WEST SEATTLE BIRDS: Postgame gallery!

| West Seattle news | Wildlife

The football game’s over but not too late for a game-day bird gallery! Let’s start with some real-life hawks:

Jerry Simmons photographed those two juvenile Cooper’s Hawks – and this non-juvenile, bathed in sunrise light, too:

Lorabeth Lawson shows us a California Scrub-Jay examining a bogus bird:

Jon Anderson sent this House Finch photo much earlier in the summer, but hey, beauty is timeless:

Look closely for the burst of color from the prey this Great Blue Heron photographed by Gary Jones is holding:

Kim Petram caught a Hummingbird at work:

Even an everyday Gull can look noble in the sunset glow – Theresa Arbow-O’Connor sent this photo:

Big thanks to everyone who kindly shares photos so we can share them with you, from birds to blossoms to breaking news! westseattleblog@gmail.com unless it’s urgent, in which case you can text 206-293-6302 – thank you!

Pelicans September 21, 2025 (5:17 pm)

Gorgeous photos of the little (and big) jewels that surround us. They are truly marvels. So, is that a crab claw stuck in rhe heron’s feathers? Some morsel he didn’t notice?

Lisab September 21, 2025 (5:23 pm)

Lovely pics all of them. Put a smile on my face:))

DRW September 21, 2025 (5:26 pm)

I love this series!

Amy September 21, 2025 (5:28 pm)

I love everything about the WSB, but I really love these bird posts, thank you!

WSB September 21, 2025 (6:46 pm)

All thanks goes to the photographers! Between galleries, we’ve published several as the daily event list photo so if you love bird pix, be sure to check the daily lists too – TR

M September 21, 2025 (7:13 pm)

That blue heron isn’t holding prey, that’s a pink lure that sunk its hook into it over a month ago.

Gary Jones September 22, 2025 (10:08 am)

You are correct – not sure how WSB got the sense that it was prey.
Sarah September 22, 2025 (10:14 am)

Yeah, I’d love to know how someone could have mistaken that for prey, since the heron’s legs are extended behind it in flight…
- WSB September 22, 2025 (11:22 am)
  
  That “someone” was me, sorry, snap judgment viewing the photo in a relatively small size. I appreciate everybody filling in the details and sorry it turned out to be a sad situation.

Kersti Muul September 21, 2025 (7:25 pm)

RE the heron . That not prey that is a lure.On August 6, 2025, I learned about this heron and I identified that it has a “buzz bomb” or similar maybe a hawken (an angler’s choice setup for pink salmon) embedded in its right leg.This issue is exacerbated by the record high run of pink salmon this year, which can draw up to 300 anglers to Lincoln Park Beach at once. Pink salmon runs occur in odd-numbered years, and during these seasons, local wildlife frequently become entangled. For instance, in 2023, another heron was reeled in by its wing after an angler cast into it while foraging, entangling it. Unfortunately they died from their injuries, post-surgery.I’m collaborating with Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) to find a permanent solution. Currently waiting for those bins to be installed. In the interim, we’ve placed temporary buckets at the park to collect fishing line, gear, and trash. 2 other volunteers and I empty these buckets every other day or so, and I am collecting the discarded line for recycling. The sheer volume of fishing line and gear, much of which is also found on the beach, is astounding.Regarding the heron, it is currently able to fly, forage, and preen, and appears to be doing well. We have been tracking it for a month, and I’m in contact with local wildlife rehabilitators about its condition in case it deteriorates.

K September 21, 2025 (9:46 pm)

Thank you for always caring for the local wildlife!
- Kersti Muul September 21, 2025 (10:37 pm)
  
  My pleasure. Their problems are our problems.
Melissa September 22, 2025 (10:59 am)

Thanks for installing those cans. I was wondering which wonderful citizen did that!
- Kersti Muul September 22, 2025 (5:32 pm)
  
  🙏🏽

HS September 22, 2025 (7:26 am)

A hawk landed on my fence while I was working in my studio. Much bigger than I thought he/she would be.

Kersti Muul September 22, 2025 (5:33 pm)

Beautiful HOY Cooper’s

anonyme September 22, 2025 (9:20 am)

I haven’t seen or heard any house finches this year, and they used to be so ubiquitous. Garden spiders are numerous, but far smaller than they should be at this time of year (mating season) probably due to the decline in insect populations. I haven’t even seen paper wasps or hornets this summer. So many changes, all them due to the negative impact of humans. It’s disgusting that fishermen are allowed to trash the environment and kill or harm species other than their prey. There should be regulations around fishing aside from head counts, and those should be enforced. All of these beautiful species are important.

Sarah September 22, 2025 (10:12 am)

Counterpoint: I’ve seen and heard tons of house finches for months and have huge garden spiders (orb weavers), and plenty of wasps and hornets of multiple species in my garden. Do you have many natives planted? Maybe neighbors sprayed pesticides?
- anonyme September 23, 2025 (5:40 pm)
  
  I formerly worked as a gardener, arborist, and arachnologist, and have a wide spectrum of organically grown and maintained plants and trees. I still have juncos and chickadees, crows and jays, and a nuthatch the other day. But in smaller numbers – and no finches. At this time of year I always enjoy watching the protracted mating rituals of Araneus diadematus, but this year the females are pretty small. I’m not aware of any neighbors spraying pesticides, but it’s always a possibility. They may have kept it a secret knowing how I feel about it; if so, that’s sad and disappointing. But I’m glad that others are seeing lots of birds and spiders. I miss them!
Kersti Muul September 22, 2025 (5:41 pm)

I have a bazillion house and gold finch at my house… goldfinch currently foraging on the hazelnut catkins, even some still feeding juvs.But yes, it would be nice if there were a way to regulate the snagging and littering as well as use of barbed and treble hooks – (which I’m finding plenty of both) I try to just be proactive and keep as much line and trash off the beach as possible. Stay tuned for a group cleanup by land and water that I’m scheduling when the season dies down.

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