Welcome home, salmon: After singing and drumming, Fauntleroy Creek watch is on

Though the annual gathering along Fauntleroy Creek is billed as singing and drumming, today, the messages resonated most – messages written by participants of all ages, to tie to the fence at the creek overlook across and upslope from the ferry terminal.

Some were simply notes of welcome. One even carried an apology. And of course there was also singing and drumming, led by Jamie Shilling:

The songs urge the salmon to return:

And then there’s an urging of environmental respect, “Habitat,” to the tune of the half-century-plus-old “Lollipop.” Some wore salmon hats, decorated during the Fauntleroy Fall Festival a week earlier:

Leading the activity then, and emceeing the gathering today, was creek steward Judy Pickens, who noted that the welcoming event goes back to 1994:

She provided updates including the explanation that volunteers will now be watching for coho spawners, likely into mid-November, since the prediction this year is that they’ll arrive late. She also says a UW researcher will be studying pre-spawning mortality in the creek and will be waiting for word of any fish in obvious distress – less of a problem on Fauntleroy Creek than Longfellow Creek in eastern West Seattle, which has more of a runoff-pollution problem.

With Judy’s help, we’ll have updates during salmon-watcher season – and she says they’re hoping to organize another weekend event where you can come to the creek and talk with volunteers; we’ll let you know as soon as we get word of that.

3 Replies to "Welcome home, salmon: After singing and drumming, Fauntleroy Creek watch is on"

  • Dennis Hinton October 23, 2017 (11:03 am)

    Wonderful kick-off to the salmon homecoming on the creek.

    • Kersti Muul October 24, 2017 (1:28 pm)

      We missed you :(

  • Merrily Stover October 23, 2017 (7:44 pm)

    Hurrah for the drummers!    How can the salmon resist! 

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