A Walk On The Wild Side .. Oregon's Beaches!!

Just South of the Thousand Trails Park is Lost Creek.  It comes off the mountain, then disappears ... hence the name!  LOL  There is a parking lot on the West side of the road at the end of the Thousand Trails Park access to the beach.  From here, it's just a short walk down a paved trail.  It was not your normal day ... foggy yes, but not cold and not windy.  A perfect day for a walk on the beach.

There were a few people here and there, but as I walked further down the beach, they all disappeared.   The tide was coming in, but there was still time to look for treasures.

The fog just made it more surreal!!

I didn't walk alone either ... the beach had several seagulls cleaning up on the horseshoe crab babies that were washed ashore.  I followed this guy for about half a mile!!

As a photographer, you KNOW I'm looking at weird stuff.  I laugh when I find something as simple as a dead crab shell, photograph it ... then anyone who saw me take the image, runs over to see what it was.  Mostly they think it either left, or I'm weird!!  Both may be true!!

Even the kids ran over to see this one!!  But the only reason for the image was to show how creative nature is ... this is just the edge of Lost Creek as it emerges from the sand and rocks to continue it's flow to the ocean.

Feather ... I know ... this must be the weird part!!  LOL

I'm not alone long however, as Patty showed up to find some treasures too.  This rock wall looks stable and hard, as rock is ... but if you poke it with a stick, it just crumbles into clay dust.

Finally I came upon my home's namesake ... turkey buzzards!!  They were picking at something on the beach ... a sight that I have not seen before by the ocean.  

Uh oh ... company!!

I tried to get closer pictures, but knew the dog heading down the beach was going to disturb them, so I walked up fast enough to get them to fly.  Their feather tips just fascinate me.  The heads, I can do without!!  They are pretty disgusting to look at!!

Immediately, they came back for their prize.  I did take of picture of what they were eating, but you wouldn't want to see it.  It's a dead seagull, stripped almost clean except for the bones.

As the dog came by, he flew off again.  I'm sure they will be back to finish their work.  Nature's garbage collectors ... somebody's got to do it!!!

I got too focused on an image of the waves coming in and I got soaked!!  So on the way out, I walked through nature's modern art ... the creek bed of fresh water.  I think Mother Nature is a pretty good artist.   At least I got the saltwater out of my shoes ... and the design reappeared immediately.

                                     

Back at the rig, I pulled out some of the beach treasures I collected.  Half an oyster shell, limpet shells and things people classify as junk.  I think they are nature's treasures ... I mark the date and location, then keep them in a big jar at my home ... memories of when I was here and the great show Mother Nature put on for me!!