9 for your West Seattle (and beyond) Wednesday

Bet you’ve never seen a Great Blue Heron from that angle before. Unless, as photographer David Hutchinson observes, you’re a fish. You might see one out on the shore today during the week’s lowest low tide, which is part of our highlights list:

LOW-LOW TIDE: The tide goes out to a low-low-low -3.0 feet at 1 pm today. Seattle Aquarium beach naturalists are out again at Constellation and Lincoln Parks – today, 10:30 am-2:30 pm

RAINBOW STORY TIME: A special Pride Month storytime at Southwest Library, 10:30 am. (9010 35th SW)

TIMBER CITY GINGER BEER ANNIVERSARY: 4:30-9 pm at Timber City‘s HQ in South Park, 5th-anniversary party “with a limited-release launch, whole hog roast, oysters from friends” … more details here. (8103 8th Ave. S.)

SW YANCY PROJECT OPEN HOUSE: 6-7:30 pm at Transitional Resources‘ Avalon Place, you are invited to drop in and talk/learn about its next supportive-housing project, nearby 2821 SW Yancy. (2988 SW Avalon Way)

WHITE CENTER ART WALK: 6-9 pm – details on our partner site White Center Now.

LEARN ABOUT CUB SCOUTING: 6:30 pm, Pack 793 invites you:

Please join us Wednesday, June 5th at Holy Rosary School to learn more about Cub Scouting. You do not need to be a member of the church or the school to join. All attending will be designing, constructing and launching Stomp Rockets in the Holy Rosary hall while the parents learn a bit about the scouting program.

All boys & girls in K-5th grade from the surrounding schools are welcome. (4142 42nd SW)]

SOUTHWEST DISTRICT COUNCIL: 6:30 pm at the Senior Center/Sisson Building, reps from organizations around western West Seattle meet to discuss issues and hear from guests. Tonight’s agenda is in our calendar listing. (4217 SW Oregon)

WHITE CENTER PRIDE FLAG-RAISING: First night of the first-ever WC Pride celebration includes the flag-raising at 7 pm outside Mac’s Triangle Pub in South Delridge. (Delridge/Roxbury)

THE LOOSE HEELS: “Danceable country classics” at 8 pm at Parliament Tavern. 21+. (4210 SW Admiral Way)

SEE MORE FOR TODAY/TONIGHT/BEYOND … on our full calendar.

Maureen Rigert June 5, 2019 (11:06 am)

Thank you, David Hutchinson, for the terrific photos you share with us on the WSB.

emcat8 June 5, 2019 (11:34 am)

That is an incredible photo!

Susan June 5, 2019 (12:18 pm)

WOW! Gorgeous photo!! I see so many beautiful bird photos on WSB. I’d love to see a feature article on WSB profiling these amazing local photographers.

Karen June 5, 2019 (12:33 pm)

My boss looked like that.

momosmom June 5, 2019 (12:33 pm)

It almost looks like an Ostrich! Maybe long lost cousin??? LOL!

Apey June 5, 2019 (2:31 pm)

I would have never guessed a heron, it looks like an emu. Thank you for sharing all of your wonderful photographs!

onion June 5, 2019 (4:18 pm)

That must have involved a really nasty lens (in the most positive sense of the word). Congratulations David, for capturing a terrific (prize worthy, IMO) image.

wildlife observer June 5, 2019 (7:39 pm)

Low tide is brief opportunity for heron’s to patiently stalk
fish. The photo indicates the heron’s behavior is focused on photographer and
not foraging. Please respect wildlife and photograph from a distance. If the heron
did not take flight from close encounter with photographer, it likely was
hungry and chose to tolerate the disturbance, but preferred to be left
alone. Remember that the photo shoot was once a day event for you, though these
types of encounters may be happening many times a day for same bird. Please respect wildlife
and keep your distance. If the animals behavior is altered, you are too close!
No photo is worth the disruption as too often indicated by bird’s taking flight from close proximity to photographer.

https://www.audubon.org/get-outside/audubons-guide-ethical-bird-photography

WSB June 5, 2019 (7:49 pm)

If you’re not a regular reader, you wouldn’t know this, but (a) David shoots from a distance and (b) is a longtime wildlife-protection volunteer.
- David Hutchinson June 6, 2019 (1:18 pm)
  
  Thanks for the kind comments and the expression of concern and excellent advise. I want to take this opportunity to clarify a couple of things. My heron photo above is the result of quietly observing its behavior from a respectable distance as it waded back and forth, foraging very successfully. The photo was one of a number taken using continuous shooting mode when it lifted its head briefly to check on its surroundings. It then turned and peacefully resumed foraging. I am not a professional photographer so the camera used is an older Canon SX60 HS. While not the best for low light subjects and action photography, what I like about it is that it’s light in weight and has a good optical zoom range: 21mm – 1365mm (35mm film equivalent). For an example of this range, see the 2 photos below. The heron photo was taken at the maximum of that range and then cropped to emphasize its head and neck. My wife and I have lived at Alki for almost 50 years and are constantly reminded of how privileged we are to share the many sights this area has to offer.
waikikigirl June 6, 2019 (8:03 am)

Again someone getting up on their soapbox and shaking their finger without knowing all the information. There is a handful of photographers that submit pics to the blog that know their boundaries and respect them and David is one of them. :)