Meet Your New Neighbors

DINOFLAGELLATE

(Greek dinos "whirling" and Latin flagellum "whip, scourge")

While out selling derby tickets, Lonnie Goulet paid a visit to the Montry home where Ed had shared a printout he’d rec’d from Sally Abella of King County.  Sally is Ed’s contact relative to his volunteer duties for water quality control testing that he and Jeanie perform throughout the year.   In response to Ed’s inquiry about the current algae bloom we are currently experiencing (the lime green slime that is about 10’ - 15’ off shore and in a depth of water about 6’ 10’ in depth) she wrote him with the following explanation: 

Hi Ed and Jeannie,

Chris (King County Water and Land Resources Division Field Engineer) did come take a quick look yesterday and took a phytoplankton sample off your dock.  The lake water was clear, but he did see a fair amount of filamentous green algae growing on the lake bottom.  Was that what you were reporting? 

While not dangerous, it can be a nuisance. If it gets thick enough, you might be able to rake it out and use it as fertilizer on your garden.    Luxuriant filamentous algae growth may be a signal that nutrients are seeping into the lake along your shoreline.  They can come from recently applied lawn or garden fertilizers (especially if followed by a good rain storm), septic systems needing maintenance, etc.  Keep an eye on it and let me know how it’s doing! Do you think it is growing all around the edges of the lake?  Is so, it may just be climate-related rather than an unusual source of nutrients.

The Phyto plankton was sparse, but was dominated by dinoflagellates and small green algae colonies with just a few diatoms.   The spring diatom bloom should be on its way soon.

Regards,

Sally

Sally Barley Abella

Science and Technical Support Section

King County Water and Land Resources Division

201 S. Jackson St, Suite 600

Seattle, WA  98104-3855

Phone:  (206) 296-8382

Fax:  (206) 296-0192

E-Mail Address:  Sally.Abella@kingcounty.gov

It seems from the letter above that the appearance of Dinoflagelate algae maybe climate related and will soon  be replaced by the usual Diatom Spring Bloom.  Please contact the Montry's with any questions you may have regarding water quality concerns.  If they don't have the answers, they certainly know where they can go to get them.

More Wild Things at Angle Lake

Sunday night as my wife and I were starting to settle into our usual end of weekend routine, she on the bed with her book in hand and me planted on my man-chair poised with the remote in hand ready to tune into the latest news, our neighbor from a couple lots over came to our back door distraught and asking for help.  We invited her to come in and after a couple minutes catching her breath we were informed that there was a full grown, adult bald eagle that appeared to be injured and unable to fly.  Her request was for assistance in caging the animal so that she could bring it somewhere for medical attention.

When Julie and I arrived, it appeared mildly agitated with our approach but did not move. We quickly determined judging from the size and alertness of the bird clear that it was still quite able to cause some serious harm if handled and that allot more assistance would be needed to avoid additional injury to the animal, let alone our selves!

A call was placed into King County dispatch and was informed that wildlife concerns are the responsibility of the Washington State Patrol and was then connected through. However, the WSP could only provide us a couple numbers to call which ultimately resulted in being greeted with phone recordings only... I called dispatch again requesting to be connected with SeaTac Fire and eventually they dispatched the Battalion Chief to the site.  After assessing the situation and a couple more calls to wildlife experts it was determined that our best approach would be to leave the bird in place, recheck it in the morning and to retry the assistance numbers again if the situation had not changed.

The next morning at dawn I returned to the site to discover the bird was gone!  I returned at day break and did not detect any disturbance in the landscaping that would indicate a struggle, nor were any feathers or such found in the area to warrant concern for a misfortunate encounter with raccoon or coyote… it was just gone. 

Later that day, I received a call from a Sarvey Wildlife Organization Director and was able to describe my experience to her.  Possible causes could have been an encounter with a building or tall object that stunned the bird (in my opinion, not likely in this case), could be a mild poisoning (please do not use poisons for rodent control), or as I was surprised to learn, it is not an uncommon occurrence for an Eagle to overeat and become temporarily unable to fly!  I was informed that Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife get calls all the time about eagles that eat too much and can’t fly for 2-3 days. Even though an average American Bald Eagle wingspan can measure up to seven and a half feet (90 inches) their lifting power is only about 4 pounds. 

According to the chart above, an 18” Triploid Rainbow Trout would weigh an average of 2.5 lbs. Consuming just two fish in a short span could easily put the bird at over capacity, leading me to believe that a case of over consumption is the most likely root cause for the bird’s distress last night and the explanation for its mysterious disappearance the next morning.

Although it was difficult to accept the night before that our only resolve was to walk away and wait until the morning, in this particular case it turned out to be the best choice and proved that wild animals  don’t always need our help and it’s generally best to let wild things in nature take care of themselves.

This Otter Be Interesting...

If a North American River Otter is different from a Sea Otter, then when a River Otter takes up residence in a lake, is it still a called a River Otter?  Or does it become known as a Lake Otter? Or is it just known as an Otter at that point?  These are the types of questions that are starting to being asked more frequently as the number of sightings of a North American River Otter in Angle Lake have increased. Sightings have been reported from the Anderson (post 52) and Hill (post 33) properties on the east side of the lake.

The northern river otter or the common otter is the largest member of the weasel family. This is a semi aquatic mammal equally versatile in the water and on land. River otters generally feed on prey that is in larger supply and easier to catch. Fish is a favored food among the otters, but they also consume various amphibians, turtles, and crayfish.  Generally, slow-swimming fish are consumed more often than game fishes when both are equally available. Slow-moving species include suckers, sunfish and bass.

As part of the Living with Wildlife series, Washington State Fish and Wildlife offer a publication featuring information on river otters and a copy is available for download HERE.

An adult river otter can weigh between 10 and 30 lbs. While not normally considered dangerous to humans, they are also not known to be shy either!  Never instigate a close encounter with a river otter. As with any wild animal possessing razor sharp teeth and dagger like claws, it is well advised to keep at a safe distance from the animal.

Name the Otter! 

What name would you suggest best fits our Angle Lake Otter?  Leave your comment here.  The individual suggesting the most popular name won’t receive any significant cash reward, but maybe we can present you with an Angle Lake Shore Club T-shirt and bragging rights – which in my opinion can both be considered priceless gifts! 

2013 ALSC Fishing Derby

Mix one part Sunday morning, one part Angle Lake stocked with over 2,400 fish, fold in a large portion of moms and dads, grandmas and grandpas, kids of all ages, blend thoroughly with prizes, good food and add a huge dash of community spirit. What do you have? You have the perfect ingredients to cook up some great times at the annual Angle Lake Shore Club Fishing Derby!

This long time favorite annual event kicks off on Sunday, April 28 at 7:00 AM on the shore of Shirley Steven’s place with an offering of warm drinks and muffins. When you’re finished fueling up on the morning refreshments it will be game on from 7 am until Noon for participants to compete in their respective age category where the largest fish will be eligible for a merchandise reward. All fish must be measured before the Noon Cut off to be entered into the contest. Landing the largest fish overall will net you 113 mackerels in cold hard cash!  Only one winner will be awarded per category prize.

Steven's Beach - Post 60

Fishing Contest 7:00 AM - 12 Noon. 

Lunch, Awards and Raffle Drawings 11:30 – 1:30 PM

If Lady Luck wasn't kind to you in helping you claim the biggest fish prize, no worries because your derby ticket or tickets will also be used as your entry into the prize rich raffle drawing. After recognition has been given to the fishing competition winners for the biggest fish in each age group, we’ll break for a Barbecue Lunch after which time we’ll hold a raffle for all ticket holders for a chance to claim one of two Grand Prizes – a Kayak or a Barbecue Grill! or win another item from a sea of prizes! We’ll also be selling and renewing Shore Club Membership at the event. Please refer to the FLYER for additional information.

Tickets will be sold on the following sliding scale:

• Tadpole: 1 ticket -   $5
• Minnow: 3 tickets - $10
• Trout:     6 tickets - $15
• Whaler: 10 tickets - $20

The bearer of a Raffle Ticket(s) is entitled to: admission into the fishing derby; light breakfast refreshments; barbecue lunch and entry into the raffle prize drawing. Tickets can be purchased via our door to door sellers this week or at the event. The more tickets you buy, the better your chance to win one of the fabulous prizes offered!

IT'S GO TIME!

S. 200th Link Extension Groundbreaking Ceremony

Friday, April 26, 2013

11:00 a.m.

19863 28th Avenue S., SeaTac

(South 200th Street and 28th Avenue South)

It's time to celebrate! Please join the Sound Transit Board and special guest U.S. Senator Patty Murray to celebrate the start of construction for Link light rail service to the new Angle Lake Station in SeaTac. Come learn about the construction schedule, view 3D animations of the project, and see the latest station and public art designs.

The S. 200th Link Extension includes a 1.6-mile elevated guideway and station along with garage parking, bicycle and pedestrian improvements, a plaza area and public art. Service is scheduled to begin in late 2016, at the same time as service begins to the University of Washington.  

To get a glimpse of what the South 200th link extension and future Angle Lake Station will look like when in full operation, view the 3D animations at the following links:

• So. 200th Street Link Extension
• Angle Lake Station 

This groundbreaking ceremonial event is made possible thanks to the generous support of HDR Inc., PCL Civil Constructors, Parsons Brinckerhoff and VIA Architecture. Interested attendees are request to please RSVP via email to: events@soundtransit.org

Get Ready to Get Dirty!

Join us for the South King County Flower and Garden Show! Become a garden guru with tips on design, plants, container gardens and more.  Enjoy all-day entertainment and family fun while cultivating your creativity, health, friendships, and your community! Grow your expertise to make this year’s flower beds, vegetable gardens and herb gardens your best ever! Tour the Highline Botanical Garden, talk to experts and just have fun! 

Guest speakers and topics include:

• Nitajo Roundtree, NW Horticulture Society, Amazing Annuals
• Greg Butler, landscape designer and horticulturist, Gardening for Wildlife
• Graham Kerr, the Galloping Gourmet, The American Dream and Ethic in the Garden
• Christina Salwitz, the Personal Garden Coach, Confessions of a Foliage-a-Holic
• Joe Grienauer, Emerald City Orchids, Orchid Basics
• Bill Grassie, WSU Master Gardener, Roses / Growing and Care
• Bill Vingelen, Head Farmer at the Herb Farm, Preserving Seeds and Tubers

Saturday, April 13 – 10 AM until 5 PM

North SeaTac Community Center

13735 24th Ave S

This is a Rotary Charity Benefit where all proceeds go directly back into our community. Entrance is Free to 12 years of age and under. Seniors & Students $5.00. Adults $7.00 Parking is Free! 

First 100 participants get a raffle ticket for a gift basket full of gardening goodies!  Additional tickets may be purchased at the door.

More information can be found on the group page on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/skcflowerandgardenshow

Dock Hop a Big Hit!

Early Easter Morning, the weather unseasonably warm, winds calm, the sun just rising over the eastern hillside. Tucked away in the southeast cove onboard a pontoon boat parked next to the Zylkowski dock stood a large, fluffy white figure, whose long ears stood erect with a basket full of eggs in hand – it was none other than the Easter Bunny himself preparing to set out on a voyage to visit the eagerly awaiting children of Angle Lake.

With Captain Bruce Goulet behind the wheel and first mate Lonnie there to provide navigational assistance for keeping the stops in order and the schedule on time the Bunny Boat departed on its visitation round promptly at 9 am.  A periodic blast of the horn alerted folks along the shoreline and waiting in their homes that Peter Cottontail was approaching, signaling to them that it was time to rush down to the water to greet him at their dock.

Peter made his first stop with the Milan’s at post 11 to deliver two beautifully festooned baskets to a couple of excited boys, where the youngest was truly bewildered that the bunny knew his name and had it written on the attached card!  On to the next stop with the Steinke’s at post 3 where ‘Hoppity’ was greeted by a very young child that was none too sure of this large creature but was certainly cordial by offering several “bye-bye’s” when it was time to leave, almost as if he were encouraging the bunny to move along!  And so we did… a few more blasts of the horn brought a neighbor out from the condo eager to get a picture with the Easter Bunny and we were more than happy to oblige!

Rounding the west side of the lake, a young boy of about 10 years old was spotted fishing from the pier with his father who waived us in for a quick visit and photographs, leaving behind a few unsuspected treats for them to enjoy while waiting for the big catch.  

Sounding the horn up the north side of the lake brought on many cheers and waves from people at their doors and windows with only the Patton’s taking us up on a stop for visit, photos and gifts of treat filled eggs, then it was task master Lonnie egging Bruce on to the next schedule stop at the Beck’s around the corner on the northern leg of the lake where more colorfully decorated baskets filled with goodies were given out.  Even the turtles remained in place on their favorite log as we passed by on our way to the Bell’s at post 74. The girls at the Bell’s were dressed in their Sunday best and were rewarded with a large number of eggs!  Hugs were shared, Steve put his own twist on things as he hopped back inside the house and with that we were on the move again.

Rounding our way to the eastside of the lake we were greeted at the Anderson’s by another very young boy who appeared more intrigued than unsure of the visiting creature and graciously accepted the gifts that were offered. Then back around to the Northwest side of the lake to the Partridge’s for the customary visit with the twin girls where more gifts, hugs, smiles and laughs were exchanged.  

And then amazingly at precisely the stroke of eleven, it was time to shove off and return the Bunny back to the Zylkowski dock so that he could continue on his way to visit the other remaining children waiting around the world for his visit.  

(Click on the above image to view the video)

We’d like to thank Nick and Rosalyn for arranging our special visit with the bunny, coordinating the collection of baskets from the parents for delivery to their children and procuring the eggs filled with treats that were handed out to all – this is truly turning out to be another favorite ALSC tradition to look forward to each year.

(Photo album may be accessed by clicking this link)