12/27 Snow goose, new orca calf, BC environment wins, geoduck farm, Indigenous rescues, Bainbridge tsunami plan, Everett port plans, exotic Christmas trees, snowberries, week in review

 

Snow Goose [All About Birds]

Snow Goose Anser caerulescens
Watching huge flocks of Snow Geese swirl down from the sky, amid a cacophony of honking, is a little like standing inside a snow globe. These loud, white-and-black geese can cover the ground in a snowy blanket as they eat their way across fallow cornfields or wetlands. Among them, you might see a dark form with a white head—a color variant called the “Blue Goose.” Snow Geese have skyrocketed in numbers and are now among the most abundant waterfowl on the continent. (All About Birds)


Today's top story in Salish Current: Orca whales, wildfire prevention, clean energy, oyster comeback make 2024 headlines

Tahlequah, mother orca made famous after death of calf, has a new baby
A new calf has been born to J pod, spotted for the first time just last Friday — swimming with Tahlequah, or J35, as she is scientifically known.  She is the mother orca who captured the world’s attention by carrying her dead calf for 17 days and 1,000 miles. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)  Newborn orca brings holiday cheer — and fear — to Seattle whale watchers Orca J35 made world headlines in 2018 when she carried her dead baby on her nose for 17 days. Her apparent 1,000-mile tour of grief threw a spotlight on the plight of the southern resident killer whales, endangered by pollution, ship noise, and a lack of salmon to eat. John Ryan reports. (KUOW)

Nature Wrapped: wins for the environment across B.C. in 2024
Salmon habitat was restored in the Fraser Valley, old-growth forests were protected on Vancouver Island and caribou habitat was conserved in the northeast. Ainslie Cruickshank reports. (The Narwhal)

Proposal to create geoduck farm in Pierce County draws opposition
The question of whether a longtime shellfish farm in Burley Lagoon can raise geoducks is inching toward a final answer. The Pierce County deputy hearing examiner approved the ]Taylor Shellfish Farms'] applications for shoreline permits this month... The examiner also rejected local environmental groups’ appeals of the project’s environmental impact statement, which found that the geoduck farm would have “negligible” to “minor” impacts on the lagoon environment. Julia Park reports. (Peninsula Gateway)

The First First Responders
When disaster strikes along British Columbia’s coast, Indigenous rescuers are often the first on the scene. Government-led initiatives are now formally recognizing that work. Adrienne Mason writes. (Hakai Magazine)

PNW 'doomsday:' New tsunami strategy aims to protect Bainbridge Island
The Washington Emergency Management Division announced the completion of a "Tsunami Maritime Response and Mitigation Strategy" for Eagle Harbor on Thursday, which is home to the island's ferry terminal and several marinas and docks. This report not only evaluates the risk of tsunamis but also recommends protections the city can take to minimize harm to residents and property. Marissa Center reports. (Kitsap Sun)

Port of Everett plans for sea level rise in new development
In the next year, the Port of Everett plans to break ground on the second and largest phase of its Waterfront Place mixed-use project. And as it gears up for development, climate change adaptation and mitigation are at the forefront of the port’s plans. A 2018 University of Washington climate assessment predicted by 2070, the Puget Sound will rise more than 2½ feet in Snohomish County. By the end of the century, the estimate increases to above 4½ feet. Eliza Aronson reports. (Everett Herald)

Exotic Christmas tree species take root in the Northwest
The most popular breeds of Christmas trees are the Fraser fir, Douglas fir and Noble fir. Gary Chastagner, a research plant pathologist at Washington State University’s Puyallup Research and Extension Center, is experimenting with exotic species of fir from the other side of the world that might better withstand hotter conditions amid climate change. Lauren Paterson reports. (NW Public Broadcasting)

Snowberries
Reader John Conley writes: "Regarding the Common Snowberry Symphoricarpos albus, many wonder why the berries often persist through the Winter months.  In addition to the  saponins (which may be a deterrent), the berries are near the bottom of the list of our local fruits when it comes to nutrition.  Deer and birds will eat them, but usually only when other berries (huckleberries, rose hips, currants, etc.) are not available.  When you see the snowberries disappearing, it is a hard Winter for the wildlife."

Reader Don Norman writes that he "has only noted snowberry being eaten in late winter by towhees, song sparrow, and robins (and varied thrushes!), especially during very cold weather.  It could be the berries are a water source, the birds are hungry and eating anything, or perhaps the snowberries' nasty saponins degrade as the winter progresses...  So if it is going to be a snowy winter, leave your berries!"

Salish Sea News Week in Review 12/27/24: Fruitcake Friday, new orca calf, more logging, BC environment wins, toxic fertilizer, bird flu.

Have you read the Salish Current? 
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Community supported, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.

Here's your weekend tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  251 AM PST Fri Dec 27 2024    
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON    
TODAY  E wind 10 to 15 kt, veering to SE this afternoon. Seas  6 to 9 ft. Wave Detail: SE 2 ft at 6 seconds and W 9 ft at  15 seconds. A slight chance of rain early this morning. A chance  of rain early this afternoon, then rain late.  
TONIGHT  SE wind 15 to 20 kt, veering to S after midnight. Seas  7 to 10 ft. Wave Detail: SE 4 ft at 4 seconds and W 10 ft at  16 seconds. Rain.  
SAT  SW wind 15 to 20 kt. Seas 8 to 11 ft. Wave Detail: W 11 ft  at 15 seconds. Rain.  
SAT NIGHT  S wind 5 to 10 kt, becoming E 10 to 15 kt after  midnight. Seas 7 to 10 ft. Wave Detail: W 10 ft at 15 seconds.  Rain likely.  
SUN  E wind 10 to 15 kt, veering to SW in the afternoon. Seas  5 to 7 ft. Wave Detail: E 2 ft at 4 seconds and W 7 ft at  14 seconds. Rain.

---


"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. It is included as a daily feature in the Salish Current newsletter. Click here to subscribe. Questions? Email msato(at)salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate



Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told