West Seattle, Washington
16 Thursday
11:17 PM SATURDAY: Thanks to Jamie Kinney for the video of transient orcas off Constellation Park late today. He explains, “I went down to Constellation Park to see the transient orcas that were reported via the Salish Wildlife Watch WhatsApp group. I saw these four transient orcas (a.k.a Bigg’s Killer Whales) pursue a harbor seal that was swimming directly toward us. The whales were approximately 100-150 feet away when I captured this video.” The video isn’t gory – in fact, Jamie believes the seal got away: “I have a photo of a seal catching its breath on the surface ~20 feet away from us after the orcas began to head back toward Vashon.” If it indeed got away, it’s lucky, as transient orcas are the ones that feed on other marine mammals such as seals and sea lions (while the endangered resident orcas prefer fish).
ADDED 9:07 AM SUNDAY: David Hutchinson sent photos, including one of the seal:
ADDED SUNDAY AFTERNOON: As mentioned in comments, Jamie Kinney also has a photo gallery from the event. He gave us permission to republish some, too – here are three that caught our eye:
(Photos by Tom Trulin: Mark Sears [in yellow] led volunteers in relocating drift logs mired in vegetation near Fauntleroy Creek)
As noted here last week, it’s almost salmon-spawning season – and Fauntleroy Creek is ready for fish, thanks in part to some helping hands. Creek steward Judy Pickens sent this report:
How many volunteers does it take to ensure coho spawners can get into Fauntleroy Creek from saltwater? Eight got the job done on Saturday (September 21).
Pilings that support the ferry dock in Fauntleroy Cove trap drift logs, and vegetation can further impact the jam. State Fish and Wildlife permits the Fauntleroy Watershed Council to open a route for spawners when tidal action isn’t enough to clear the way. Mark Sears led the work party and will continue to monitor the area through spawning season.
The annual drumming on Sunday, October 13, to call in spawners (details here) will launch this year’s salmon watch, which will run until mid-November. Last year, watchers recorded a healthy crop of 34 coho spawners; since 1994, the count has ranged from 0 to 274. If/when watchers start to see spawners, West Seattle Blog will announce a weekend open creek for anyone to come have a look.
(Spawning pair, photographed in 2021 by Tom Trulin)
This year’s Fauntleroy Creek salmon watch is set to start on October 13, reports creek steward Judy Pickens, adding that they’d appreciate some additional volunteer watchers:
More than a dozen volunteers are on deck to document spawning season in Fauntleroy Creek but a few more would be welcome. Last year, watchers came out in the cold and wet to count 34 coho spawners.
The watch will start Sunday, October 13, and go into mid-November, depending on the fish. Watchers take half-hour shifts at the fish ladder in the lower creek (across from the ferry terminal). A veteran watcher will train. Email your interest by September 27 to info@fauntleroywatershed.org.
October 13 is also the day of the annual all-ages drumming to call in spawners. Barring serious rain, this free event will start at 4:00 pm near the fish ladder. Find details HERE.
Though watchers only saw 34 spawners last year, in both 2021 and 2022, they counted more than 200.
As we – with your help – continue documenting the coyote resurgence, we publish sighting reports for awareness, not alarm:
The photo is from Michael, who reports: “Coyote spotted walking on 39th Ave from Willow toward Morgan St. [last night]. It seemed healthy but obviously should be avoided.”
South of there, from JP in Gatewood:
A very healthy coyote was in my back yard twice midday 9/16 sniffing air where bunnies graze. I shooed it away from safety of my deck. It was not skittish. My son saw a smaller one later. Sadly, neighbors found a dead cat in their driveway (white paws & tail). It was covered. SW 39th & Othello. Watch out for your roaming cats.
(And it should be noted that coyotes are far from the only threat to small unattended domestic animals.)
We also have a cluster of sightings from last week. One anonymous reader reported, “I saw a coyote at the intersection of Palm and SW Massachusetts (last Tuesday) morning (~6 am).” About that same time, also in North Admiral, Brenda reports a cat was killed in an attack that neighbors attributed to a coyote, though none was seen. That night, near 20th/Holden, Jon reported that he “heard a noise out front and went to look. I knew they were coyotes, maybe 3 to 4 that were attacking something in the bushes. It was loud and they moved to my neighbors’ driveway. I threw a chunk of 2×4 at them and they took off.”
Scaring them off is part of experts’ advice on how to encourage coyotes to keep their distance. Here’s the short version of state Department of Fish and Wildlife recommendations.
From a texter tonight:
We just saw a coyote in our neighborhood on 38th & Genesee – wanted to alert local pet owners!
That reminded us we were overdue to publish the others received since our previous compilation almost two weeks ago. Molly saw this one in Upper Fauntleroy earlier this week:
Spotted this one on 38th at about 9:15 pm. It then went down to Henderson and trotted west. Did not seem afraid of us—stood and watched us awhile until we shouted at it to shoo it away. Never seen one so bold!
That’s one recommendation of experts – try to “haze” them, by shouting, waving, etc., to try to encourage them to keep their distance. The same night, and almost the same time, as Molly’s sighting, Coleman saw a coyote in Sunrise Heights:
We just spotted a coyote 9:00 pm standing in front of our house on 32nd and Holden. Heading North toward Walt Hundley Playfield. Beautiful to see.
Several days before those, a texter sent this report and photo from the neighborhood near Gatewood Elementary:
Coyote sighting on Woodside at Myrtle. I saw [a previous] Woodside sighting in The Blog, so I was excited to see this one in person.
Last but not least, Kate shared this early-morning sighting of an apparent coyote family, near the Longfellow Creek Trail:
Now, our standard side note: We report coyote sightings in the spirit of awareness, not alarm – our chances of uneventful coexistence improve if you avoid providing food (from unattended pets to unsecured garbage). Here’s more of what you should know about coyotes.
(Graphic courtesy Judy Pickens, showing culvert’s route, schoolhouse at left, church at right)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Two culverts carrying salmon-bearing Fauntleroy Creek underground below two streets must be replaced and widened. That’s long been known. But a behind-the-scenes part of the story has just come to light.
One of the replacement plans, for the section beneath 45th SW, has not been particularly controversial – it’s in city right-of-way and the planning is under way after the “restart” about which we reported back in March.
The other is an entirely different story – one that has just closed the book on a difficult chapter.
Fauntleroy Church and the City of Seattle have reached agreement on how to deal with the other section of culvert, which carries the creek under California SW and the church parking lot – a 130-foot city culvert, almost a third of which extends under the church parking lot [vicinity map], where it joins a 230-foot church-installed culvert. At one point in this “long conversation,” as Fauntleroy Church senior pastor Leah Atkinson-Bilinski describes it, there was the possibility that the church would face a giant price tag for the culvert project – potentially $7 million – a sum that would have bankrupted the church.
(WSB photo, exploratory drilling in 2020)
That was the state of things in 2019. Then in 2020, the church says, a city contractor doing geotechnical boring “inaccurately locate(d) the culvert and punche(d) two holes in it.” That took the situation to a different level, with the church pursuing city commitments regarding responsibility for the resulting damage, and the need to replace the 70+-year-old culvert. The conversation came to “dead ends, where it felt like we couldn’t move forward,” the pastor said. Eventually, the church felt compelled to file a lawsuit against the city, and did so last year (but did not serve it).
As the result of that, the church and city have struck a deal – recently signed by both parties – under which the church will deed part of its land to the city, enough for construction of the new city/church culvert. How much, nobody knows until the new culvert is designed. The agreement includes stipulations to protect the church’s future, such as protecting the garden outside its basement-level preschool space and a certain number of ADA parking spaces, plus the fire lane. And as part of the deal, the city is relieved of liability for damaging the church’s current culvert. And there is a provision to ensure the city would be compensated for the investment of public funds, should the church site be sold to a for-profit buyer within the next quarter-century.
Many, but not all, details of the culvert replacement itself will be guided by state and federal requirements. Rev. Atkinson-Bilinski says that ideally the deal would have given the church a bit more say in the future plan, but it does guarantee they’ll be consulted as “important partners” and that their ideas “will be considered.” When the time comes, she adds, it will be very important for community voices to weigh in on prospective designs – not just what happens in the culvert itself, but the project features above-ground.
Just getting to this point, though, is a victory, church leaders reiterate. This all dates back to the original construction of the culvert – at a time when nobody considered looking far into the future to imagine a time when restoration of salmon habitat would be important, and possible. The city first looked at culvert replacements in 2001, but shelved the idea, which resurfaced after a partial blockage hit the 45th SW culvert in 2015. (That culvert also had a clog last year.) In 2019, design concepts were presented by the city, and that’s when the church learned it could face a multi-million-dollar expense.
(2021 reader photo, salmon in Fauntleroy Creek)
Judy Pickens, who has been involved for decades with bringing Fauntleroy Creek back to life as a salmon-bearing stream, co-chaired the church’s committee dealing with the culvert issue. She says it’s important to note that reaching the agreement doesn’t just settle the stalemate between the church and city, but also means the church is “walking its talk” regarding respect for tribal fishing rights. In addition to legal requirements, a church background document explains, “as a congregation we have accepted a moral responsibility to steward the land and water that were taken from Coast Salish peoples.”
This section of culvert has been completely underground since the early 1950s. At some point before that, there was a trestle bridge over California, the church says. Mobility was a motivation when the project was planned back in the ’50s; in addition to the ecosystem, safety is a key concern now. Four preschools are in the area, and one side of California holds one of them plus the church and the Fauntleroy YMCA (WSB sponsor), while the other side holds historic Fauntleroy Schoolhouse, home to other schools, multiple small businesses, and a popular event venue, The Hall at Fauntleroy. Once a year, the Fauntleroy Fall Festival spans all of those venues, with a huge all-ages throng visiting for the afternoon.
Will the future expanded culvert bring salmon back to the upper reaches of Fauntleroy Creek, steeper than many such streams? “The potential is there … they’ve surprised us before,” Pickens says, while tempering her optimism.
“If you build it, they will come. Hopefully!” adds pastor Atkinson-Bilinski.
But for now, some relief that they know a multimillion-dollar culvert repair isn’t looming over the church. “We’re just gratified,” says church board chair Greg Dirks, “and looking forward to partnership with the city and community.”
Watch for more on how you can get involved, via the Seattle Public Utilities project page.
Before 17-year-old Ellen Rikhof returns to West Seattle High School when classes start in two weeks, she hopes to welcome you to an event she’s presenting as part of her Girl Scout Gold Award work. Her “Deep Sea Conservation Festival” happens this Sunday (August 25), 10 am to 5 pm at the UW Fisheries Science Building – not in West Seattle, but Ellen is hoping to help people from all over the area learn more about the deep-sea ecosystem!
She says that the festival – free to attend – will feature “booths, speakers, crafts, live music, food, and much more … Everyone, regardless of age, background, and expertise, is invited to explore the complexity of the deep sea, the intersection between a healthy ocean and a healthy community, and solutions to current threats to this vibrant ecosystem.” Her project includes “local and global partners such as the Sustainable Ocean Alliance, Seattle Aquarium, and Marine Conservation Institute” with the intent “to swirl together education, inspiration, and action to preserve the deep sea.”
The Fisheries Science Building is on the UW campus at 1122 NE Boat Street – here’s a map.
It’s been a while since we’ve been able to publish a Sunday bird gallery – this one was about to take flight a few hours ago, and then the wind swept in. But now that things have quieted down …
That’s a Killdeer that Andy monitored earlier this summer as it incubated four eggs on the rocky beach near his home. After a six-week process – during which he noted the parents facing off with potential predators like Crows – he saw two chicks:
Another reason to tread lightly on local beaches. … We have more beach-bird images, including this video of two Bald Eagles “chatting” at Lowman Beach:
Anthony Decena spotted this Bald Eagle on a seawall at Alki:
Great Blue Herons are a popular photographic subject. Mark MacDonald photographed this group looking for lunch, also at Alki:
Stewart L. found this one with an overview:
And a long-lens look at a Heron’s intense expression:
Susan Whiting Kemp sent this photo of a Mallard family:
Moving to not-so-aquatic birds – the Cooper’s Hawk photo is from John Sturtevant:
Steve Bender shows us a splendid Northern Flicker:
Another woodpecker – Downy Woodpecker, to be specific – showed up at Jon Anderson‘s feeder;
And before we close out this gallery – a recent photo of the wandering West Seattle Guinea Fowl:
Will Lint sent that pic three weeks ago. We had two other sightings of them today. It’s been almost a year since the first sighting we heard about; if they’re news to you, in short, they are reported to have a home, but they’re not kept in a secure yard, so almost daily they turn up roaming, most often in the east Junction area. Drive carefully, as they’ve been known to wander into the street. Meantime, thanks to everyone who shares bird (and other) photos – between galleries, we also sometimes include them as the unofficial “photo of the day” with our daily event list – westseattleblog@gmail.com is the best way to get us images (unless it’s breaking news, in which case text us at 206-293-6302) – thank you!
Three coyote sightings, two of them just this morning:
LOWER GATEWOOD: The photo and report are from Brian Quinn:
On my morning walk with my dog, and this guy just came sprinting down the middle of the street – Woodside Pl and Othello.
UPPER FAUNTLEROY: Quick glimpse on security video, sent by Robert:
The sighting was around 8 this morning. (Not far from our own one-and-only coyote sighting – 16 years ago.)
SUNRISE HEIGHTS: Merica reported two coyotes seen near 30th/Elmgrove last Saturday night (August 10).
We’ve been reporting coyote sightings for 17 years to encourage awareness, not alarm – we and they can stay a healthy distance from each other, experts say, especially if you avoid providing food (from unattended pets to unsecured garbage) – they have plenty of small wildlife (including rodents) and vegetation to eat otherwise. Read more about coexisting with coyotes here.
Even after 15 years and hundreds of coyote-sighting reports, some people still express surprise that they’re here. So we keep sharing sightings.
ADMIRAL: This is the most recent one sent in – Ashley reported this sighting around 3:30 am today:
I wanted to get the word out that I just happened upon our local coyote in front of Taste of Mumbai on California. He was running down the street with a cat in his mouth. If anyone is missing a gray striped cat in the area, the coyote got it sadly.
SYLVAN RIDGE: Michael recorded this short video on Wednesday:
He said, “I had no idea they could just walk into blackberry bushes like that.”
NORTH HIGHLINE: From the other side of the city-limit line, Katie sent this on Tuesday:
I wanted to let you know that at least one coyote was in our yard in the North Highline Unincorporated Area, so presumably they’ve made the trek all the way south through West Seattle. I wish I had a photo of the actual coyote, but I wasn’t fast enough. They got one of our chickens yesterday, unseen. Today they came back for seconds and I hustled out thanks to the vigilance (and volume) of the neighborhood crows.
PIGEON POINT: Annette reports that a pack of coyotes seems to be active in Pigeon Point: “We have lost 9 cats over a very short period of time.” She says she witnessed one cat taken by a coyote early in the morning. She says neighbors have reported the pack near Pigeon Point Park and the golf course downhill. “I know nature lives side by side in West Seattle due to the lovely greenbelts we have scattered throughout the area, but the size of the pack seems to be growing beyond what the area and our neighborhood can handle.” She was planning on trying natural deterrent including wolf urine.
Our standard disclaimer: Coyote reports are published here for awareness, not alarm. Experts say the best way to keep them at bay is to not provide food – they will not just eat unattended small pets, but also pet food and unsecured food waste. (And they eat small wildlife, too.) To learn more about coexisting with coyotes, including what to do if you encounter one, here’s info from the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.
David Hutchinson of Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network sent that photo of an adult harbor seal resting off a submerged rock off Constellation Park with this gentle nudge:
Just a reminder that we are in the middle of harbor-seal pupping season. Moms nurse their pups for only 4 -6 weeks Then these vulnerable young marine mammals are on their own and typically end up on our West Seattle beaches this time of year, hauling out to rest and warm up. If you come across one, please call the Seal Sitters hotline at 206-905-7325.
The alternate way to remember that number is 206-905-SEAL.
Two reports from 19th SW this morning top the latest in our periodic roundups of coyote-sighting reports we’ve received:
That photo was texted along with the note, “SW Brandon and 19th SW – hid for a few minutes then ran west toward 21st.” Also this morning, Barb emailed us this report from about a mile south of there:
I’ve seen stories regarding coyote sightings in WS, but don’t recall seeing any mention in this area. Good sized and healthy looking! It went into a yard at the bottom of SW Austin.
We also received two emailed reports of sightings last Sunday in Seaview. This one’s from Lisa:
Just before 9 PM we watched a coyote walk down the alley between 48th/49th ave SW at Juneau St. It went in to a neighbor’s yard and up on front porch. Eventually left the yard and scurried south back down the alley.
And this one from Robin:
Crow mob chased coyote south down 50th Ave SW. Started at Hudson at 6:30 am … this coyote looked healthy. Hopefully catching a lot of rodents.
Our standard disclaimer: We don’t publish coyote reports for alarm, but rather for awareness. Experts say the best way to keep them at a healthy distance is to not supply food, and that means everything from leaving bowls of pet food outside to leaving small domestic animals unattended. As our coverage has shown over the years, they have been seen in most neighborhoods, so you can’t assume yours is coyote-free just because, for example, you’re not near a greenbelt. To learn more about coexisting with coyotes, including what to do if you encounter one, here’s info from the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.
More coyote sightings, first one sent by Amy on Thursday:
Just saw a coyote chasing my chickens. Keep your pets indoors! We live between the Pathfinder trails and the Duwamish Longhouse. Still waiting to see if my scattered flock returns….
Since we weren’t able to publish that immediately, we checked back later, and Amy updated us:
The chickens are mostly okay. They came out of hiding about an hour later. One of them had bite marks and needed stitches, but will recover. The attack happened around 10:00 AM. I’m not letting the chickens or my cat out unsupervised any time soon.
Rose De Dan thinks her cat might have encountered a coyote, perhaps the one captured on her Wild Reiki Spa video from the Belvidere area last Saturday:
I love and respect coyotes but do not want to see one hunting at the Wild Reiki Spa near dawn. The coyote doubles back; he’s hunting something, maybe a rabbit. The two sets of glowing eyes on the mid-left are my two foster cats watching the action from the window. I am worried; former outdoor-only stray cat Tamerlan came home dirty and injured around 10 p.m. last night (no bites, but a possible muscle strain and fall, perhaps from fleeing a coyote). I am glad I can warn the neighbors to keep their cats in at night and not leave their dogs unattended in the backyard. This is a very healthy coyote and pets don’t stand a chance.
And Sally reported this Wednesday sighting:
I’d never seen a coyote in person, so I guess today was my turn.
I saw it come from SW Holly, at the south edge of South Seattle College. It started to run out onto 16th Ave SW, but ran back to the curb to avoid getting hit by cars. It had a small animal in its mouth, but I couldn’t tell what it was – could have been a cat. All I saw was that the prey had dark gray, brown, white stripe-y soft texture. To me, it really looked like the back of a barred owl, though I couldn’t imagine that a coyote would manage to catch an owl? This was around 6:45 am.
As we’ve noted many times before in our 15-plus years of coyote-sighting reports, coyotes have a varied diet – nuts and berries as well as wildlife (squirrels, rats, etc.) and yes, some unattended pets. We publish sightings periodically for awareness, not alarm; even if you don’t live near a greenbelt, they’re likely in your neighborhood. Learn about them here.
A happier story from the shore: Jess sent the videos and report:
A friend and I were paddleboarding off Lincoln Park near the Colman Pool point when we saw repeated splashing out in the middle of the cove near the Driftwood Sculptures. After watching a moment we noticed there was a waterlogged bald eagle stuck in the water getting divebombed by seagulls. We put the paddles in high gear and rushed over to see how we could help. When we arrived the seagulls gave the eagle a break, and we were able to direct it toward shore as it had been struggling around in circles far from shore. I was able to gently get my oar underneath it and lift enough for it to climb aboard one our paddleboards as we floated closer to shore.
Since it was obviously very scared still, it hopped off as we got closer to show and swam the rest of the way to shore. We tried to have everyone give it space as it dried off enough to fly into the woods to dry completely before taking back to its perch high over the Colman Pool point.
Stefanie sent that photo after seeing that coyote – squirrel in mouth – running across 35th and down Juneau in mid-June. We’ve been publishing coyote sightings for a decade and a half, often one-offs, but this time we have several in queue, to perhaps provide better context of how they’re living around and among us. This is important for pet owners to realize, since in addition to eating small wildlife like the squirrel in the photo, rats, and more, unattended domestic animals can be part of their diet too. Other sightings, minus prey, included this one texted a few days ago:
Not a great shot but we saw a lone coyote scampering around 37th and Henderson … Public service announcement.
Also via text, sent Monday:
There was one in Sunrise Park in the High Point neighborhood around 6:30 am … We have many outdoor cats in the area that I worry about. Looks to have headed into the ravine toward Delridge.
Early morning is a common sighting time. Aaron saw one this morning:
I was not able to snag a picture, but we just saw a coyote trotting up Frontenac and then head south on 39th in Gatewood. Have appreciated the community sharing updates on locations but this was the first time we’d seen one out and about.
Also in Gatewood, Pam reported a sighting last Friday:
For the second time in the last two weeks (?) I saw a leggy coyote heading down the alley between California and 41st, this morning, it was moving fast and carrying a critter. I sure hope it was a rabbit … might be worth letting everyone know that there’s a hunter around and to keep an eye on their pets. Here’s a good source on keeping our four-legged smalls safe.
They can travel a lot of ground, too – Terris observed this one a little over a week ago:
Coyote spotted coming across the Oregon hill (23rd/22nd, whatever we call that road) from Delridge up to Puget Ridge. It crossed the intersection where 23rd branches off and ran up by the houses on the east side of the hill along on the retaining wall. Please keep your pets safe.
As noted in the FAQ Pam shared, as well as many infosheets (like this one) that we’ve shared over the years, avoiding feeding coyotes – intentionally or unintentionally – is the best way to avoid you and/or your pet coming into close contact with them.
Warm weather and a summer holiday are on the way. David Hutchinson from Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network offers this reminder:
Harbor seal “pupping season” in our part of Puget Sound runs from June – September. After the pups are born, they spend only 4-6 weeks with their mothers before heading out on their own. Over the next months, beach walkers in West Seattle will very likely come across these vulnerable young seal pups on both our public and private beaches. These marine mammals are protected by federal law. If you come across a seal pup (or any marine mammal) using the beach, please keep back, keep people and pets away, and call the Seal Sitters’ Hotline at 206-905-7325.
The telephoto image in the poster is of “Loki,” a harbor seal pup that was rescued from Constellation Park by Seal Sitters and successfully rehabbed by our partner SR3 at their facility in Des Moines. Loki was eventually released back into Puget Sound.
Seal Sitters is part of NOAA’s West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network. We are authorized to respond to all marine mammals, alive or dead, that end up on West Seattle Beaches. The official NOAA stranding map, which shows the coverage areas and the contact information for the various groups, is viewable at this link – then look under “Network Maps”).
(Photo sent by Kayano)
Almost every day, someone sends us a new photo of the still-roaming West Seattle Guinea Fowl, some still mistaking them for turkeys. So we’re opening this gallery of WSB readers’ bird photos with another mention of them.
(Photo sent by Lorenzo)
They’re not lost – we’ve been told they have a home, from which they are allowed to roam – most often seen in and near The Triangle, including in the street:
(Photo by Lisa Wallace)
As we reported earlier this spring, the Seattle Animal Shelter has tried, unsuccessfully, to corral them (they reiterated that to another reader just today) … Also often seen this spring, Canada Geese and their goslings. David Hutchinson sent this photo, observing that they’re growing up:
Here’s a view of a goose family earlier in the spring, by Angela Gunn:
Also on the shore, James Tilley photographed a Caspian Tern and Crow facing off:
In a more placid moment, this Great Blue Heron caught Benjamin Evans‘s attention:
Jerry Simmons photographed this Steller’s Jay taking time for self-care:
And here’s a Wilson’s Warbler photographed at Lincoln Park by Mark MacDonald:
Thanks to everyone who shares photos – birds, wildlife, breaking news, more – westseattleblog@gmail.com – also note that between galleries like this, we do feature bird photos with some of our daily event lists, so they’re worth a look if you don’t routinely read them!
Unusual sight on the seawall in the Alki area this morning – a possum! Thanks to Stewart L. for the photo. Nicola also told us about it this morning, and then we heard from local wildlife helper Kersti Muul, who says she’s been to the shore to assess it but it’s moved down to the rocks, has “normal gait” and “is preening,” so it doesn’t seem to be in need of help and will be left alone. Don’t know much about possums (aka opossums)? Here’s the WDFW infopage.
6:20 PM: Thanks for the coyote-sighting reports! We’ve received three recently –
–Kathleen emailed today to report, “We saw a small coyote in our yard on 39th between Andover and Dakota at 6:30 a.m. this morning.”
-A texter reported two coyotes at Walt Hundley Playfield in High Point on Monday.
–Charrie saw that one via a security camera on their front porch at 60th/Charlestown on May 24.
This is not cause for alarm but rather awareness, which is why we have published reader coyote sightings from time to time over the past 15+ years – not everyone realizes they’re here living among us (or is it, we among them?). Authorities say the best way to ensure we and they can maintain a healthy distance apart is to not provide food sources – which can include anything from pet food to unattended small pets. Here’s more information on coexisting with coyotes.
ADDED 10:15 PM: Aaron has since sent this video recorded by his parents in Gatewood on Wednesday, a coyote running as a crow chased it:
Thanks to Rosalie Miller for the wildlife photos from Constellation Park, during the last in this round of low-low tides. Above, a Painted Anemone; below, a Lewis’s Moon Snail:
Here’s an Ochre Sea Star:
And a Chiton:
Next round of low-low tides will get even lower, with four days of -3.0 (or further) low tides, June 5-8. (Seattle Aquarium volunteer beach naturalists will be at Constellation and Lincoln Parks for all of those days.)
(Photos courtesy Kersti Muul)
That baby Barred Owl was in a bit of a predicament tonight at Lincoln Park. We got a text from someone who said the owlet seemed to have fallen out of its tree, and what should they do? We in turn texted local wildlife advocate Kersti Muul to ask her. She ended up heading to the park and helping the fuzzy little critter.
The folks who originally texted explained this followed a youth-baseball game:
The West Seattle Baseball team Husky Deli Pintos were walking back and a group of kids and parents spotted the owl and were amazed seeing the baby and the mama owl fending off the crows trying to harass them. We probably watched it all for 10 minutes. Thanks for connecting us to Kersti; she went right down and got the owl! She knew right where the nest was. What a neat and sweet West Seattle story!
Kersti tells us she’s hoping the owlet can be returned to its nest quickly.
Thanks to Mary for the photo taken before the morning clouds cleared. As discussed here, the reason for the concentration of boats off west-facing West Seattle is that recreational fishing season is open for lingcod.
Field trip to Fauntleroy Creek this morning for fifth-graders from Arbor Heights Elementary, the first of this year’s Salmon in the Schools participants to release the fry they’ve been raising in tanks.
It’s been four months since volunteers Judy Pickens and Phil Sweetland coordinated getting salmon eggs from hatchery to teachers so that students could start fry-raising. Over the next month, Fauntleroy Watershed Council volunteers will team with teachers and students for 19 release visits.
Above is volunteer Dennis Hinton, one of those who helped with this morning’s Arbor Heights visit. These sunglasses factored into the event too, but not for the usual reason:
Polarized glasses helped the students see the baby fish in the water after they’re released. They’re part of a growing tradition – last year almost 1,000 people participated in the releases, the most since the first one in 1991. As for the fish, those that survive a year in the creek will head out for salt water next spring.
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