WEST SEATTLE WILDLIFE: See who’s flocking to our waters now

| Seen at sea | West Seattle news | Wildlife

Another amazing sight off West Seattle’s west-facing shores …

That photo by David Hutchinson, and the one below by Matthew Olson, show Bonaparte’s Gulls, not often seen around here, apparently drawn to our section of Puget Sound by the herring-spawning event we noted last weekend.

You can hear them in Robin Sinner‘s video:

We don’t know if these were the same birds, but the waters have drawn flocks for days – Jonny L. sent this sighting from last Saturday’s sunset:

On Sunday, “Diver Laura” James recorded this aerial view of how the spawning changed the water’s color:

As we showed you that day, it was also a big draw for sea lions – Diver Laura photoggraphed them too:

Jamie Kinney shared an aerial view of one as tt swam:

If you walk on the beach sometime soon, watch out for herring eggs – our 2017 story shows them close up.

Outdoors April 22, 2020 (2:20 am)

Beautiful

WSOwl April 22, 2020 (3:58 am)

Great pictures and videos- thanks all!

Suzanne Krom April 22, 2020 (4:04 am)

So great to see Bonaparte’s gulls here! David Hutchinson’s photographs are always a special treat. The detail is phenomenal. For a better sense of their call, All About Birds (The Cornell Lab) has excellent recordings — https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bonapartes_Gull/soundsThe Caspian Terns, a regular summer visitor, just returned in the past week or so. They’re in the same family as the Bonaparte’s Gulls. This video from Gray’s Harbor shows them hunting for fish, and then diving head first into the water to catch their prey — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=In9HfV5gK_A. You’ll see them all along the shoreline following Beach Drive. Probably other locations too.

Hannah G. April 22, 2020 (7:47 am)

While that “seal stalking” video is cool footage, the seal can be seen reacting to the sound of the drone, which suggests to me that it is too close. Just a friendly reminder that harbor seals are a protected species under the Marine Mammals Act which recommends 50 yards as a minimum safe viewing distance. Shooting video like this may be a federal crime..https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/topic/marine-life-viewing-guidelines

Melissa April 22, 2020 (8:51 am)

Thank you for this, WSB and all of the photographers; it’s a balm anytime, but particularly right now.

momsmom April 22, 2020 (9:14 am)

WOW those poor Herrings just don’t have a chance do they!

Gill April 22, 2020 (9:30 am)

Thank you all for a great start to the day!

Kris April 22, 2020 (10:54 am)

Happy Earth Day! Thanks for this beautiful post🌎👍

anonyme April 22, 2020 (11:08 am)

Gorgeous gulls. And the photos are not just beautiful, but a reminder that we need to share this planet. It is not OURS alone.

momosmom April 22, 2020 (11:15 am)

It’s cute how the sea lion at one point is looking up at the Drone and to be saying “who there when I say who there“!

cjboffoli April 22, 2020 (2:31 pm)

If the animals are reacting to the drone it probably means it’s too close.

ScubaFrog April 22, 2020 (11:28 am)

Diver Laura’s awesome! She’s making masks, being a very active, actionable part of in our ecology, how cool is she?! What great video from the posters aside from Diver Laura, too — the Stalking a Seal one was very interesting. I had the pleasure of Scuba diving with a seal once at 2am, they’re very playful and curious. I stay away from those guys (to respect their habitat), but their curiosity sometimes will have them flying right by you you or right up to you. The tragedy of the shootings is compounded when you seem them so close and know they’re playful and curious and not malicious at all.Happy Earth Day :)Thanks WSB