West Seattle, Washington
15 Friday
8:40 AM: Again this morning, you have a chance to watch for orcas off West Seattle shores. Kersti Muul tells us they’re headed northbound and about to emerge from Colvos Passage on the west side of Vashon Island, so watching from west-facing West Seattle might yield a sighting. Rain will hamper visibility to some degree – but on the other side, those dorsal fins are extra-visible against silver water. Let us know if you see them!
10:44 AM: Just talked with Donna Sandstrom from The Whale Trail, at Constellation Park looking for the whales. Not in view yet, she says, but visibility is improving.
(Added: Photo Kersti shared in comments)
9:52 AM: Thanks to Kersti Muul for the news that orcas are headed this way again: Southbound, approaching the mouth of Elliott Bay.
10:41 AM: Kersti reports they’re visible from Constellation Park south of Alki Point.
4:05 PM: Kersti says in comments that they’re off south Vashon now.
3:57 PM: You might have seen TV-helicopter aerials of orcas off south Vashon Island earlier today. Kersti Muul sends word the orcas have emerged from Colvos Passage on the west side of Vashon and are northbound in the Southworth vicinity. So if you want to whale-watch, grab your binoculars and take a look from west-facing West Seattle. Let us know if you see them! (And remember that The Whale Trail has an Orca Talk tonight, as featured in our highlights list.)
4:07 PM: Just talked to Kersti. These are residents, she says, and they’re now moving fast – off the south end of Blake. Closer to the west side of the Sound so you DEFINITELY need binoculars.
Just got word from Donna Sandstrom of The Whale Trail that orcas are in the area again – last reported passing Bainbridge Island’s Eagle Harbor, southbound. She’ll be at Constellation Park south of Alki Point if you are looking for expert guidance in looking for them from shore.
12:30 PM: Thanks for the tips! Jeff Hogan of Killer Whale Tales and Kersti Muul both send word of orcas headed southbound, now coming into view midchannel off Alki. Let us know if you see them!
1:06 PM: As Kersti notes in comments, the orcas in the area include Southern Resident Killer Whales. We aren’t able to go look for them due to unrelated events we have to go cover so sightings appreciated, either here or 206-293-6302 (our text/voice 24/7 hotline) – thank you!
1:13 PM: Among those out watching is Donna Sandstrom from The Whale Trail; she says most reports so far are to the north so keep your eyes (and binoculars) pointed that way.
3 PM: Thanks to Kersti for the updates in comments!
7:55 PM: Added above, a photo by David Hutchinson, who explains that it “shows Maya and Mark Sears on their way out of Elliott Bay to document and observe the Southern Resident Orcas that visited our area today. The yellow pennant flying from the stern of their boat has their NOAA permit number.” Below, you can glimpse them and an orca, captured by photographer Anthony K while he was focused on a rainbow:
Was trying to get a shot of the rainbow when a whale splashed down in the bottom left corner of the frame. @wsferries @komonews @westseattleblog @StormHour pic.twitter.com/KT8BSD6Z30
— anthonyk (@anthonykdrives) November 5, 2018
(Salmon creating a redd in Fauntleroy Creek, photographed by Dennis Hinton)
Planning on visiting Fauntleroy Creek during Saturday afternoon’s “open creek”? Your chance of seeing salmon spawners keeps rising along with the water – creek steward Judy Pickens tells WSB that as of late today, volunteers have counted 12 fish, three times last year’s total. Again, you’re invited to visit 1-4 pm tomorrow – go to the fish-ladder overlook at upper Fauntleroy Way SW and SW Director, and a volunteer will take you down creekside. If the weather gets mega-stormy, they might have to cancel for safety results, so if that happens, check here for an update before 1 pm.
(“Wally,” a 2016 Fauntleroy Creek coho photographed by Mark Ahlness)
With the first spawners spotted in Fauntleroy Creek – as reported here earlier this week – you’re invited to visit, to try to see for yourself. Creek steward Judy Pickens says her fellow volunteers Dennis Hinton and Pete Draughon will staff an “open creek” time this Saturday (November 3), 1-4 pm. While on one hand stormy weather is a boon – Judy says they’re hoping the next wave of rain will “bring in another wave” of fish, as they haven’t seen new arrivals since Tuesday – if it’s too stormy on Saturday, she notes, “we’ll have to cancel as wind could bring down limbs and heavy rain will muddy the water and cause dangerously high flow.” (If that happens, check here for an update.) But in the meantime, you can tentatively plan to visit: “All are welcome and children should come with a parent. People should dress for the weather, including boots or old shoes. Dogs must be on a leash and well behaved.” Come to the fish-ladder viewpoint (SW Director & upper Fauntleroy Way SW, across from the ferry terminal) and a volunteer will invite you down.
“The drumming worked!” So exults Fauntleroy Creek steward Judy Pickens after the first fall sightings of coho salmon in the creek, the day after the annual drumming/singing gathering to ceremonially call them home (WSB coverage here). Whitney Fraser provides the photo and video:
Judy first reported that fellow longtime volunteer Dennis Hinton “had the honor of spotting the first coho spawner of the season … It’s a beautiful female between the two lower bridges, which means unlike last year, we have a spawner in the natural creek upstream of the fish ladder.” Then a “jack” – a male who returned a year earlier than the usual rhythms – was spotted, and then four more. That’s already surpassed last year’s entire total of four. Salmon watch on Fauntleroy Creek will continue into mid-November – or until an entire week has passed with no fish sightings – whichever comes first.
(WSB photos)
While some were cheering for the Boston Red Sox or Los Angeles Dodgers earlier tonight, this group was cheering for the Fauntleroy Creek Coho. No spawner sightings yet this season, but hopes remained high during the annual gathering to drum and sing and welcome them home.
Some of the younger participants wore salmon hats made during last Sunday’s Fauntleroy Fall Festival with the help of creek steward Judy Pickens, whose creekside carport hosted the gathering, providing cover from the showery weather.
This year added some fish jokes (example: Why don’t fish play basketball? They’re afraid of the net). But caring for the creek is serious business. Hundreds of students visit every spring to release fish they’ve raised via the Salmon in the Schools program, with which Judy and husband Phil Sweetland are also closely involved. (See its newest annual report here [PDF].)
Judy promises updates as always if and when spawners are sighted. You can peek at the creek from the public fish-ladder overlook at Fauntleroy/Director – across from the ferry dock – any time.
(WSB archive photo)
Fauntleroy Creek steward Judy Pickens tells WSB that this year’s gathering to call the salmon home won’t just be drumming and singing – you’re invited to bring your fish jokes, too. It’s generally a short but memorable gathering, all ages welcome (if your kid[s] made salmon hats at last Sunday’s Fauntleroy Fall Festival, those are extra-festive), 5 pm Sunday (October 28th) at the fish ladder at Director/Fauntleroy – upslope and across the street from the ferry dock (map).
Thanks to “Diver Laura” James for sharing her newest 360-degree view video from Cove 2 off Seacrest, recorded last night. “Complete with Giant Pacific Octopus!” she notes, adding, for gear aficionados, “Testing out the newest consumer 360 camera. Camera and housing for under $500 and depth rating to 30m / 60 min :). Amazing how fast technology is moving in this space.” If you haven’t viewed 360-degree video online before, you should be able to grab it and pull it around to look up, under, back, forth, etc. (If you can’t, try going directly to YouTube.)
(WSB photo from November 2014)
Again this fall, Puget Soundkeeper is hoping for help with its salmon survey. There’s an orientation tonight (Wednesday) for potential volunteers. Here’s the announcement, including how to RSVP:
Puget Soundkeeper is searching for dedicated volunteers to survey the Coho salmon that return to Longfellow Creek in West Seattle.
During the salmon run each fall, a population of Coho salmon enters the Duwamish River from Elliott Bay, and then swims up Longfellow Creek to spawn. As Coho migrate through urbanized waterways like Longfellow, they encounter a chemical cocktail of toxic runoff from roadways and other paved surfaces. These chemicals severely disorient adult Coho and result in “pre-spawn mortality” in many individuals, meaning the salmon die before reproducing. Previous surveys conducted by the City of Seattle and NOAA on Longfellow Creek have found pre-spawn mortality rates of up to 90% amongst females, an alarmingly high statistic. Examining the number of salmon that return to Longfellow Creek every year and documenting the pre-spawn mortality rate are great indicators of the health of our local waterways. Data gathered from these surveys shared with NOAA, the City of Seattle, Department of Fish and Wildlife and King County.
Volunteers will attend an orientation meeting (tonight) Wednesday, October 10th from 6:30-8:30 pm in West Seattle.
Requirements:
· The nature of this work is geared toward adults only.
· Surveying is a weekly commitment that takes approximately 1 hour to complete. The salmon run begins in mid-October and finishes mid-December, during which there will be a survey every day. Volunteers will be divided into teams of 2-3 people and assigned a weekday to conduct their survey.
· We’re looking for adventurous volunteers! Surveying requires handling fish carcasses found in the creek (with gloves) and dissecting the female salmon to check for eggs.
· Volunteers should be in good physical condition. Surveying in Longfellow Creek requires climbing up and down steep muddy embankments and wading through shallow water on uneven terrain.
· Surveying is conducted in varying weather conditions. If conditions are dangerous (e.g. a downpour), we will cancel on that day. Otherwise, we survey rain or shine.
· Volunteers will be provided with surveying kits and waders (unless you have your own pair). Data collected during the survey will be uploaded by the volunteers into Puget Soundkeeper’s database.
Salmon surveys are a great way to observe one of nature’s most amazing migrations and experience scientific field work. The data we collect from these surveys help us understand the effects of toxic runoff on one of the Pacific Northwest’s most iconic species and determine the best methods to protect them in the future!
RSVP here: pugetsoundkeeper.org/event/salmon-monitoring-at-longfellow-creek-west-seattle
Contact Morgan (morgan@pugetsoundkeeper.org) with additional questions.
Morgan can tell you where to be for tonight’s orientation, too!
After about a week, a dead California sea lion that had been on the beach at Jack Block Park is gone. David Hutchinson of Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network shares the photo and explains its disposition:
Friday, a team from the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (Marine Mammal Investigations) and SR3 (Sealife Response, Rehabilitation & Research), in cooperation with the Port of Seattle, removed an 8-foot long California sea lion carcass from the public beach at Jack Block Park. Seal Sitters coordinated this response, monitoring the carcass’s condition and location until a permit to tow and sink could be obtained through NOAA from the Environmental Protection Agency. Before removal, a necropsy was performed and samples were taken for further analysis. The remains were then towed and sunk at the designated location.
Seal Sitters is a member of NOAA’s West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network. We respond to reports of live or dead marine mammals on the beaches of West Seattle from Brace point through the Duwamish River including Harbor Island. If you spot a marine mammal on our local beaches, please call Seal Sitters’ Hotline at 206-905-7325.
(Southern Resident Killer Whale J19, photographed last month in the North Sound by Kersti Muul)
What can you do to help save the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales from extinction? That’s a topic every time The Whale Trail hosts a gathering – and next one is tomorrow (Tuesday, October 2nd) night:
Tuesday October 2nd, 7:00 – 8:30 — Doors open at 6:30
C & P Coffee Company, 5612 California Ave SW
$5 suggested donation at the door; kids freeCelebrate Orca-tober with The Whale Trail! The SRKW will make their seasonal return to local waters this month. Join us to hear updates on the SRKW, Gov. Inslee’s Task Force, and the road ahead on the The Whale Trail! Bring a dessert to share. Hope to see you there!
Whale Trail executive director Donna Sandstrom is a member of the Task Force, which released its draft report a week ago and is taking comments for another week – read the report here; comments are being taken here.
(2012 WSB photo)
Last year, four salmon spawners were spotted in Fauntleroy Creek. But each fall, hopes run high and anything can happen – it’s only been six years since 274 showed up in 2012. Right now, watershed stewards are seeking more volunteers to help keep watch. Here’s the announcement from Judy Pickens:
Whether or not coho spawners come into Fauntleroy Creek always depends on their having survived saltwater conditions. If they do come in, watchers need to be on duty to document them.
This year’s watch will start October 22 and continue until mid-November or until no more spawners have come in for one week.
Spawners are most likely to be present in the fish-ladder area during the five hours after daytime high tide, so the watch window varies day to day. Using a simple form, volunteers document activity for a half hour. Written details and a brief training session will be provided to new watchers.
Children are welcome with a parent, and teens may watch on their own. For questions and to sign up, email judy_pickens@msn.com or call 206-938-4203.
No guarantees, but we might be lucky and get a glimpse of the Southern Resident Killer Whales tomorrow. As night falls, Kersti Muul tips us, resident orcas are southbound just north of Elliott Bay, in the Discovery Park vicinity. As she points out, this is a bit earlier than the usual SRKW fall return. And it comes the day after the second of two public meetings about their plight. If you see orcas tomorrow (or any other time!) please let us know – our 24/7 hotline, text or voice, is 206-293-6302.
“Diver Laura” James needs some research help. She’s looking into recent sixgill-shark strandings around Puget Sound – at least five confirmed in the past few months, she says. One happened recently near Alki Point Lighthouse, but “the tide came in and washed the carcass away before the scientists could get to it.”
What you see above is the remains of a six-gill found stranded in Sequim with a mesh crab-bait bag clearly visible. Laura says they want to check other strandings for something similar.
So if you happen onto a stranded/dead shark, she requests that you get in contact with her. Even better – take a picture and send it with the location. Better still, grab and freeze a tissue sample. She adds, “I’m also very interested in any old carcasses that might be around, as I can still get a DNA sample from them.” Laura is reachable at info@diverlaura.com.
P.S. Not familiar with six-gills? Laura points us to this:
The photo is from Matt Hedlund: “My wife Meagan and I stumbled onto a pretty low tide at Alki today and it was awesome. Here’s a picture of a baby octopus.” Per our favorite chart, the tide was out to -1.2 feet at midday. Tomorrow just before noon, -0.6 feet, and after that we are headed into the time of year when the minus tides are after dark, until spring.
l
(Southern Resident orca, photographed in 2015 by Gary Jones @ Alki Point)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The plight of the dwindling Southern Resident Killer Whale population is in a brighter spotlight than ever, as action to save them is debated.
Local advocate Donna Sandstrom, executive director of The Whale Trail, will provide an update at tonight’s Southwest District Council meeting (6:30 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle, 4217 SW Oregon).
Last night, her organization started a new season of Orca Talks – opening with an update from Sandstrom, who is also a member of the orca task force set up by Governor Inslee, and moving on to a featured guest’s presentation about a more-abundant, and mysterious, cetacean – the harbor porpoise.
The photo and announcement are from Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network, sent by Lynn Shimamoto:
Seal Sitters’ “Share the Shore” banners are once again hanging along Alki Avenue. The banners were designed several years ago as a Seal Sitters outreach project with the help of a city grant. They are to remind everyone that this is the start of pupping season, when newly weaned harbor seal pups show up on West Seattle beaches. Indeed, we anticipate “Jam,” the still-nursing pup who has been frequently seen with mom ”Pearl,” will soon be weaned and vulnerable as he/she tries to rest and warm up on the beach. Please, if you see a seal: stay back, keep dogs off the beach, and call Seal Sitters at 206-905-SEAL (206-905-7325).
Seal Sitters is part of NOAA’s West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network. We respond to marine mammals dead or alive in West Seattle from Brace Point to the Duwamish River, including Harbor Island.
(Photos by Dr. Cindy Elliser)
Next week – it’s a marine-mammal two-fer as The Whale Trail resumes its series of Orca Talks. At 7 pm Tuesday, September 4th, at C & P Coffee Company (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor), here’s what you’ll see and hear:
Harbor porpoises are one of the most abundant animals in the Salish Sea, yet little is known about them. Pacific Mammal Research is dedicated to understanding more about this poorly understood population, using techniques such as photo-ID surveys and passive acoustic technology. Learn more about this shy and elusive species, and the research that is shedding new light on them.
The speaker, Dr. Cindy Elliser, has conducted marine mammal research for over 15 years. She worked with Dr. Denise Herzing and the Wild Dolphin Project studying Atlantic spotted and bottlenose dolphins in the Bahamas for 10 years before moving to the Pacific Northwest in 2014 and founding Pacific Mammal Research to study marine mammals in the Salish Sea. She also is an adjunct biology/chemistry instructor at Skagit Valley College.
Whale Trail founder Donna Sandstrom will also give an update on Governor Jay Inslee’s Orca Recovery Task Force (of which she is a member) and how you can become involved in protecting the Southern Resident orcas.
Admission is a suggested donation of $5 (kids free) – advance tickets are available here.
Meet Pearl and Jam. David Hutchinson – who photographed them Sunday – reports that Jam was Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network‘s “first new harbor seal pup of the 2018 season,” resting with mom Pearl “on a rock just offshore from one of our local beaches. … If you see them at any of our West Seattle beaches, please keep back, keep people and pets away, and call the Seal Sitters’ Hotline at 206-905-SEAL (7325).” Meantime, he shared this announcement:
SEAL SITTERS’ LAST TRAINING OF THE YEAR – AUGUST 25TH
Seal Sitters is a member of NOAA’s West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network. We are responsible for responding to any marine mammal on West Seattle beaches from Brace Point through the Duwamish River including Harbor Island.
All new volunteers are required to take a 2-hour training session. Our last training of 2018 will be held in the front meeting room at the Alki UCC, 6115 SW Hinds (MAP), on Saturday, August 25th from 10 AM – Noon. This will be followed by a short Q&A opportunity. Topics covered will include: The Marine Mammal Protection Act, life in a harbor seal rookery, what is Seal Sitters’ role in NOAA’s network, information on the most common marine mammals in our local waters, your role as a volunteer in a challenging urban environment. Also discussed will be volunteer opportunities as a hotline operator, first responder, and scheduler.
IF YOU DON’T LIVE IN WEST SEATTLE – While all the different groups operating in Puget Sound are part of NOAA’s Network, each group functions separately and provides its own training. Our training would only qualify you to volunteer within the area mentioned above.
If you plan on attending, an RSVP is required. Please include in your email the full names of everyone who will be attending. If any of these are minors, include their ages. A parent or guardian must accompany all minors to the training and when they are on the beach. Seating is limited, so be sure to register early to reserve your place.
To RSVP: SealSitters.Outreach@msn.com
(Image provided by Seattle Audubon: White-Winged Scoter photographed by Doug Schurman)
We know the WSB readership includes many bird lovers. Seattle Audubon hopes some might be able to help with this:
Are seabirds in Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca increasing or decreasing in numbers? Which species are changing their range? Help us find out.
The Puget Sound Seabird Survey (PSSS) is a community and citizen-science project managed by Seattle Audubon that empowers volunteer birdwatchers to gather valuable data on wintering seabird populations across the southern Salish Sea.
This season we will be expanding the project, yet again, this time north to the Canadian border and the San Juan Islands. We received funding from the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Estuary Program through the Washington Dept. of Fish & Wildlife to add 15-30 new survey sites, develop an oil spill plan and train volunteers on how to react to a spill.
You can contribute to vital seabird science by joining the twelfth season of this exciting project. We are now recruiting enthusiastic and dedicated volunteers to help us monitor the status of our local wintering seabirds. Training on survey methodology will be provided on Tuesday, 17th September at Lincoln Park, with other trainings taking place at 8 additional locations later in September and early October.
The first seabird survey of the season will take place on October 6th, 2018. 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, to conduct a 30-minute survey. But, if determining between Lesser and Greater Scaup is a challenge, we’ll team you up with more knowledgeable surveyors. To help us determine each volunteer’s seabird identification skill level, please take this short, fun seabird ID quiz.
There are five survey sites in the West Seattle area that we need volunteers for, 10 sites in the Seattle area that require more volunteers, and numerous other sites around Puget Sound with spaces.
Learn more at www.seabirdsurvey.org and email Toby Ross, Science Manager tobyr@seattleaudubon.org to take part.
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