Mile 289 - Kincheloe Point, South Jetty Tillamook River - September 21, 2020

Report Details

September 15 ended the nesting bird restrictions on mile 289. We always take our dog so it was the first complete survey for some time. Originally the zone started at the south end of 289, but now the start is farther north. It probably is a kilometer in length, .6 miles. The area at the jetty has a legal passage way between the jetty and the restricted area. A loop is still possible, but don't bring the dog during the nesting season.The dry sand area was very clean. I saw just 2 plastic bottles. The wrack line had a heavy deposit of eel grass. Most of the human produced garbage was in the wrack and made of plastic.

Conditions

Temperature: 60 F. Cloud Cover: Cloudy. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Wind Direction: S. Tide Level: 8.0 feet.

Human Activities

Number of people: 2. Sitting: 2.

Concerns

Apparent violations: none.

Vehicles

Cars/trucks parking: 6.

Beached Birds

Total dead birds: 3. 2 gulls. One was immature and the other was probably a western gull. The 3rd find was a cormorant, unknown species.

Driftline Content

Small rocks, Seaweeds and seagrass, Shells, Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt), Wood pieces, Land-based debris (picnics, etc.), Ocean-based debris (from fishing boats, ship trash, etc.). The upper beach was very clean. The wrack had more garbage. I suspect that the debris was ocean-based, the 1 dirty crab float was for sure. Crab shells and bay clams were prominent, but a few razor clam shells were present.

New Development

none

Man-made Modifications

none

Natural Changes

Over the years, mile 289 was widened as more sand is deposited at the south jetty of Tillamook Bay. At the end of the summer, sand has built up in the dry sand area from the dunes seaward to the highest tidal line. The sand is in longitudinal dunes 2 to 4 foot high with beach grass growing in the upper sections. As you walk north or south, you move up and down these dunes like crossing ocean swells.