West Seattle, Washington

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Wildlife 1872 results

WEST SEATTLE WILDLIFE: Young hawk’s research role
August 14, 2019 2:03 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Gatewood | West Seattle news | Wildlife

Those beautiful tail feathers belong to a young Cooper’s Hawk. The photos are from Vlad Oustimovitch, who explains:

The Urban Raptor Conservancy has been banding Cooper’s Hawks as part of a study for several years. This juvenile male was banded this morning by Jake, a volunteer from the conservancy. It is one of four offspring from a nest next to our Gatewood property in the Orchard Street Ravine.

The URC explains that ongoing study here, saying that Seattle is one of several major cities where Cooper’s Hawks are studied, after they began expanding their range into urban areas a quarter-century ago. The URC summarizes, “Since 2012, the number of nesting pairs has increased each year, with high nest success rates, high fledgling productivity, little evidence of migration, strong site fidelity, and mostly short post-fledging dispersal distances.” Last year they documented “46 nesting attempts, 40 successful nests, and 145 fledglings” in Seattle; the year’s full report is here (including some West Seattle photos).

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THE WEST SEATTLE TURKEY: More sightings
August 10, 2019 8:06 pm
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   Seen around town | West Seattle news | Wildlife

On a quiet Saturday night, turkey sightings to share:

That photo was sent by Monica Zaborac, who spotted The West Seattle Turkey (aka Admiral Belvidere) atop a car. The Turkey seems to have a taste for dandelions, as noticed by West Seattle visitor Tommy Jamison:

Tommy is visiting from Auxtin, Texas; friend Dan Ciske forwarded the photo. Another round of dandelion snacking was caught on video by Rob Braby:

The turkey’s origins remain a mystery, after 3 1/2 months of sightings.

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ORCAS: Three more Southern Resident Killer Whales missing, presumed dead
August 7, 2019 2:39 pm
|      11 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | Whales | Wildlife

(November 2018 photo by Trileigh Tucker – resident orcas being observed by licensed researchers)

The Center for Whale Research says the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whale population is down to 73. CWR has announced:

We are saddened to report that three adult killer whales (orca) are missing and presumed dead as of July 1, 2019. These whales are from the extremely endangered Southern Resident killer whale population, that historically frequent the Salish Sea almost daily in summer months. Due to the scarcity of suitable Chinook salmon prey, this population of whales now rarely visit the core waters of its designated Critical Habitat: Puget Sound, Georgia Strait, and the inland reach of the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

The missing whales are J17, K25, and L84.

J17 is a 42-year-old J pod matriarch and mother of Tahlequah (J35), who carried her dead calf for an unprecedented 17 days last year. We reported that J17 was not in good body condition last winter, perhaps from stress. She is survived by two daughters and a son, J35, J53, and J44, respectively.

Also missing is 28-year-old, K25, an adult male in the prime of his life who was not in good body condition last winter. He is survived by two sisters and a brother, K20, K27, and K34, respectively.

And, lastly, 29-year-old male, L84, has been missing all summer in encounters conducted by our Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans colleagues along the west coast of Vancouver Island. L pod has not come into the Salish Sea yet this summer. L84 was the last of a matriline of eleven whales, ten of whom died previously.

73 is just two above the population’s historic low, 71. And the numbers don’t represent the entire picture of their plight, as explained during The Whale Trail‘s April featured lecture in West Seattle.

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See Seal Sitters’ ‘surprise visitor’
August 7, 2019 10:05 am
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news | Wildlife

The photo and report are from David Hutchinson of Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network:

Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network had a surprise visitor this week.

“Pearl,” an adult female harbor seal, who gave birth and nursed her pup for weeks along the West Seattle shoreline in 2018, returned with a new pup this season. She was identified by comparing new photos of the spots on her fur with similar photos taken last year. The 2018 pup was nicknamed “Jam”, as they were first spotted the day after the Alki Sub Pop concert. This year’s pup has been named “Minnie Pearl” in keeping with the entertainment theme – although you probably would have to be of a certain age to get the connection.

It is very unusual to have the opportunity to observe a nursing mom and pup in busy West Seattle. Newborn harbor seals rely exclusively on their mother’s milk, so it’s extremely important that Pearl not be frightened away and possibly abandon her pup. Pups remain with their mothers for only 4 – 6 weeks before having to survive on their own. Seals this young don’t have the strength to swim for extended periods or an adequate blubber thickness for warmth. They need every opportunity to haul out of the water to rest and warm up. Their first year mortality rate is approximately 50%.

All marine mammals are protected by federal law. Any observed violations are referred to NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement for investigation. It’s now “pupping season” in south Puget Sound. If you come across Pearl & Minnie Pearl, or any other seal on the beach or on a nearby offshore rock, we’re asking you to give them plenty of space, keep others and pets away, and call the Seal Sitters’ Hotline at 206-905-7325. To learn more about harbor seals and other local marine mammals, please visit our website at www.sealsitters.org

.

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THE WEST SEATTLE TURKEY: Video of a visit
August 3, 2019 11:13 pm
|      24 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | Wildlife

Yes, in month 4 on the peninsula, The West Seattle Turkey is still roaming southeast of Admiral. A revisit to Rose De Dan‘s home office resulted in the video above – Rose calls The Turkey “Admiral Belvidere” for the area(s) it’s adopted. As you can see on the video, The Turkey’s visit included a clash with crows. Rose tells the story here.

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West Seattle-headquartered The Whale Trail gets high-profile visit
July 28, 2019 2:48 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | Whales | Wildlife

(Photo by Lynne Barre, NOAA Fisheries)

Though West Seattleite Donna Sandstrom, founder and executive director of the nonprofit advocacy/education organization The Whale Trail, served on Gov. Jay Inslee‘s orca task force, she hadn’t met him until he visited one of the stops along the “trail” earlier this month. She shared the photo and explains:

We met him, First Lady Trudi, and their grandson Brody at West Beach in Deception Pass State Park, along with other Whale Trail partners from NOAA Fisheries, Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, WDW Enforcement and Washington State Parks.

We talked about land-based whale-watching and its role in orca recovery. And spotted some seals too!

A big day for The Whale Trail, started in West Seattle a little over a decade ago, and inspired by watching orcas from Alki.

You can read the governor’s report on the visit here. See the full list of 100+ Whale Trail sites, from Southern California to British Columbia, by going here.

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FOWL FRIENDSHIP: The West Seattle Turkey’s chicken chum
July 24, 2019 9:49 pm
|      22 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | Wildlife

Three months have now passed since WSB readers first reported spotting what we simply call The West Seattle Turkey – which quickly made its way from southwest West Seattle to the Admiral area, and has been there ever since. Tonight, the best pic yet – texted by someone who says The Turkey showed up at their home near Hiawatha and made friends with their chicken. Video too:

The Turkey’s origins remain a mystery. It appeared three years after another never-explained turkey made local rounds.

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WHALE ALERT: Orcas in our area
July 18, 2019 8:54 am
|    Comments Off on WHALE ALERT: Orcas in our area
 |   West Seattle news | Whales | Wildlife

Just got word from Kersti Muul that orcas were seen northbound off north Vashon about half an hour ago.

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WHALE ALERT: Evening sighting
July 8, 2019 8:41 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | Whales | Wildlife

Just got a tip – six orcas “with a baby” in view northbound passing the Vashon ferry dock as of a short time ago. Still a good half-hour of light if you’re up for whale-watching!

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WHALE ALERT: Humpbacks off Alki; orcas in the area too
July 8, 2019 10:21 am
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news | Whales | Wildlife

10:21 AM: Two humpback whales are in the area, reports Kersti Muul. “East of shipping channel, off Alki,” but no direction determined yet. Let us know if you see them! (Not sure you’d know what humpbacks look like? Here’s their page in The Whale Trail‘s species guide.)

1:58 PM: And now orcas are in our area too, Kersti reports – a group of transients southbound off Bainbridge.

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ORCA ALERT: Whales visible from West Seattle
July 6, 2019 10:35 am
|    Comments Off on ORCA ALERT: Whales visible from West Seattle
 |   West Seattle news | Whales | Wildlife

Thanks to Kersti Muul for the tip: Orcas are visible from West Seattle. Currently, midchannel southbound, north of Elliott Bay. Let us know if you see them!

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THE WEST SEATTLE TURKEY: Holiday-week sightings
July 4, 2019 12:14 pm
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   Seen around town | West Seattle news | Wildlife

On this patriotic holiday, we note that the turkey has a unique American history – you can read about it here and here (among other places). So, it’s a great day for an update on The West Seattle Turkey, now in its third month on the peninsula. The top photo was texted to us this week; the next one, sent today by Christine:

The Turkey does enjoy finding new perches, as Joy discovered outside the West Seattle High School wood shop earlier this week:

Thanks to everyone for the ongoing photos and sighting reports. While we just call it The West Seattle Turkey, several have given it names – Rose, for example, has named it “Admiral Belvidere,” appropriate given the area in which The Turkey has settled.

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Go birding and make a difference! West Seattle help needed
July 2, 2019 10:30 am
|    Comments Off on Go birding and make a difference! West Seattle help needed
 |   How to help | West Seattle news | Wildlife

Our area’s seabirds – and the people who track them – could use your help. This year’s Puget Sound Seabird Survey includes five West Seattle locations and Seattle Audubon is now recruiting volunteers to be part of it. The announcement:

Are seabirds in the southern Salish Sea increasing or decreasing in numbers? Which species are changing their range? Help us find out. The Puget Sound Seabird Survey (PSSS) is a community science project managed by Seattle Audubon that trains volunteer birdwatchers to gather valuable data on wintering seabird populations across our region.

You can contribute to this vital seabird science by joining the 13th season of this exciting project. We are now recruiting enthusiastic and dedicated volunteers. Training on survey methodology will be provided on September 18th in Lincoln Park and at other locations throughout Puget Sound after that date until the first week of October. Volunteers should ideally be able to identify Puget Sound’s seabird species and be available on the first Saturday of each month, October through April. But, if determining between Barrow’s and Common Goldeneye is a challenge, we’ll team you up with more knowledgeable surveyors. To help us determine each volunteer’s seabird identification skills, take our quick, fun Seabird ID Quiz.

Learn more, including training dates, at www.seabirdsurvey.org and email Toby Ross, Senior Science Manager tobyr@seattleaudubon.org, if you would like more information, or to take part.

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THE WEST SEATTLE TURKEY: Making itself at home
June 29, 2019 3:12 pm
|      11 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | Wildlife

Thanks to Regan for what might be our favorite photo yet of The West Seattle Turkey … though the second one in this May 31st post is a close second because of its background. Still no hint of its origins, as The Turkey starts its third month in West Seattle.

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THE WEST SEATTLE TURKEY: Still hanging around
June 27, 2019 12:55 am
|      9 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | Wildlife

That’s the most-recent reader photo we’ve received of The West Seattle Turkey, texted last weekend. We missed the chance to post it then – but Cat reports spotting The Turkey a few hours ago, in the general East Admiral area where it’s been hanging around for weeks, so we feel confident in reporting it’s still alive and well. It’s been two months since the first West Seattle sighting.

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WHALE ALERT: Orcas headed this way, southbound
June 26, 2019 11:36 am
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | Whales | Wildlife

11:36 AM: The tip’s just in from Kersti Muul: Orcas headed this way, transients, southbound from mid-Bainbridge Island. Let us know if you see them!

12:19 PM: Update from Kersti – the whales have paused for “a kill” between Bainbridge and Blake Islands.

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SATURDAY: Save wildlife – clean the beach!
June 25, 2019 12:19 am
|    Comments Off on SATURDAY: Save wildlife – clean the beach!
 |   Environment | How to help | West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news | Wildlife

Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network and friends hope you will join them on Saturday:

This coming Saturday morning, June 29th, from 9:30 AM – noon, Seal Sitters, along with Sno-King Marine Mammal Response and SR3, will be sponsoring our annual beach cleanup at Alki. We will be meeting at the Alki Statue of Liberty (61st Ave SW & Alki Ave SW) [ Map ]. There will be a brief introduction by Kate Melges, highlighting her work with Greenpeace on ocean plastics and microfibers.

Supplies will be provided by Seattle Parks & Recreation and Puget Soundkeeper Alliance. For additional details, check this announcement on Seal Sitters’ Blubberblog: Sentinels of the Sound beach cleanup.

While we are requesting an RSVP to ensure we have enough supplies, please feel free to drop by to visit our display tables and help out. RSVP to SealSitters.Outreach (at) msn (dot) com

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WHALE ALERT: Orcas off West Seattle
June 17, 2019 11:34 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news | Whales | Wildlife

Thanks to Kersti Muul for the alert – she relays word that Washington State Ferries spotted orcas off the north end of Vashon, northbound, as of the top of the hour. Transients, not residents. As always – if you see them, please let us know!

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WEST SEATTLE TURKEY: Still hanging out
June 9, 2019 11:31 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | Wildlife

11:31 AM: Going on a month and a half after we first started getting reports about, and photos of. The West Seattle Turkey, it’s still hanging out on the peninsula. The photos above and below were sent last night by Monica Zaborac.

And from a few days earlier, this photo’s from Jeremy Barnes:

Though the sightings started in April in southwest West Seattle and steadily moved north, then east, it has been consistently reported south/southeast of Admiral for a few weeks now. Still no hint of its origin. P.S. Thanks for the updates!

ADDED 1:30 PM: A photo from this morning, same general vicinity, courtesy of James Craig:

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SATURDAY: Your chance to set salmon fry free in Fauntleroy Creek
June 6, 2019 8:47 pm
|    Comments Off on SATURDAY: Your chance to set salmon fry free in Fauntleroy Creek
 |   Fauntleroy | West Seattle news | Wildlife

As reported here last week, the fry-release season at Fauntleroy Creek has just wrapped up for Salmon in the Schools participants – but the Fauntleroy Watershed Council is offering community members a special chance to participate, and it’s this Saturday (June 8th), 1-3 pm, at the big bridge in Fauntleroy Park.

Even after 1,800 fry were released by more than 700 students, 100 fry were reserved for the occasion.

It’s free – first-come, first-served.

For a map showing where the bridge is – go here.

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PROTECTING WILDLIFE: Seal Sitters volunteer training soon
June 4, 2019 9:40 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   How to help | West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news | Wildlife

(Photo courtesy Seal Sitters)

Space is still available in Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network‘s June 15th volunteer training. Here’s the announcement:

Interested in protecting seals and other marine mammals? Seal Sitters’ first training of the year will be held on Saturday, June 15th, in the front meeting room of the Alki UCC from 10 AM – Noon. If you would like to volunteer, this training qualifies you for on-the-beach duty in our territory from Brace Point through the Duwamish River including Harbor Island. As a member of NOAA’s West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network, we respond to reports of any marine mammal on the beaches in those areas. Harbor Seal “pupping season” is now underway in Washington and runs from late June – September in our area.

An RSVP is required to attend. Please use this link for more details including instructions on how to RSVP.

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Seen off West Seattle: Whale’s evening appearance
June 1, 2019 11:56 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news | Whales | Wildlife

The photo and report are from Eilene Hutchinson:

Around 7:40 this evening, we were just south of Salty’s when we were startled by a loud sound and looked up to see a whale surfacing close to shore. We believe this was a gray whale.

It moved off to the north along the Harbor Ave shoreline. We drove to Duwamish Head, where along with others, we watched it surface a number of times before the whale headed southwest toward Alki Point about 8:00 PM.

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PHOTOS: The West Seattle Turkey, and more nearby semi-wildlife
May 28, 2019 8:58 pm
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | Wildlife

If you haven’t seen The West Seattle Turkey in person yet (we haven’t!), these photos sent by Monica Zaborac just might be your clearest view yet. So, for all The Turkey’s fans, we are publishing these pronto:

Monica explained, “The Turkey was spotted hanging around 39th and Hanford. A dog got loose and started chasing it and it is the first time I have seen a turkey fly! He is still hanging around in that area. Also 2 houses away, a bunny rabbit.”

It’s been a month now since first word of The Turkey.

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