Critters on Scenic Hill

Just went to my first Scenic Hill Community Council meeting last night, and one of the most interesting parts of the meeting was having the KC Animal Control officer we invited tell us about the types of wildlife living right next door.

The usual, squirrels, raccoons, skunks and yes, coyotes (no mention of shooting them in this group tho). Then the unusual, like red fox, small beavers and deer. In Mill Creek Park?

"If you see one, there are probably 20 more around, at least," he said. "If you see one coyote, there is probably a pack."

Just waiting for one of my fat cats to waddle within range, no doubt.

One woman was complaining that raccoons were emptying out her koi pond. He just looked at her and said, really, the only way to make the raccoons to go away is remove the food source. IE, the koi.

One man actually said he's called out a agency to trap and release squirrels in his yard. That seems to me, a bit of a exercise in futility.

Backyard Bird Watch is Coming Up

This from the Rainier Audubon site (which is having a meeting on the Feb. 18 at the Federal Way United Methodist Church BTY).

Unlike the national bird count which occurred in January, this count occurs Feb. 15-18 and encourages folks to count the birds that alight in the back yard.

A symbol of freedom still lives in Federal Way

As I was going up Highway 18 to I-5 yesterday, looked up to see what I call the Federal Way eagle wing over.

There's a pair that nests in the trees to the north of 18 near a lake. I guess they are wintering over still, and must still be tolerating all the traffic noise.

The posse has been called off the varmit

Due to public outcry, apparently the Navy will not be shooting the coyote at Magnesun Park.

There are going to be having a public meeting about the critter tonight at 6 pm in Seattle. (or looking at the time, the meeting is going on as we speak.) The night meeting is just a sidebar on this story. Read the whole thing. It is very funny.

Next week, Scenic Hill is having a neighborhood meeting. I wonder if the topic of coyotes will trot into the room?

Photo curtesy of the Seattle Times.

As Super Tuesday plays out, who's in the green?

I have some musings on plastic bags and Canadian Geese, but I figure those can wait until tomorrow.

Tonight, everyone's counting the delegates and the poll closings, as Super Tuesday works its way west.

Here are two nice comparisons by Grist of the dems, at least, on the issues. The first is an analysis, the second a chart. Also, check out MSN's cool interactive comparison of all the candidates on all the issues on the "Elections" section of their home page.

So how do the birds fair during the white outs?

I often wondered that as I looked at reports from the TV on the heavy snow and blasts of winter that the Cascades, as well as other parts of the country have been enduring.

So I checked in on a few blogs from that area and came across the Klamath Birding Blog, which has reports of birds hanging on to trees (lee side) for dear life.

Finally got ahold of Auburn, and the restoration folks

And in an voice message on my cell phone, the conservationist there said yes, they've received a grant $20,000, I think, to begin restoratin work along Mill Creek, which does begin in Kent, or go through Kent, I should say, but it doesn't include any work in Kent.

Only the Auburn portion. I drive past these sites almost every day, and the animals and birds seems to like them. It's too bad that the entire creek can't be preserved and restored.