Sammamish River Pond Nature Photos By John Reinke

Male Western Tanager (top)  Green Heron with frog (bottom)

Sammamish River Goslings

Photo Credit/ John Reinke

Geese with their five goslings - swimming on the Sammamish River, Redmond

Goose Nesting On 95th Street Pond Tree

Photo by John Reinke 

This is one "smart" Redmond goose!

Chasing An Otter

I finally got out this afternoon for a walk along the Sammamish River, starting at the south end of the Opportunity Bldg.  I headed south toward Marymoor Park.  As the weather was mild and somewhat sunny, the trail was fairly busy.  I had almost reached the Redmond Way Overpass when I noticed a young couple intently staring across the river at the fairly steep and wooded west bank.

I approached them and asked them what they were looking at.  When they whispered "otter", I immediately began getting my camera in gear.  Sure enough, I quickly spotted a solitary otter about ten or twelve yards uphill from the water's edge.  With its thick dark brown fur coat, it was the largest one I have ever seen in this area. It briefly nosed and shuffled about with its typical slinky gait, before suddenly ambling downhill and launching itself into the river.

I snapped off a few shots as it did so, hoping that at least one of them would turn out well.  It began swimming north (with the current) at a rapid rate.  The young couple scrambled out ahead of me and followed it north at a fast pace along the trail.  I got going behind them, pushing myself to keep up with them.  We constantly glanced over to the river to see if the otter was still moving ahead, or had decided to stop.  However, it continued paddling quickly and we did our best to stay even with it.

We eventually rushed out onto the promontory that overlooks the river at the south end of the Opportunity Building, believing we had managed to get a few yards ahead of it.  However, we failed to see any further sign of the otter and had to give up the chase.  It was a marvelous experience, and certainly provided me with a more strenuous outing than I had originally anticipated.

Photo and story by John Reinke

A Respite on a Sunny Day from the Cares of the World

Sunday was sunny but somewhat chilly as I hiked north along the Sammamish River Trail.  I was happy to be out and about, finally able to free my mind from thinking about the great coronavirus pandemic.  I was headed for the shallow seasonal pond that lies parallel to the trail, not far north of the rusty foot bridge that spans the river about a half mile north of the 90^th Street Bridge here in Redmond.

As I approached, a flock of American widgeon swooped around one end of the pond and then landed in the water, joining others that were already there.  I could then hear a steady stream of soft whistling sounds, as they began communicating with each other.  There must have been well over one hundred of them, males and females.

I soon spotted a few other waterfowl species that were sparsely represented: northern pintails, green winged teal, a few mallards and a couple of northern shovelers.  They all got along quite amicably as they foraged for food, or simply swam about.

The photo that accompanies this brief tale shows a male northern shoveler swimming between a pair of resting American widgeon and a second female widgeon in the foreground.  A male widgeon has a black head. The shoveler has what appears to be a blade of grass in its bill that it retrieved by dabbling for it underwater.

-- Photo and Story by John Reinke

Eight Species Of Ducks Congregating In Local Pond

Photos Credit/ John Reinke

Northern Pintail ducks are lingering with other wildfowl in a large shallow pond close to the Sammamish River.

Up until a few days ago, I had never seen northern pintail here in Redmond – like the two males I very recently snapped in the photograph shown above.  Thanks to a tip from Bob Yoder, I learned that they could be found in a shallow narrow pond that lies parallel to the Sammamish River Trail, not far north of the “rusty footbridge” at the north end of town.

Heading over there as soon as I could, I discovered that several other types of waterfowl were also present.
In addition to the pintails, I also managed to photograph the following species:

Pintails dabbling for food

American widgeon, green winged teal, northern shovelers, bufflehead, and common goldeneye. In addition, some mallards and a few mergansers were also present. 

I had previously seen all of these species here in Redmond, with the exception of northern shovelers.  Male shovelers somewhat resemble male mallards, in that both have green heads.  However, whereas male mallards have yellow bills, male shovelers have wider enlarged black bills.

Bufflehead, common goldeneye and mergansers are all diving ducks.  Pintails, American widgeon, green winged teal, northern shovelers and mallards are all dabbling ducks.  Dabbling ducks primarily feed along the surface of the water or by tipping upside down and grazing on aquatic vegetation, larvae and insects.

It was exciting to see so many species in one place.  I am sure that most will soon migrate out of the area, since this pond dries up in the summer.

-- John Reinke
   3/3/2020

NW Lake Sammamish Sewer Upgrade Project

An example of open-cut trenching we can expect

The King County Lake Hills/NW Sammamish Sewer Upgrade Project will seriously impact western Redmond with construction starting in 2021. It will take three years to complete.

"The sewer pipe is located underground directly beneath the Sammamish River Trail surface between N.E. 85th Street and N.E. 51st Street. To replace the pipe, crews will need to remove the trail surface.  It will encroach upon Marymoor Park.and private property. 

"Many trees have grown up round the the sewer pipe since it was installed 50 years ago.  Crews will need an area approximately 30-45 feet wide along the entire pipe route to safely install the new pipe. Plants and trees will be removed in these working limits.  Over the length of the 4.5 mile-long sewer route we expect to remove several hundred trees. 

"When work is complete, we will replant at least one tree for every mature tree that is removed.  For trees that are removed and are 30-inches-wide or larger, three new trees will be planted.  These guidelines are set by the City of Redmond."

 -- King County planner

I highly recommend you participate in the online open house to learn more about the project and give feedback. I've taken it and found it very useful. It is very well done.  

The following meeting is planned to review the project and gather additional feedback:

Wednesday, January 8, 2020
5:30 – 7 p.m. Redmond City Hall, Council Chambers
15670 N.E. 85th St., Redmond, WA 98052

On another note, during 2019 Derby Days the City Parks & Trails Manager said the Sammamish River Trail is planned to be widened. The Trail is on King County property and I wouldn't be surprised if the widening takes place during the sewer project.

- Reported by John Reinke and Bob Yoder

12/31/2019

Redmond Tree Canopy

Evans Creek Trail / Bob Yoder

Tree Canopy in Redmond is very important to our government officials and it's residents. In fact, every year for the past many years our Council and mayor have had multiple Study Sessions on our trees.  

Why is tree canopy so important?  Redmond’s character and main attraction for many community members is its trees, wooded areas, and urban forests. The benefits of trees and urban forests include reduced stormwater runoff, improved water and air quality, attractive communities, increased property values, greenhouse gas reduction, habitat for native wildlife,and improved quality of life, including finding serenity while hiking through Redmond's many wooded trails. 

Currently there are 4,062 acres of tree canopy within Redmond. I'm not sure if this includes our street trees and the Redmond Preserve. (Comments?) Overall, tree canopy coverage is declining at a rate of 12 to 13 acres per year as vacant and underutilized parcels continue to develop or redevelop. During the 2019 Redmond Lights festival I ran into Gary Smith, a parks and trails commissioner. He said a large development in North Redmond involved removing a significant number of trees; he thinks and hopes the trees will be replaced in the Keller Farm Mitigation Bank. 

The City of Redmond is currently at 38.1% tree canopy (as of 2017); the City is working hard to see this grow and has adopted a goal of 40% tree canopy by 2050.  The 2050 goal represents a 200-acre increase in canopy from where we are today. The City currently restores and plants approximately two acres of trees and shrubs annually and is planting four acres of trees in 2019 . Green Redmond recruits citizen volunteers to plant many of these trees.

John Reinke, a Redmond photojournalist, has taken many pictures of birds and wildlife in our woodland habitat. I sent him an outstanding article WITH great pictures titled "Super Trees."  It's a must see.  (For more on John's tree experiences "Read More"

Gull Feasting On Huge Salmon - Sammamish River

Gull with Chinook salmon

At first I thought it must be a log or a piece of driftwood.  However, as I drew closer to it, I could see that it was actually a large dead Chinook salmon – indeed, one of the biggest I have ever seen.  It had likely been on its way back to breed at the Issaquah Hatchery, when it somehow met its demise.

It was clearly a male, as evidenced by the noticeable ‘kype’ located at the tip of the lower jaw.  This is a hook-like secondary sex characteristic which develops in some male salmonids prior to the spawning season.  I estimated its size as about three feet in length.

As I drew closer, I noticed a couple of gulls circling overhead. One landed in the water and swam over to the salmon.  After inspecting it for a few moments, it sank its beak deep into the eye socket area, as I snapped off a few photos.

The gull appeared to me to be an immature glaucous-winged gull.  This species is very common in our area and takes four years to become an adult.  In the immature phase, the feather coloration is an admixture of cream-colored white and a mottled tan, with a black beak. 

The gull continued to paddle along beside the salmon and occasionally peck at it.  After observing the two for a while longer, I finally decided to continue on my way, leaving nature to take its inevitable course.

Story and Photos by John Reinke

Young Mink Spotted On Sammamish River

Young mink spotted on Sammamish River across from the fishing pier at Luke McRedmond Landing

The mink is scampering into the grasses

During a break in the rain showers on Monday afternoon, I went for a stroll south along the Sammamish River Trail.  I started from the promontory located opposite the Opportunity Building, near the Ben Franklin store.

After a few minutes, I passed underneath Redmond Way and entered the park area known as the Luke McRedmond Landing.  Continuing southward, I bypassed the short concrete walkway that branches off and descends to the river’s edge, where anglers sometimes cast for fish.

Glancing directly across the river at that point, I thought I saw some movement on a small ‘island’ of tangled logs and branches up against the opposite bank.  Slowing my stride, I took a closer look.  Sure enough, I spotted what I quickly realized was a young mink, dark brown in color.  It was much smaller than the otters which I have also occasionally seen in here the river.  I would guess it was about 15 or 16 inches in length.

Rockin' On The River - Final Performance

The final  performance of city-sponsored "Rockin' on the River" was held at the Senior Center on Thursday, August 8th, 6-8 p.m.  Emerald Heights also sponsors the event.  The Kiwanians grilled hot dogs and hamburgers.  The "Eagle Eyes" band performed; the week before it was the Beatnicks. This is a very popular event and usually draws 400 - 500 residents. According to the City:

Eagle Eyes is a tribute band to the legendary music of the Eagles. They have taken great care and dedication in recreating and capturing the live true magic in the harmonies that make the eagles renowned. 

Hailing from Southern Vancouver Island, BC, the four members of Eagle Eyes have over 120 years of combined experience as professional touring musicians.  

Photos by Reinke

Watching A Beaver Take A Slam Dunk

 John, thanks for the great story and better yet, the laughs! 😂

Credit/ John Reinke

Recently, I was out stretching my legs along the Sammamish River Trail here in Redmond.  Heading north, I was a couple hundred yards south of the "rusty pedestrian bridge" that crosses the river where NW 100th Street would be, if it existed.

Glancing out over the water, I noticed something plowing upstream against the current.  It was too far away to make out what it was, but I suspected it might be a muskrat, which I have occasionally seen in this area.

It was swimming steadily toward me when I suddenly hear a loud "thwack", and saw the creature's hind legs suddenly rise straight up into the air, before immediately sliding down beneath the roiling water.  (I guess we could call it a “slam dunk”…)

The Sammamish River Trail Weasel

Weasel bounds across the Sammamish River Trail/ Credit John Rienke

This afternoon I was returning from a walk along the Sammamish River Trail here in Redmond, feeling a little disappointed at not having seen anything particularly interesting during my chilly June stroll.

As I approached the 90th St Bridge, I was astonished to observe a small weasel (no, it's not a squirrel) venture forth from behind a large boulder on the right side of the trail. It darted back behind the rock upon spotting an ambling pedestrian and speeding bicyclist, both of whom were heading north from underneath the bridge.

River Jewelwing Damselfly, By Reinke

Photo by John Reinke

The River Jewelwing is the largest damselfly found in Washington state.  It is most commonly sighted in June and July, along rivers and streams.  Indeed, I spotted this one along a recently dried up stream that drains into the north end of Lake Sammamish.  It's the first one of its kind that I've ever seen, so I felt fortunate to photograph it.

The dark patches on the wings indicate it is a male, about two inches long.  Note that the thorax is a brilliant metallic green that shades into an equally brilliant metallic blue covering the long abdomen.  The thorax contains the muscles that control the four wings, which all damselflies have.  The wings are typically folded close together back above the abdomen when the damselfly is perched.

Also observe the spiky hairs that extend outward from the six legs. (They're hard to see.) They all angle down and may help to clasp prey caught in mid-flight.

-- John Reinke

Great Blue Heron feeding on the Sammamish River

Great Blue Heron catches Skimmer dragonfly/ Photo by John Reinke

The dragonfly was an eight spotted skimmer, and it had landed on a plant located right next to the Sammamish River at the south end of the Luke McRedmond Landing, on the south side of the 85th Street Bridge.  The heron cautiously stalked up fairly close to the plant and then made a lightning strike to snatch the dragonfly from its perch.

-- John Reinke

Variety and abundance of Sammamish River wildlife

Male common goldeneye dining on a lamprey / credit Reinke, 3/25/2018

This afternoon between 3:38 pm and 4:07 pm I walked from the Opportunity Bldg down to the Leary Way Bridge and back, along the Sammamish River Trail.  I only had my small camera with me and didn't take any photos.

On the way south, I saw some buffleheads and common goldeneyes in the river.  When heading back north, I counted 4 male and 2 female common goldeneyes.  

I also counted one male and 2 female  buffleheads.  Birdweb.org states that buffleheads are the smallest diving duck in Washington state, and I did indeed observe that they were noticeably smaller than the common goldeneyes.

The most interesting wildlife I saw were four river otters swimming north in the river.  I spotted them about a hundred yards north of the Leary Way Bridge, up very close to my side of the river.  They were rapidly heading north, and a pleasure to watch.  All appeared to be large and the same size.

As they approached, the common goldeneyes all took flight and headed south down the river, over the heads of the otters.  Next, the buffleheads did the same thing as the otters started to get close to them.  (The two groups of birds were separated by maybe 25 yards.)

As I got back to the parking lot on the south side of the Opportunity Bldg, I observed a great blue heron fly northward well above the river.  It squawked loudly, once it saw the bald eagle perched up by the nest on the opposite side of the river.

-- John Reinke

   Redmond resident

   12/6

Eastside salmon habitat improvements

Credit / John Reinke 

A 95th Street Bear Creek Enhancement project will install six log jams, two backwater channels, 230-feet of alcoves and enhance almost 3-acres of buffer. The project is on the Chinook Recovery plan for WRIA 8 because of its high benefit to spawning and rearing habitat in Bear Creek.

The project is located south of the 95th Street bridge on City of Redmond owned property. The $143,490 grant will help pay for construction costs associated with the installation of four log jams in the stream, one backwater channel and approximately 180- ft of alcoves. The remaining part of the project is designated as mitigation and will be entirely paid for by the stormwater Capital Improvement Project budget. The construction target is 2019 pending receiving Army Corps permits.

-- Council Committee meeting, 11/13

###

Lake Sammamish State Park has grown by more than 5 acres after land was donated to the park by a local company.

Lakeside Industries recently donated a 5.3-acre parcel of property adjacent to Lake Sammamish State Park which will let the state and city of Issaquah expand habitat restoration along Issaquah Creek. The property is located on the east side of the creek between Alpine Animal Hospital and the Microsoft campus. It includes more than 1,100 linear feet of creekside, a critical habitat for young salmon.

Mountains to Sound Greenway stewardship program manager Mackenzie Dolstad said restoration work will include removing invasive weeds and planting native trees and shrubs along the creekside. That work will provide shade for young Chinook salmon that use the creek near Lake Sammamish as a safe haven as they grow before moving into Puget Sound. Issaquah creek is one of the highest priority creeks for Chinook salmon and houses the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery further upstream.

-- Issaquah Reporter, 11/2

Green heron spears frog in downtown pond

Green heron spearing a frog  (credit; Reinke)

Here is a list of birds and animals John Reinke has seen this year in the 90th Street retention pond with the three lopped trees:  

- A group of five otters seen together there all at the same time earlier this year;  

- great blue herons are fairly common  - took a picture of one swallowing a large catfish 

- green herons  

- blue kingfisher 

- beaver -  I have a photo of one I took back around 2011 or 2012

- invasive bull frog  

- black mink - I saw one there years ago

- ring necked ducks 

"Isn't it remarkable the variety of wildlife we have here in suburban Redmond?" 

- John Reinke,  11/7

John Reinke - Redmond's dragonfly whisperer

Credit / John Reinke

This dragonfly landed on John Reinke's finger when he was trying to scoop it out of a puddle on the Sammamish River Trail.  Here's a closeup in which you can see its legs, one of its large compound eyes, thorax and momentarily waterlogged wings. John believes it is a female paddle tail darner.  

Don't worry, dragonflies don't bite but they are voracious eaters of mosquitoes. Their legs are for catching prey in the air.  Most of their life (1-2 years) is spent as larvae living underwater. They spend 2-3 weeks flying around fattening up to lay their eggs in the water.  

We listened to a fascinating lecture on this animal by James Walker, PhD last week. He sells a book on Amazon and recently was interviewed by King 5.  It's a must listen!

-- Bob Yoder

Western Screech Owl on Redmond Powerline Trail

Western Screech Owl on Powerline Trail / John Reinke

Actually, the little western screech-owl didn't make a sound, as it silently surveyed me from its vantage point in a
hole in a tree trunk.  And I don't know if it was a male or a female.

I was ascending the Powerline Trail in the late afternoon about a month ago, from its western terminus at the Sammamish River Trail here in Redmond.  After a few minutes, I came to a spot  where I knew one could see a tree trunk with an oval opening that was large enough to serve as a nest cavity.

I hadn't passed that way since last year, when my friend Bob Yoder had published a photo of an adult screech owl peering out of that very same space on his Redmond Blog.  The discovery and photos were taken by his friend Ingunn Markiewiez.

I glanced to my right, and saw what looked like a kind of growth occupying the cavity.  I thought that was odd, and continued climbing upward.  I had also noticed there was a kind of cobweb covering the upper part of the opening.

Credit/ John Reinke  (click photo)

It wasn't until I returned perhaps 15 minutes later, that I stopped to inspect the "growth" further.  I couldn't make out what it was exactly.  But then it moved!  I quickly realized I was looking at a western screech-owl, which had almost perfectly blended in with the surrounding tree bark.

So as not to startle it, I slowly reached for my camera.  The owl was no more than 15 feet from me, at about eye level, due to the downward sloping hillside.

I snapped off a few shots, showing the tree against the surrounding foliage, with the owl calmly nestled in the cavity.  I then zoomed in on it and took several more photos. One of the photos shows the owl blinking one eye.