10/10 Geese in V, Moby Doll, dam removal, Whatcom water wells

Geese in a V (Ted Bobosh/BirdNote)

Geese in V-formation
Autumn…and geese fly high overhead in V-formation. But what about that V-formation, angling outward through the sky? This phenomenon — a kind of synchronized, aerial tailgating — marks the flight of flocks of larger birds, like geese or pelicans. Most observers believe that each bird behind the leader is taking advantage of the lift of a corkscrew of air coming off the wingtips of the bird in front. This corkscrew updraft is called a tip vortex, and it enables the geese to save considerable energy during long flights. The V-formation may also enhance birds’ ability to see and hear each other, thus avoiding mid-air collisions. Small birds probably do not create enough of an updraft to help others in the flock and don’t fly in vees. (BirdNote)

How killer whales went from beasts to beloved
Orcas are one of the most beloved animals on the planet, but the creatures were widely perceived as monsters long before activists began chanting "save the whales"…. [The] negative attitudes towards the whales changed in the summer of 1964, when a whaling crew captured the infamous Moby Doll off the coast of Saturna Island, B.C. — one of the first killer whales ever held in captivity. Named after the infamous white whale, Moby Doll was captured on behalf of the Vancouver Aquarium in July 1964. He was meant to be used as an educational fixture showcasing the anatomy of an orca. But the harpoonist botched the kill shot. Jon Hernandez reports. (CBC)

Take out the dams? Congressional candidates Jayapal and Walkinshaw wade in a bit unprepared
Does Pramila Jayapal want to demolish the Grand Coulee Dam? Does Brady Walkinshaw know enough about hydroelectric power in Washington state? What were the 7th Congressional District candidates thinking this week when they discussed it? Those were some of the questions audience members may have pondered Tuesday night during a candidates forum on climate change and the environment at a Ballard brewery. The confusion began when moderator Lynda Mapes, a Seattle Times reporter, asked Jayapal to clarify a remark the Democratic state senator had made about getting rid of dams. Daniel Beekman reports. (Seattle Times)

State Supreme Court: Whatcom must restrict rural wells to protect water supply
Whatcom County must make sure there is enough available water before issuing permits for new developments in rural areas, the Washington state Supreme Court ruled Thursday, Oct. 6. The decision overturned a February 2015 state Court of Appeals ruling, which had favored the county by saying, in effect, that the county did not need stricter rules to regulate water wells on rural properties. Kie Relyea reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-  320 AM PDT MON OCT 10 2016  

TODAY  LIGHT WIND, BECOMING SE 10 KT OR LESS. WIND WAVES AN 1  FT, BECOMING 1 FT. W SWELL 3 TO 4 FT AT 9 SECONDS.
TONIGHT AND TUE  E WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W  SWELL 3 FT AT 9 OR 10 SECONDS.

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