July 2008: A rare green heron
was sitting on a snag for about 1/2 hour in the North Fork
Wetlands. By Alex C.
June 2008: A western pond turtle
joined the painted turtle on his sunning log in our pond.
Mitchell Hill area. By Eli S.
June 2008: Mama Black Bear and cub,
Grand Ridge Area. By Maureen R.
March, 2008: Wildlife in the
Issaquah North Fork Wetlands this year includes a huge colony of
green violet swallows. The swallows fly up and down the
valley all day, every 45 minutes they pass by with grace and daring
style. A wonder to behold! By Jen C.
February, 2008: Cougar (2/28
5pm) on lower portion of Squak Mountain Trail in a field
above the Foothills Community. We were probably 50 yards
away, the cougar saw us and trotted away. The week prior I also saw a
small bobcat walking through the community to the same field at
around 10pm. By Bryce O.
January, 2008: Bobcat sighting
on New Year’s morning in the Deerfield neighborhood near
17th and 229th in Sammamish. At breakfast we spotted a bobcat
walking along the top of our backyard fence. It was easily spooked as it
noticed us gathering at the windows and moved into the adjacent
greenbelt to our house. I had no idea that bobcat were native to the
area and was very excited to see this animal in the wild. We regularly
get coyote and deer in the neighborhood, but this was our first bobcat
sighting in the couple of years that we have lived in Sammamish.
By: Rehan J.
November, 2007: Annual Beaver
activity is happening on the Issaquah North Fork, Canyon Creek,
Patterson Creek. There are many cost-effective non-lethal ways to
deal with flooding issues caused by beavers. Visit
http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wlr/waterres/beavers/index.htm for more info.
By: Jonathan P.
Oct, 2007: Bobcat sightings in
daylight, strolling through backyards in the Castle Pines neighborhood,
Sammamish. By: Various.
Aug 2, 2007: Adult Black Bear
off SE Issaquah Fall City Road, near Endeavour Elementary School.
'Big Blacky' is back! 8:30 am...and
wouldn't you know it...my camera wouldn't work! He/she was outstretched
relaxing in the sunshine on his stomach munching on the apple he held
gently between his front paws. He had very good manners...just one bite
at a time until it was gone. lol. Once finished he got up gracefully on
all fours, looked up at all the beautiful apple selection on my four
trees for just the right ones, stood on his back legs, outstretched his
front legs and paws to grab hold of a branch and shook the apples to the
ground. He picked up one in his mouth, turned and walked back to the
spot he was originally in to recline and munch away again. How fortunate
I was to experience the gentle side of this large black bear from the
safety of my living room.
My neighbors came to take a picture, but 'Big Blacky' was very much
attuned to unfamiliar footsteps coming from the side of the house,
stopped his munching, continued to hold onto the apple in his paws,
raised his head with ears perked up and eyes focused in the direction of
the sounds disturbing his early meal, saw the camera pointed his
direction, and bolted to my rock wall. He paused, turned to look at them
as if posing for a photo shoot, and vanished over the ravine into the
woods as I blew my airhorn his direction.
I'm sure he will be back soon. The deer and bear love my apples! They
get more of them than I ever do. BY: Colleen P.
July, 2007: Deer with twin fawns,
young blacktail buck, coyote and LARGE black bear visit backyard
cherry trees for an afternoon snack near the Issaquah North Fork
Wetlands. Pictures below. By JoAnne O.
May 8, 2007: A Black Bear Cub
was seen alone crossing the road leading to the pool at Trinity Lutheran
College/YMCA. No adult was seen. BY Jen C.
April 28, 2007: Bobcat in
Woodland Ridge neighborhood (directly east of Grand Ridge Park and North
of Mitchell Hill Forest. The bobcat was trotting down the road.
BY: Bob M.
April 11, 2007, 1:15 PM: Black Bear
and 4 cubs! These bears hung out for a bit and foraged in the meadow
(photo below). It may be 2 yearlings and 2 cubs but the cubs look
similar size. LOCATION: Issaquah North Fork Meadow between Iss-FC
Rd and Old Black Nugget. BY: Jen C.
April 3, 2007, afternoon: Black bear
with 4 small cubs. There may have been another mother but she was
not seen. We have never seen a bear with more than 2 cubs in all
our years here. LOCATION: Issaquah North Fork Meadow between Iss-FC
Rd and Old Black Nugget. BY: Mary A.
