Mile 325 - Clatsop Plains, Gearhart south - 04/14/2024 | Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition

Report Details

A quiet, morning walk on mile 325 where I walked south from Gearhart to Necanicum River Estuary. The sky was overcast with light wind with temperatures in the low 50's. Four people were clamming at the estuary as the tide receded, and shorebirds were foraging and resting at the estuary. Notable birds of prey seen today include juvenile and adult bald eagle, and a peregrine falcon. There is significant erosion of the dunes resulting in a steep bluff. This mile had much less single-use plastic and trash compared to mile 327; this stretch of beach is prohibited to vehicle traffic, which I believe results in a peaceful, quieter and cleaner mile overall. I photographed a large blackened bone near the estuary water's edge that was identified with help from the Oregon Marine Mammal Stranding Network as a California sea lion rib (there have been a few reports of California sea lions strand dead in Necanicum River Estuary).

Conditions

Temperature: 50 F. Cloud Cover: Cloudy. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Tide Level: 3.1 feet.

Human Activities

Number of people: 26. Number of dogs: 7. Walking or running: 21. Other Activities: 4 people were clamming, and 1 person wearing a wetsuit was in the ocean for a short while.. Although mile 325 had significantly less marine debris and human garbage compared to mile 327 because cars are not allowed to drive on this section of the beach, I saw dog poop on the wrack line and many plastic bags with dog poop littering the trail down to the beach despite the presence of a trash receptacle near the parking area for this mile.

Concerns

Litter

Notable Wildlife

A walk on mile 325 included the dune path down to the beach and the backshore trail that runs parallel to the ocean for this mile, which revealed a bird diversity of 39 species! Notable shorebird species seen included western sandpiper, greater yellowlegs, black-bellied plover and whimbrel. Caspian terns were seen at Necanicum River Estuary, along with bald eagle, peregrine falcon, band-tailed pigeon, and great blue heron. In the dunes near the estuary, I heard common yellowthroat, ring-necked pheasant, savannah sparrow, and white-crowed sparrow.

Beached Birds

Unable to identify due to advanced state of decomposition.

Dead Fish or Invertebrates

I photographed one dead stickleback fish in the wrack line (1 inch in size).

Driftline Content

Shells, Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt). Incredibly clean wrack line with little evidence of ocean or land-based debris. The wrack line was dominated by shells, including Nuttall's Cockle and Channeled Basket Snail, as well as some crab molts and by-the-wind sailors. Near the estuary, I photographed a blackened bone that looked like a rib of a pinniped.

Natural Changes

Visible retreat of solid bluff. Significant erosion and loss of sand has resulted in a steep, sharply demarcated bluff in between the dunes and the high tide line.