West Seattle salmon: Updates from Fauntleroy, Longfellow Creeks

The salmon homecoming continues! Above, another coho from Fauntleroy Creek; on Monday afternoon, Dennis Hinton reported, he and Judy Pickens “saw four new coho come through the culvert and shoot up the creek. Three were females, 4-5-pounds. One was a red-sided male, about 7 or 8 pounds. The big male did something I’ve never seen before in all my years of watching at Fauntleroy Creek. It leaped entirely out of the water over weir #6, into the next pool. Spectacular sight. Just like you’ve seen in the movies.” The photo above shows that red-sided male, one of nine counted in the creek as of last night (if we get an update for today, we’ll add it). Find out more about Fauntleroy Creek here. (**ADDED 8:58 PM** As Dennis notes in comments, 4 more today – 13 total in 3 days.)

(back to original report) And we’ve heard a couple reports of salmon back in Longfellow Creek, too – John sent a photo:

He “counted at least five around and under the salmon bone bridge” during a visit on Monday morning. You can find out more about Longfellow Creek (and its Legacy Trail) on this city webpage.

5 Replies to "West Seattle salmon: Updates from Fauntleroy, Longfellow Creeks"

  • Jeannie October 28, 2014 (8:44 pm)

    Thank you, Judy, for maintaining this amazing habitat. What a treasure this is. But one can’t deny, salmon have a pretty crappy life!

  • Dennis Hinton October 28, 2014 (8:56 pm)

    Thanks, Tracy. Watchers sighted four more coho in Fauntleroy
    Creek as of 5 pm today, bringing our total to 13—with more rain and high tides to come.

  • cpeterson October 29, 2014 (10:14 am)

    This is great news!
    Now if they didn’t have to navigate the absurd amount of nets allowed for certain groups of people at key routes to creeks like this. Its not really fishing if you just net their route back home. What’s that old phrase… shooting fish in a barrel?
    Glad to see that some make it!!!

  • G October 29, 2014 (1:50 pm)

    Cool stuff. I think there are trout in Longfellow as well.

  • wakeflood October 29, 2014 (1:56 pm)

    It’s such a treat to see them return, when they do.

    A big thanks to Judy and Dennis and all those who do what they do so well and with great dedication!

    Hope we all think about the things we do in our homes/yards that impact them and all the rest of our aquatic creatures whose habitat we impact so greatly.

    May the runs continue and be plentiful.

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