local volunteers (Chris, Nancy, Lilly and Melissa) accessed the sand spit via kayak and canoe. The group walked around the north point of the spit to the ocean side and walked down the beach mile, noting debris to pick up on the way back. The group observed several raptor type birds near a dead sea lion. A team of 3 accessed the south side of the 'keyhole' area in the rocky intertidal habitat (southernmost portion of Mile 247) and conducted a 15 minute timed count of ochre sea stars to submit to the MARINe program. The team of three noted many invertebrates in the rocky habitat and documented them with photos. On the walk back north the whole survey team removed debris from the beach (see photo). An MDMAP survey was not conducted on this day due to a lack of any debris in the Mile 247 MDMAP survey site.
Conditions
Temperature: 60 F. Cloud Cover: Foggy. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Tide Level: -0.94 feet.
Human Activities
Number of people: 4. Walking or running: 4. Sitting: 4. Tidepooling: 3. Kayaking: 4. Other Activities: N/A. Tire tracks from an ATV type vehicle were observed in the sand at the south end of the ocean side of the beach mile.
Concerns
Apparent violations: N/A.
Notable Wildlife
Noteable (live) mammals: (N/A) Notable (live) birds: 1 bald eagle, 2 turkey vultures and 1 unidentified raptor (possibly a juvenile bald eagle) on the ocean side of the sand spit near the dead sea lion. Notable invertebrates: 1 rockweed isopod, 1 sand shrimp on the estuary side of the sand spit. 123 healthy ochre sea stars were observed (during a 15-minute timed count) in the rocky intertidal habitat at the south end of the sand spit. Notable invertebrates in numbers to great to quantify: california mussels, mossy chitons, shield limpets, northern striped dogwinkle snails, purple encrusting sponges, thatched barnacles, sharp acorn barnacles, gooseneck barnacles, encrusting tunicates, giant green anemones and aggregating anemones.
Beached Birds
Total dead birds: 1. Participants observed dead bird remains thought to be several gulls. Closer inspection found the remains were the same bird in several parts; possibly a California brown pelican. See composite photo attached. No leg band was observed. The portions of the bird were concentrated at the back barrier of the beach, approximately at the half mile mark of Mile 247.
Stranded Marine Mammals
Survey participants observed 1 dead sea lion (possibly a California sea lion) at the back barrier of the beach on the ocean side, approx. 200 meters north of the entrance to Camp Westwind. Photos were taken at multiple angles and sent to Jim Rice at the OSU - Oregon Marine Mammal Stranding Network.
Dead Fish or Invertebrates
N/A
Driftline Content
There was a noticeable concentration of giant mole crab casings found in the wrack line on the ocean side of the sand spit. Survey participants removed debris from the beach mile as they walked north (see photo). Notable debris removed from the beach was a baseball cap "skeleton", shotgun wads, hygiene and cannabis product containers, small pieces of hard plastic and rope from fishing boats.
New Development
N/A
Man-made Modifications
N/A
Natural Changes
N/A
Shellfish casings/moults from the wrack line.
Composite photo of possible California brown pelican parts.
Composite photo of dead sea lion reported to Jim Rice.
Bald eagle perched on dead sea lion.
Report Images
Sitka Center Team and Community Members
CoastWatcher
All Mile 247 Reports
Mile 247
South Spit Salmon River, Tillamook/Lincoln county line
A survey team of Sitka Center staff and residency program participants (Jake, Nancy, Sharita and GraySea) accessed Mile 247 - Salmon River Spit by crossing the Salmon River Estuary via kayak and paddleboard.
Sitka Center
Mile 247
South Spit Salmon River, Tillamook/Lincoln county line
A survey team of Sitka Center staff and local volunteers (GraySea, Jake, Nancy, Laurie and Bill) accessed the sand spit via kayak and canoe. The survey team accessed the south side of the 'keyhole' area in the rocky intertidal habitat (southernmost portion of Mile 247) and conducted a 15 minute timed count of ochre sea stars to submit to the MARINe program.
Sitka Team and Community Members
Mile 247
South Spit Salmon River, Tillamook/Lincoln county line
A survey team of Sitka Center staff and local volunteers (Chris, Nancy, Lilly and Melissa) accessed the sand spit via kayak and canoe.
Sitka Center Team and Community Members
Mile 247
South Spit Salmon River, Tillamook/Lincoln county line
Trash and dead seal
Joan Mahler
Mile 247
South Spit Salmon River, Tillamook/Lincoln county line
A survey team of two Sitka Center team members, Jake and Nancy, accessed Mile 247 - Salmon River Spit by crossing the Salmon River Estuary via kayak and paddleboard. During this survey, the survey team was able to access the inner area of the rocky habitat and do a 15 minute timed sea star count in the two sea star monitoring sites. As the survey team walked back north noteable debris included a large tangle of ships rope, noteable wrack line content included a high concentration of giant mole crab casings/moults and small pieces of hard plastics.
Nancy Newman
Mile 247
South Spit Salmon River, Tillamook/Lincoln county line
Survey participants accessed Mile 247 - Salmon River spit via kayaking/paddle boarding across the Salmon River Estuary.
Mile 247 - Salmon River Spit
Mile 247
South Spit Salmon River, Tillamook/Lincoln county line
Sitka Center team member Nancy and Sitka Center artists in residence Evan, Rose, Katrina, Tim, Maria and M accessed the site via kayak.
Nancy Newman
Mile 247
South Spit Salmon River, Tillamook/Lincoln county line
Sitka Team members and Sitka Center artists in residence accessed Mile 247 via kayak, walked south taking observations of the beach mile and met Camp Westwind Team members near Mile 247's rocky habitat.
Nancy Newman