Mile 97 Report
Bandon SP, between Twomile Cr and Bradley Lake
December 30, 2008
I was sad to see a newly dead pelican in the high tide line today; no scavengers had hit it either on my walk south or north.
Report Details
I was sad to see a newly dead pelican in the high tide line today; no scavengers had hit it either on my walk south or north. There had been about 3 dozen flying along the beach yesterday, mostly in groups, but one or two were flying solo.No one else was out on my mile today. It is getting harder to cross China Creek, which is flowing deep and with strong currents--even at low tide.It was amazing to find two concrete structures, which I suppose had been dock supports of some sort, on the beach. One was on mile 97 and the other visible down mile 96. Size is a guess: 6 feet by 10 feet. Imagine the force to uproot these AND move them to their current locations.Lots of trash in the high line: mostly plastic bottles (many with oriental markings), plus two plastic Japanese floats, and scatterings of small pieces of styrofoam. Shells, kelp, small rocks and wood pieces in drifline. Wave overtopping and erosion of foredune.
Conditions
Temperature: 40 F. Cloud Cover: Sunny. Wind Velocity: Calm/Light. Tide Level: 3.6 feet.
Notable Wildlife
There were scads of Sanderlings, as well as Snowy Plovers and gulls, in the tidelines.
Beached Birds
Total dead birds: 2. 1 recently dead pelican with no leg bands was in the high line about halfway up my mile. There also was 1 dead seabird, long necked, no bands, toed feet--about the size of a gull but not one of those.
Driftline Content
Seaweeds and seagrass, Ocean-based debris (from fishing boats, ship trash, etc.), Shells, Small rocks, Styrofoam, Wood pieces. Two 6-foot by 10-foot concrete structures in the low-tide line on my mile and also down into mile 96.
Natural Changes
Erosion of vegetated foredune, Evidence of wave overtopping.
Actions & Comments
The erosion and overtopping was in basically two areas, roughly midway between the Bradley Lake trailhead and the habitat restoration area for the Snowy Plovers.
beachnut
CoastWatcher
All Mile 97 Reports
Mile 97
Bandon SP, between Twomile Cr and Bradley Lake
A nearly nonexistent driftline with just a few Chrysaora jellies and a few small rocks.
D Bilderback
Mile 97
Bandon SP, between Twomile Cr and Bradley Lake
A light diftline of a few Postelsia, some Fucus, Ulva, Hymenena and Nereocystis, crab molts, broken Sand Dollars, jellies, the Ctenophore, Pleurobrachia, the Tunicate, Salpa maxima and Phyllospadix, surfgrass.
D Bilderback
Mile 97
Bandon SP, between Twomile Cr and Bradley Lake
Sparse driftline of small rocks, a few shells and broken Sand Dollars, one clump of Bull Kelp (Nereocystis) and a few strands of Macrocystis.
D Bilderback
Mile 97
Bandon SP, between Twomile Cr and Bradley Lake
European beachgrass dominated the driftline.
D Bilderback
Mile 97
Bandon SP, between Twomile Cr and Bradley Lake
Shells, rocks, crab carapaces, a few kelp/algae, wood, green phytoplankton scum, broken sand dollars in driftline.
D Bilderback
Mile 97
Bandon SP, between Twomile Cr and Bradley Lake
Light driftline of many Ctenophores, small rocks, a few shells and crab carapaces, one Sea Star and pieces of the flowering plant, Lasthenia maritima.
D Bilderback
Mile 97
Bandon SP, between Twomile Cr and Bradley Lake
Light driftline with fresh water aquatic plants- Myriophyllum (Water Milfoil), terrestrial plant debris-stems, leaves and needles and saltwater plants, Phyllospadix (Surfgrass)and Eelgrass, Zostera.
D Bilderback
Mile 97
Bandon SP, between Twomile Cr and Bradley Lake
The beach consisted of a high ridge of accumulated sand with a six degree slope and lagoons in the runnel.
D Bilderback