West Seattle, Washington
07 Thursday
Those colors on Harbor Ave keep brightening …
The migratory waterfowl are returning; here are scoters spotted off the Fauntleroy ferry dock, first swimming toward the ferry, then ducking when its engines revved…
Also from the dock (and from a distance), a loon!
Thanks to Christy at On Focus Photo for sharing this picture of what she calls “the local bald eagle” keeping watch at Seacrest at sunset tonight:
Received late last night from Brenda Peterson of the Seal Sitters:
    After heroic efforts by Robin, Joanie, Jane, Marci and many others, the seal pup on the boat ramp these past two days was rescued by NOAA and taken off the beach by Animal Control who promptly delivered him to PAWS rehab workers to stabilize her. The plan was to take her to Wolf Hollow rehab in Friday Harbor by a plane donated by someone. But upon examination at PAWS they realized this pup had terrible systemic infections and abscesses throughout her body and would never recover. Mercifully, she was euthanized. But PAWS said we did the right thing to campaign so hard to get her removed from the beach and medical attention because her infections would have meant a long, slow death. This is the second pup in a week we’ve sat over and lost and it is very difficult for us all.
There is consolation in knowing that out of the 30-odd pups we’ve watched over on Alki, we’ve only lost about 4 that we know of and so we’ve helped launch a whole new generation of pups this season. There was also a seal sitter this morning who wondrously witnessed the birth of a pup; and the pup we’ve been watching for the past week is still robust and healthy.
As the rains begin, there will be fewer risks to these resting pups on the beach from people, though dogs off leash are still a big concern. Thanks so much for all of you who have given your energy, time, and compassion to these fellow creatures who share our shores. Somehow I do think the seals realize that Alki Beach is full of good neighbors.
Brenda also attached a Seal Sitters flyer. We’ve uploaded it so you can take a look. Worth your time even just for the photo; click here.
Photographer par excellence Christopher Boffoli wants everyone to know he took these baby-seal pix on Alki with a long lens from the prescribed distance, with Seal Sitters standing guard. We’re envious, since we have been down to the beach several times in the past few days but haven’t managed any in-person seal sightings ourselves …
Christopher also shared some gorgeous shots of the water, the Olympics, the lifting fog … here’s one of them. Truly a lovely afternoon:
Brenda Peterson of the Seal Sitters sent us an update on the seal caught in a dangerous situation before a heroic rescue last night. If you would like to volunteer, e-mail us (please be sure to include your phone #, which will be used for no other purpose than forwarding to Brenda):
The same small pup is back on the beach today and resting now that the audio tape is untangled from his back flipper. We have named this pup Singer, because of the rather poignant audio connection that we are grateful will no longer harm him. He is still underweight, which means he may be getting weaned and just learning to fish for himself. There are a few seal sitters there but we always need more volunteers to send us a note with their phone numbers. Thanks!
Just got an update from Brenda Peterson of the Seal Sitters.
Happy ending for the seal pup on Beach Drive who was tangled up with his back flipper. West Seattle’s own Lien Animal Clinic responded by calling a direct line to Animal Control dispatch who quickly arrived on the scene.
Expertly Animal Control was able to disentangle the pup, only 4 weeks old, from what turned out to be an unraveled cassette tape that had twisted around his back flipper. This could have eventually caused great harm as the plastic might have cut off circulation to that flipper leading to a slow death.
But thanks to the quick response of Lien Animal Clinic and Animal Control, we now have a very healthy, plump pup who can return to his mother without any harm from humans. Thanks to all who helped, including the seal sitters on the scene standing guard.
Just in. If anyone out there can help - the Seal Sitters, and this pup, need help NOW:
We have a pup on the beach at 64th and Beach Dr., S.W. whose back
flipper is tangled in fishing wire. Otherwise the pup seems healthy and plump.
His mother is just offshore, so he is viable and under her care. We need a
volunteer who has some kind of wildlife rehab training who can come out
and using gloves try to disentangle the pup from the fishing wire. Because
it is on his back flipper, it will not be affecting his immediate ability to
fish and forage, but over time it may limit his foraging ability. If anyone
can help out, we seal sitters would be very grateful. Please come to the
beach at 64th and Beach Dr., S.W. Bring wire cutters, padded gloves and be
very careful as there are diseases that go between seals and people.
First, sad news: Seal Sitters organizer Brenda Peterson tells WSB they buried their second pup yesterday, “a newborn, who was very thin, probably only about 4 weeks old.” 
Overall, Brenda says, this has been a “very intense pup season” (photo @ left is from earlier in the season) and they appreciate all the new volunteers who are helping out, including some who came forward after our recent video-enhanced update; if you are interested in volunteering, e-mail WSB your name and phone number, and we will forward it to Brenda (it’s easier for them to make phone calls while keeping watch on the beach). She says there are a few other things the Seal Sitters need:
“We are looking for sponsorship or some Alki Beach businesses to help us out with T-shirts, public education, and training. We would also like to see some very large signs along the beach as there are in Oregon and CA beaches telling the public to stay 100 yards away from the pups as recommended by federal law and the Marine Mammal Protection Act.”
Anybody ready to step up on that count? These little guys and their human protectors need all the help they can get.
The Seal Sitters aren’t just keeping watch at Alki – the baby seals are turning up all over the West Seattle shore. Clifton Leatherwood sent these photos (thank you!) from Luna Park this afternoon — first the blocked-off area, then the little seal resting in the shadow of a driftwood log:
A comprehensive update at Fauntleroy.net tells the tale of the Fauntleroy Creek “Reach to the Beach” project, all finished except revegetation, just south of the ferry dock …
Next step: Awaiting the salmon. According to the Fauntleroy.net writeup, some coho already have been seen off Lincoln Park, so they “are optimistic watchers will have fish to watch” when the annual Salmon Watch begins along Fauntleroy Creek next month. Sign-ups for volunteers are under way now; scroll to the bottom of this Fauntleroy.net page for contact information, and also mark your calendar for 5 pm Sunday, October 21st, when the community will gather at the creek’s fish-ladder viewpoint for drumming to call the salmon home.
We keep trying to catch up with the Seal Sitters who have been keeping watch for weeks to protect the baby harbor seals that turn up to take a break on the beach at Alki. Almost connected after hearing about their 1 pm picnic on Sunday — then rain forced them indoors — but at least our videographer found one of the seals. Adorability awaits:
One WSB reader asked us if the Seal Sitters are on duty 24 hours a day. Seal-sitter organizer Brenda Peterson says they’ve been trying their best to cover most of the clock, as volunteer availability allows. (If you’re interested in volunteering, e-mail us and we’ll forward her your contact info.) Wondering why Seal Sitters are needed? Here’s just one anecdote underscoring the need. You can read more about harbor seals and the laws protecting them here.
First — Bob Bollen sent us this pic of true dogpaddling off Alki today:
Also from the inbox — word that one of the Alki baby seals got tv time today.
Just south of the ferry dock, work has begun in earnest on a project Fauntleroy Creek stewards call “the reach to the beach.” Over the next 2 weeks, with the help of EarthCorps, they are working to transform the last stretch of FC into something more natural. Judy Pickens tells us major work won’t start till tomorrow, but we noticed a definite difference between the view of the beach this afternoon (first photo below) and yesterday (second photo below):
The coho salmon of Fauntleroy Creek need all the help they can get, after a disappointing year; here’s hoping this project does the trick. By the way, the FC fish ladder on the other side of Fauntleroy Way celebrates its 10th anniversary next year!
One is a sound, one involves wildlife, both were sent in by WSB readers wondering if anyone else has experienced something similar, or better yet, has relevant info.Read More
-The saga of Alki seal-sitting is told poetically in the P-I by WS writer Brenda Peterson.
-Also on seal-pup watch, Cathy Woo points out that unleashed dogs can be among their worst enemies.
-The Weekly tries to find new nuggets in the casino-cheating case involving Hizzoner’s son, among others, unearthing details including what’s on the walls in the “pad” where Jake Nickels lived while working at the casino dubbed “the Sack.”
-For everyone in the Short Stop sign discussion who thinks WS needs a little more spice, the Chelan Cafe is the place you will want to be tomorrow night.
-Ending on a G-rated note, tonight is opening night at ArtsWest for the show put on by its Musical Theater Adventures Camp kids — “Schoolhouse Rock Live Jr.” (photo courtesy ArtsWest)
The harbor-seal pup that’s been hanging out on Alki now has its own protection zone, with yellow (crime scene type) tape blocking off a section of beach by the Bathhouse. We caught a photo just before the seal went for a noontime swim, with the help of zoom – since as we all need to remember, it’s important to KEEP YOUR DISTANCE …
Cathy Woo alerts us all to a baby seal spotted at Alki, with the extremely important reminder: LEAVE IT ALONE. As noted in a similar situation last spring.
Another example of how lucky we are to have diverse wildlife on the ground and in the air over West Seattle … WSB reader Luckie e-mailed us photos of woodpeckers she’d never seen around her house before. This one, we recognize as a pileated woodpecker; we see them occasionally, though Northern Flickers are more common. Seems they like ants; we’re plagued by more of those this year, so maybe that explains it.
Reminder for all our fellow bird fans, the West Seattle Birdcam is still going strong; you can check it out any time from our WS “Live” Cams page, and its operators have a photoblog, also accessible any time from our Other Blogs in WS page.
… KEEP YOUR PETS INDOORS! If you don’t, as this article just posted by the P-I reminds us, they are liable to wind up as Coyote Chow. Though as we’ve noted before (last August and last September), coyotes are nowhere near the most lethal threat faced by pets whose owners let them roam free. So just say no to anti-coyote hysteria; find out more about these amazing creatures (including video) at this great site forwarded by Charles Redmond, who reports he saw one strolling 39th SW, heading south from Elmgrove, a couple weeks ago. (WS coyote pix, anyone? Send ’em!)
#1 — Our fly-fishing-blog friends at thee a** hooked whitey (one of the 75-plus blogs linked from our Other Blogs In WS page) report the first much-awaited Pink Salmon has been caught in West Seattle waters.
#2 — Here’s something pink you can catch without a hook or a net (just a checkbook). The famously pink Park Apartments just north of Lincoln Park are up for sale. Less than a million bucks!
So it seems that before The Commute From Hell became hellish yesterday, it got a little wild. Reader e-mail that just came in:
Did anybody see if the smaller possum that was trundling earnestly up
the center lane (right along the cement divider, not in a traffic lane)
of the eastbound West Seattle freeway at about 7:20 yesterday morning
got up and over the bridge?When I saw him/her, the little feet were scurrying right along, and
however I felt about possums, I wanted him to get to safety!
Thanks again to eagle-eyed goat-spotters for letting us know Rent-A-Ruminant (read a recent article about them) is in action along Admiral. Here’s the photographic proof:
-Bald eagles fly off the endangered species list. WS has regular sightings.
-Seattle Public Schools’ race-based tiebreaker, long on hold, is officially dead.
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