Bob's Journal: Marine Debris Cleanup

Sunday, February 26, 2023

Marine Debris Cleanup

On Friday the 17th, Gail and I participated in a beach cleanup south of Reedsport near the mouth of Tenmile Creek. Gail had signed us up, thinking that this would be at Ten Mile Creek, about a 20 minute drive from our house. We later learned that it was a 1 1/2 hour drive. We decided to go anyway. It turned out to be a beautiful day, in the midst of a long rainy spell.

The event was organized by Jesse Jones, CoastWatch Program Manager, and Elizabeth Roberts, a marine debris artist with exhibits at the Washed Ashore Project in Bandon. All the debris harvested would be trucked to Bandon, washed, and used in art/education displays. This was a three day event. The area to be cleaned is a Snowy Plover nesting area in dunes surrounding the Tenmile Creek Estuary. Also enlisted were two US Forest Service biology technicians who would drive us the several miles through the immense dunes, and down the beach. We were joined by about six other volunteers.

Jesse Jones on the right, and Elizabeth Roberts, center. We're getting our safety briefing.

Our Forest Service driver did a good job of blasting us through the dunes.

Down the beach we went...

...until the beach narrowed. We waited for the tide to drop a little more.

However, we quickly got stuck, but with some shoveling, use of traction mats, and letting some air out of the tires, we were on our way again. Not wasting time, Gail hauled up a plastic culvert that was beached.

There were about 6-8 poles in our area that were for Purple Martin nest boxes. It was noticed that Purple Martins mob Northern Harriers, a large hawk that predates on the threatened Snowy Plovers. At the top of each pole, a Tree Swallow nest box is placed to attract the Purple Martins, who follow the Tree Swallows in their arrival to the area.