Seems like it’s all about Lincoln Park today – this is the third item in which it’s factored, but undeniably the most pleasant – Gatewood resident Pam from Nerd’s Eye View shares that video from a walk along the LP waterfront. She observed that this is one of those afternoons in which West Seattle is definitely “paradise.” Meantime, Rob and Patricia Shiras shared this photo of an eagle seen near their Seaview home: “We see the eagle almost every day and sometimes just circles above us. The eagle gets chased away by the crows and seagulls.”
(Editor’s note: After this recent WSB report and this recent Magnolia incident, it seemed like a good time to revisit the coyote question – as in, they’re living among us; should you be worried? The University of Washington is working with WSB and other small local news organizations again this semester, and one of their student journalists took on the assignment.)
(July 2008 photo from Vanessa, taken near Lincoln Park) By EMILY FAIRBROOK
University of Washington News Lab
Jilly Eddy, a Gatewood resident, says she got “the heebie-jeebies” earlier this month when she found half a dead cat on her neighbor’s walkway.
All the signs pointed to coyotes, but before researching the topic, she had no idea they lived in her area. In the middle of this thriving city, it’s easy to forget that wild animals live just around the corner, or in some cases closer than that. Raccoons and squirrels are common, but it may come as a surprise that coyotes also call Seattle home.
Eddy’s property is on the edge of a large ravine, a common place for coyotes to live.
(West Seattle Elementary fifth-grader Precious Manning pours coho eggs into an iodine bath to disinfect them before putting them in the school’s aquarium) By Judy Pickens
Special to West Seattle Blog
Volunteers Phil Sweetland and Judy Pickens delivered that many eggs on Jan. 6 to students eager to start the process. The state’s Soos Creek Hatcheryprovided the coho eggs for the Salmon in the Classroom program, which enables students to learn about the development and habitat needs of our Northwest’s iconic fish. The eyed eggs will hatch in just a few days and, if all goes well, robust fry will be ready for release in May.
These fry will join 500 additional ones being raised by volunteer Jack Lawless for preschoolers and others who don’t have their own fish to release (allotted on a first-come basis). Also, monitoring will start soon in the lower creek to see how many “home hatch” resulted from eggs left in November by 18 spawners.
Editor’s note: You can peek at Fauntleroy Creek any time by visiting the overlook across the street (and upslope) from Fauntleroy ferry terminal (map).
Seeing more people than usual in the Alki area with binoculars? Here’s why. Thanks to Maurie for the photo and the explanation:
There are likely to be a lot of birders wandering around alki for the next few days. This morning a Black-billed Magpie (in the corvid/crow family) was seen moving back and forth between 61st and 63rd between Stevens and Alki Beach. This is a bird native to Eastern Washington but extremely rare for Western Washington.
It’s now on my yard list – and that’s one good bird to have on a yard list for Alki!
A happy followup today to the orca sightings that brought many out to the West Seattle shores yesterday afternoon, hoping to glimpse J-Pod passing by … Orca Networksays the researchers who were following the whales for a while spotted a new baby! It’s been designated J47, born to mom J35, and you can see photos on the Orca Network website (scroll down from that photo and you’ll see the five babies born to the “Southern Resident” orcas last year – their population is now up to 88).
E-mail from Orca Network says J-Pod was spotted near Maury Island just before 1 pm, heading slowly north close to the Vashon side of central Puget Sound. The note adds, “NOAA Fisheries is heading out to try to get some fecal & fish scale samples – please let us know if you see the whales so we can help guide the researchers toward the whales – call us at 1-866-ORCANET – thanks!” (And keep us posted so we can share progress here and on Twitter and Facebook.) 2:13 PM: Just got a call they’ve been seen from Three Tree Point (here’s a map; a comment’s come in to that effect, too). Heading down to look from here!
3:32 PM UPDATE: Latest report puts them still south of Fauntleroy.
4:36 PM UPDATE: Whales passing Blake Island right now, still closer to the west side of the Sound.
4:54 PM UPDATE: As they say in sports, “called for darkness” (plus it’s starting to rain). Thanks to Donna from The Whale Trail, who says the view was best when they were off Marine View Drive/Arroyos, for letting us have a peek through her serious-sized binoculars toward the end of our stakeout at Emma Schmitz Viewpoint south of Me-Kwa-Mooks, and thanks to Janette from Seal Sitters for joining us on orca watch too. (Look for some seal pix/news later tonight.) Also thanks to WSB photojournalist Christopher Boffoli, who was also out on orca stakeout too, but they just didn’t get close enough. And thanks to everyone who commented, texted, called, tweeted with info. Next time maybe they’ll be closer to this side!
Been a while since the last coyote sighting. Just got a text that two are currently “roaming backyards” in Gatewood, 3600 block of Webster/Othello (map) – and the tipster says one appeared to have killed a cat (black with white paw) – so if you’re in the area, might be a good idea to round up your pet(s) for a while. (P.S. As shared in the comments, here’s the state’s Living With Wildlife advice regarding coyotes; also, you can browse 2 1/2 years of WSB coyote-sighting coverage, with many photos, by starting here.)
That photo is courtesy of Alki wildlife-watcher (and raft-keeper) Guy Smith, who tells the pre-photo tale:
Alki Point residents saw an eagle swooping down to the water this AM during a sea lion’s breakfast. It actually tried to get the salmon out of the sea lion’s mouth on several passes when the sea lion was slapping the fish around on the surface to kill it; similar to a dog shaking a snake. Eagles sometimes sit in a tall tree on a hill across the street and have a good view of the water, but they’re usually not this aggressive. Didn’t get a shot of the eagle, but the attached photo shows the sea lion downing the salmon.
(No proof one of them was involved, but this is still a good excuse to point you to David Hutchinson‘s fabulous Christmas photo of 2 Alki eagles, if you haven’t seen it already.)
Thanks to David Hutchinson for the photo and the story behind it:
While driving past Alki Point this afternoon, my wife and I noticed a bald eagle perched in the old madrone tree on the summit of the small hill just west of the lighthouse. After watching it for about 20 minutes, we were rewarded by being able to observe the arrival of its mate. After a couple minutes, they both flew off heading in the direction of Duwamish Head.
And thanks to Nick for sharing this photo from along the west-facing West Seattle shore:
He explains, “Saw this intrepid gentleman while at Lowman Beach with the kids.” Thanks to David and Nick for sharing those sights from this spectacular, sunny Christmas Day, and to everyone who’s shared photos, stories, news tips, event announcements, etc., via WSB – where our fifth year has just begun. We’re thrilled to hear from you any time.
ADDED 7:15 PM: As discussed in comments – a closer look at the unique Christmas outfit donned by the boarder, who turned out to be Lowman Beach artist/Ducky Reserve keeper Ron Sterling:
ORCA WATCH: Howard Garrett from the Orca Network – which tracks whale sightings all over Northwest waters (and often beyond) – sent this word last night, suggesting whales might pass us today:
There are a lot of orcas in the south sound tonight, and they may be there tomorrow as well. The last report, from Steve Rees, was in the final glimmer of winter solstice light, at 4:25 pm from Richmond Beach (Gig Harbor), describing 30+ orcas heading north up Colvos Passage. 30+! If anyone sees them, please call Orca Network at 866-ORCANET (672-2638) and call the West Seattle Blog so everyone will know where to look.
(We’re at 206-293-6302 round the clock.) Colvos Passage, by the way, is the channel that runs west of Vashon.
787: One week after the much-cheered first flight of Boeing‘s new Dreamliner, the second one goes up this morning – again planned to leave from Snohomish County’s Paine Field and to arrive just east of West Seattle, at Boeing Field.
BENEFIT CONCERT: 7 pm tonight at Mars Hill/West Seattle, violinist Angela Fuller performs to raise money for the medical expenses of bicyclist Angela Sweet (story here).
LAST-MINUTE HOLIDAY GIVING: As reported here last night, WestSide Baby needs car seats and diapers by tomorrow to meet its holiday goals – details here. And Jill at CAPERS in The Junction shares a photo of their Giving Tree, which is there through Christmas Eve:
Jill explained:
CAPERS is accepting gifts for the Hickman House, transitional housing for women and children surviving domestic violence, until December 24th. Pick up a gift card while you are out shopping and drop it off if you are too busy to pick up a star.
Other donation drives are listed on the West Seattle Holidays page – along with other Christmas-week info and an ever-growing list of New Year’s Eve/Day events – plus look for a couple more lists later today to join the updated holiday restaurant list.
Only one report so far but you know how we are about sharing whale reports, in case you want to keep an eye out: “Cloudbreak” shared e-mail from a friend who e-mailed an hour ago, “OK, a few minutes ago a gray whale cruised by Alki, turned East at the lighthouse.” (Maybe it was this one.) ADDED 11:57 AM: Now a second report, closer to downtown – from Zack:
I’m down at Argosy Cruises and we had a gray whale pass us and head into the east waterway…last view I got was about 10 ago and it was surfacing inbetween the cargo ships. Looks like it’s still heading south.
(Photo by Gary Jones) ORIGINAL 10:31 AM REPORT: Just got a call from orca expert Jeff Hogan – J-Pod is headed along the West Seattle shore – from south of Alki toward Lincoln Park. Closer in than usual, he says. Off to go have a look! 11:45 AM: No luck for your editor here but Gary Jones saw them – adding his photo in a moment. He counted at least three more in addition to the one shown in the photo. We’ve also got a Twitter report from @senorfrijole that they’re now in the Three Tree Point vicinity south of West Seattle (in addition to an 11:40 comment below that they were south of the Vashon ferry dock.) Keep an eye out later – maybe they’ll head back north. (Our past orca coverage, including stories with video and photos, is archived here, newest to oldest.) 12:23 PM: Good info in the comments, including this from “Cloudbreak“:
There are WAY more than 4 whales in this group. I would say more like 10-20. They were in several large groups circling over by Vashon when I was on the 11:30 ferry headed eastbound from Vashon.
Across the Sound from West Seattle, they were spotted in Kitsap waters over the past few days – here’s coverage of that.ADDED 1:17 PM: WSB contributing journalist Mary Sheely photographed a group of whale-watchers at Lincoln Park a bit earlier:
The woman in blue is a particularly well-known whale-watcher: Donna Sandstrom, who’s been working on The Whale Trail (explained in this WSB story from June). Mary, by the way, says they DID see the orcas — too far for a photo, but not too far for binoculars. ADDED 3:49 PM: KIRO TV has put up its helicopter video of the orcas as they swam near Vashon – see it here. 5:16 PM: As the awesome folks at Orca Networknote in comments, please be sure that they get official detailed reports. Let us know fast so we can get the word out to other West Seattleites that the whales are in view again; they work with official whale-trackers for the longterm record. (And if you see orcas OUTSIDE West Seattle waters, let them know too – they track them from all over – be sure to sign up for their newsletter, which is a nightly bulletin usually full of photos and info – orcanetwork.org.)
Authorities responded to a wild call in the 7900 block of Delridge (map) this morning: A goat on the loose. Nothing like that Sunset Avenue roundup last month, though, nor did it require transport to a holding cell: A couple of official city items were turned into makeshift barricades to keep the goat from going on the lam before animal control arrived.
Two things to mention: First, we just checked out a tip about a notable police response in The Junction near the Chase bank branch. An ambulance was called too; turns out, police tell us at the scene, to have been a fight between two people described as transients. Second, just got this note from Courtney at Wallflower Custom Framing (WSB sponsor) across from Jefferson Square:
I thought it might be worth mentioning that I just watched a coyote run down the middle of 42nd Street. It briefly ducked into the parking garage under Jefferson Square and then came out (with a bunch of crows giving chase) and ran north on 42nd toward Alaska Street. I lost sight of it after that, and it all happened faster than I could react to snap a photo. I only mention this for any potential safety issues both for the public and the animal, and also to see if anyone else can confirm the sighting or if I am just sitting here in the frame shop hallucinating…
Alki Point wildlife watcher/writer Guy Smith shares that photo with news of the first brant sighting – just two days after we published his story about the small geese who return to West Seattle waters (and elsewhere in Puget Sound) Thanksgiving week every year (see Guy’s story here). So – just like clockwork, they’re back; Guy photographed these a bit earlier this afternoon.
Have had a few reports in the past few hours of orcas passing southern West Seattle shores as well as Three Tree Point to the south – so it’s another day worth keeping your binoculars handy! (Here’s our Saturday coverage, photo included.) 3:36 PM: Note the comment a few minutes ago from G. Jones (who took yesterday’s great pic): “Just watched a pod of orcas – at least a dozen heading north past Alki Point over nearer to Bainbridge, now probably about due west of West Point.”
(Added 1:53 pm – photo by Gary Jones, orca with Alki Point Lighthouse tip in the foreground) ORIGINAL 10:44 AM REPORT: Just got a text that orcas were spotted off Discovery Park (Magnolia) and heading this way. Off to have a look! 1:23 PM UPDATE: We didn’t see them but we’ve gotten two reports in the last 15 or so minutes that they’re NOW in West Seattle waters – off Alki Point just after 1, then @frewq via Twitter just reported them off Me Kwa Mooks “but not surfacing much.”
Guy Smith of Alki Point has been watching brant geese come and go since he moved there in 1993. His personal observations together with source data from Ducks Unlimited (DU), Washington Brant Foundation, and Audubon field guides have led to the following story. Guy knows that his perspective is weighted toward Alki Point and he apologizes to those readers whose favorite brant watching beaches are not recognized by name in the story.
By Guy Smith
Special to West Seattle Blog
Sometime during the week of Thanksgiving this year, as happens every year, you should see the first of “our” brant geese return from their nesting grounds in the Arctic. Our brant will winter along Beach Drive, Alki Point, and other West Seattle tidelands before leaving again in May.
During the first week of every May, the bulk of the local brant geese population leaves the western shores of Alki bound for their breeding grounds in the Arctic. They travel with other Pacific brant, or black brant, and are nicknamed for their under-bellies which are noticeably darker than those of their Atlantic brant cousins.
These small tidewater geese of about 3 pounds hang around far past the time when you would expect them to leave, with the weather having been warmish for a long spell. But they have always waited this way.
While salmon-watchers along Fauntleroy Creek watch for the next arrival of live fish – the ones who’ve visited so far are doing what come naturally – including dying. But while visiting the creek this morning, we learned from Dave McCoy of Emerald Water Anglers that the one you see above wasn’t a coho after all – but a blackmouth chinook. “Hatchery fish trying to get up here and mix it up with the wild ones,” he explained. We caught up with him, Denny Hinton and Judy Pickens while a class from the Providence Mount St. Vincent Intergenerational Center was getting a lesson about salmon – including the chinook carcass – and then a presentation from Judy (in the background):
Denny and Dave then headed off to check out a report of fish near the creek mouth on Fauntleroy Cove.
(Added Judy in e-mail after we first published this story: “Fauntleroy is a coho creek, so having this type of chinook (king) come in is a first. Instead of migrating to the ocean, blackmouth stay in Puget Sound all year and their black gum line is the reason for their name. This fish was under five pounds – small for the species – and it had no adipose fin, indicating that it originated in a hatchery.” She says the carcass “was returned to the creek where its nutrients will benefit the next generation” and adds an update on this year’s watch: “After several days of no fish, this year’s salmon watchers went home, having documented a total of 18 fish. But more were spotted this morning near the mouth and, with especially high tides through the weekend, spawning season may not be over!”) Great day to be out by the creek, despite the fairly heavy rain – and nearby streets are resembling creeks, like upper Fauntleroy Way north of the salmon overlook:
Hutch sent the photo, wondering if the bird is a peregrine falcon. We couldn’t say for sure from consulting various online sources, so thanks in advance to any of the many expert birdwatchers of West Seattle who might offer an opinion. ADDED 11:18 PM: Rob sent this next photo he took near Schmitz Park a week ago, thinking it’s the same bird and hoping the photo might help with ID:
We have been SO overdue for cute owl photos, ever since the charming saga of Wollet over the summer. And now, our unspoken wish is granted, courtesy of Jonathan French, who says his neighbor northwest of The Junction – proprietor of Better Coops and Gardens – has had this little visitor around all day in her carport workshop … watching her build chicken coops!
(Video added 5:15 pm)
Exactly two weeks after more than 60 people gathered at Fauntleroy Creek to drum and sing in the annual ceremony calling the coho home, creek steward Judy Pickens says the first one’s shown up: “The first pair were sighted at about 1:00 this afternoon and we thought we heard another one coming.” Volunteers are watching the creek in the hours after high tide daily, and were scheduled to do so till late November. Whenever coho are known to be in the creek, the “salmon sock” shown in the photo below will be up on its pole at the creek overlook across Fauntleroy Way (and up the embankment) from the ferry dock.
(WSB photo from Fauntleroy Creek overlook, 10/25/09) ADDED 9:58 PM: The official account from Dennis Hinton:
The first coho spawners to return to Fauntleroy Creek were spotted at 1 pm Sunday by Steve Zarnick and family.
Between 3 and 4 pm Judy, Phil, Patrick and I counted six coho in the creek. All fish were estimated between two and five pounds. The largest was a bright red-sided hooked-nosed male, about five pounds.
Usual window for the coho return over the past 10 years has been between Halloween and Thanksgiving. Recent rains and high tides have probably given the fish the push they need to get up the creek.
More photos from Alki’s Guy Smith, watching the purse seiner Quandary fishing off Alki Point Wednesday morning: First, the seal nicknamed “Squint” keeps an eye out from atop the Joy D. Smith Wildlife Raft – Guy says, “A fair amount of chum were caught as a sea lion patrolled just outside the net.” Next, you have to look really closely, but two Western grebes had a close call with the Quandary’s net when it came up apparently empty:
But Guy reports they managed to make a getaway, “awkwardly clambering over the floats at the last second”:
He adds, “A short while later the Quandary was seen miles north, looking for better fishing. In the afternoon, it returned to Alki Point. The Renaissance made a pass by, but didn’t stay.The seiners seldom stay more than 3 days at Alki Point, so the chum run might be about to end for this year.”
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