Beach Gem Hunt coming soon.
One rule:
See it. Photograph it. Leave it.
I’ll show you how to read the sand and debris, where glass tends to collect, how to spot it, and a few tricks I’ve learned from hunting this beach.
NOTHING LEAVES THE BEACH.
Sea glass, pottery, strange stones, mystery finds.
We’re looking for all of it.
There’s always something. Look closer.
Thanks to everyone that showed up!
Drop your images here!
From “Oops” moments, to judgy seagulls, you have to attend one of these to appreciate it best!
See you at the next one!
Some camouflage creatures.
Enjoy.
Looks like the votes are in: tide pools!
Low tide is -1.9 ft at 8:28 AM, so we’ll meet at Constellation Park at 7:30 AM and head down while the water is still dropping.
We’ll see what the tide left behind, which lately has been: Sea stars, anemones, crabs, nudibranchs, chitons, and maybe an octopus if we’re ridiculously lucky!!!
Shoes with great traction recommended!
I’ll be in an orange shirt and green hat. I’m the guy with the mustache.
See you on the beach!
Tough choices I know!
I will announce location and details once we all decide on what we want to do.
Runner up will get a guest spot later on this month too!!
If you think it’s yours, send me a message with:
Approximately where you think you lost it.
The generation/model.
Anything distinctive about the case.
I’ll happily return it to the rightful owner!!
While scouting for the August adventures, I stumbled across this Pacific chorus frog tucked into a patch of hostas.
It’s a reminder that you don’t always have to hike miles to find something wild. Sometimes it’s hiding in the garden, waiting for you to slow down and notice it.
Over the next few weeks we’ll be exploring forests, nighttime wildlife, and one of my favorite low-tide spots!Discover More. Look Closer.
See you in the woods.
That’s a male riding a female, before she eats him. Last date he will even be on.
These spiders don’t build webs to catch prey. They sit perfectly still on flowers and ambush visiting insects, often changing from white to yellow over several days to better match the blooms they’re hunting on.
Nature can be equal parts beautiful and brutal.
Found today while wandering West Seattle and looking a little closer than usual.
I have been getting more messages about my use of art design with Canva than details of the events. So, it’s time to address this.
It’s never been about social media.
It isn’t about AI.
It’s about getting people outside.
Over the last few months we’ve explored hidden parks, searched for tiny wildlife, found owl calls in the dark, seen octopus, discovered places many lifelong West Seattle residents never knew existed, and met complete strangers who became familiar faces and new friends!
Every event is free. Every time.
If you already own a flashlight, great.
If you don’t, I’ll hand you one.
Nobody is selling anything. Nobody is trying to build an exclusive club.
The goal has always been simple:
Help people discover more by looking closer.
If you’ve never joined us, I hope you do someday.
If you have, I’d love to hear what your favorite moment has been.
See you in the woods.
We weren’t looking for anything rare today. Just slowing down enough to notice what was already there, and hone our camera phone skills.
In about an hour we found a spider eating lunch, a fly with eyelashes, a bee working the flowers, an orange soldier beetle hiding beneath Queen Anne’s lace, and a tiny mystery tucked inside a damaged leaf.
Which is your favorite?
Tiny Safari continues to prove the same point:
The smaller you look, the bigger the world gets.
Discover More. Look Closer.
I’ve had a few people ask for another way to follow West Seattle Wild besides Reddit, so I finally created a Facebook page!
It’ll have the same things I share here:
• Local wildlife discoveries
• Macro photography
• Community walks and events
• Behind-the-scenes field work
• The occasional weird thing I find hiding in West Seattle.
Reddit will always be home, so nothing changes here. Facebook is just another place to follow along if that’s where you spend your time.
Thanks to everyone who’s been part of this community from the beginning, let’s keep growing!
https://facebook.com/WestSeattleWild
After 25 years in pest control, these are still my least favorite flying insects. What’s yours?
Saw a bee hanging a little strangely, so I took a closer look…
The bee wasn’t feeding. Well, technically…
It was feeding the spider!
Wrong flower. Wrong time.
Have you ever found a crab spider waiting in your garden?
Discover more. Look closer.
This Sunday, we’ll slow down and explore an entirely different world hiding beneath our feet.
Using nothing more than the smartphone already in your pocket, I’ll show you how to find and photograph tiny wildlife without disturbing it. We’ll cover simple techniques for getting closer, finding good light, locking focus, and capturing detailed macro-style images. No special lenses or photography experience needed.
Our goal isn’t just better photos.
It’s learning to notice the incredible little creatures and details that most people walk right past.
You might find:
Jumping spiders
Beetles
Snails
Slugs
Caterpillars
Lacewing eggs
Mushrooms
Mosses and lichens
Tiny wildflowers
Whatever else the forest decides to reveal.
Bring:
• Any smartphone
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Water
• Curiosity
• A pad for your knees
The walk is easy, relaxed, and suitable for beginners.
If you’ve ever wondered what you’re missing by walking a little too fast, this is for you.
See you in the woods.
These were all taken on an iPhone 16. No special lenses or gear.
I’d show you how to find tiny wildlife, get close without disturbing it, and capture photos like these!
Would you come?
Last night we turned a quiet corner of Lincoln Park into a glowing field station.
As darkness settled in, the sheet slowly came to life. We welcomed a steady mix of owlet moths, grass moths, beetles, flies, and other nocturnal visitors. Every few minutes another surprise would appear, and everyone gathered around to see what had arrived next.
One unexpected discovery wasn’t on the sheet at all. While exploring nearby, we found a small songbird asleep deep inside a tree crevice, breathing quietly with its head tucked safely away for the night. It’s the kind of thing you’d walk past a hundred times without ever knowing it was there.
That’s what these nights are really about.
Not just moths.
It’s about slowing down, looking closer, and discovering that an ordinary park becomes a completely different world after dark.
Thanks to everyone who came out and shared the adventure.
See you in the woods. 🌲🦋 🦉
Tonight’s the night!
Moth Night Social is happening tonight after dark. (9:30-11:30)
The weather is looking good, and the lights will be on to see what nocturnal visitors show up. We never know what’s going to land on the sheet, which is half the fun.
Whether you’re into insects, photography, or just curious about what’s flying around after sunset, come say hello!
📍 Lincoln Park. Lot #1. Walk to the far right entrance.
⏰ After dark (around 9:30 PM)
Bring a flashlight if you have one, dress for a cool evening, no bright colors, and feel free to ask questions. Hope to see some familiar faces and a few new ones.
See you in the woods. 🦉
This Saturday is Moth Night Social!
Once the lights come on, we never know what’s going to land on the sheet. Giant moths, lacewings, beetles, caddisflies, maybe even something none of us has seen before.
Bring your curiosity. I’ll bring the lights.
See you Saturday.
I’m considering adding some short videos alongside my photos to capture moments that still images can’t, like wildlife behavior, tide pools, trail walks, and behind-the-scenes moments!
Just curious what you’d actually watch. No content suggestions needed yet. Just taking a quick poll from yall.