Water Taxi dock otters: Caught on camera
Thanks to Alki resident Marge Carpenter for sending photos — she and husband Larry were on the same Water Taxi run from downtown yesterday afternoon, but we didn’t see them till after getting on the boat, and didn’t know they’d caught the otters (mentioned here last night) on cam. Sorry we don’t have zoom processing; they were indeed that different in size, maybe parent and child?
Thursday late-night notes: Pre-solstice sunset; sea life
Thanks to Dave Gould for that photo of the last sunset before summer arrives. Solstice is 4:59 pm our time tomorrow. Next photo is more about what you don’t see than what you do see:
That’s the view from the railing to the south of the ramp going down to the Elliott Bay Water Taxi dock downtown, if you didn’t recognize it. The small wooden float at the center with the upside-down boat had two visitors this afternoon while we were waiting to catch the WT home from our City Hall visit — they were gone before we could pull out the cameraphone, but we wanted to mention them: two otters! (Just in case you were still feeling sad about the one killed over here last weekend, looks like they have friends/relatives in the bay; hope the two we saw don’t try crossing Alaskan Way …)
West Seattle scenes, Sunday night edition
Photos to share, and mention — first, a Father’s Day fireboat display off Beach Drive, photos at BDB. Next: a garden sighting:
As WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli observed in the note with that photo, it’s difficult to catch hummingbirds on camera – but he finally “caught” that one. Next – what’s missing in this picture?
Wendy Hughes-Jelen says tai chi is what’s missing – she can’t believe nobody’s doing it at High Point, and she has already gone to great lengths to find someone to launch outdoor sessions by the pond you see in that photo shared by Wendy. Read all about it at her blog, which includes how to reach her if you’d like to get involved with the tai chi quest. Last but not least – a photo Jerry from JetCityOrange actually sent a few days ago:
On Thursday morning, he e-mailed us the photo and this note:
Appeared overnight as one goes from Harbor Ave/Avalon onto either bridge around Nucor. Street art or vandalism? You decide.
Coyote reminder from Morgan Junction area
From Bob and Bruce:
Overnight, about 3:45 a.m., coyotes were heard yipping and yodeling in the Eddy St. ravine JUST west of California Ave. (Basically behind the soon to be Morgan Junction Park. Owners of outdoor pets need to be aware that this is still a “shared environment” and quite near Lincoln Park’s wild spaces.
That would likely be not far from where this coyote photo/video report originated.
What’s the buzz? The latest West Seattle swarm
Finally, photos of a West Seattle bee swarm — Several people have e-mailed/texted/called us in the past few weeks about bee swarms turning up in their neighborhoods, and every time it happens, we roll out, only to find the bees have moved on. This afternoon, though, Christine not only sent us a text and e-mail (thank you!!!!) — she also took photos of the bees that turned up at her house near Riverview Playfield (map). Click each photo for a larger version (the little golden spots in these versions look more like bees when you view the photos that way).
Here’s what Wikipedia says about bee swarms.
And another reader report: Otter killed by car at Duwamish Head
This recent post from the WSB Forums, expressing concern for an otter known to cross Alki Ave., apparently was sadly prescient. This just came in a short time ago from Randy:
Yet another reason to drive cautiously along Alki: Around 9:00 PM Friday night, I watched as an otter attempted to cross the street directly across from the viewpoint at Duwamish Head. As it bounded across the roadway it was struck and run over by a Lincoln Towncar limo, which did not stop. All that could be done was to drag its body off the roadway.
Side note – the otters in Puget Sound are river otters, not sea otters.
Whale-watching alert: Humpback in nearby waters
You may have heard about this in the citywide media; it’s been mentioned we post about it here, in case the whale wanders past West Seattle shores when it inevitably eventually heads back north: A humpback whale’s been hanging out near south Vashon Island for a few weeks. At least one tv station has video. Best chance to try to get a glimpse of it would be via the Tahlequah-Point Defiance ferry that travels between south Vashon and Tacoma; our favorite way to get there from here is to take the Fauntleroy ferry to (north) Vashon (schedule here) and drive down the island to the Tahlequah dock (schedule here). We usually only take that trip during our annual jaunt to Zoolights at Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, but might have to go look for the humpback in the next day or two!
Reader report: If you think your ‘hood is coyote-free …
Still letting your cat(s) run around, confident you’re in a wildlife-free zone? If so, you’re the reason “Mac’s Mom” wanted us to share her e-mail:
We are in the 4100 block between 44th and 45th [map], an area not particularly close to any green spaces. One month ago we found the remains of our family cat who had met a very violent end (at about 4AM – he put up quite a fight). Last weekend, our neighbors experienced the same loss. [Yes, we had told our neighbors what happened] I’m not sure how large a Coyote’s territory is, but we are evidently within one and wanted to let other folks in the area know that this is happening. While we’ve seen all of the warnings here on the blog, we disregarded them as we are so far from what we would consider to be “Coyote Habitat”. Please don’t make the same mistake we did!
It’s been said 2,005,894 times, there are many other good reasons to keep pets indoors too … cars, humans, other cats, other types of wildlife among them. For more on “coexisting with coyotes,” check out the info in our coverage of a city-organized presentation earlier this year.
Wild traffic-stoppers on the 1st Avenue South bridge
(Click photo to see a much-larger version)
That photo and the following backstory are courtesy of Shannon and Jason, best known in the WSB Forums as Shibaguyz:
As we were on our way to the Ballard Farmers Market this morning, we
were stopped at the 1st Ave S bridge by the usual red traffic light accompanied by the drawbridge gate lowering in front of us. Thinking the bridge was about to go up, we turned off the car and prepared to listen to NPR while we waited patiently. Much to our surprise, it wasn’t a boat crossing that held up traffic but a flock of Canada Geese.
In all, we counted 5 adults and twenty youngsters. Not in the picture, was the falcon that kept diving at the flock, trying to grab one of the youngsters that was lagging behind off to one side of the road. It took about fifteen minutes to encourage them to leave the bridge and, as we drove past, they were all walking along the sidewalk on their way back down toward the water. One can only imagine the thoughts going through the minds of this flock of geese as they found themselves in the middle of this foreign place.
Just thought we’d share this with the WSB readers. We are not alone on this planet… and it is we who are the aliens. Just a thought…
Another coyote sighting – but this one’s hurt
(video no longer available because of blip.tv shutdown)
Toward the end of that video clip sent by a reader who lives just west of Morgan Junction, you can clearly see that the coyote in the clip is limping. Here’s a photo with a closer look at the coyote as it rests:
The reader tried calling the state Fish and Wildlife Department but couldn’t get through to anyone; it so happens that another reader had written us earlier this week about an injured coyote in what she described as “the Fauntleroy greenbelt” — not sure if it’s the same one — and while she did get through to the state, here’s what she was told:
Of course the Washington Fish and Wildlife said there is nothing they can do, we have to let nature take its course. Sad to say that as much as I do not like them in my yard, I felt really bad for the coyote, if it is serious he will likely die a slow death by starvation.
The Fish/Wildlife Department has a page with tons of info about coyotes and coexisting with them, but nothing about policy for dealing with ones that are hurt. We did find some information at the PAWS site advising calling in a “licensed wildlife rehabilitator” – the ones in this region are listed here; none are based nearby, and there’s no coyote-specific information to be found.
Upper Fauntleroy birdwatchers, be on the lookout
Couldn’t get the camera fast enough but a bird that just appeared in our wildlife-habitat (aka overgrown) backyard is something we’ve never seen around our house before — very large, cocoa-brown, some white trim around the throat, smallish head. Not sure if it was a Cooper’s Hawk (WSB reader sightings here), some other kind of hawk, or falcon; even osprey came to mind but it doesn’t seem to match online photos. Whatever it was, the regular backyard birds are way upset about it (perhaps fearing imminent consumption); they are chattering up a storm.
Another coyote caught on cam, and a side benefit
Not quite as clear as the set of coyote photos published Friday night, but “Seacat,” who blogs at seacat.wordpress.com, added an interesting side note that made us want to share the pic:
This little coyote is a regular visitor in our yard; this picture was taken right outside my home office window. Since he’s been hanging around, we don’t have a problem with rats at the bird feeder–which also means the variety of birds has increased. That’s not just the coyote, of course, but he fills out a tiny eco-system in our backyard wildlife sanctuary and things are improved with his presence. We live over by Lincoln Park, and welcome our coyote co-habitants. It’s all good!
Another West Seattle coyote caught on cam
Haven’t had any coyote pictures in a couple weeks – till these pix taken by Pam at Fauntleroy/Mills (map). She writes:
On our way to work this morning, we saw a coyote roaming on Fauntleroy at the bottom of SW Mills St. I called Animal Control, thinking they might take some action – but they were totally unconcerned and said that coyotes are all over the place in Seattle. (Ironically, we had just seen a news story this morning about a coyote who had dragged a two-year-old around by her head…)
A neighbor said she’s seen coyotes in Lincoln Park on occasion – but it was still really interesting to see one roaming in people’s bushes in our neighborhood. Watch out for your kitties and little pups!
As previously noted, the official government position is to promote coexistence, including avoiding behavior that will encourage coyotes to get too close to people for their good or ours; some tips are in this article we wrote in February. (The news story Pam mentions, by the way, is this one from the mountains east of L.A.)
After a crazy day, how about some pleasant pix?
David Hutchinson sent that closeup of Canada goslings near Don Armeni. Yes, we know, not everyone’s a Canada goose fan, but there’s still “awwww” factor. We got this wider shot of geese families this morning near Seacrest:
And from the Water Taxi this afternoon, a shimmering sunbreak as a state ferry headed west:
By the way, just heard the weekend forecast from the only TV meteorologist we truly trust, our former co-worker Walter Kelley at Q13 – he says no rain on Saturday unless you’re near the coast. Yay for West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day rainlessness!
First the woodpecker, now … the bees
Just in from Pam of Nerd’s Eye View:
We were walking back from the Farmers Market today and saw a swarm of bees in the hedge along California in front of the church at Cali and Othello, right here in Gatewood. I figured if anyone knew of a West Seattle beekeeper, this would be the place to find them – the keeper, not the bees.
The bees are placid enough. I don’t know much about bees, but they showed no interest in us and look to be of the fuzzy honey making variety, not the waspy kind that built a nest in our friends’ house.
Beekeepers, go get ’em. Those allergic might want to walk on the East side of Cali at Othello in Gatewood.
Bzzzz.
Anybody have expertise in this? Leave ’em … bee? (P.S. If the woodpecker reference in the headline seems out of context, look here.)
One more wildlife pic, before Earth Day ends
That early-early-morning coyote pic is from “Fauntlee Hills Neighbor” near Concord/Barton, who writes:
This one is half of a young pair who cross Barton from Fauntleroy Park and have been seen late evening, early morning for some weeks now. I feed backyard feral cats and unfortunately, forgot and left food out overnight. They found a paper plate on my back porch and took to finish off. No warnings here, just information. I much believe we need to coexist and just be the smarter species. After all, we are the interlopers
whose students have come all the way to Fauntleroy Creek in recent years to study an environmental challenge – creek pollution from pet waste. On the Fauntleroy Community Association‘s 
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