I wandered in the fog through Bob Heirman park in Snohomish County this
morning. The flood debris is an impressive testimony to the power of the
water that went through here a couple weeks ago. Visibility was limited
and it was as still and quiet as I have ever experienced. As I got down to
the bar there was a loud splashing of water in the distance and the sound
was adjacent to a large log jam. I climbed up the backside of logs as
quietly as I could manage, then sort of slithered over the top and stopped
with my waist over the top log and my head pointing downhill. I could hear a
gnawing sound and finally saw below me was a river otter holding and ripping
into the breast of a duck which after a minute or so I was able to identify
as a common goldeneye. Unfortunately the wind shifted and the otter caught
my scent, stood up and looked right at me, although I am not sure it
actually could see me, but without a sound it slid into the water with its
prize and out of my view.

Later on the hike out I had 4 swans materialize out of the fog and fly right
over my head, maybe only 10 feet off the ground. I could hear and feel the
wind pumping through their wings.

Rob Sandelin
Naturalist, Writer, Teacher
Snohomish County, WA