Where the Oregon coast has narrow beaches backed by cliffs and the distinctive sea stack rocks just offshore, the beach at Ocean Shores was broad and flat. Also, cars are allowed on the beach, which I had never encountered before. In one of the publications targeted at visitors, an article warned about getting stuck in the sand or trapped by an incoming tide, and provided the number of the local towing service.
On our first walk down to the beach, a deer was grazing just off the side of the road. When I saw it, I exclaimed "Deer!" and it raised its head and gazed inquiringly at us.
In addition to the usual gulls, we also saw a bald eagle, a lazuli bunting and an Eastern kingbird.
The latter two I identified with the help of the Birds of North America website, whatbird.com.
The other notable wildlife siting occurred while we were driving up to the Hoh Rain Forest trail head, when a group of five Roosevelt elk decided to cross the road several dozen feet up ahead.
Lastly, on one of our walks along the beach, we chanced on a wooden pallet that had washed up on shore. It was covered with barnacles, and even though the tide had been out for several hours, they were still out of their shells.
I think they were goose barnacles. They looked more like this, rather than this.
No comments:
Post a Comment