June 16th to June 22nd 2014

Daily Low Tides

Monday, June 16th
-1.2' @ 9:56 AM

Tuesday, June 17th
-0.7' @ 10:43 AM

Wednesday, June 18th
-0.1' @ 11:33 AM

Thursday, June 19th
0.5' @ 12:25 PM

Friday, June 20th
1.2' @ 1:22 PM

Saturday, June 21st; shift lengthened to be on the beach before public parking for Sandcastle Day
1.7' @ 2:21 PM

Sunday, June 22nd
2.1' @ 3:20 PM

Notes from the Week

From the HRAP Program Coordinator: Sunday, June 22nd our oystercatcher chick hatched! If you look closely at Neal Maine's photograph below you will see something amazing, mother black oystercatcher with her newly hatched chick and a soon to be hatched egg. This and other evidence proves that there may have in fact been three eggs laid, not just one. A hatchling and potentially another chick is very exciting news, especially considering the state of the black oystercatcher population. But the challenge is not over yet! Chicks are even more susceptible to human and natural disturbances such as predation. Parents must leave their hungry chick to forage for food in the intertidal. And as Neal Maine reports, our newly hatched black oystercatcher is very adventurous.

From the HRAP Volunteer Coordinator: Every year the Haystack Rock Awareness Program works very hard to protect our black oystercatcher nest. Because of their small population size (less than 400 on the Oregon Coast and only 10,000 world-wide), restricted range, and sensitivity to human and natural disturbances, the US Fish and Wildlife Service has designated the black oystercatcher as a “species of concern”. With an average hatching rate of 29% and only 13% survival rate to fledge, the black oystercatcher’s long term viability is unknown. Birds are sensitive to human disturbances, especially while nesting, and nesting success is crucial to maintaining healthy bird populations. While exploring the coast keep an eye out for nests and always observe nesting birds from a distance.


Black Oystercatcher and Chick; Photo by Neal Maine


The Sandcastle Festivities kicked off with a parade downtown on Friday evening, June 20th, in which HRAP coordinators, Staff interpreters, and Volunteers participated.  The 50th Annual Sandcastle Day was Saturday, June 21st. It was a beautiful day and there were thousands of people on the beach. The only day of the year the public can park on the beach, right by Haystack Rock, led to hundreds of people exploring the tide pools. The highest visitor count was on Sandcastle Day with 220 visitors during one hour in the mid-afternoon and a total of four hourly visitor counts near or above 200.


Parade marchers from left: Volunteer Jenee Pearce with Thane, Program Coordinator Samantha Ferber, Volunteer Coordinator Alix Lee with Paducah, Volunteers Autumn Warner and Gretchen DeMoss, and Staff Interpreter Cindy Bryden.


Photo looking South of cars parked on the beach, taken from the stairs east of Haystack Rock.


Sandcastle Day parking in front of Haystack Rock


Photo looking North of cars parked on the beach, taken from the stairs east of Haystack Rock.


Creature Highlights

Birds

  • Black Oystercatchers (Haematopus bachmani) - Numerous nest exchanges were observed early in the week
  • Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) - Visits from bald eagles continue which included several successful hunts.
  • Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) - The pelican got very close to the rock and shore and flushed 10 murres.
Invertebrates
  • Leopard Nudibranch (Diaulula sandiegensis) - As the name suggests, the nudibranch has brown ring-shaped spots that can range from light to dark brown on a white body. They can be up to 3 inches long and live in the intertidal to a depth of 115 feet.
  • Piddock Clam (Family Pholadidae) - Spawing in middle tidepools near refuge
  • Lion’s Mane Jelly (Cyanea capillata) - Seen in center tidepools
Fish
  • Sand soles (Psettichthys melanostictus)
Photos From Haystack Rock



The start of the week brought a beautiful double Rainbow to Haystack Rock; Photo by Nadine Nordquist


A perfect frame for Haystack Rock! Photo by Craig Davidson


References

Harbo, Rick. Whelks to Whales. Madeira Park, BC Canada: Harbour Publishing, 2006.

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