Wildlife: Coho update and a river otter, 3 by tigerlily

tigerlily wrote:
Some of you will remember I'd posted several years ago about the Coho returning to area creeks, (after a 55 year absence) and the creek rehab That was done. The fish have returned every winter since 2004. In 2012 a new bridge replaced a culvert where our Joe Hall Creek ran under the highway to join the larger Elk Creek. Last winter the Coho had a new spawning area under the bridge, out of view of the Bald Eagles watching from the nearby evergreen trees.

The usual late November Coho run has been delayed by very low waters. I went to 3 Falls, where locals gather to watch the Coho jump the falls, after a rainfall in January, but there still was not enough water.

I saw but one Coho, a large buck, and it was in the jaws of an otter.

As far as I know there have been no other fish this far up. I'd like to think they spawned in the river, but one year they waited below the falls by the hundreds, and for several weeks. We felt so bad for the fish, and it was a very exciting time when they were able to clear the falls and continue upstream.

Here are a few shots of the otter w/ his catch.