West Seattle, Washington
05 Tuesday
Cool falcon sighting, with photo, here – and it’s apparently related to the bird-watching trip mentioned in this article.
The Fauntleroy Community Association website has posted a short video clip from the recent Fauntleroy Creek coho return – follow the link from the fauntleroy.net home page. And there’s new information beyond what’s posted with that video — we visited the fish-ladder overlook (across the street and up the bluffside staircase from the ferry dock) over the weekend and saw a note headlined “IT’S A WRAP,” indicating creek-watchers believe this year’s return is over — but they did count more than 90 fish during the week-long return, compared to none last year and 46 in ’05. Next step, according to that note – watching for fry in February.
Three notable articles from the P-I this morning: #1, apparent townhome glut; #2, definite rat glut; #3, on the 36th anniversary of the legendary DB Cooper hijacking, the second half of this article features someone who claims D.B. Cooper was a transsexual from West Seattle.
New update at fauntleroy.net: Almost 100 spawners counted at Fauntleroy Creek so far!
From WSB contributing photographer Matt Durham: An Eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) packs away the berries from a hawthorn tree at Hiawatha Park in preparation for winter. Eastern gray squirrels were first introduced into Washington in 1925.
(Prints of Matt’s WSB photos and his other work are available through his site, MattDurhamPhotography.com.)
This just in from the Orca Network “sightings” e-mail list (you can sign up here), which usually brings first word of such things, before they turn up on the ON website:
Nov. 21: Orca Network received a call from Amy Carey at 9:45 am, relaying a report from a passenger on the Vashon passenger ferry of a pod of orcas off the north end of Vashon Island heading south at 8:15 am. She found the pod at 9:55 am, between Three Tree Point & Pt. Robinson, Maury Island still heading south. At 10:56 am they were at Pt. Robinson, and she was able to confirm them as J pod. By 11:13 am they had come around Pt. Robinson, moving slowly. A cargo ship, the Greenwich Bridge, blasted right through the pod, after which they did multiple breaches & spy hops. At 11:35 am she said they were still heading south, not quite to Brown’s Pt. At 12:05 pm they were directly off Gold Beach, heading into the Maury Island Reserve.
Catching up with the sites linked from our Other Blogs in WS page — we found a beautiful blue backyard visitor captured on video at A Bad Case of Wanderlust.
Seen on the Alki promenade/boardwalk/whatever’s your preferred term:
By the way, tomorrow’s forecast is looking better, according to the fourth paragraph here.
First, some good news: the Fauntleroy Community Association website has this Fauntleroy Creek update reporting five spawners were spotted heading upstream earlier this week. Meantime, WSB reader Luckie suggests goodnaturedly that there’s probably a “raccoon feast tonight” along Longfellow Creek because of the scene below that she and her family photographed this afternoon “downstream from the fishbone bridge near SW Yancy.”
Just out of the inbox, from Teresa P:
Just wanted to everyone know, the West Seattle coyotes are back!
I live at the end of 44th Ave SW @ Portland and had two young adults on my property Saturday morning. They awoke me by their “talking” to each other which at times can sound very disturbing, almost scary at times. However, it is simply the way they communicate with each other. But in the middle of the night it can sound horrendous!!
Coyotes will usually return to their mating den every winter, however they did not come back last winter. I can’t say I was sad because by that spring, not only did we have two adults, we had three pups playing at the lower portion of my property. As amazing as they are to watch, it is important to remember they are wild and are not to be treated lightly. I have not had any issue with them getting into garbage or coming up to the house, however, my cat is no longer allowed any outside time after sunset or early in the morning. During the day, only when supervised.
There is sometimes a misconception that coyotes will not approach domestic animals or even humans but that is simply not true. If they are hungry and see something they think they can catch or take from your yard, they will.
So be safe!
Here’s a map of the intersection Teresa mentions. Meantime — we have written about West Seattle coyote sightings like these before, and our caveat is, don’t panic – we need to co-exist with these guys (as this excellent Humane Society page notes) – but do be forewarned, as Teresa writes, you need to keep your pets indoors. A good idea in any case, given there are even more serious threats (cars, for example).
We promised you we’d pass along this link when it came up – the Orca Network photos page now is topped with the “official baby picture” of J-43, the orca just born to J-Pod (the whales you’re most likely to see around here right now).
-Two store openings in The Junction today: Craze Clothing in the ex-mortgage space @ the NW corner of California/Oregon (thanks to Keith for the sighting!); Starbucks in the ex-Infinity Espresso space at Jefferson Square.
-Congratulations to a Junction business on its 20th anniversary! Square 1 Books is celebrating with a 20th-anniversary sale through tomorrow.
-Orca fans, be on the lookout again today – We just signed up for the Orca Network e-mail notification list about local sightings (you can sign up here), and not only is there a new photo of the baby orca we mentioned this morning (not linked on the web yet but we’ll put the link here when it is), there’s also word of orca sightings today around Three Tree Point south of West Seattle, and off Maury Island.
-The pirate radio station we mentioned last night seems to be up and playing its promised “warmup music” prior to the FCC media ownership audiocast starting around 4 pm. We heard it (calling itself “Radio 33”) at 93.7 FM.
We talked earlier this week about orca sightings in West Seattle waters; one of the pods you are likely to see around here, J-Pod, just welcomed a new baby, known as J-43, this week. Photo (and other great orca pix) at the Orca Network site.
Just heard from Eva on Alki that a tv report mentioned orcas spotted following a fishing boat along Alki about an hour ago — it’s not on the Orca Network sightings page yet but there’s no question that this is the time of year the orcas follow chum runs into this part of Puget Sound (lots of sightings listed across the water around Vashon and Blake Islands). Let us know if you see any — pix and video appreciated too! 3:20 PM UPDATE: As pointed out in the comments, a tv helicopter has procured orca video (watch it here). And if you want to try listening for underwater orca sound – this is a cool site to check.
5:30 PM UPDATE: Observers say the net is now gone.
ORIGINAL POST FROM EARLIER: Concerned observers say this boat spotted off West Seattle’s northern shores at midday today is believed to be a tribal boat involved with the net they are worried about (as we reported this morning), which could even be a gill net, which they say is “very damaging to wildlife.” They still suspect it’s linked to the Suquamish tribe but say it could be related to the Muckleshoots. Also, they say they have heard from beach patrollers that other nets are in the area — “that there are multiple nets now, including purse seine nets far offshore off Seacrest … These nets are not as lethal to marine life and farther away from pups.” They are again hoping that the tribal fishing crews will pull the nets away from the potential danger zone, or at least monitor them to get quick word if any marine mammals such as seal pups get entangled. They say Suquamish leaders had previously posted a note asking fishing crews NOT to place nets near “known rookeries” (which Alki and “Anchor Park” are), and they are continuing to ask concerned citizens to call the Suquamish at 360/598-3314 to ask questions and express concerns.
For a while, it looked as if the fishing nets vs. seal pups situation from last month might have been resolved. Maybe not. This alert just in from the same folks who sounded the alarm about that:Read More
In celebration of “great vis,” this blogging diver went out at night this week in West Seattle waters and reports seeing not just one Giant Pacific Octopus, but six, “within a 25-yard area.” A photo of one is included (scroll down to the entry dated today).
From West Seattle photojournalist Matt Durham:
Today at approximately 9:45 a.m., a seal pup was rescued next to the Don Armeni Boat Launch. The seal pup was suffering from an injured fin and was not mobile. Two parks department employees, along with a seal rescue group (did not acquire its name), corralled the pup into a large dog crate and transported the seal to a facility where it will receive medical attention.
At this point there is no information linking this seal pup’s injury to the fisherman [from last weekend’s reports] or his net. This cannot be ruled out though. …
Yesterday morning (Wednesday), while I was running, the parks department was at the Don Armeni Boat Launch waiting to assist the removal of an adult seal carcass from the landing. That is four seal casualties in less than two weeks.
One of those seal deaths was reported only at WSB.
The residents who first sounded the alarm about the net fishing vs. seal pups problem off Anchor Park say the fishing crew in question (shown in the photo above, provided by those residents) hasn’t been back since last weekend. Some reports suggested the net might have belonged to the Suquamish Tribe, which is still investigating, so there’s no confirmation at this point who was to blame, nor about the fate of the pups that were photographed. … Also regarding the seals who continue showing up on West Seattle shores, we have heard from Brenda Peterson of the Alki Seal Sitters, who has two things she wants you to know: “With the beautiful weather there is a lot of foot and dog traffic, so we are asking people to please leash their dogs, especially now. Several pups were almost attacked this past weekend by off-leash dogs — the number one predator of seal pups on the beach.” Brenda also says there is a fishing derby off Harbor Ave this weekend and volunteers are needed to keep watch over any seals that may haul out during the tournament; e-mail us if you might be available to help (be sure to include a phone number) and we will forward your contact information to Brenda.
Happening today:
LAST ’07 CHANCE TO RIDE THE WATER TAXI ON A WEEKEND DAY: The regular Elliott Bay Water Taxi weekend sailings ended a few weeks back; today is the second and final Sunday with special sailings geared toward the Seahawks crowd, but you don’t have to show a ticket or wear blue to get on board. The special sailings start at 11 am today and continue through 5:30 pm; can’t find a precise schedule online, so be sure to ask on board about when to catch the boat back. The weekday commute sailings continue for two more weeks.
CALL THE SALMON HOME TO FAUNTLEROY CREEK: With the recent “reach to the beach” work (read more in the new Fauntleroy Community Association newsletter), Fauntleroy Creek is more welcoming than ever for the coho that creek-watchers hope to see return. Everyone’s invited to the creek’s fish-ladder overlook (across the street and up the bank from the ferry dock; here’s a map) to drum and sing and call the salmon home, 5 pm tonight.
A new concern about baby seals in West Seattle waters: Local residents who asked to be anonymous e-mailed us (and other news organizations) with a claim that a net fishing crew strung its nets “right across one of the most popular haul-out beaches for these pups at Anchor Park … (Other) fishermen … reported they have never seen a net attached to these rocks before this year. Several fishermen witnessed the net had drowned three seal pups. … This is a clear violation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. We also have photo documentation of this same fisherman pulling a fourth seal pup out of his net. We cannot tell for sure if this particular pup is dead or alive.” Here’s that photo (we have cropped out what looks to be a partial identifying number on the boat, as we are still doing research to find out more about this claim):
The e-mail goes on to say the nets were removed for a while last week, then returned this past Thursday. The residents believe these nets belong to a tribe, but haven’t been able to figure out which one — because of what they say is a conflict over tribal fishing rights in the area. Whoever it belongs to, they say, they are “respectfully asking … to move this net for the next several weeks away from this very popular haul out beach for the pups.” We have e-mail out to the tribe that these residents think owns the net, to see what they can tell us about the situation, and will also be checking with the local federal authorities who have jurisdiction over marine mammals such as the seal pups. 5:10 PM ADDENDUM: 47 minutes after we published this report, this tv site posted a story about the situation suggesting something had happened today (“9 am Saturday”), although for the record, the photo published with their online story is one of two photos that we received from the concerned residents YESTERDAY (Friday afternoon).
We had the occasion to ask that question this afternoon, unfortunately, after WSB contributor Christopher Boffoli happened onto a dead harbor seal on the rocky shore along Harbor Ave west of Salty’s. None of us were sure who to call. We sent a note to the Seal Sitters volunteers; Christopher called police, who in turn said they would notify the appropriate authorities. He was there quite some time and reports no one ever showed. Click here for the scene photo (taken from a respectful distance); hard to tell the cause of death, since the carcass was disfigured from bloating. RIP, little seal.
| 1 COMMENT