day : 02/07/2022 8 results

Up for outdoor music? Later this month, you have abundant options without leaving the peninsula. We’ve already talked about West Seattle Summer Fest – now just two weeks away, July 15-16-17 in The Junction, with music on Friday and Saturday. Also ahead:

(WSB photo from 2019 Concert in the Park)

CONCERT IN THE PARK: The West Seattle Big Band‘s annual summertime concert is at a new location this year, since Hiawatha (as previously discussed) is unavailable. You can enjoy the WSBB’s swinging sounds at 7 pm Tuesday, July 19th, in High Point Commons Park (3201 SW Graham).

MUSIC UNDER THE STARS: At 8:30 pm Saturday, July 16th, at the Seattle Chinese Garden (6000 16th SW), and same time Thursday, July 21st, at High Point Commons Park, the Seattle Chamber Music Society brings this series back to West Seattle. An up-and-coming chamber ensemble will play live for a half-hour, and then you’re invited to stay and watch a big-screen presentation of one of the SCMS’s Summer Festival Concerts.

ALKI ART FAIR: The three-day beach festival celebrating creativity is back, and music’s a big part of it. On Friday night (July 22nd), a DJ will spin. Then on Saturday and Sunday (July 23rd-24th), two full slates of live performers – morning through evening on Saturday, morning through afternoon on Sunday. You can see the full lineup on the Alki Art Fair website.

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WHALES: Opportunity for orca viewing at sunset

July 2, 2022 8:11 pm

| 5 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | Whales

8:11 PM: With just enough daylight left to offer a chance to see them, orcas are in the area. Kersti Muul just sent word that “transients, including the rarely seen T72 with a rolled dorsal fin, are heading south/southwest from Elliott Bay.” Let us know if you see them!

ADDED: If you didn’t see it in comments, here’s the photo Ian posted of T72:

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WEST SEATTLE BIRDS: Here’s why you’re hearing/seeing Caspian Terns less often

July 2, 2022 6:16 pm

| 13 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | Wildlife

That’s a Caspian Tern, photographed in May by James Tilley. Even if you can’t recall seeing one (or more), their distinctive prehistoric-esque call has been unmistakable in flyovers (you can hear it here). In past years they’ve frequently flown over West Seattle on their way to and from a nesting spot on a rooftop near the eastern shore of the Duwamish River – one where last year’s record heat wave killed more than 100 of their chicks. This year, community naturalist Kersti Muul says, they didn’t return to nest at that spot. But they didn’t go far, she learned after research – they’re on a roof at the south end of the downtown waterfront, near the Coast Guard station. (They’re easy to hear, we learned while driving northbound on East Marginal Way toward downtown late last night.) She says more than 1,000 terns are there, but so far they don’t seem to be nesting, which means they’re two months behind schedule – usually by now, nesting season is far enough along that some of the babies are starting to take short flights.

P.S. We asked Kersti what if anything community members can do to help the terns, Here’s her reply:

This is a link for SCAN (Seattle Conservation Action Network). Seattle Audubon will notify you when opportunities arise to advocate for a Seattle-area cities where people and birds thrive. It’s a good tool to streamline advocacy on big items; people don’t have to search around.

Also, the terns were impacted by an extreme weather event last year related to climate change. We are losing canopy cover [trees] at an alarming rate throughout Seattle and King County, both illegally and legally. I urge people to be thoughtful and climate-focused when considering tree work and removals. While we are working hard to get better tree protection laws, we can simply choose to protect ourselves, our climate, our neighbors; human and non-human, by advocating for tree retention. Urban heat islands are increasing, and urban habitat is severely fragmented, and lacking. Trees are vital to the success of all species.

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UPDATE: Emergency response for people in trouble in the water off West Seattle

July 2, 2022 5:35 pm

| 5 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS breaking news

5:35 PM: Seattle Fire is sending a water-rescue response toward Seacrest by land and sea after a report of a possible overturned kayak with two people aboard. Updates to come.

5:38 PM: Firefighters arriving at the scene say two people have been rescued by other kayakers, one already towed in and one more on the way. The big response is affecting street traffic, so avoid the area for a while.

5:41 PM: Both rescued kayakers are reported safely ashore and SFD is canceling all but two of its responding units.

ADDED: Jen from Alki Kayak Tours says in a comment below that the people in trouble were in a skiff, not a kayak, and that AKT employees rescued them.

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WEST SEATTLE BIRDS: Eagles’ neighborhood perch

July 2, 2022 2:52 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | Wildlife

You might not think twice about seeing a Bald Eagle soaring overhead, or perched in a tree … but Jennifer was surprised to see these two hanging out on her neighbors’ roof in North Admiral, near 45th/Seattle, and sent the photo (thank you!).

P.S. While eagles are no longer officially a threatened/endangered species, they are still protected.

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Flag vandalism

July 2, 2022 1:38 pm

| 10 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

From Kim:

We have been celebrating Pride month at our home and now twice our pride and BLM flags have been torn down at 47th and Hinds St.

The first was in the first days of June and now again the night of July 1.

If anyone has information about it please let us and know, and keep flying your flags and signage! Seeing that our neighborhood supports all families and voices is one of the reasons we cherish living in West Seattle.

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COUNTDOWN: 3 weeks until parade-preceding Float Dodger 5K

July 2, 2022 11:59 am

| 2 COMMENTS

| Fun stuff to do | West Seattle news

(WSB file photo, Float Dodger 5K)

On this semi-quiet-so-far holiday weekend, we’re reminding you about some of the huge West Seattle summer events happening later this month. On Saturday, July 23rd, it’s a doubleheader, with the West Seattle Grand Parade preceded by the Float Dodger 5K. The run/walk is presented again this year by West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor), and registration is open. Participants head down the parade route – on California SW from The Admiral District to The Junction – and back, starting at 9:30 am (an hour and a half before the parade begins). Post-Float Dodger, a beer garden – also featuring root-beer floats – awaits you at a beer garden near the start/finish line at Hiawatha Playfield (2700 California SW). Both the run/walk and beer garden are fundraisers for the West Seattle Food Bank. For the youngest members of the community, a free Kids’ Dash precedes the Float Dodger 5K. You can sign up for either or both by going here.

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WEST SEATTLE SATURDAY: Holiday weekend, day 1

July 2, 2022 6:34 am

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Friday night photo by Kanit Cottrell)

From the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, inbox, and archives, here’s the list for today:

TRAFFIC ALERTS: From SDOT:

-Eastbound Spokane Street Viaduct, plus access to it and the Highway 99 loop ramp, closed ~6 am-4:30 pm for pothole repair
-Repairs on damaged lane divider of eastbound SW Spokane near 11th SW, ~6 am-5 pm
-Signal-light updates at 7th/Cloverdale in South Park

Also, WSDOT plans more “Revive I-5” lane closures.

WEST SEATTLE TAE KWON DO CLUB: 9:30 am at High Point Community Center (6920 34th SW), it’s the first July class – all welcome.

WEST DUWAMISH GREENBELT HIKE: Explore tribal use of native plants during this hike – meet at 10 am at The Heron’s Nest (4818 15th SW). More info in our calendar listing.

MORNING MUSIC: Marco de Carvalho and Friends, 10:30 am-noon at C & P Coffee Company (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor).

WADING POOL/SPRAYPARK: If the city opens wading pools today (they’ll update at 206-684-7796 around midmorning, and we’ll update here – UPDATE: open!), the pool in central upper Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW) would be open noon-7 pm. Regardless of the weather, Highland Park Spraypark (1100 SW Cloverdale) will be open 11 am-8 pm.

COLMAN POOL:You can swim at the outdoor pool on the Lincoln Park shore (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW), noon-7 pm.

VIETNAMESE CULTURAL CENTER: Open to visitors noon-3 pm, as noted here. (2234 SW Orchard)

LOG HOUSE MUSEUM: The Southwest Seattle Historical Society museum is open on Alki, and you can visit noon-4 pm. (61st/Stevens)

DUBSEA FISH STICKS: See the DubSea Fish Sticks at 6:05 pm vs. Diamond Sports, Steve Cox Memorial Park (1321 SW 102nd) – ticket info here.

MAD CUTAWAYS: 4-piece band performing at C & P Coffee Company (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm. No cover.

AT THE SKYLARK: Live music from Craptastica, Speedball Devils, Lust For Glory, 7 pm. (3803 Delridge Way SW)

AT DRUNKY TWO SHOES: Great American Trainwreck with Dysfunction Junction, doors at 7, music at 8. (16th SW & SW 98th, White Center)

MIKU, AND THE GODS. Penultimate performance, 7:30 pm curtain at ArtsWest (4711 California SW; WSB sponsor). Tickets are available here.

Something to add, for today/tonight or beyond? Email westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!

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