Saturday, January 21, 2017

HARBOR SEAL PUPS ON WEST SEATTLE BEACHES

During the last week Seal Sitters has monitored 2 Harbor Seal pups.  One "Hope" at Alki and the second " Wild Thing" at Lincoln Park.  Both seals had injuries that were determined by the veterinarian to be serious enough to require attention.  Both pups were captured and transported to PAWS for treatment and hopefully rehabilitation.  The first pup "Hope" had multiple injuries that appeared to be puncture wounds and some were abscessed. Hope remains at PAWS and appears
 to be recovering..so we wait with guarded optimism.  Wild Thing was captured and transported to PAWS on 1-21-17 with an infected chest injury.  Wild Thing was very active during capture and hopefully will also be on the road to recovery.  Thanks to all the Seal Sitters volunteers for the many hours spent watching over the pups as well as informing the public as to the natural history of these seals and Seal Sitters mission.
Please remember that these pups need to rest about 50% of the time and need quiet on the resting beaches.  No not approach any marine mammal on the beach...remain 100 yards away if possible and please keep noise levels down.  All dogs should be leashed and are not allowed on Seattle Parks beaches leashed or not.  Seal pups have been killed by dogs on local beaches in the past.  If you see a marine mammal on local Seattle beaches please contact Seal Sitters at 206-905- SEAL.  Seal Sitters responds to reports of all types of marine mammals on the beach, Seals, Sea Lions, Porpoises, Dolphins and Whales.

Images of Wild Thing and Hope

Wild Thing

Wild Thing (chest injury)

Wild Thing

Wild Thing

Wild Thing intervention

Wild Thing Intervention

Wild Thing intervention

Wild Thing Intervention

Wild Thing intervention


Wild Thing intervention

Hope intervention

Hope intervention

Hope intervention


Hope
Hope

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

JANUARY VISITS TO NISQUALLY AND SKAGIT WILDLIFE AREAS

Winter is birding season in Puget Sound...especially in river deltas. Raptors, geese, swans, and other waterfowl become abundant in the delta areas.  Both the Skagit and Nisqually deltas are within 60 miles of Seattle making a day birding trip easy....except for the dreaded I-5 traffic.  Always bring a passenger for the car pool lane..it will lessen the pain.  :)  The image of the Golden Eagle is the first sighting for me in the Skagit in over 50 trips.  Short-eared Owls are common now in the Skagit and being

daytime hunters makes it perfect.  Snow Geese and Trumpeter and Tundra Swans are abundant in winter.


Long-eared Owl

Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier

American Bittern

Northern Harrier Female

Golden Eagle

Golden Eagle

Northern Harrier

Rough-legged Hawk

Rough-legged Hawk

Short-eared Owl

Short-eared Owl

Short-eared Owl

Pissed off Short-eared Owl

Snow Geese

Snow Geese

Snow Geese

Snow Geese

Juv. Snow Geese

Bald Eagles on kill

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Mt. Baker

Red-tailed Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

Trumpeter Swans

American Wigeon 

Great Blue Heron catching vole

Great Blue Heron with vole lunch

Green-winged Teal

Hooded Merganser

Frozen Nisqually backwater

Mt. Rainier

Peregrine Falcon

Ring-billed Gull

Northern Shovelers and Mallard 

Red-tailed Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

Tundra and Trumpeter Swans

Trumpeter Swan