Mile 52 Report
Agate Beach, Garrison Lake, south of Paradise Point SW
July 1, 2022
Overcast and warm day.
Report Details
Overcast and warm day. Fifteen people on beach and two leashed dogs, with 12 visitors rock hunting. Multiple ATV tracks cover beach from wave slope to dune areas. Five adult western snowy plovers with two active nests in area of beach impacted by some vehicle use. A 4th of July event planned for Agate Beach has potential to disturb nesting plovers. Driftline contains remains of Dungeness crab and appears to be a die-off of mature animals, not a molt.
Conditions
Temperature: 59 F. Cloud Cover: Cloudy. Wind Velocity: Moderate. Wind Direction: N. Tide Level: -1.0 feet.
Human Activities
Number of people: 15. Number of dogs: 2. Walking or running: 3. ATV and other vehicle tracks cover beach from wave slope to dune areas
Concerns
Disturbances: Shorebirds moving in response to humans/dogs
Notable Wildlife
Flock of 28 brown pelicans forage offshore. One osprey observed. Five adult western snowy plovers observed with two active nests.
Dead Fish or Invertebrates
Unusual concentration. High concentration of mature Dungeness crabs, carapaces, and legs scattered along drift line. These were live/dead animals, not shells from a molt.
Driftline Content
Small rocks, Seaweeds and seagrass, Shells, Animal casings (e.g., crab, shrimp molt), Wood pieces.
Actions & Comments
Fourth of July activities include a "Kinetic Sculpture Race". The route includes portions of Agate/Tseriadun Beach. Race activities could potentially disturb nesting western snowy plovers and other wildlife species. Surveyor will contact USFWS and Oregon Dept. of Parks and Recreation to inquire if guidelines will be developed and provided to event organizers.
western snowy plover nest
Report Images
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All Mile 52 Reports
Mile 52
Agate Beach, Garrison Lake, south of Paradise Point SW
Very windy.
Michaela Donato
Mile 52
Agate Beach, Garrison Lake, south of Paradise Point SW
Do to the 20 mph winds there was limited presence of humans or animals.
Tam Donato
Mile 52
Agate Beach, Garrison Lake, south of Paradise Point SW
Everything seemed fine but I thought it was weird there were no birds
Brian / Michaela Donato
Mile 52
Agate Beach, Garrison Lake, south of Paradise Point SW
There was a lot of small wood debris.
Brian Donato
Mile 52
Agate Beach, Garrison Lake, south of Paradise Point SW
There was a lot of small wood debris.
Brian Donato
Mile 52
Agate Beach, Garrison Lake, south of Paradise Point SW
Velella velella in the wrackline.
Crystal Roy
Mile 52
Agate Beach, Garrison Lake, south of Paradise Point SW
Most notable observations were the large amount of wrack debris, including fresh kelp, small woody debris, and remnants of dead gorse plants scattered along waveslope.
Alison Cebula
Mile 52
Agate Beach, Garrison Lake, south of Paradise Point SW
Hazy conditions due to smoke from wildfires in wilderness areas east of Port Orford. Juvenile snowy plover and common murre chick offshore indicate successful nesting. Bleached barnacles on rocks may indicate disease or exposure to extreme temperatures. New home construction noted at southeast end of beach.
Alison Cebula