05/28/2026
Trigger warning some photos are graphic images of wild life doing what it does.
To all: It was good to be back out on the beach again after being grounded for two weeks while getting the beach truck repaired. It's now working well and two loads of trash/debris were soon gathered up along my 7-mile-long route. There was also help by other volunteers during my absence, especially Paul who is working for the refuge monitoring nesting snowy plovers who had a partial truck load of stuff that he had gathered between surveys when
being closer to active wracklines along the shore. Many thanks go out to all these folks who give back to the beach.
High surf rolled in following a late storm a few days ago where the water pushed all way up onto the base of the foredune on high tides over a 2-day period. These tides weren't particularly on the high end per the tide tables, so I suspect the waves were running in the 14-to-18-foot range which doesn't happen too often this time of year.
I know of three dead seals along my route on the beach as you can tell by the numbers of vultures, eagles, ravens, and a coyote or two lurking about depending on the feeding pecking order. Coyotes are #1, followed by bald eagles, then vultures/ravens. Even many barn swallows are often gliding
bout low to the sand and around the carcass busily feeding on flying
insects.
Yesterday there were high numbers of small clear jellyfish washing ashore, most were being in pieces as these delicate animals were being torn apart from a pounding by high surf.
Surf yesterday afternoon was running to 15 feet or so and winds were from the northwest to 15mph under partly cloudy skies. The beach dumpster is about 40% full to date.
Photos:
4509 A coyote pulling to the right on a fresh carcass of a seal in vain to
move it somewhere else or to get past its tough hide to take in a meal up
along the refuge.
4479 Plenty of vultures have arrived for the summer to feed on carrion that
has washed ashore.
4480 A barn swallow resting on a log while taking a break from tracking down
flying insects out and about over the beach. These swallows are often seen
during the summer months busily feeding along the beach.
4482 A large inflatable netted buoy measuring approximately 5 feet in
diameter recently washed ashore up near Leadbetter Point. I unscrewed the
plug letting the air out and later went about loading it up.
4484 All loaded up
4491 A spent NOAA weather balloon with disposable instrument was recently
found by volunteers cleaning the shoreline just to the north of Surfside
Homeowners Assn. A long since dead seabird was found entangled in the
remains/strings of this debris that was adrift for unknown period of time. I
have several of these instruments over the years and this is the first time
to find one having caused harm to wildlife.
4496 Small clear jellyfish have been washing ashore in large numbers. Most
of them were torn to pieces from currently ongoing high surf. I noticed a
few complete individuals measuring up to 5" in diameter.
4499 The same coyote is at work and now pulling to the left and expending a
lot of energy in its endeavors towards getting a bite to eat. A pair of bald
eagles were nearby awaiting their chance at feeding on this carcass.
