November 8, 2026 - Single (Salmon) In Seattle

 

On this gorgeous fall day, this Chum Salmon is a little early to the party at Piper's Creek in Seattle's Carkeek Park. (I didn't see any others.) The salmon run is typically starts at the end of October and runs into early December. With a good amount of rain in the forecast this week, it just might provide the nudge for more fish to make their way up to spawn. 

A typical season might see 300 Chum Salmon make their way up this small urban creek. However, in 2024 over 3000 were counted with over 1500 in a single day! 

Nearby a Great Blue Heron patiently stalked their dinner.

A group of people armed with binoculars, telescopes and long lenses seeming to be looking at the same thing was the key to spotting a pod of Orcas across the Sound. It took a good pair of lenses to see them as they were over 5 miles away!  This is the best I could do with my 300mm lens.  The dorsal fin of an Orca is the tiny spot in the water. The Olympic Mountains tower in the background. 

 

October 31, 2026 - Reply Hazy Try Again

 

With the thick morning fog above the Snoqualmie River this viewpoint provides none. As with a Magic 8 Ball, one will have to try again.  Perhaps "Outlook Not So Good" would have been a more apt title!

October 29, 2026 - Peak Peek

 

 

Until a few days ago October was one of the driest on record. With temperatures and precipitation now getting closer to the norm, the snow level is dropping in the Cascades. 

With some assistance from a cell phone to get my exact position, an azimuth of the peaks, these images and a few minutes with an AI tool the names of these Cascade peaks east of Everett, Washington is now (most likely) known. This collection of peaks are part of the Monte Cristo Group - Kyes 7280', Columbia 7172', Monte Cristo 7136' and Cadet Peak 7186'. They are located west of Stevens Pass in the Henry M. Jackson Wilderness Area. 

The image below is of Mt. Persis at 5,464' located south (right) of the Monte Cristo Group. 

July 12, 2025 - Swim. Bike. Run.

 

Triathletes prepare to enter the water for the first portion of the Lake Whatcom Triathlon. The colored swim caps denote the course they will be tackling.  The Olympic course is a .9 mile swim, 24.9 mile bike and 6.2 mile run. The Sprint course is a .5 mile swim, 16.4 mile ride and 4 mile run.