Mile 286 - Bayocean Peninsula south of Bayocean site - September 18, 2010

Report Details

There were 5 people noted on our walk, which took 1 1/2 hours. One dog with one of the people. All were walking. The driftline had mainly pieces of wood, rocks, lots of crab shells. Some land-based debris, and a few ocean based items such as a wooden hatch, and another metal pot of some kind. There was one dead seal, quite decomposed, however with some identifiying gray skin. One dead bird, apparently a pelican as noted by beak. Banded with red, yellow, and orange bands on one leg. Also quite decomposed, but no sign of oil or netting. There was evidence of humans constructing shelter at the mid section of our mile - several logs in teepee like structure, with some tarp. The most exciting thing was the hundreds of brown pelicans flying in formation, flock after flock flying south. Some were coming from the Cape Meares lake area, others from the north. 250 to be exact. I believe they were brown pelicans, but they did have white necks and sometimes gray bodies rather than brown. Evidence of two horses entering and exiting from the Bay Ocean parking lot.

Conditions

Cloud Cover: Cloudy.

Human Activities

Number of people: 5. Number of dogs: 1.

Concerns

Disturbances: Shorebirds moving in response to humans/dogs

Notable Wildlife

250 Brown pelicans, many seagulls,

Beached Birds

Total dead birds: 1. orange, yellow, red on one legPelican as noted by beak

Stranded Marine Mammals

Total stranded mammals: 1. Seal, dead for quite some time. Some skin still on, but mainly skeleton

Driftline Content

Seaweeds and seagrass, Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt), Land-based debris (picnics, etc.), Ocean-based debris (from fishing boats, ship trash, etc.), Shells, Small rocks, Styrofoam, Wood pieces. Not much land or ocean based debris

Natural Changes

This was my first survey, so nothing to compare it to

Report Images

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