Sunday, August 27, 2017

INTO THE WATERSHED AGAIN....NACHES PEAK LOOP

For those of my readers that think I should stick with postings that are related to Puget Sound....I apologize, but occasionally when things are a bit slow in the marine news area I'm tempted to post something from the mountains.  Well, it's part of the Puget Sound watershed so it sort of fits the blog title.  
Last week was another hike on the Naches Peak Loop trail....one I find myself doing often due to a couple of factors.  First it is a beautiful hike with outstanding views of Mt. Rainier.  Second is it mostly a traffic free drive (this is extremely important if traffic nightmare Seattle area).  Third it is an easy day hike with lots of different habitats including two ponds. And lastly it is relatively uncrowded for a summer hike in Mt. Rainier NP.  All that said last Friday's hike was unusual in the abundance of wildlife....as you may notice from the images below.  

Male Black Bear

Male Black Bear

Black Bear


Cascade Frog

Cascade Frog

Cascade Frog tadpole

Cat Face snow patch on Tatoosh Range

Chipmonk

Cricket on Anemone

Ground Squirrel 

Long-toed Salamander

Black Bear

Noelle with Gray Jays

Sooty Grouse female

Sooty Grouse female

Sooty Grouse juv.

Tiger Beetle

Tuesday, August 22, 2017

SOLAR ECLIPSE AUGUST 21 2017

It was good planning for Mother Nature to place the path of totality across the high Oregon desert in August when it almost never is cloudy.....however there is often a haze in the air due to forest fires. That was the situation in the weeks before the eclipse date but the wind changed direction and moved the smoke out of the area.  We headed down from Seattle to Warm Spring OR on the 19th and had very little road traffic to deal with....the same held true for the trip home after the eclipse.  I feel very lucky as many people were caught in massive traffic jams both coming and going.  Thanks to friends we had a place to stay 50 north of the path of totality.

The images below will hopefully give you an idea of what we experienced.....my advice..never miss a chance to see a Total Eclipse of the Sun.


Viewing spot for eclipse at Warm Springs Kah-nee-ta

Totality

Partial beginning








Instant that totality was over




















Monday, August 7, 2017

FIRST HARBOR SEAL PUP OF 2017 SEASON AT LINCOLN PARK

The first Harbor Seal pup of the 2017 season rested on the beach at Lincoln Park on Sunday August 6th.  The pup "Beethoven" may have been recently weaned (weaning is 4-6 weeks after birth and pup in on its own after that).  Beethoven chose a very busy spot to rest...very close to the walking/biking bath along the shoreline.  Beethoven appears to be a little thin so hopefully will fatten up on bait fish in the area.  Pink Salmon are also around but Beethoven likely is not very good at catching that kind of meal....later.
Beethoven was spotted on the beach about 3:30pm and returned to the water around 8pm.  Please give all resting seals a wide berth..100 yards if possible as they require about 12 hours of rest per 24.  Loss of resting time for seal pups can greatly increase the chances that they will not survive the first year of life.
Seal Sitters monitors pups on the beach to ensure they have the best chance to rest.  If you see a seal on the beach in West Seattle please contact Seal Sitters at 206-905-SEAL. 


Beethoven's choppers



A very smoky day in Seattle

Smoke produces orange sun