Duwamish River – Crows of Arroyos

Evolution of a Crow Blog

Posted on February 4, 2018 by batgurrl

This last couple of months I have been terrible busy at work and with other life things. My Crows of Arroyos has become harder and harder to find content that I am excited about.

Don’t get me wrong, I understand I am in a writing slump not a permanent give up on my blog about birds, nature, history and of course crows. We all have from time to time a moment of introspection on what we are about.

A good way to go about the future is to see what the past contained. Take away from that what really thrills one and what was a drag. So..here goes on a look back on 7 years of my blogging adventure.

It all started on November 21, 2010 with a new blog built on WordPress (which I still use and love). It was called Arroyos Crow World and it began with this:

Please join me in glimpsing the world of Crows.

For the past several years I have followed the local residents of my neighborhood. We humans live in our houses and by looking up we can see a whole another world. The Crows have territories, families and parties just like we do.

Wow – going back to read that I realize that I still follow that course. I have not really been able to completely understand the why they do things (I have tried) but it is more about where they are and what I observed by looking up.

The next day on November 22nd, I uploaded my first picture and wrote the second blog called “Crow Snow Day”. Check it out! The first picture is a crow pair on my backyard fence. Something they still do today.

Look at how far digital photography has come and how grainy my old camera was. Just one of many things that change over a few short years.

To my surprise of the 655 posts only 287 were about crows. Here are some more statistics for those that love math.

Total Posts in 7 years – not counting this one – 655
36,573 views
535 is the most views in one day – October 17, 2011 – Crow Stalker and Amanda Knox Paparazzi

And what retrospect would not be really worth its salt if we didn’t have a Top 5 countdown!

Number 5 – Crow Stalker and Amanda Knox Paparazzi

Here I was almost a year into my blogging fun and one Sunday on my walk to “stalk” crows ran across a pair of paparazzi outside Amanda’s mother’s house. She had just got home from being released in Italy and was all the rage in our neighborhood. That included lots of extra traffic and of course news helicopters.

This posting has had 931 visits over the last 6 years. As I noted above more than half happened on the day after I posted it. I got published on some Amanda Knox chat group and anything Amanda was grabbed upon. That included my encounter.

Number 4 – Crow Pellet

974 visits to this post show that lots of folks are interested in this icky subject. Could be they are just thinking guns? I like to think it is such an odd subject with little out there on it that my post got folks the information they wanted.

Check out what the crow threw up in front of me on a piling looks like. Placed perfect for a great photo!

Crow Pellet – interesting look at what this crow was eating

Number 3 – Crows – Ravens and Halloween

This October 2011 post got 1,046 views over time. Every year when Halloween rolls around folks find this posting and educate themselves on crow lore. Here is my lead in paragraph that sets the tone of smart crows and our aversion to untidy sights.

Corvids (Crows & Ravens) are some of the most popular symbols of Halloween. Months ago I wrote an article about why people think Crows are Evil. In that article I talked about how we as humans might fear a bird that is so smart. Or is it that in our clean and tidy world we don’t take well to them feeding on battlefield dead.

Number 2 – Ruins of Longacres – The Foundations

Close to where I work in Renton, Washington is the site of where a horse racetrack of great aclaim and beauty used to stand. In the 1990s it was sold to the Boeing Company and then redeveloped into office space. The racetrack was torn down to the dismay of many. Almost 20 years later, I stumbled across what was left and started a series of articles to record the “Ruins”. This blog has netted 1,088 views. 2,068 total views on the whole series. That made all the stomping around in the brush, hundreds of photos and hours of research worth every moment.

This series included 14 blog posts, starting with the a mysterious entrance unit that still stands under I-405 (Longacres Relic), then the three main posts “Ruins of Longacres” Foundation, Green Wall and The Track. A former employee sent me aerial photos and I did a few posts of those. I produced a small video of the track which you can view below.

Number 1 – Its Molting Time – Crows, Herons & Madrona Trees

This is my all time most visited blog post at 2,921. When I wrote it in 2011 I never thought it would be the one that just kept on giving. It outlasted the Amanda craze, beat out the Halloween post and many posts on my everlasting love of Baby Crows (6 Baby Crows Crying is #10 at 380).

When I go look at the ways people find this blog, I find it is not the crows! It is the madrona trees that people admire and want to know more about. This photo of one molting (see below) is is in the top 5 photos you get when you google “Madrona Trees Molting”. Batgurrl.net has 3 of those top 5.

Madrona Trees also molt this time of year. The bark is just like paper laying on the trail.

I have to mention I have some favorites of my own. Let us call them Honerable Mentions.

My Duwamish Adventure – This was many months of wandering along the trail or roads on the West side of the Duwamish ending at the river’s mouth. The end was a bit disappointing since it was not accessible to me but I did a video of it and what we had done to our river.

Georgetown Steam Plant – Electrical power was generated with steam more than a 100 years ago in Seattle. This plant is now a relic of a time gone by. I was enchanted by the many photo moments I got there plus some odd energy that I think are ghosts.

1906 Seattle Electric Company Steam Plant

Green River Trail – Like the Duwamish series I walked this trail along the Green River from South Seattle to its end in Kent. Lots to see and write about ranging from crows, old houses, the river, eagles, history and serendipity.

Eagle cools off next to Green River

Renton Crow Roost – every fall and winter hundreds of crows flock to the valley close to my office. I am never disappointed in how entertaining they are each year.

2018 is here and what will it bring? Is Serendipity going to carry me forward? Will a pair of crows nest in a tree I can watch from start to finish? Will a historical ruin catch my eye and the hearts of others again?

That is blogging! Living in the moment and sharing it for others to enjoy too.

History and other topics

Interurban Railway Bridge Ruins at Duwamish

Posted on April 23, 2017 by batgurrl

How does a place disappear? Well a small community of Duwamish has done just that. It is still a name on the map but very few homes still exist and the famous Interurban Railway that stopped there is only a memory too.

There are remnants of the rail bridge though. They are two sets of cement pillars on opposite sides of the Duwamish/Green River right where Duwamish used to be.

Interurban bridge remains – north side Duwamish

Most of us don’t remember or know what these little monoliths are there for. Easy to think they must be some car bridge since there are two modern bridges to the west of this spot.

South side Interurban train bridge ruins

Then there is this rectangle of cement next to the road. My imagination goes wild when I see it. Was this a station for the railroad? Was it an old gas station? Was it an old house or store from the small place called Duwamish? I like to think it is related to the rails. Perhaps someone will read this that knows.

Could this be the old Interurban station where Duwamish used to be

Lets go back in time to imagine another time and place. Back in 1912, private interurban lines connected Tacoma, Seattle, and Everett. The advent of the car had not made it to the masses. Even the rich had issues traveling the poor roads and a fatal accident happened not far up the river from where the old rail crossed the river. But then like a lot of good things the Seattle-Tacoma service ended in 1928 with the opening of Highway 99.

This particular crossing is close to a special place for the local American Indians. It is a small hill that was formed by glaciers. The Hill is associated with the southern Puget Sound Salish oral tradition in the stories collectively known as the “Epic of the Winds”. Article telling full story

How is one to know how special a place is? A river, a hill, an old crossing, a community gone. The city of Tukwila has developed two parks. One is the Duwamish Hill with benches that tell the story of its history of the rail and of the spiritual nature of the place. Thus they have memorized it for us to never forget.

Georgetown to Duwamish and other local areas the Interurban Rail touched.

I bring you back to now. Just to the west of the old pilings is a car bridge and the new Lightrail bridge over the Duwamish.

New bridges west of old train bridge from new park Duwamish Gardens – Carosino House

The old Carosino farm has now been restored to harbor salmon, birds and bring some of the old river back to us.

How appropriate that the new rail crosses the river not far from where the original did. Time intersects here with the distant past in many ways. Even the building of the rail bridge stumbled upon an old native fishing site. That has been buried and protected now. It is a place where as I stood the train rumbled over head.

New Light-rail train passes over me transporting us back to the present.

Freeway Osprey

They are BACK!!! Osprey

Posted on April 22, 2017 by batgurrl

As I drive to work on I-405 in Renton the Osprey Nest next to Mr Racks teased me all winter. The family we watch every day as we drive by and on the LiveStream courtesy Mr Rack is in winter migration to southern climates. They probably went to South America, California or Florida and as spring arrives they too will return to their home nest.

I have written a few posts about them over the years which are below for your viewing pleasure. One thing that amazed me from the first time I saw them is how they raise a family right next to a busy freeway, cell tower and power lines. Talk about fearless!

The other thing that intrigued me about them was how they originally built on top of the electric pole. The PSE moved them to a nesting platform in 2013.

Freeway Osprey Post 2015

Mr Rack’s who are right next to this nest have so kindly had a video of the nest for several years. They have even improved the camera and worked with the cell tower folks to get a better view. The old camera got pooped on. That is pretty common from my observations of Eagle Cams.

See video camera (in 2015)- since then it has been destroyed by projectile birdshit

That brings me to Monday April 17, 2017. That morning there was one of the pair perched on the nest. I was also happy that Mr Racks has started working on the feed. Watch for more to come on this topic. Got to love our tenacious Freeway Osprey.

Here is a link to the 2017 Cam. It has not started but they are getting ready for the action. You can also go view prior seasons. The photo at the top is from their site. Check out the cars whizzing by below.

Mr Racks 2017 Livestream

Another family of Osprey have returned home. Last Sunday I went to a new park on the Duwamish close to where the river becomes the Green River. There I found a pair staking out their nesting platform that was situated on the river behind the UPS freight terminal.

How about a close up of them preening and getting comfortable for the long sit.

This park has a wind chime feature that was near this Osprey nest. I wonder if they are enjoying the tinkle it provides. A nice lullaby for the baby birds to come.

I leave you with a few more links to past Osprey posts. Be sure to look for the Freeway Osprey on the south side of I-405 right before you get to the Valley Freeway.

Osprey in Recycle Yard North Duwamish

Green River Osprey – Codiga Bridge Park

Freeway Osprey 2016 Baby

Crows at the Beach, My Duwamish Adventure

Crow Reflection

Posted on April 22, 2017 by batgurrl

Reflection is a complicated thing and even crows spend time in serious thought or consideration. However, how often do we find a crow and his physical reflection? That is the kind where the on-line definition is “the throwing back by a body or surface of light, heat, or sound without absorbing it.”

Here we have a good example of a Crow doing both. He is wandering the river bank in “serious thought” about what to eat. This is going on so close to the river his reflection time has a reflection.

It is spring and there was a moment of shining light that reflected on the pondering crow’s back. He was glowing and so was the mirror image in the water. Dazzling!!

What do we have next… the glow is all alone or courtesy of photography it appears that way.

I leave you with a view of where this serious reflection is occurring. Can you find Mr. Crow?

Look close on the far bank middle of the photo.

Birds and other fun topics

Rambling free of Technology

Posted on May 22, 2016 by batgurrl

Over the last year my blog has morphed from just a nature blog. I spent quite a bit of my time traveling the Duwamish/Green River basin and documenting the Ruins of Longacres racetrack. Of course there was a lot of nature and crows but these series of articles focused on a new flavor which was rambling or walking with an awareness of ones surroundings. This now seems to be a lost past time due to the ever-present small screens in our hands.

This brought me to changing the tag line of Crows of Arroyos Blog from Serendipity of Life to Rambling free of Technology.

To further this point here is a blog post from a fellow blogger I admire for his insightfulness. This one is about addiction to our technology.

Parallax – The Dystopian Future Is Here: Technology Addiction & Enslavement

Some questions to ponder. Do we find ourselves feeling connected with others through our tools? or have we really just disconnected ourselves from our current environment? or is this a combination of both things. In the end it is how we balance the tool with our day-to-day life and interpersonal interactions.

A scary side to this smart phone slavery is it restricts us to a smaller world. We only receive the news or information that we want. This isolates us from many of the difficult and troubling developments in our world today. It becomes easy to dismiss others who do not have our views and burrow deeper into our personal cubby holes. No wonder we have such discord and disrespect in our world today.

My rambling along roads and rivers seems kind of simple when compared to this greater social issue. However, where ever I have roamed I found others to talk to and share my sightings. My hope is these interactions both in person and via the Crows of Arroyos are a small shining star to help break down these technology created barriers.

Duwamish Rock & Green River Trail bridge

Here are some links to the articles mentioned above. I hope they inspire you to start rambling free yourself.

Green River Trail Quest

Our only River – the Duwamish

My Duwamish Adventure

Ruins of Longacres – The Track

Georgetown Steam Plant

My Duwamish Adventure

Our Only River – The Duwamish

Posted on February 21, 2016 by batgurrl

My adventure to walk the Duwamish River ended at Jack Block Park. Here we are at the mouth of the river at last. It is a bittersweet moment for me. We expect a river to be beautiful and dreamy. I think my video will tell the story of how Seattle’s only River is not so magical as it was 150 years ago.

I encourage everyone to walk the trails in our city. What I learned being on the street instead of driving on the street was tremendous. One will learn history, talk to your neighbors, and find new parks and restaurants to visit.

Bicycling is another option but I have to say I was passed by many cyclist who were in nothing but a hurry to get somewhere.

It is a skill to dawdle and saunter in this day of instant everything. The phrase “Stop and smell the Roses” is more true than ever.

See you out there Seattle!! Put down your technology and look, listen and learn life.

To see all of my Duwamish Adventure I have a directory post that links all of the pieces together. You can find that post here – My Duwamish Adventure Directory

My Duwamish Adventure

Going Rogue seeking the Duwamish River

Posted on February 21, 2016 by batgurrl

I am close to the end of my journey on the Duwamish and had decided I would attempt to get closer to the mouth of the river. I studied the maps and earth view of Jack Block Park trying to figure out how I could get past the obstructions and fencing that the Port put in place. Not really sure if I could or if trespassing onto Port T-5 was the smartest thing to do.

This weekend I went to the Park to scout out my options. The maps online just didn’t give me the true elevation of the area so I could not tell how to sneak around the water side of the point. My plan was to take pictures and then return on a low tide day.

The picture above is what the area looks like from the dock where I took great pictures of Seattle and some video of the mouth. Note the concrete block wall that holds back the bridges and towers that are on the east side of the old rail left in a man-made gully. Yes the Port does not want us in this area except to enjoy the high viewing tower. Fences and hills have been put in our way to discourage folks like me.

Second rail ramp to sound - by tower — Second rail ramp to sound – by tower

They did give us picnic tables and a little safe beach but I wanted onto the beach closer to the river.

From up on the viewing tower you can see the old piers and the mouth of the river in sight. It was so close I could taste it. My quest was nearing its end and there was the river entering Elliott Bay.

But before I could get to the beach on the other side I had to get around that cement wall and the fences that were at the end of the rail spur.

View of Elliott Bay from Tower and rail spur I had to get past

As you can see I am up high but wanted to get down on the ground. I took lots of pictures thinking I would examine them at home and make my approach another day.

However, the rogue in my took over and on my way down the path I decided to take a closer look at the only way I could see that would work. It was only a little hop over a short fence and I was on my way next to the concrete block wall.

This looks back at the fence I climbed over and shows you how brushy it was back here. This was the best path since down on the water side was a rough rock edge that was slippery and wet from tides coming in and out. I chose sticker bushes over rock climbing.

More brier patch — Brier patch looking out at bay

So, I followed the wall around until I got to the area close to the rail that was fenced off.

Sticker bushes block the path to the point

Then I couldn’t get through the brush. It was so thick and full of blackberry bushes. If you have ever been in stickers, you know they poke and stick to your clothing. OUCH!

I decided the only way to get around was to get to the rock edge and climb around on that. So, I pushed through the brier, climbed over piles of cut down pine tree limbs and made it to the water.

Looking around point at no trespassing sign

There I was under the end of the rail spur and making it around the point.

Then I had rogue remorse. What you say? Yes I saw that big No Trespassing sign, the light towers with cameras and all this fencing. It convinced me that I would be tangling with an organization that would have me arrested. That experience on public property at the SE security gate was a mild taste of what I would encounter.

So, I turned back and went home.

But before I left the water’s edge, I took some great photos that you saw in previous posts. This was to be the closest I could get. What an exciting end to my journey.

What a difference my walking the Duwamish was to the Green River Trail journey. Our only river has been changed forever from a thing of beauty and nature to a place of industry and commerce.

The finale of this adventure is in this next post. I made a small film of the river’s end. Hope you enjoy it.

Our only River – the Duwamish

To see all of my Duwamish Adventure I have a directory post that links all of the pieces together. You can find that post here – My Duwamish Adventure Directory

My Duwamish Adventure

Jack Block Park – Port of Seattle

Posted on February 21, 2016 by batgurrl

This park was dedicated in 1997 after the Port of Seattle cleaned up quite a bit of pollution from the prior owners. They also developed the land south of this park into Terminal 5. Those that follow my posts will remember the trouble I got into at the SE security gate. If not here is that post and a global view of T-5. Terminal 5 Trouble & Terminal 5 from Jack Block Park

This park is surrounded by chain link fences that keep us the public out of Terminal 5 and two old rail road approaches to the water. Not sure why the port left them intact but they do make for some interesting viewing spots. They built mini pedestrian bridges and a viewing tower to allow us to view the city and water but not trespass on the old docks.

The first old dock you come to is not far from one of the parking lots. It has the best view of the rails leading to the dock and how we are built out of that area.

Imagine them loading lumber on this ramp

How about a closer look at this old ramp?

And even closer so you can see the rot and deterioration. Not sure this is even a viable ramp any more.

As I walked around to the area you see in the distance with green grass I got some photos looking back at the barges and this old ramp.

From the park dock that was built for us to enjoy the bay views from, I took some great shots of the city and Elliott Bay.

At the end of my adventure here I took the road that winds through fenced areas. From that ground level side I got the next two photos of the rail that leads to the old wooden ramp. Can you imagine the old lumber mill using this to load and unload their product.

Old Rail Ramp to Bay with Crow guarding

Barge parked on old rail ramp at Jack Block Park — Small viewing bridge and barge parked on old rail ramp

That company was in this spot almost 100 years and times certainly have changed for Seattle. It used to be a lumber town and now it is a hub of technology and computer science. One has to wonder if this latest boom will lead to a bust like after the Gold Rush to Alaska in the 1890s & 1900s and the 1970s when we asked the last person leaving Seattle to turn the lights out.

Getting to the river is near impossible from this park. I wondered if I could go off trail and climb my way to the mouth of the river. Check out the next post to see how I did going rogue and some views from around the viewing tower.

To see all of my Duwamish Adventure I have a directory post that links all of the pieces together. You can find that post here – My Duwamish Adventure Directory

My Duwamish Adventure

Duwamish and Port of Seattle T-5

Posted on February 20, 2016 by batgurrl

The view of Port of Seattle Terminal 5 from the viewing tower at Jack Block Park shows how large this property is. It is empty of traffic for a remodel of the docks to accommodate larger ocean-going container ships.

Security around this facility is tight. Here is a post I did several weeks ago about the shake down they did on me at the southeast entrance. From that side of the terminal I also got some good photos of the old red cranes that are synonyms with the Port of Seattle. Terminal 5 Trouble

Everywhere I went in the Park which is owned and maintained by the Port of Seattle fencing was tight. No holes or even cracks are in them. This is unlike other areas I traversed on the Duwamish. They are on alert since the environmentalist had a serious demonstration around the Shell Oil Drill Rig Polar Pioneer that was docked here. I will let my crow helpers show you a little bit about the fencing.

Let us talk about razor wire and fencing! The Port used it with no thought of expense.

Northern backside of T-5 looking East towards Harbor Island

One thing I found interesting is how much I could see from the viewing tower of the terminal. Funny how this is feature was Port built so the public can see the city and bay. All one has to do is turn around and there is a panoramic view of their business they are trying so hard to hide. This next series of photos really gives you the lay of the land.

Looking SE at T-5 - Upgrade to Pier in progress — Looking SE at T-5 – Upgrade to Pier in progress

Three offshore Tugs and support ships at T-5

T-5 from Jack Block viewing tower looking South

West side of T-5 with W Seattle in distance.

There are three ships docked currently at Terminal 5. In my prior post you might remember seeing a photo of them.

Ships moored at T-5 on Duwamish waterway

This trip I was able to get better photos of them. They are from north to south on the dock – Ross Chouest, NANUQ and AIVIQ. The AIVIQ had some nasty business up in Alaska in 2014. The Kulluk a Shell Oil Drilling Rig was grounded after the AIVIQ lost control of it in tow. Here are a few articles about this wreak and how the Coast Guard was not happy with Shell and Edison Chouest, the owner of the AIVIQ.

USCG and Shell around tow of Kulluk Oil Rig

Nat Geo article on Kulluk wreak

Ross Chouest – Big Tug/Supply ship at T-5

NANUQ - Offshore Supply Ship at T-5 — NANUQ – Offshore Supply Ship at T-5

AIVIQ - Offshore Supply Ship at T-5 — AIVIQ – Offshore Supply Ship at T-5

My quest to walk the Duwamish has been full of things like T-5 where industry has control of our river. We the public benefit from the commercial use of the Duwamish but not all of the companies have been good stewards.

The Port of Seattle has done a lot of work to clean up other people’s messes. Jack Block Park sits on top of one of those areas. So, I shouldn’t be too unkind to them for wanting to beat out a buck and lease the dock temporarily for ships that are involved in drilling oil. It is a conundrum of our times. We want to use our fossil fuel cars but do not want to own up to our part in the extraction of oil.

To see all of my Duwamish Adventure I have a directory post that links all of the pieces together. You can find that post here – My Duwamish Adventure Directory

My Duwamish Adventure

Southern Alki Trail Sights

Posted on February 7, 2016February 8, 2016 by batgurrl

Around the corner of Harbor Avenue SW and Spokane Street SW there was a number of interesting sights to share with you.

The Alki Trail curves out of the cement bridge jungle onto a tree-lined avenue. Behind all that pretty area is a rail yard which has steel mill slag, old rail cars, a pile of gravel and what used to be a large recycling company.

You know I like to share my experiences from the past around a particular site. If you look at the red building and how it is right up against the railroad. That is where in the early 70s I went with a friend of mine from the Pike Place Market where I sold crochet bathing suits. He had heard that in the road bed was some sort of crystal or rock he wanted to make jewelry out of. There was no fence then and we just went behind the buildings and started digging around in the dirt. Chain link fences now surround all of this area and there is no free style digging these days.

Rail Yard near Harbor Avenue

Railroad cars between T-5 and Harbor Avenue

Piles of dirt and old scrap yard

Is this a slag yard from steel mill?

To the north of that intersection I got some views of the river mouth and Seattle. Times have changed at this intersection too. We used to drive from behind the Chelan Café to come out at Harbor Avenue. It was a bit of risky drive since right before you got to the intersection you had to pass through an old lumber mill with railroads and overhead conveyors.

This is now the Superfund site called Pacific Sound Resources or formerly the Wyckoff West Seattle Wood Treatment Plant that dated back to 1909. From the clean up the Port has created its Terminal 5 and for us a park called Jack Block. The intersection was a busy place when cruising in our cars was hot. The small store was always busy and a boat dealer made a living there for years too. That has all passed now and most have forgotten that you could cut through what now looks like a driveway.

City view from west side of Duwamish mouth

From that area near the entrance to Jack Block Park I turned around and went back the way I had come. Along this corridor that most people think is pretty and use for exercise both biking and running I found more homelessness.

Homeless RV's on Harbor Avenue — Homeless RV’s on Harbor Avenue

Homeless park across from King Co Water Bldg

See the building behind the RV? That is King County Waste Water. They had some really good art on it.

A relic of anther time caught my eye as I walked back. It was an old tow yard abandoned. It was surrounded with chain link fencing to keep the towed cars safe. A hole in the fence gave access to a phone booth. That is a dying breed of communication.

Right at the busy intersection of Harbor and Spokane there was a homeless tent. Most folks just zip by and probably don’t even notice.

Homeless tent at intersection of Harbor and Spokane SW

There is also a private kitty shelter that helps find homes for homeless cats.

To see more of my Duwamish Adventure I have a directory post that links all of the pieces together. You can find that post here – My Duwamish Adventure Directory

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