Tag: fish

Olympic National Park and the Salmon Cascades

A Steelhead Trout Swim up the Falls in April

The National Park System website is one of the best place to find information on where and when to see leaping salmon and steelhead trout near us, that is, if you’d rather not see one leaping off your plate…

And while the walk to the falls is relaxing, serene, and beautiful, many locals consider the runs to be not only photo-worthy but fascinating as well as invigorating.

And if you like to fish, you may be tempted to throw in a line, or to take one home if it lands in your lap, but beware, you may have to answer to the authorities. So be sure to check the website first, and BE CAREFUL viewing the fish, those rocks are VERY slippery!

Dinner on the Fly

Like many Americans, my spirit animal is the bald eagle, our national symbol. And at this time of year, local nest watching is often at the top of my list.

But when I can’t get out, like many others, I watch Jackie and Shadow, a nesting pairs of baldies in Big Bear, CA via a webcam on YouTube. This remarkable pair has a long history and considering the daily struggles they face, one wonders how they, or their offspring survive.

The camera is hosted by The Friends of Big Bear Valley, and as I write this, there are 38,405 viewers watching! But because of the site’s restrictions on reposting, I won’t go into more detail, but I do invite you to visit the site and to witness this amazing pair for yourselves.

And if you can get out and about here at home, be sure to swing by and view any of the nests we have in Sequim, but please do so respectfully, and quietly; we want to keep them active as long as possible.

And as this image displays, fish are a mainstay of the eagles’ diet, for both the parents and their chicks, and here in Sequim we are very fortunate have a good supply to accommodate them but unfortunately, we don’t have a webcam!

Wildlife Wednesday at The Dungeness Landing County Park

WARNING! Bird photography can be addictive but also challenging.

My addiction started while peering out the window eyeballing hummingbirds on a feeder everyday. It then progressed to herons, then eagles…and from there, there was no stopping me.

The www.wildlife informer.com states, ‘The Washington Fish & Wildlife Office estimates that up to 80% of the eagles found in the state during the mid-winter months are migrants with the largest winter concentrations occur in the lower Columbia River, Skagit River, Nooksack River, and Banks Lake.’ But from my observation, Sequim has one the largest numbers in the state (I once photographed 30 of them at the Landing). ‘As for the total population of breeding pairs, the WFWO states there are about 900 current nest sites.’ I’ve personally located over 6 active ones in our area.

So with that said, the Landing is another spot on my typical 25 miles daily drive through Sequim and the surrounding area watching for birds. This particular day, I was blessed with the graces of a baldy transporting a fish to the treetops and was able to capture this image.

So if you too are up for a challenge…consider donning a pair of binoculars, or grabbing a camera. Just beware, you may not be able to escape the addiction!

Running the Sol Duc

Watching these salmon run the rapids up the Sol Duc River to spawn was jaw dropping. They sure are determined. They’d launch and splat on the wall just to the right of this salmon. You could hear the slap from hundreds of feet away. Then they’d get swept back down the rapids…It’s gotta be frustrating even for a fish!