There’s breaking coyote news too
Two things, actually. First is that we actually got a coyote PICTURE for the first time after all these coyote reports. Thanks to JF for sending the photo taken this week of his neighborhood’s “resident coyote.” Second thing, the Discovery Park coyote just got a reprieve. According to this article, instead of trapping/killing the coyote, authorities will work on educating the public to co-exist with wildlife.
Two more West Seattle coyote sightings
It bears repeating, we share these e-mails about coyote sightings NOT to fan any flames of anti-coyote hysteria, but just to remind everyone that West Seattle is full of wildlife large and small, and if you think “well, not in my neighborhood,” think again. We’re going to try to save them to share in bunches, though, rather than one by one, unless there’s something truly urgent to report. First, Charles sent this yesterday:
We live in Arbor Heights and around 2 AM were awakened by the yips and yaps that are common to coyotes. I have heard them before when I was in Arizona, but never in West Seattle. Looked out the window, and 2 or 3 were running through our yard and down to the ravine that empties out at Seola Beach.
And today, Mary sent this:
My neighbors have been sending e-mail out this week about a coyote that has been seen on Maple Way in the Lincoln Park Annex area (the Annex is just two blocks north of the park). She/he just showed up in my back yard and was a good size ‘doggie’ and is not afraid of people. It appeared she was headed for the park since she trotted south along our easement. On occasion we have heard of one, usually this time of year but only one or two sightings. This one has been in our neighborhood for over a month now and is frequently out during the day.
Once again, here is our favorite official state link about co-existing with coyotes.
Coyote sighting: 35th/Roxbury
Jessica e-mailed this late last night (map):
@ 2210, coyote sighting on 35th Ave SW and Roxbury. Looked to be about 55-60 lbs (just slightly bigger than my husky-mix) and light brown. Ran to the alley in the direction of Fautleroy Park through our neighbor’s yard. Oddly enough was just talking about never seeing a coyote in W. Seattle just minutes before at West 5!
If this keeps up, the coyote sightings will get their own map. The other half of the team suggests tthe icons should be anvils.
Reader report: Exotic cat captured
Just in from TC (thank you!), re: the cat sighting from yesterday:
The exotic cat that someone saw on 1/18/08 was just captured by the Humane Animal shelter at about 4:30 and is being taken to a rescue shelter. We were up jogging on the Madison Middle School track when some boys pointed out a larger than domestic size spotted cat on the banks. We called the Humane Society 386-4258 and they came out and captured it. They said it was a serval, a wild cat from Africa and that it is the second one picked up in West Seattle.
We’ve seen servals … in zoos. Will look up a usable photo shortly to add here. ADDED 7:18 PM: Here’s one. Again, NOT the WS capturee, just one found roaming online:
Speaking of wildlife — unusual cat on the loose
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Earlier today, we got this note and posted it to the Pets page:
I just saw a very exotic cat wandering around 48th and Lander. It almost looked like a zoo kitty and not a domestic cat (looked like a small leopard). I will go see if I can get its picture, but just in case someone is looking for this cat. It did not look comfortable outside.
We just got a phone call — apparently it’s still out there in that area somewhere (the caller said it looks like an ocelot?) and neighbors are a little spooked, but the person who called us said Animal Control wasn’t interested in coming out. This cat sound familiar to anyone?
Raccoons: Friend or foe? 2 requests to discuss ’em
That photo is from Luckie, who explains:
This raccoon was walking around my backyard when I got home today just after noon. I scared it up a tree. I’ve called a couple of wildlife guys; they can come out next week, and each will charge between $185 and $220 to set live traps for raccoons. My question: is it worth it? Can this sort of action make a difference in the raccoon population of West Seattle ? Or would I just be spitting in the wind? Are other people having daytime raccoon visitations? I wouldn’t care so much, but we’ve lost several pets to raccoons.
P.S. The raccoon is still there. It fell asleep.
This gives us the excuse to finally post one other note we received a few days from someone who wanted to discuss the West Seattle raccoon situation. This one, its sender told WSB, was written by a cat named Eros:Read More
West Seattle wildlife updates: Delridge coyote; birdwatch win
First, a coyote sighting this morning at 21st & Andover (map), from Emily (thank you!):
9:05 this morning as I was driving to work there was a big beautiful coyote on the sidewalk. I stopped my car and it stopped and looked at me for a full minute. It looked really healthy and was as big as a large dog but with a fox shaped tail and a skinny jaw. It ducked down into the very small woodsy area by SW Charlestown. I drove around the block and put my cat inside for the day. I’ve heard they were here but I didn’t realize they were 1 bk from my house.
Now, the birdwatching win. Imagine seeing 79 different bird species in your yard! We can recall maybe 10 … such as the Northern Flicker and Steller’s Jay:
Those photos are courtesy of Ed Newbold, who coordinates the YardBirdRace around Western Washington. He sent word (from his YardBirdRace breaking news page) that the Seattle Residential category of the 4th annual YardBirdRace had West Seattle winners:
Jim Flynn and Marissa Benevente appear to be testing the upper limits of what it’s possible to see from a residential Seattle yard as they ended up with 79, five ahead of the record in Seattle overall and Seattle residential, both of which they set last year. Common Nighthawk and Western Screech-Owl are two of the birds that helped them get there. This is the second year West Seattle & Flynn/Benevente have led in Seattle residential and Seattle overall.
You can find out more about the YardBirdRace here.
Orca alert: Closer to the city than usual
The daily update from the Orca Network mailing list (subscribe here) just came in, including this from a couple hours ago. That’s enough to get us away from behind the computer since one of our stated New Year’s goals was an in-person orca sighting. But first, sharing this with you:
Hello, I just wanted to let you know that I am watching orcas in Elliot Bay from my office window, 10:00 am 1/16/2008. I have never seen them this far into Elliott Bay. They are on the west side of Elliott bay, southwest of the Ferry Route, closer to the Alki side, down where there are some cargo ships moored out in the bay. It’s now 10:38 am and it looks like they have moved south and west around the point at Alki. There was a helicopter very high above them for a little while so I’m guessing it might have been one of the news stations. You might be able to track down some footage and determine which pod it is. It’s hard to tell from this distance how many there are, but at least 4. A very special treat for the day. Hope this is helpful. Have a great day!
Two other reports from the Orca Network suggest they were “transient” orcas, not members of the J, K, and L pods usually seen in the sound; and the e-mail also provides this link to the helicopter video, which was from KING 5.
Reader report: Anti-coyote vigilantism?
Just in from Lina:
Yesterday I was walking in Fauntleroy Park, and the entrance by the YMCA had a handwritten note alerting walkers in the park that the writer had found small bags of food in the park and this has been a method of spreading poison.
I assume that it is intended for wild animals or coyotes but often this poison/food gets ingested by pets. Either way – it is concerning to me that someone would set out poison bait – for any animals. Over the years I have also seen similar warnings in the Junction too.
Lina wonders if anyone else has heard of or seen anything like this recently, while hoping that this is NOT a case of anti-coyote vigilantism. While we try these days to keep our personal opinions off this site, we have to say, we hope so too. We have posted reader reports about coyote sightings NOT to incite you to panic, but to inform you, and so that anyone who still allows pets to roam loose outside — against experts’ advice (coyotes are far from the only threat) — might reconsider. And as an FYI, if you think you know of a coyote in a situation that is truly a danger to someone or something, King County Animal Control says they’re not the people to call — they would fall under the jurisdiction of the state Fish and Wildlife Department — which has some excellent information, including coyote myth-debunking, on this webpage.
More West Seattle wildlife sightings
Thanks to Tippy for that photo of a great blue heron taking a rooftop break on 38th south of the Admiral District … Not too far away, from along Admiral near The Bridge, we have Andy‘s report (thank you!) of the latest urban coyote sighting:
We spotted a coyote when driving down Admiral hill towards the bridge this morning. I slowed down when I thought I saw a dog running into the street, and my wife recognized it as a (large) coyote. It tried to cross Admiral right above City View St, and then ducked back into the green belt. This was at 8:45 am on Sunday.
Drivers and pet owners beware!
Reader reports: 2 wildlife sightings
Thanks to Pete R, who says he got that photo near Don Armeni with “awesome zoom” – he says he has seen this pup before, and saw its mom swim by a few times while he was watching. Meantime, word of a daytime coyote sighting also landed in the inbox, from SH:
I wanted to let all the cat and dog owners know that I saw a coyote loping down the middle of Northrop Pl SW at noon yesterday. He was a beautiful animal, looked well-fed. I thought that the cats would be safe out during the day, but I am having second thoughts about that now. Thought I would let my neighbors know about it too.
Northrop is a short street here in the Upper Fauntleroy/Gatewood border zone (its south end is at the top of the Thistle Street stairs); here’s a map.
West Seattle Sunday sightings
Orcas off Fauntleroy, spotted by JumboJim:
Wanted to report that we saw approx. 10-12 orcas off of Lincoln Park and Fauntleroy dock around 10:00-10:30 this A.M. There was at least one male (tall dorsal fin) in the group, maybe two. They were passing to the south. A first time sighting for us from our house. Considering we’re one mile from the water, near the crest of the hill, we were pretty amazed to see them. We had been looking for birds with our spotting scope when we spotted them. I checked an orca hotline and it seems they may have been K pod.”
Smaller marine mammals off Harbor Ave, reported by Paul Cozens:
Around 20 California Sea Lions have been cavorting in the waters between Salty’s and Jack Block Park. There does not appear to be a skinny one in the bunch, indicating they are successfully feeding on something. A Harbor Seal was spotted lounging on the beach this morning, also.
And two luscious West Seattle Farmers’ Market photos from this morning by Lois Grammon-Simpson — heart-y treats from Flying Apron Bakery, followed by those gorgeous tulips (first spotted last week) from Alm Hill Gardens.
Friday mid-morning miscellany
COYOTE REPORT: Just in from Katherine – “WOW! Heard maybe 3 coyotes howling and crying early this morning from Pelly Place Natural Area, which is near Lowman Beach Park.” (ADDED 10:30 PM, Alex reports a coyote trying to cross California SW tonight near SW Willow; traffic spooked it, he said, and it retreated back westbound onto Willow.)
TREE TAKEDOWN: No doubt this will be a big weekend for taking down the Christmas tree. In addition to the tree-recycling/disposal info we featured in this post-Christmas report, we also have more details about a youth group’s treecycling fundraiser on Saturday: Local Rainbow Girls are taking trees 10 am-2 pm tomorrow at the Alki Masonic Hall (4736 40th; map here) for a $5 donation; the trees will be mulched.
SCHOOL-TOUR TIME: Some West Seattle private schools are already back in post-winter-break session; public schools return Monday. At both private and public schools, tour and open-house time is kicking into high gear, because it’s application season for the ’08-’09 school year (already!). We are adding tour and open-house info to the WSB Events page as fast as we find/receive it; please let us know what’s up at your school. More to come on school-decision season – including a spotlight on some multischool events including the West Seattle Middle School Information Night (with reps from private and public middle schools around WS) at Gatewood Elementary next Thursday.
Coyote alert: Lincoln Park
Ted sent this to WSB last weekend and we missed the chance to post it then, but he advises us he’s still hearing the howls, so it’s not too late to issue the alert. Not to evoke anti-coyote hysteria – just a reminder to be careful:
Just wanted to let you know – saw a brazen Coyote in Lincoln Park during the day on Sat. We had our dog on a leash but another couple that was approx 100 ft away from us did not. No sooner did we pass the couple but we saw what appeared to be a very alert and scoping Coyote. I am thinking he may have been checking out the little lap dog the couple had off-leash. We were on an interior trail – near the chin-up bars. Please keep the parks (and coyotes) safe – keep your dogs on a leash !!
Sad news from Beach Drive: Seal death
This photo (from a respectful distance) was taken by Larry Wallach, who e-mailed WSB on Thursday afternoon asking who to call to report a dead seal on the beach outside his Beach Drive home. (Larry made some calls and was finally referred to this number – save it for future reference – 206/526-6733.) Larry also writes:
We called the seal we frequently see swimming for the past few years behind our house Cyril. Not sure if this is the same one, but if so, R.I.P. Cyril. Our kids (3 and 2) will be especially sad.
Following up on the capture of the suspected serval in West Seattle (sighting first 
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