Seattle Wildlife Viewing (original) (raw)

Washington Nature WeekendsWildlife Viewing Locations - Greater Seattle Area Excerpted from * Nature in the City, Seattle by Maria Dolan and Kathryn True [with additions by Sunny Walter and local Audubon chapters]

Seattle
Arboretum to the Central District Frink Park (S Jackson and 31st Ave S) 9 wetlands -- songbirds, raptors, towhee, downy woodpecker Best time to go -- spring, summer ; April -- rhododendrons Nora’s Woods (29th Ave and E Columbia St) Native-species park, remnant orchard, fern gully, meadow, forest Sharp-shinned hawk, rock doves, warblers, bushtits, kinglets, flickers, downy woodpeckers Best time to go -- winter, spring Interlaken Park (trail -- 19th and Galer) Giant redwood and other mature trees, salmonberry, ferns Stopping point for migratory birds; male birds flock to park in search of nest sites in Feb. Nesting band-tailed pigeon, downy woodpecker, northern flicker, pileated woodpecker, several warblers, and wrens Western pocket gopher mounds Best time to go -- winter, spring
Queen Anne and Magnolia Queen Anne Boulevard Tour 10th West – Scarlet oaks from Halladay to Newell streets; Eastern gray squirrels gather acorns 8th Ave west between W Fulton and Ray– yellow birches – brilliant yellow in fall Mount Pleasant Cemetery (Queen Anne -- 700 W. Raye St) Birds – nuthatches, varied thrushes, downy woodpeckers, red-breasted sapsuckers – also eagle overhead Linden trees, lots of lichen species Discovery Park Beach Walk (Magnolia) Free nature walks on weekends and some weekdays; go to Events for schedule; Best time to go to beaches -- low tide North Beach – fertile tide pools, cormorants, wigeons, Western grebes, gulls (18 species) Sea lions, harbor seals, orcas in winter Gravel path above beach – pond ringed with cattails and red osier dogwood – native species, muskrat Just outside gates to Discovery Park – eagle nest – scopes starting in early April – adults feeding young eaglets South Beach – geology, cliffs with pigeon guillemots and kingfishers, red-tailed hawks high on wind Kiwanis Ravine Heron Colony (Magnolia -- go past Fisherman’s terminal, right on 21st Ave W (curves to left and becomes Commodore Way), parking lot on right at 34th Ave. W. (south side of locks). Walk east to 33rd Ave W and W. Harley and go up hill. In a short block, see an alley to the right that end at a pedestrian bridge over the railroad track.) 34 heron nests, 56 other bird species Best viewing is on the north side of the bridge looking toward Discovery Park. Best time -- late Feb to May (Sunny Walter: try March for best views - less foliage) [Seattle Times article] Magnolia’s Madrones (Magnolia Boulevard Viewpoints) Madrones (flowers in spring) Summer - hummingbirds; fall - band-tailed pigeons, varied thrushes, cedar waxwings, Bewick’s wrens; nesting – northern flickers, crows. Fall -- warm, glowing bark at sunset, fruits instead of flowers
Ballard, Fremont, and Northwest Seattle Carkeek Park (950 NW Carkeek Park Rd) Piper’s Creek: coho salmon - 1st week in Nov, chum salmon – 2nd or 3rd week in Nov Wetland area – summer – tree frogs, salamanders, dragonflies Hiram M. Chittenden Locks (3015 NW 54th St) Carl S English Botanical Garden Sockeye, salmon, chinook, coho, steel head Best time to go -- late summer, fall Golden Gardens Park (Shilshole Bay) California sea lions migrate thru Puget Sound in late summer, fall – gather on buoys or platforms outside rock jetty in front of marina (>1000 male sea lions gather in Everett – peak in April) North Beach – walk north along beach and east to wetlands trail – ducks [Sunny Walter -- Pillings Pond -- Exotic Waterfowl (just off the 1600 block of North 90th Street) Though tucked behind a rusting wire fence, the pond remains in full view of passers-by]
Greenlake, Ravenna, and the University District Green Lake – lots more birds species in winter Great blue heron (early morning only), pied-billed grebes (summer nesting on west side of lake) Red-winged blackbirds (most vocal in late winter and early spring), wigeons, nesting bald eagles Stand of pine on north end – red-breasted sapsuckers; mulched area to east of pine – snags attract woodpeckers in winter and spring, summer - nesting black-capped chickadees and downy woodpeckers. Bathhouse Theater – platform of gulls. Ravenna Park and Creek (NE 55th St and NE Ravenna Blvd) Skunk cabbage (early spring); 30+ bird species Montlake Fill (Union Bay Natural Area) – canoe trail (start at UW Waterfront Activities Center) Red-winged blackbirds, various duck species, great blue heron, green heron, bittern Marsh and Foster islands on south side of cut – several turtle species, white water lilies (summer), grebes, crows (winter evenings) Best time to go -- spring, summer Union Bay Natural Area - walking (start near UW Urban Horticulture Bldg) 150 species of birds visit here – migrating shorebirds come in late summer to early fall; waterfowl from late fall to early spring SE corner – turtles Best time to go -- fall, spring [Sunny Walter: Foster Island / Montlake Fill Canoe Trip Herons, waterfowl, turtles, cormorants, grebes, red-winged blackbirds Rent canoes at UW Waterfront Activities Center Best time to go -- spring]
South Seattle Dead Horse Canyon (0.5 mile west of Rainier on 68th Ave. S) Taylor Creek, urban forest, ferns, native plants Osprey, pileated woodpeckers, red-tailed hawks, cutthroat trout, raccoons, opossum, coyote Best time to go -- fall Kubota Garden (Renton Ave S & 5th Ave S) Beautiful Japanese gardens 15 bird species (pileated woodpeckers, barred owls, cedar waxwings, Anna’s hummingbirds, Cooper’s hawks, downy woodpeckers) Might see raccoons, bats, foxes, deer, frogs, salamanders Best time to go -- winter, spring Bradner Gardens Park (29th Ave S and S Grand) Flowers and butterflies Best time to go -- summer, fall Seward Park (South end of Lake Washington) Several old growth tree species, hundreds of native plants Bats, beaver, muskrat, salmon, abundant woodland and water-loving birds Flock of scarlet-fronted parakeets (moves to NE Seattle in the winter) 2 pairs nesting bald eagles (young learning to fly in July) Best time to go -- spring [Rainier Audubon Society: Birdwatching in South King County Salt Water Birdwatching Valley Birdwatching
West Seattle and Duwamish River West Seattle Beach (south of Alki) – go at low tide Constellation Park and Marine Reserve – osprey – summer Cormorant Cove Park – cormorants, seabirds – winter and spring Me-Kwa-Mooks Park – tide pools Duwamish Restoration Bike Tour Best time to go -- summer, fall Cecil Moses Memorial Park (Tukwila International Blvd & S 112th St) - salmon Hamm Creek (W Marginal Way s & S 96th St) – heron, kingfisher, waterfowl -- fall – salmon; also river otters, seals, sea lions, birds Kellogg Island - osprey, rufous hummingbirds, purple martin houses Herring’s House Park wetland project – red-winged blackbirds, eagles (spring brings eagle/osprey aerial fights) Camp Long (5200 35th Ave SW, West Seattle) Mushrooms, birds, salamanders, frogs, snakes, bats, family of red foxes on adjacent golf course Best time to go -- Oct-Nov for mushrooms Roxhill Bog (29th Ave SW and SW Barton) 35000 native plants appropriate for bogs American wigeons, belted kingfishers, red-winged blackbirds, Cooper’s hawks Early spring and summer – best time to see blooms and broods; fall good also Schmitz Park (5551 S Admiral W Old growth forest, 25 species of birds Spring – trillium and skunk cabbage flowers
Northeast Seattle Sand Point Magnuson Park (on Lake Washington north of Univ District) Promontory Point – wintering ducks Lakeshore Promenade stretches north all along the lake: Huge patch of blackberries just past boat launch – raptors Mowed lawn next – nesting for killdeers in spring and summer After the bathrooms – fin art and lots of birds (watch for coveys of quail) NOAA’s buildings – haven for owls – come out to hunt Turn south on paved path just before dog fence and walk uphill – 2nd dirt trail on left takes you to native plantings, then further south to tree frog pond. Meadowbrook (35th NE and 105th St (Lake city) Meadowbrook Community Center Wetlands – up the sloped sidewalk and follow a woodchip path across the bridge – songbirds Thornton Creek – salmonoids (north of baseball field) Meadowbrook Pond and Thornton Creek (east of 35th – Seattle Public Utilities Detention Pond) – waterfowl, amphibians, beaver in creek Paramount Park Open Space wetland (NE 148th and 11th Ave NE – Shoreline) Pacific tree frogs – chorus at dusk (best on east side of far pond; best after a rain on a warm evening – spring and summer) Salamanders, 34 species of birds, reflective pools and native plants North Seattle Community College Wetlands (park at visitor lot off College Way between. N. 95th and N. 97th, register, then go to last parking lot at north end of campus) Mid-summer – dry paths; winter -- wet Settling pond – Pacific tree frogs, native plants Pondo Neuvo – tree frogs and salamanders (spring?) Surge Pond – wintering waterfowl, chickadees, bushtits, flickers, herons, etc. [Sunny Walter -- Twin Ponds (Shoreline, NE 150th St. and 1st Ave NE) Wetlands. Local birds, herons, turtles, frogs, tadpoles, ducks, and squirrels] [Seattle AS (Oct 19 trip) -- see raptors, belted kingfishers, and assorted passerines Click HERE for detail information on Twin Ponds species] [Beavers, Otters, and Salmon in Thornton Creek (Seattle Press)] [ N Seattle CC Ponds -- Photo Gallery (Campus ponds, Meadowbrook Pond, Thornton Creek Walk, Twin Ponds Park)]
* Nature in the City, Seattle is all about where and when to find wildlife and natural wonders in and around the Seattle area. You can buy this excellent book at: The Mountaineers Books