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MILE 157 on 11/13/10   -   BZENDERSON LOCATION Douglas  •  Oregon Dunes NRA, west of Perkins Lake CONDITIONS Saturday 12:00 PM HUMANS People: 2 ACTIVITIES Walking/running: 2 CONCERNS DISTURBANCES VEHICLES Cars/Trucks parking: 6 ACTIV.COMMENTS NOTABLE WILDLIFE DEAD BIRDS Total: 9  •  Species/names: 7 northern fulmar 1 rhinoceros auklet 1 common murre STRANDED Total: 1  •  California sea lion, dead, fairly recent. FISH & INVERTS DRIFTLINE Shells  •  Kelp/Algae  •  Wood pieces NEW DEVELOPMENT MODIFICATIONS NATURAL CHANGES Erosion of vegetated foredune COMMENTS Foredune showed signs of recent erosion, but sand volume on beach still high (remains of fishing vessel Sanak not visible; buried under sand). SUMMARY Drizzly day on Mile 157; my friend Patricia came along for the first time. Unusual number of dead birds (only once before have I found that many on this mile), but given that it's November and that most were northern fulmars, not that unusual. Most of the dead birds were very fresh, appeared to be juveniles. There were probably additional dead fulmars we didn't see. No crab molt at all; debris was almost entirely razor (and a few other) clam shells and tons of kelp--HUGE wads of kelp, and even several big rocks with kelp hold-fasts attached. Also an unusual number of large driftwood stumps on the beach. Saw almost no live birds (no sanderlings)--just a few gulls busy picking at the dead fulmars. There were large piles of debris at both beach trailheads; apparently beach walkers have collected debris and dumped it here for someone else to pack out. OBSERVER bzenderson EMAIL   •  REPORT PUBLISHED 11/15/10 8:29 PM PHOTOS 1 Patricia demonstrating kelp wad Date: 11/13/2010 2 Foredune and beach Description: Photo shows recent erosion of foredune and the abundance of kelp on the beach in the driftline. Date: 11/13/2010 3 Holdfast Description: One of several large rocks we found with kelp holdfasts still attached (but stem ripped off). Evidence of pretty snarly storm. I was surprised at how firm these holdfasts are to the touch--more like wood than seaweed. Date: 11/13/2010  PRINT       BACK TO COASTWATCH HOME