YOU CAN HELP! Sign up for Salmon Watch on Fauntleroy Creek

| Fauntleroy | West Seattle news | Wildlife

(2012 WSB photo)

How does this sound for a volunteer gig: Sit and watch the water! That’s exactly what you’re invited to do:

If you’d like to experience coho spawners up close, consider joining Salmon Watch 2015 on Fauntleroy Creek. We’ll begin Monday, Oct. 19, with veteran watchers, then fold in newcomers if/when we start seeing fish. To learn why West Seattleites eagerly get wet and cold to document fish, contact Judy Pickens at judy_pickens@msn.com.

Hard to tell how exciting (or not) this’ll be this year – last year saw 19 spawners, two years earlier, a record 274. Salmon watch starts right after a community event this Sunday – the annual gathering to drum, sing, and dance to call the coho home. To be part of that (all ages welcome!), be at the creek overlook (across the street and up the embankment from the ferry dock) at 5 pm Sunday (October 18th).

Jack Griffith October 12, 2015 (6:32 pm)

Are the baby salmon released at Fauntleroy park?
When they are mature and return how far up the creek are they able to swim?
Are they successful in spawning?
Just curious

Kersti October 13, 2015 (10:23 am)

You can help here, and maybe see some spawners this Saturday, come join us!!!!!!!
Saturday at 10:00am – 2:00pm

4 days from now · 55°F / 30°F Mostly Cloudy
Show Map
Longfellow Creek (SW Brandon St. & 29th Ave SW, Seattle)
Longfellow creek is the second largest salmon bearing creek in Seattle and now is the time to see spawning salmon! Join Whale Scout for the annual Duwamish Alive! event to help restore habitat helping salmon successfully have babies. Come learn from King Conservation District experts about restoring forests to provide clean water for the creeks and salmon. Plus, free whale fins for kids!

Location: Longfellow Creek (SW Brandon St. & 29th Ave SW, Seattle)
Parking: Carpool and park along SW 25th, SW 26th, SW 29th, and SW 30th
Snacks and tools provided
RSVP: info@whalescout.org
More info http://www.whalescout.org
FREE!

Dennis Hinton October 13, 2015 (11:53 am)

In response to Jack’s questions:
About 1700 coho fry were released in Fauntleroy Park during the month of May. This is part of the Salmon In The Classroom program, which involved some 20 classes and about 750 kids releasing fish in the creek this year.

Returning spawners can only go up the creek as far as 45th.
A culvert with about a five-drop stops them there.

Watchers counted at least three spawning pairs last year.
among the 19 fish that were spotted in the creek.

Judy October 13, 2015 (11:54 am)

Salmon fry are released in May in Fauntleroy Park. Spawners can get as far up the creek as 45th Ave. SW. We have successful spawning if we have energetic pairs; we never know what percentage spawn as they should. Home hatch starts showing up in February. Smolts start leaving for saltwater in late March.

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