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‘Pups are everywhere’: Another reminder to share the shore
September 24, 2011 2:22 pm
|    Comments Off on ‘Pups are everywhere’: Another reminder to share the shore
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news | Wildlife

(Photo by Brad Long)
The recently relaunched Joy D. Smith Wildlife Raft played host to a seal pup for a while this morning. But such refuges are few and far between, and many more of them wind up on our beaches this time of year, as we have reported previously. If you keep an eye on Seal Sitters’ Blubberblog updates, you’ll learn exactly how hectic that can be – four pups on West Seattle beaches in just one day earlier this week, for example. During a morning walk on Harbor Avenue this past Monday, we spotted two areas cordoned off for pup protection, almost adjacent to each other. And volunteers asked us to remind you that observing the city’s law against dogs on beaches – leashes or not – is vital this time of year; even if you think your canine companion would never hurt a flea, they can be unpredictable, and even if they’re not too close, they might frighten the pup back into the water, where it will either have trouble finding its mom (who left the pup on the beach so she could find food) or will burn up more of its still-scarce energy stores swimming when it needed to rest … check this yawn:

(Photo by ALAN BERNER/SEATTLE TIMES; republished with permission)
That photo accompanied a story earlier this week by our partners at the Seattle Times. If you see a seal or other marine mammal on a beach – again – don’t get close; report it to Seal Sitters, at 206-905-7325 (905-SEAL).

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West Seattle waters: Joy D. Smith Wildlife Raft relaunched
September 21, 2011 3:33 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news | Wildlife

Almost two years after we first heard the Joy D. Smith Wildlife Raft‘s story from its namesake’s husband, Guy Smith, he sent this update last night (the “today” references mean Tuesday):

Bird and seal watchers may be interested to know that after a 7-month absence, the Joy D. Smith Wildlife Raft is back on its anchor by the Alki Lighthouse. After its initial launch in November 2008, the little 24-square-foot refuge has been a lot like the cat with 9 lives. Four times it broke loose and 4 times it was found and retrieved through people finding it, reading the ID tag and then calling with the location. The 4th time it broke loose was caused by the big February storm this year when the anchor line, buoy, and raft all ended up on a rocky stretch of beach about half way to Lincoln Park. Unfortunately, rough water precluded retrieval by sea and steep banks precluded retrieval by land. The frame was cut up and abandoned, but the buoy and flotation were salvaged.

After what seems like too long a delay, the raft was reframed yesterday and launched today. The anchor line was rebuilt with stainless steel cable and hopefully will better withstand the forces of Mother Nature. But we know from experience that something will break loose again; the question is not “if” but “when”. The thing about a raft is that while it’s unmistakably a raft on the water, when it breaks loose and ends up on a rocky beach, it blends in and is not easy to spot. We really appreciate the efforts of those who have spotted our wayward raft in the past and have phoned us with its location.

Today our neighbors helped with the re-launch and now we are all awaiting sea life visitors. A seagull was quick to check it out, but we’re looking for more interesting visitors; visitors like seals with pups, the rare otter during daylight but probably more at night, cormorants that always fish alone but which rest in groups, and the harlequin ducks which always appear in pairs. It’s noteworthy that other diving ducks that winter at Alki Point, like buffleheads, goldeneyes, grebes, guillemots, mergansers and surf scoters, always fish together in groups, diving together and surfacing together, but they never get on the raft.

The wildlife protectors at West Seattle-founded Seal Sitters have said they wish more people would set up rafts like this one – as they are the least-dangerous resting places for seal pups and other marine mammals.

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West Seattle wildlife: Name that shorebird (please)
September 20, 2011 11:57 pm
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | Wildlife

To end the day with one more wildlife visual – after Trileigh‘s owl and Laura‘s jellyfish – we have Bill‘s shorebird. Bill Bacon shared the photo, writing, “I’d really appreciate it if someone could authoritatively tell me what these shorebirds are that frequent our shorelines year-around. This picture was taken near the old Luna Park Natatorium area.”

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Video: Mid-afternoon wildlife break, from West Seattle waters
September 20, 2011 2:41 pm
|      14 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | Wildlife

Unless you are jellyfish-phobic, the video is so tranquil, it seems as if it could be a screensaver. Diver/photographer Laura James watched that lion’s-mane jellyfish north of Alki Point last night, and shared the video early today. We recently featured some of her other work – chronicling the outfall pipes off West Seattle shores, which provides a visual reminder of the importance of the runoff-reducing Tox-Ick campaign.

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West Seattle wildlife: Lincoln Park’s barred owls, seen again
September 20, 2011 2:38 am
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks | Wildlife

That’s one of two owls that wildlife watcher/writer/photographer Trileigh Tucker has just seen for the first time in a while:

It’s been quite a few weeks since I’ve seen the Lincoln Park Barred Owl pair, but (Monday) morning (thanks to the loud cacophony of Steller’s Jays announcing them) I saw both owls of the pair, not too far apart. Thought you might like to know they’re here and doing fine!

Trileigh continues to chronicle wildlife sightings/thoughts on her “Natural Presence” website.

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West Seattle wildlife: Coyote and seal-pup sightings
September 17, 2011 9:00 pm
|      36 COMMENTS
 |   Coyotes | West Seattle news | Wildlife

The cameraphone photo’s from Bill Reid, who says he spotted the coyote this afternoon just north of The Triangle:

I just shot a pic of this coyote on the corner of 37th SW & Genesee! It had someone’s pet chicken in its mouth but I almost hit it with my car and it dropped the bird! Needless to say, the bird ran away and the coyote just jogged off in the direction of the West Seattle golf course. Broad daylight and it wasn’t the least bit concerned about cars and people! Amazing!!!!

Remember – do your best to make sure they’ll be concerned about people, for the good of them and us (the advice is here).

Meantime, another wildlife sighting – photographed on the Harbor Avenue shoreline by Christoph Erhard:

We have expert advice on what to do when you encounter a seal pup – for one, stay WAY far back – they might get scared into the water, and their moms, who usually leave pups on the beach so they can go seek food, might not be able to find them. Plus, notify Seal Sitters; their online journal of seal-sitting is here. (Very busy time of year for them – and thanks to everyone who’s shared seal photos, including the ones we haven’t even gotten to publish yet – we’re assured they’ve been taken from a distance.)

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West Seattle coyotes: More sightings, including 2 together
September 11, 2011 1:54 am
|      14 COMMENTS
 |   Coyotes | West Seattle news | Wildlife

Two more coyote reports to share – including one instance of two seen together. Read ahead for both:Read More

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West Seattle wildlife: Divebombing owl reported in local park
September 5, 2011 11:01 pm
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks | Wildlife

You know Lincoln Park is home to owls (wonderful past proof includes this). You know owls sometimes dive-bomb humans (past anecdotes include this). Tonight, just out of the WSB inbox … an owl-attack report from Lincoln Park, courtesy of “Fauntlee Hill Bill“:

Had the head phones on and was enjoying a beautiful Labor Day eve twilight jog along the Lincoln Park bluff trail in the NW corner of the park. Encountered a few dog walkers and runners along the way but was momentarily alone when all of a sudden out of nowhere I felt a scrape along the top of my head.

Bill’s story continues ahead:Read More

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West Seattle wildlife: Seal pup ‘Cupcake’ visits Jack Block Park
September 4, 2011 11:57 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news | Wildlife

Yet another reason to remember the tenet “Share the Shore” (noticed the new Alki banners yet?) – the latest seal sighting, shared this time by West Seattle-based entrepreneur/speaker Sunny Kobe Cook (thanks!), who says her photo shows:

A newly identified, healthy harbor-seal pup, named “Cupcake” by visitors to Jack Block Park this afternoon. A Seal Sitters volunteer came, took pictures, recorded the find, set up a tape barrier to be sure the pup wasn’t disturbed, and provided information to park visitors.

Watch the Seal Sitters “Blubberblog” site for news on other recent pup sightings on local beaches, and remember that if you see a seal, or any marine mammal, on a local beach, call 206-905-7325 (SEAL) to let SS know.

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More West Seattle wildlife: Hawk vs. crows – see who wins
September 4, 2011 1:03 pm
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle parks | Wildlife

Another urban-wildlife tale shared by photographer/writer Trileigh Tucker –

A few days ago I was watching pairs of adult/fledgling crows poking the grass for insects on the south ballfield in Lincoln Park, when suddenly this young Cooper’s Hawk (possibly one of the fledglings from this year’s nest in Lincoln Park) started trying to capture young crows for her breakfast. Surprisingly to me, she also tried to nab a squirrel, who seemed remarkable unperturbed at being swooped on. The Coop repeatedly went after the crows until finally the adults got fed up and started harassing her.

She finally flew off, probably hoping for a better breakfast buffet elsewhere.

More photos and some reflections on the usefulness of city parks are on my website.

Thanks to Trileigh and everyone who shares photos of West Seattle sights – wildlife, people, places, all welcome, besides of course breaking news! If you use Flickr, there’s a WSB group there, too.

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West Seattle coyotes: A warning, a sighting, and reminders
September 4, 2011 12:10 pm
|      13 COMMENTS
 |   Coyotes | Pets | West Seattle news | Wildlife

Haven’t received many sighting reports lately, but that doesn’t mean coyotes aren’t out there. It may actually mean people are doing a better job of encouraging them to keep their distance, by not leaving out food, or trying to spook them when spotted. Outdoor pets remain at risk, as evidenced by a sad (and slightly graphic) note just received from Clay, one of two reports ahead:Read More

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As pups turn up onshore, Seal Sitters remind you: Stay back
September 3, 2011 2:38 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news | Wildlife

Friday was a busy day for Seal Sitters on West Seattle shores, as first responder Robin Lindsey writes on their Blubberblog website. The final pup report of the day gives rise to a reminder – if you see a pup on the beach, stay as far away as you can, and keep others away too, until Seal Sitters can get a volunteer there to keep watch. We received a Twitter report of the Lincoln Park sighting, photo included, along with a question about who to call; we replied with the Seal Sitters’ number (we suggest adding it to your contact list – 206-905-SEAL [905-7325]) and advice to keep everybody back. Robin writes that the pup was apparently scared back into the water, which can be deadly – they are usually left on the beach by their moms, who go off to find food and return for their nursing pups, and if the pup is scared into the water, mom might not find it. Read more about how to handle marine-mammal sightings at sealsitters.org.

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West Seattle whale watching: More photos from today’s orca visit
August 26, 2011 10:42 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle whale watching: More photos from today’s orca visit
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news | Wildlife

Following up on the amazing morning of whale-watching during “transient” orcas’ travels off West Seattle shores (here’s our previous report with photos from multiple sources), we have more photos tonight. The orca pictures are courtesy of Jeff Hogan from Killer Whale Tales, who says, “I followed them from Alki to Lincoln Park, to Brace Point and left them heading south at 3 Tree Point. Last I heard they had headed south through the [Tacoma] Narrows, with a pair possibly northbound around 6 pm today.”

Be on the lookout again tomorrow! By the way, if you’re new to orca-watching, the ones with the taller dorsal fins – as in this next photo – are the males:

Jeff also posted one additional photo on the Orca Network‘s Facebook wall – with an orca making a higher-than-usual “spyhop.” P.S. One bonus photo here – featuring the West Seattle Water Taxi and sea lions, not orcas, though Trileigh Tucker photographed them while out watching the orcas (she sent in the very first photo we received this morning!):

She explains that ” when there was a pause in orca viewing, during which I finally noticed these gorgeous sea lions (given their size, I believe they’re sea lions and not seals) resting on a float near a ship off the WS shore. We don’t want to overlook all of our “normal” West Seattle marine life just because those transient orcas came through! And I thought those folks in the Water Taxi were sure having one beautiful morning. (And I also want to say a “public” thank you to my Good Samaritan of the morning, a Beacon Hill resident named Ray, who was taking photos next to me along Harbor Avenue, and then spent much of his morning rescuing me from a dead car battery!)”

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West Seattle whale watching: Orcas sighted off our shores!
August 26, 2011 8:15 am
|      28 COMMENTS
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news | Wildlife

(ADDED FRIDAY NIGHT: Three more photos here!)

(Top photo added 1:44 pm, taken by Craig Savey from Pier 17 on Harbor Island; photo below added 9:40 am – WSB photo by Patrick Sand, from Me-Kwa-Mooks)

8:15 AM: First sighting of the season – just got a text (thanks!) that orcas were seen from the West Seattle Water Taxi this morning. Checking Twitter and the Orca Network Facebook page, it doesn’t seem to be an isolated sighting. (Added: We’re getting LOTS of notes now – definitely something many are seeing, including from downtown!) Keep an eye out and please share if you get them on camera.

(iPad photo courtesy Trileigh Tucker – orca off the downtown docks)
8:56 AM UPDATE: Reported off the Alki business district as of minutes ago. (Moved on by the time we got there, though. Not sure if headed south or north from Alki Point, but Beach Drive, keep an eye out!)

9:20 AM UPDATE: Multiple reports indicate they are headed south – BD, Fauntleroy, Arroyos, be on the lookout. And thanks again to the MANY people who have texted, e-mailed, called, Tweeted, posted/commented on the WSB Facebook wall.

9:40 AM UPDATE: WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand caught up with West Seattle’s resident whale-watching experts, Donna Sandstrom from The Whale Trail and Jeff Hogan from Killer Whale Tales, at Me-Kwa-Mooks. With their guidance, he caught some on camera – we’ve added one photo atop this story and one atop this paragraph. Donna is sharing binoculars from the new Whale Trail whale-watching kits.

She says they’re “transients” – not the orcas that live year-round in the Puget Sound/San Juans area.

10:03 AM UPDATE: Talked to Jeff by phone a few minutes ago. He says they’ve moved out of range, south of Brace Point, and confirms that the Center for Whale Research says they’re transients (this explains how orcas are ID’d), more than 20 of them. (But what heads south, must come north, so more sightings are possible later!)

ADDED 11 AM: Video clip above this line is from the Water Taxi this morning (thanks to Patrick P!) – watch the top left for spouts. And KIRO TV’s chopper video is here.

ADDED 1:48 PM: KIRO’s video is not embeddable, so we can’t show you the player here, but KING 5 now has video and theirs is:

KING reports that was shot off Maury Island.

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West Seattle wildlife: Just nuts about Steller’s Jays
August 22, 2011 9:49 pm
|      22 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | Wildlife

You usually hear them before you see them – the shack-shack-shack-shack call of bright-blue-with-black-crest Steller’s Jays, a call many can recognize even if you’re not an “I can identify that bird in two notes” expert. Two of the photographers who often contribute memorable West Seattle sightings have shared Steller’s Jays photos, just as we noticed them back in our backyard. Above, Machel Spence, best known for microphotography – bugs, fungi, etc. – captured the larger-than-life countenance of a jay. The next three photos are courtesy of Trileigh Tucker, who says the brash blue birds tipped her off that it’s “beaked hazelnut” season:

The nuts are a hit with the Steller’s Jays – though they have to go through some extraction efforts:

Trileigh explains, “Beaked hazelnuts are one of the traditional autumn delicacies enjoyed by native people in our area, and were traded up and down the coast — although it looks like this year, the jays have beaten us humans to the harvest! But interested folks can still find a few nuts and shell fragments; look on the ground under sturdy conifers near hazelnut shrubs, which are all through Lincoln Park.”

Trileigh’s also written about this on her website, Natural Presence. We thank her and Machel for sharing their photos – and everyone who shares theirs via WSB (e-mail editor@westseattleblog.com or use the WSB Flickr group).

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West Seattle wildlife: Here’s how to handle coyote sightings
August 17, 2011 6:40 pm
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   Coyotes | West Seattle news | Wildlife

From AJ, who followed experts’ advice:

Coyote sighting (Tuesday) morning at 9:08 am in our backyard at 9800 block of Marine View Drive. Very close to the house. This is our third sighting of what we think is the same coyote. First time in the morning, usually we see him in the evening. Based on info we’ve read on the blog we scared him off by banging on the window. Very beautiful creature; should have taken a picture before we scared him off.

That advice, and more, is in the state Fish and Wildlife Department’s “Coexisting with Coyotes” info.

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West Seattle wildlife: Hawk sightings – watch for bands!
August 14, 2011 7:06 pm
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   Gatewood | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks | Wildlife

Two West Seattle Cooper’s Hawk tales: First, Tom Furtwangler shares the top photo of a juvenile hawk spotted outside his Gatewood home – sighted by his wife, who happens to be urban-nature author Lyanda Lynn Haupt. Tom says it was there just a few minutes, and quotes Lyanda as saying, “I think it’s a male because it’s small for a Cooper’s, but that’s just speculation. It’s a hard time of year for newly fledged birds because they are just learning to hunt. I hope he makes it!” This provides the perfect lead-in to two other Cooper’s Hawk photos shared this week by nature photographer/writer Trileigh Tucker:

Trileigh explains:

The first photo shows a young Cooper’s Hawk practicing her landing skills on a snag in Lincoln Park, and although the second photo (a different young female) looks like she’s showing off her new jewelry, she’s actually just getting ready to scratch her nose.

She continues:

The bands they’re wearing were put on as part of an eight-year study being conducted to learn about Cooper’s Hawks’ nesting ecology and winter site fidelity. So readers should look carefully and see if they can find banded hawks in West Seattle! Sightings can be reported to the Washington Ornithological Society’s research page at wos.org/research — look for the instructions for “Accipiters and Merlins” at the top of the page.

Trileigh is now writing about her sightings, and celebrating “the beauty and power of next-door nature,” online here. She says her site “focuses on local natural history (especially Lincoln Park, of course!), and what we can learn both about nature and about ourselves from being attentive to the natural world in our backyards and beyond. Come take a look!”

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From Seal Sitters: ‘Tiny’ the pup didn’t make it after all
August 12, 2011 11:56 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | Wildlife

An update from the Seal Sitters’ “Blubberblog” – West Seattle’s first seal pup of the year, whom they nicknamed “Tiny” because it was a very small newborn, has died. But there probably wasn’t anything anyone could have done – seems an adult female seal found dead on a West Seattle beach this week was likely Tiny’s mom. Full story here.

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Season’s 1st West Seattle seal-pup visit brings urgent reminder
August 9, 2011 10:25 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news | Wildlife

(Photo courtesy Robin Lindsey)
Seal-pup season has officially begun on West Seattle beaches, with this little one’s visit to Lincoln Park today. Shelley first told us about it; we checked with Robin Lindsey of Seal Sitters, and they were of course all over the case (here’s the full story on the Seal Sitters “Blubberblog”). But Robin says the arrival of the pup they dubbed “Tiny” – so little, they believe it was a newborn – brings an urgent reminder: When you spot a pup on the beach, stay as far back as possible, and call Seal Sitters ASAP – 206-905-SEAL. A pup might be scared back into the water if people (or other animals) get too close, and that could be deadly, because its mom, who left it on the beach so she could go find food, might not find the pup again. (There’s already been a dead seal pup near Alki Point, and a dead adult seal along Beach Drive. Robin says Seal Sitters – whose mission has expanded – and NOAA want ALL reports of marine mammals, dead or alive, so whatever you spot, call that hotline, 206-905-SEAL – keep it handy.)

ADDED WEDNESDAY MORNING: Robin says another expert’s evaluation of the photo confirms the suspicion that the pup still had a bit of “umbilicus” attached – so it’s likely no more than a week and a half old, and she thinks it’ll probably turn up on the West Seattle shore again today. PLEASE call if you see it.

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West Seattle coyotes: Yes, shoo the little ones too
August 4, 2011 10:23 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Coyotes | West Seattle news | Wildlife

A coyote tale different from the type we usually hear, from Lizzie Jackson at Nature Consortium:

Nature Consortium staff and volunteers saw two little coyote pups today during our work party in the West Duwamish Greenbelt. They were very curious about us and after we all looked at each other for a little while we remembered that we should try to scare them off so we clapped our hands and yelled and they turned around and trotted back in the forest. Unfortunately we didn’t get any pictures but thought we would share anyway.

That’s EXACTLY what is advised in the “coexisting with coyotes” literature – to keep people, pets, and coyotes all separated, they have to maintain a wariness of humans. The advice is all here. (WSB coyote coverage, including photos now and then, is all archived here, newest to oldest.)

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Seal Sitters trains volunteers on Alki, as its mission expands
July 30, 2011 7:42 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | Wildlife

(Lead investigators Robin Lindsey & Rachel Mayer train Seal Sitters volunteers; photo by David Hutchinson)
Big times for West Seattle-founded Seal Sitters – notice we say “founded,” because their reach now stretches a lot further. This news comes as Seal Sitters gets ready to add volunteers to the fold, following another training session today; Robin Lindsey shares this update:

Seal Sitters conducted an on-the-beach training session at Alki today for 30 new volunteers. This is the second phase of the two-part training provided in preparation for this year’s harbor seal pupping season, currently under way in Puget Sound. Various situations a volunteer might encounter and appropriate responses were discussed. Most of the volunteers had previously attended our intake and orientation session at Camp Long on July 10th.

Seal Sitters, founded in West Seattle in 2007, has recently expanded to become Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network. We are the primary response team to all marine mammals from Brace Point (south of the Fauntleroy ferry dock) to Kayak Point in Snohomish County (north of Marysville). An additional training session is being scheduled for the 2011 season and new volunteers from all areas are welcome. If you are interested in volunteering, please email sealsitters@me.com. To learn more about the marine mammals of Puget Sound, their marine environment and the stranding network, please visit our website www.sealsitters.org. For what’s happening day-to-day on the beach, visit our blog www.blubberblog.org. If you see a seal pup or other marine mammal on the beach, observe from a distance, keep people and pets away and call the Seal Sitters hotline @ 206-905-7325 (SEAL).

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West Seattle wildlife: Longfellow Creek coyote’s breakfast
July 24, 2011 3:10 pm
|      33 COMMENTS
 |   Coyotes | West Seattle news | Wildlife

Jen Izutsu shared the photo of a coyote spotted near Longfellow Creek this morning – having a snake for breakfast. Snakes are part of the long list of potential food sources listed for coyotes on the state’s “Living With Wildlife: Coexisting With Coyotes” page, though we tend to hear more often about cats. And we’ll remind you that experts urge you to startle and scare coyotes when you are near them – to ensure we can keep our mutual distance, which they say is better for all concerned.

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West Seattle coyotes: 2 sightings, including a pet-safety reminder
July 19, 2011 8:08 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Coyotes | West Seattle news | Wildlife

Our most recent two coyote sightings include a reminder for pet owners – it’s in a report this morning from DRS:

A rather bold coyote tried to eat my bunny (last night) at our home on 26th by Cottage Grove Park. Thanks to our awesome neighbors she’s safe and sound. Unfortunately no pic of the pesky canine but he/she was about the size of a border collie (just skinnier and more coyoteish, obviously). If you have pets that stay outside, make sure their pens are secure enough to withstand a frontal attack.

And Anya posted this one early Monday to the WSB Facebook wall:

Another coyote sighting. Between 36th/37th and Hudson. He was huge (at least 4 1/2 feet long, a good 2 feet tall and a very long bushy tail. His ears were perked straight up and he was a golden with dark brown down his spine into his tail); he looked like he was scrounging for food but he took me by surprise. I’ve lived in this house my whole life (22 years) and parents for a year before I came along and we’ve never seen a coyote around here.

Remember, while they’re apparently everywhere, the less seen, the better, because it means less entanglement between them, pets, and people – and if you do see one, do your best to scare it off, as advised in the “coexisting with coyotes” advice from wildlife authorities.

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