Sutton Birthday Hike

Monica and Mike came over to help me celebrate my birthday

We did the Sutton Creek loop and didn't get rained on

Kayak Siltcoos Outlet

The second 70 degree day we had to get on the water

It was warm and windless even at the mouth

It doesn't get any better

But I'm afraid it's the last kayak of the season

Art and Sally visit

                                                 Art and Sally finally made it to Florence.

Monica joined us for a hike to Tahkenitch Creek.

Threemile Lake Hike

                          First glimpse of the ocean through the forest on the way to Threemile Lake.

Mary hiking through the ferns in the Sitka Spruce forest.

Coming out in the dunes, Threemile Lake to the left, Pacific to the right.

View through the trees on the return. Quite an outstanding day.

Dog Pond Fence

Finally the Forest Service has put up a fence at the Dog Pond at South Jetty  Siuslaw River to keep vehicles from driving up to and into the pond. This is one of our favorite birding spots and a beaver pond. Maybe there is hope.

Florence Pocket Saltmarsh

Florence Veteran's Park just west of the 

Siuslaw River Bridge hosts a pocket saltmarsh

Gumweed Grindelia integrifolia

Pickleweed or Glasswort  Salicornia virginica

is a common estuary plant.

Seaside Plantain Plantago maritima is also 

found on sea bluffs.

Jaumea  Jaumea carnosa is common in tidal areas 

Owl Clover  Castilleja ambigua is found in salt

marshes, unlike it's orange-red cousin

Coast Paintbrush which is found on sea cliffs

Oregon Master Naturalist Training

Stewart Schultz, author of The Northwest Coast,

A Natural History gave a great presentation followed 

by a field trip to the beach yesterday.

The topic was the dunes and sandy beaches.

Siltcoos Outlet Hike

Rio, Mary's dog poses with floats near the beach

Beach Vetch in bloom amidst the beachgrass

Friday Riding

First nice day all week, Men and I went for a ride

Lookin' good in the harbor

The Parkway has a Dunal Lake

Dune Tour

Bear was definitely the star of the ODNRA dune tour 

the working group took on friday

Siltcoos Outlet

After the shower this morning it was gorgeous

at the outlet for Lisa and I

Sutton Creek Hike

Sutton Creek looking north from Bella Vista

Sunshine in the meadow, how delightful!

Three-mile Lake Trail

Through the Tahkenitch Dunes to the beach

Three-mile Lake looking south

The forest trail back, it's  so mossy and ferny

New Years Hike

Out the door for the first hike of the year with 

Pattie and Mike, posing with the angels

Checking out a Peregrine Falcon at Tahkenitch Creek

The happy hikers

Bird check on the way home at Westlake

Siltcoos Phalaropes

There were 12+Red Phalaropes at the outer pond

at Siltcoos Outlet this afternoon, as well as a River Otter

A few yellow leaves are left on the willows

Riding in the Umpqua Dunes

Dune ride with the ODNRA working group in

the Umpqua Dunes

The dunes are awesome down there and we 

really  lucked out on the weather today!

The beaver pond, many Yellow-rumped Warblers

The end of riding, near the Douglas County line.

Hiking Sutton

What a gorgeous day at Hollman Vista on the 

Sutton Trails today. Now the next front is moving in.

Tahkenitch Dunes

Mary and I took a hike out to the Tahkenitch Dunes today.

 

Weather was super after a wet week!

The dunes are sculpted by the recent storms.

Dune Biking

A gorgeous sunny day for a ride

after torrential rain the day before.

Siltcoos Outlet

Beach at Siltcoos Outlet this morning

the marsh along the sand road

High tide