West Seattle, Washington
21 Saturday
Morgan Junction All-Wheels Association – aka MJAWA – says there’s some good news about the plan they’ve long worked on, to include a “skate dot” area in the Morgan Junction Park expansion. (Above is a photo of the expansion area, where grass continues to grow so that it can be opened for interim public use before the addition is built.) MJAWA’s Matthew Lee Johnston and Josh Radick talked with Seattle Parks this week and report that a community meeting is still expected this spring – as mentioned at the last Morgan Community Association meeting – mostly as an update on where the project an design stands. Other points from MJAWA:
*The design is close to being revised and most features from the original plan have been retained, including the All-Wheels Area.
*The play area and hilltop feature have flip flopped in position.
*Skatedot may possibly need to be nudged to the south to accommodate for the Eddy street easement requirements, but they do not anticipate any design changes as a result.
*They need to extend the storm main to the north end of the site per SDOT requirement, but this also does not affect the skatedot.
*Due to the design being mostly unchanged, they should not have to go back through Design Commission. If it did, the schedule could be extended another six months.
*There is currently no need for additional funding.
*Grindline has been added back to the design team to work on integration and any tweaks needed.
In the January update, Parks said construction of the park expansion is expected next year; MJAWA says they were told this week that Parks is finalizing a schedule and budget update. (Regarding the site’s interim use, Parks has said they don’t expect to bring the fences down before “mid-spring.”)
Another closure alert – this time, the Alki playground adjacent to the elementary-school campus. That playground is getting overhauled as part of the school project, and it will close for construction two weeks from today, starting March 25. (See the design concept here.) The Whale Tail playground on the north end of the playfield will remain open. The playground-closure note is part of the latest project newsletter, which also takes a look inside the new building that’ll open this fall – see it here.
(Hiawatha Play Area, as seen when project first surfaced in 2019)
As reported here a month ago, the Hiawatha Play Area moving-and-renovating project has gone out to bid; now that the community center has reopened, the playground project is in the spotlight. Tomorrow (Wednesday, March 4) is the deadline for interested contractors to submit bids. The contract is estimated at $600,000 to $700,000, according to this brief description on the city’s bid site:
Project Description: This project relocates and replaces the play area at Hiawatha Playfield. Additives are Accessible Asphalt Paving, Site Furnishings, and Play Equipment; and Alternate is Synthetic Safety Surfacing and We-Go-Round.
Engineer’s Estimate: $574,916, Additive#1: $16,729, Additive#2: $15,700, Additive#3: $13,077, Alternate#4: $118,617.
Seattle Parks says it expects construction to start in “late summer/early fall.” The play area will move to a site south of the wading pool, as shown when the design was finalized five-plus years ago.
Today’s the first day you can sign up for Seattle Parks and Rec programs announced inn the spring brochures. Here’s the main brochure; here’s the brochure for Lifelong programs (focused on people 50+). This includes child care and sports programs.
3:43 PM: Just in case you visit the park by newly reopened Hiawatha Community Center and wonder about the yellow tape around one of the porta-potties on the wading-pool side – it was damaged by fire about an hour and a half ago. SFD was gone by the time we got there, but at one point they were asking for police to take “witness statements,” according to a dispatch; no police incident logged, though, so we’re asking SFD about the cause.
6:14 PM: They’re only saying that the cause “is under investigation.”
(WSB photo by Dave Gershgorn, Saturday)
Though the “grand reopening” was celebrated Saturday (WSB coverage here), today is the first official day for Hiawatha Community Center (2700 California SW) public use. Tot Gym is just wrapping up, and the fitness room remains open until 2 pm. It’s on a limited schedule for two “Welcome Back” weeks until March 6, then expands a bit for the rest of spring, to include some sports – you can see that schedule here.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The first enthusiastic users of Hiawatha Community Center this morning, once the ribbon was cut and the doors were open, were the youngest ones.
Hiawatha’s downstairs gym quickly filled with toddlers and preschoolers zooming around.
(WSB photos from here by Dave Gershgorn)
Among them, Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson‘s daughter Josie, who accompanied her mom for a brief speech pre-ribboncutting, in which Wilson declared community centers to be far more than “just amenities”:
She also hailed the conversion of Hiawatha to all-electric: “Our oldest community center is leading the way on our energy future.” As you also saw in that clip, the mayor was followed by District 1 City Councilmember Rob Saka, who (accompanied by daughter Maeve) noted the “who’s who of West Seattle” present for the reopening, and acknowledged the community advocates who pushed the city steadily to make sure the work to strengthen and renovate the 115-year-old center got done.
(Wilson and Saka with former Mayor Greg Nickels, longtime Hiawatha advocate Sharon Nickels, and Maeve Saka)
The center closed in 2020 for the pandemic and then stayed closed because the work seemed imminent, but – as we chronicled here many times – was not. A variety of delays dragged the closure out to almost six years; the eventual price tag, more than $7 million. In her speech today, interim Seattle Parks superintendent Michele Finnegan apologized:
But then, as DJ George Yasutake spun party music like Kool & The Gang’s “Celebration,” it was time to hand ribboncutting scissors to both dignitaries and young community members:
Here’s our clip of the snip:
The party inside included a spread catered by West Seattle’s own Husky Deli:
Parks and Rec swag, too:
If you didn’t get to the celebration, here’s the plan for Hiawatha in the weeks ahead:
Through March 6, there’s drop-in programming –
*Tot Gym 10 am to noon Mondays and Wednesdays
*Fitness Room 10 am-2 pm Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays (18 and over)
*Open Gym 2 pm-6 pm Tuesdays and Thursday, 10 am-2 pm Fridays (18 and over)
After that and continuing into June, programming expands to add badminton, pickleball, and basketball (adults except for basketball, which also will be offered for youth) – see the schedule on the center webpage.
Even the signage on California SW got a refresh before Hiawatha Community Center‘s grand reopening tomorrow. The Seattle Parks “rainbow sign” might look similar to its predecessor, but the lettering style is different these days. One sign that’s not getting a refresh or replacement is this marquee-style sign that had stood on a pole nearby; a commenter noticed its absence and pulled this image from Google Maps Street View (showing the old rainbow sign, too):
We asked Parks spokesperson Karen O’Connor about it; she replied, “The green sign near California was removed as it was in disrepair.” In addition to the rainbow-sign replacement, she said, Parks crews planned to “prun(e) the bushes back to improve visibility of that sign before the opening.” All are welcome at tomorrow’s celebration, starting at 10 am. The center is just north of West Seattle High School, at 2700 California SW, and has been closed since 2020.
Two community-center notes tonight:
(Photo taken through the construction fencing)
ALKI COMMUNITY CENTER’S FUTURE: Chad asked about whether Alki CC will reinstate any recreational programming once it reopens along with the adjacent school; it’s been child-care-only for a few years now but previously had more-typical programming. We’ve reported before that Seattle Parks has declared it to be permanently child-care-only, but we asked again, Spokesperson Karen O’Connor replied with a reiteration that it is, and will continue to be, child-care-only. The center will reopen in fall, as a site for Seattle Preschool Program classes (applications for 2026-27 SPP open March 16) and after-school care, she added.
NEW CITYWIDE BROCHURE: Meantime, the community centers that are continuing – or resuming, in the case of Hiawatha CC – recreational programming have listed spring offerings in the newest combined brochure. See it here now and get ready for registration – for programs that require it – starting March 3.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Far beneath the bark chips, the reason for Thursday’s Roxhill Bog celebration is literally dug in and doing its job.
It’s a vinyl barrier, about 300 feet long, installed last fall as a test, to see if it could help keep water in the part of the historic peat wetland, which has been a source of concern over the years as it’s run dry. Now, the simple sight of standing water thrills those who’ve worked on the problem for years. Through a tangle of branches, here’s what we saw Monday on the south side of Roxhill Park:
This water is evidence the test barrier is working. And the rain that fell Monday brought more water to the wetland, while dousing us during a mini-tour with Sharon Leishman of the Duwamish Alive Coalition and Danielle Devier of Seattle Parks. They were two of the key participants in a 2021 online meeting we covered laying out the plan for “fixing the bathtub via blocking groundwater from leaving it, with a barrier – not just to save the bog, but to save the park, where trails and bridges have been sinking as the bog dries out.
They explained how the vinyl barrier was deemed to be the least damaging way to block it – they wouldn’t have to tear up so much of the bog in the process. Leishman stressed the collaboration that led to the plan, including Natural Systems Design and the Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association, which has been organizing volunteer restoration-work parties in the park – look closely at this photo and you’ll see a tiny starter clump of grass planted during one of those events:
Bog restoration projects are more common outside the U.S., we learned during the mini-tour, and they also serve an educational purpose – to teach people about peat’s role in carbon sequestration. All the harvesting of peat that’s sold or gardens is releasing a lot of it. So what’s happening at Roxhill Bog is just a start – more of the bog could be restored, and an outdoor education lab could follow, for example. Past surveys have shown area residents have an intense interest in access to more natural areas, and they hope to see some of them at the celebration Thursday, 10:30 am to noon, which will include art, speakers, and most importantly, guided bog tours so you can see and hear about all this firsthand,
(WSB photo, Hiawatha today)
One week until Hiawatha Community Center‘s grand reopening after a closure that’s lasted almost six years. In addition to the post-reopening programming we mentioned Friday, we have two more notes:
-The office of Mayor Katie Wilson says she plans to attend the 10 am reopening celebration next Saturday. This will be her first major public appearance in West Seattle since taking office.
–Seattle Parks has launched a survey to ask what programming you want to see as Hiawatha gradually reopens fully. You can answer it here.
One week from tomorrow, Hiawatha Community Center will officially reopen to the public after almost six years. Last night a commenter asked about the programming that would be offered at Hiawatha once it’s open, and we noticed it’s now on the center’s website, so in case you were wondering too and hadn’t seen it, we’re mentioning it – go here and click the Winter Welcome Back and/or Spring links on the left. The first schedule includes Tot Gym, Open Gym, and Fitness Room drop-in schedules; the second one also includes sports – basketball, volleyball, and pickleball. At the February 21 grand-reopening event (10 am-noon), you’ll be able to tour the historic center to see the work that’s been done – seismic stabilization, electrification, and more.
Almost two months after the February 21 date emerged for Hiawatha Community Center‘s grand reopening, Seattle Parks finally announced details today.
The event is set for 10 am to noon that day (one week from this Saturday), and will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony, hot beverages, tours, and a “free tot activity.” The center’s been closed almost six years, first for the pandemic, then kept closed when there was anticipation its stabilization project was on the brink of starting – which it turned out not to be. A chunk of the closure was blamed on a wait for federal grant money. The scope of the project later expanded to add elements that will make Hiawatha the city’s first fully electrified community center; total price tag cited by the city, $7.5 million. That’s almost twice what was cited when it went out to bid two years ago.
Training starts next month for the next group of prospective volunteer SUN Nature Guides! Here’s the announcement sent to us to share with you:
Seattle Parks and Recreation Environmental Engagement Unit invites you to join our 2026 cohort of Seattle Urban Nature Guides. This award-winning volunteer group bridges the gap between people and the natural world within our city’s parklands.
As a Seattle Urban Nature Guide, you become part of a dedicated community working to ensure that every person can access meaningful experiences in nature. You’ll receive training in environmental-education techniques and equity practices, while learning to connect authentically with diverse audiences of all ages. Each program is an opportunity to create moments of wonder that can shape environmental consciousness for a lifetime.
What You’ll Gain:
-Professional development in communication, public speaking, teamwork, and teaching techniques
-Free, comprehensive training on environmental education techniques and equity concepts to connect with a wide variety of audiences
-Hands-on experience leading programs in a variety of settings from playgrounds to beaches
-Flexibility to choose shifts that work with your schedule
-Community with fellow volunteers and dedicated city staff
-Training begins March 2026. Attendance at all sessions is required. Before applying, please review the complete position description to ensure this opportunity aligns with your goals and availability.For questions about the program, training, or application process, contact PKSNatureFieldTrips@seattle.gov
Don Armeni Boat Ramp often sees groups gather to show off cars – but what’s under way at the park right now appears to be more official than most: the 24th annual 020202 Show and Swap with owners of BMW 2002s (that’s the model, not the year).
Thanks to Ian for the tip, photos, and even this link about the show, which is set to continue until 2 pm.
(2019 photo, old Hiawatha play area)
While Hiawatha Community Center‘s stabilization/renovation project nears its end, five years after the center closed, another nearby project is just about to start – the overhaul of the Hiawatha play area. Parks has just told a longtime project watchdog that the play-area work will finally go out to bid next week, with the bid notice scheduled to be made public on Wednesday (February 11) and bids to be opened in early March. This project also has been in the works for 6+ years. As we reported a year ago, the most-recent delay was blamed on stormwater regulations (which you might recall also have been blamed for holdups in the Morgan Junction Park Addition project).
(Photo courtesy Seattle Parks)
Though the fire-gutted lodge will be closed for years, the rest of Camp Long still rocks – including its climbing area! That’s the message park staff asked us to share with you tonight, along with words of thanks, plus volunteering and even job opportunities:
Thank you all for your patience and support as we have navigated through the tragic fire that destroyed our beloved lodge a little over a year ago (November 2024). We wanted to first acknowledge that it has been a tough year for us and the community who are used to gathering and using that space and share some updates on both the lodge and the park itself.
(WSB file photo, June 2025)
For those who have not seen the sign on the corner of the fence around the lodge for details about the project, we wanted to reiterate that all construction work being done on the lodge right now is to stabilize the building to prevent further damage in the hopes of full restoration in the future. The current work should be wrapped up in the next few weeks to months. In the long-term future, we are looking at cost estimates and preliminary design planning for what restoration would look like but as of right now the earliest that could start is sometime in the 2030s. We understand that this is a long timeline, but it is a very old and unique building that requires special considerations in construction, which adds to the costs associated with that.
In the meantime, we did want to emphasize that the park is open during its regularly scheduled hours (Tuesday through Saturday 10 am – 6 pm in the winter, and it will be open on Sundays as well again after March 1st). We have plenty of other rental opportunities for you to enjoy at this amazing park, including our shelters, the large central fire ring at the south end of the field and our very special and unique (albeit rustic) cabins! We limit some of the cabin availability in the wintertime due to the lack of heat but feel free to contact us if you are brave enough to stay in the chilly, though quieter, winter months here!
In addition to our rentals, we are still actively running our challenge course and rock-climbing programming at the park! We had a very busy 2025 and are already booking out for spring and summer of 2026, so if you want to bring a group out to any one of our 4 different challenge course experiences and/or rock-climbing programs, please reach out to us. We specialize in working with educational and youth groups but are open to all types. Our first big event of the year, Mountain Fest, is already scheduled for June 13th, so add it to your calendar! In addition, if anyone is interested in working as part-time temps, taking groups out on our Challenge Course, we are currently hiring and about to enter our training season! See the job description and application linked here for more details.
Lastly, a big update we have is that our staff will be able to be onsite more soon as we are establishing a temporary office trailer in front of the lodge for on-site operations. This will help us run more programming, smooth out our rental processes and bring the staff who love this park around on a more regular basis. This building will not be open to the public, but this just serves as an announcement as it will be a big change happening right in front of the lodge. For ongoing Camp Long announcements check our bulletin board in the parking area or our Facebook page.
Once again, thank you all for your support and we will continue to update you all as more develops on any of these projects. As we gear up for this next year, we are hoping to have many more opportunities for folks to get involved in the park. These will range from opening more positions on our Camp Long Advisory Council that meets monthly to plan and put on some of our large events; to some trail work parties; to volunteering as part of the Camp Long Climbing Corps to support Rock Climbing programs at Schurman Rock. So, if you are interested in doing more to support the park take a minute to fill out this form to let us know what you are interested in!
Thanks again to all for supporting this unique and special park!
Camp Long Staff
If you’re familiar with the layout of the lot at Don Armeni Boat Ramp, you’ll notice something missing in the photo above: The long hedge that has long filled the median between the park’s northwest road and a row of parking. Stewart L. sent the photo, wondering why Seattle Parks had to remove that much foliage. He emailed us on Friday, we inquired with Parks, and got this reply today:
The hedge at Don Armeni Boat Ramp was removed as part of a long-planned project for several reasons:
Updated landscaping practices: Moving away from hedges to more natural, low-maintenance plantings that improve visibility and allow for greater plant variety.
Environmental concerns: Hedges often collect litter and debris, which is difficult to clean.
Safety improvements: Hedges created blind spots for vehicles and spaces for people to hide.
Plant management: The laurel hedge had invasive species like English Ivy and Himalayan blackberry growing within it, and the irrigation system was damaged and inaccessible for repair.
The new landscape will feature native, salt- and heat-tolerant plants, driftwood, and rocks, similar to other areas along Alki Ave. Public feedback on the removal to our grounds crews has been overwhelmingly positive.
We’ll keep an eye out for the replacement landscape, but also have to admit a bit of sadness because of an unmentioned part of the hedge that’s now gone too – the Darwin’s barberry bushes (considered invasive Down Under but uncommon up here) that bloomed vividly orange every spring.
(WSB photo, 2021)
A recent walk in Jack Block Park (2130 Harbor Avenue SW) inspired a reader to ask when its long-closed pier will be rebuilt as promised. It’s been closed for safety concerns for more than five years; our last followup was two years ago, at which time some money had been budgeted, and design was supposed to start before the end of 2024. But the project has not proceeded much if at all since then. This is in a Port of Seattle park; the Northwest Seaport Alliance – comprising the cargo ports of Seattle and Tacoma – is funding it, so NWSA spokesperson Melanie Stambaugh Babst responded to our inquiry about timeline, design, and $ status. She says construction is still at least two and a half years away:
The Jack Block Pier replacement is early in the design phase, so we do not have any design drawings to share yet. The current estimated project cost is between $10 – $14 million and our project team is exploring some design opportunities that account for this range. At this time, the estimated construction start is Q4 2028.
Funding for the pier and plaza repairs will come from the NWSA, but there are additional scope elements that will be funded by Port of Seattle.
The damage that ultimately led to the long-range closure was attributed to a vessel hitting the pier, though it’s never been disclosed which vessel did it, when, and how.
Seattle Parks has just announced that it’s planning to update two West Seattle park projects at the January HPAC community meeting, one week from tonight. Here’s the announcement:
Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) invites community members to share input on two upcoming local park improvement projects at the Highland Park Action Coalition January meeting. Please join us on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. at the Delridge Branch Library Meeting Room, 5423 Delridge Way SW.
At this meeting, attendees will learn about proposed improvements for Westcrest Park South Restroom Renovation and the Southwest Teen Life Center Play Area Renovation. SPR staff will share early concept design options and gather feedback to help ensure these spaces reflect community needs and priorities.
The Westcrest Park South project proposes replacing a closed restroom with a new, accessible facility to better serve park visitors. Additionally, the project will address the footprint of the former south play area. The previous structure and equipment from this play area were relocated to the new play area on the reservoir lid in 2013, but the old play area footprint remains and was never fully restored or removed. Please visit SPR engagement page to take a short survey that will inform the improvements!
The Southwest Teen Life Center Play Area project will replace existing play equipment and make accessibility improvements, with new play structures and seating designed for children of all abilities, ages 2 to 12. At the meeting we will review the concept designs. Please visit SPR project enagement page to take a short survey that will inform the play area renovation!
All community members are encouraged to participate. This is an opportunity to meet the SPR project team, ask questions, and help shape the future of these neighborhood spaces. Short online surveys will also be available for those who would like to provide additional input.
For more information, please visit the Seattle Parks and Recreation project pages for Westcrest Park South Restroom Renovation and Southwest Teen Life Center Play Area Renovation.
The previous feedback opportunity for the play area was more than a year ago; we haven’t previously reported on the restroom project. Meantime, we’ll update the rest of HPAC’s agenda for next Wednesday when we get it.
In the early weeks of Mayor Katie Wilson‘s administration, she’s rolled out announcements of multiple department-head changes, as usually happens when a new mayor takes over. The latest group, announced today, include leadership changes for both Parks and Recreation and Neighborhoods. For the. Parks change, the announcement is brief:
AP Diaz will be leaving as director, and Michele Finnegan will serve as Interim Director.
Former Mayor Bruce Harrell hired Diaz from Los Angeles in fall 2022. Finnegan was promoted last year to senior deputy superintendent.
As for Neighborhoods, that part of the announcement has more details:
The Department of Neighborhoods is dedicated to help neighbors connect, build strong communities, improve their quality of live, and engage with city government. Jenifer Chao will be leaving the Department of Neighborhoods, and Sam Read will fill her role until Quynh Pham becomes Acting Director.
Quyhn is currently the Executive Director of Friends of Little Saigon (FLS), a community development organization dedicated to preserving and enhancing Little Saigon’s cultural, economic, and historical vitality. Her 14 years of nonprofit development experience have shaped local policy, advanced opportunities for Southeast Asian artists and cultural practitioners, and increased investments in BIPOC initiatives around equitable development and small business resiliency. She is also the mother of two toddlers, who continue to fuel her drive to ensure they grow up in a culturally rich, accessible, and diverse community.
Other new department leaders announced include Andréa Akita at the Office of Housing, Amy Nguyen at the Office of Arts and Culture, Beto Yarce at the Office of Economic Development, and Lylianna Allala at the Office of Sustainability and the Environment. For full details on today’s announcements, here’s the official news release.
Volunteers of all ages were out working to improve the community as part of the MLK Day of Service during the Monday holiday. Thanks to Friends of Lincoln Park forest steward Lisa McGinty for sharing a report and photos from the event she coordinated with students:
65 mostly West Seattle High School students (and a few from Madison MS) showed up on their day off from school to honor MLK Jr’s legacy and care for the land and each other.
This is the 6th annual MLK Day of Service event that is student-led by members of the WSHS Earth Club.
We were treated to a lovely, sunny morning in the park while students removed blackberry, holly and planted native trees. Their efforts were impressive and will do a lot to make space for native plants to thrive in our urban forests.
Thanks to all the youth who came out to join community and advocate for equitable green spaces in Seattle.
You can help out in Lincoln Park too – check here for upcoming volunteer events.
(Photos courtesy Kersti Muul)
5:08 PM SUNDAY: Bald Eagles are not an uncommon sight in West Seattle. But what two eagles did this afternoon at Lincoln Park was unusual enough to get extra attention from bystanders – and ultimately wildlife experts. We heard from callers/texters shortly after 1 pm, saying two eagles were “stuck together” on the ground after some sort of airborne confrontation. Onlookers were worried the eagles would not be able to untangle themselves from each other; it appeared that one had its talons in the other’s eye. The people we heard from were trying to contact everyone they could think of who might be able to help. Those who responded included Kersti Muul (who’s been involved with other eagle interventions), as well as officers from state wildlife and local animal control.
The eagles did manage to untangle themselves. Kersti says one was taken to the PAWS rehab center north of Seattle. In general, she says, watching for a while to see if birds can get themselves out of a predicament is prudent – but on the other hand, she notes, “Also being a public park, intervention may have been a good course of action. She suspects what happened was a “territorial dispute,” having noticed a prospective “interloper” in recent days in Gatewood, uphill from the park.
4:06 PM: Kersti told us today that the injured eagle definitely wasn’t one of Lincoln Park’s “resident pair” – she got word they were seen “intact on their usual perch.” Meantime, we hadn’t followed up with the state Department of Fish and Wildlife but received a statement from them about all this – here’s what WDFW spokesperson Chase Gunnell sent, in its entirety:
We saw your article and wanted to make sure you had the following information:
At approximately 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Police received a report of two bald eagles fighting in Lincoln Park in Seattle. One eagle was reported to be injured. Members of the public were attempting to capture the eagle. While a Fish and Wildlife Officer was enroute, a call was received that the injured eagle had been successfully placed in a crate, and a member of public could take the eagle to a local rehabilitation location. The Officer advised the individual to transport the animal to PAWS Wildlife Center and confirmed that the animal had been received by PAWS.
WDFW wildlife biologists believe the eagles were fighting due to a territorial dispute. While dramatic for onlookers, this behavior is fairly common this time of year with the onset of bald eagle mating season (typically late-fall through spring), when bald eagles stake out territories before building nests and laying eggs later in winter through early-spring.
How to report injured eagles
If people encounter an injured bald eagle, please report it to WDFW using the form on our website at https://wdfw.wa.gov/get-involved/report-observations, or by calling 360-902-2936 or emailing WILDCOMM@dfw.wa.gov.
The public can also submit a report to USFWS’ Washington state office or to a local permitted wildlife rehabilitator.
WDFW coordinates closely with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on bald eagles given the federally protected status of this species. Background information on bald eagle management is available on this webpage.
Please do not handle injured wildlife, including eagles
It is natural for people to want to help when they find wildlife in distress, especially in highly visible locations. However, intervening without the proper knowledge, tools, and protective equipment can be dangerous for the animal and for yourself.
The only time you should consider intervening in a wild animal’s life is if it is clearly sick or injured, or if you are certain the parent of a juvenile animal is dead. In those cases, always consult with a permitted wildlife rehabilitator or WDFW before touching or moving an animal for your safety and to avoid unnecessary handling. The wildlife rehabilitator will advise you on next steps.
It is illegal for anyone in Washington without a permit to hold or attempt to care for wildlife. Attempting to care for wildlife without the appropriate skills and experience can make the situation worse. Eagles – and many other birds – are further protected under additional state and federal laws. Handling wildlife without proper personal protective equipment increases the risk of spreading diseases including Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI).
For more information on what to do if you find sick or injured wildlife, visit the WDFW wildlife rehabilitation webpage. You can also find a permitted wildlife rehabilitator near you on WDFW’s website.
If you cannot find a permitted wildlife rehabilitator with the capacity or ability to take in the sick or injured wildlife you found, you may also contact a licensed veterinarian to see if they can help.
More information on wildlife rehabilitators is available in this WDFW blog post.
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