7/21 Mayor Murray in Rome, BC sportsfishing ban, Viki Lyne 2, saving old-growth

Eastern towhee (Navjot Singh/BirdNote)

Towhees' Distractive Plumage
Both this Eastern Towhee and the Spotted Towhee of the West sport a black or dark brown hood and back. And when they fly, their tails flash white. When a hawk gives chase, the towhee's flashing tail-feathers draw the predator's attention. Momentarily distracted, the hawk may come up with just a couple of tail feathers — as the towhee escapes into the underbrush. So if you see a towhee missing a couple of tail feathers, it may be that the flash of white — the distractive plumage — saved its life. (BirdNote)

Seattle Mayor Talking Climate Change Policy...At The Vatican
Seattle Mayor Ed Murray is in Rome this morning (Tues.)  for the first ever gathering of mayors at the Vatican. They’re there to discuss human trafficking – as well as climate change and the role of cities in fighting it.  Murray joins mayors from New York City, Boston, San Francisco and Portland as well as Mexico City, Berlin and Oslo, among others. Pope Francis invited the municipal leaders, calling for a renewed international conversation about ending social and environmental exploitation. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KPLU)

Sport fishing ban in place over parts of South Coast due to drought
The province is suspending sport fishing in streams and rivers throughout most of the South Coast of B.C. due to warming water temperatures and low river and stream levels. The move follows a similar ban on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands where recreational angling was suspended earlier this month. The ban on South Coast fishing takes effect July 22 to September 30. Fishing is banned in most rivers and streams in regions south of Toba Inlet in the north to the U.S. border in the south. (CBC)

Derelict ship Viki Lyne 2 threatening Ladysmith Harbour
Residents of Ladysmith, B.C., are demanding the federal government do more to clean up a derelict ship that could spill thousands of litres of oil and solvents into the harbour if it sinks. The 33-meter Viki Lyne 2 was abandoned near Dunsmuir Islands, a private island about a two minute boat ride from Ladysmith sometime before 2012. Transport Canada eventually towed it into Ladysmith's Harbour on the east coast of Vancouver Island where it now remains. Since then, the coast guard has pumped 20,000 litres of oil out of the ship, but it's estimated there's still 13,000 litres of oil and solvents remaining on board in various tanks and lines. (CBC)

Environmentalists fight to save tract of old-growth Island trees
At the end of a logging road, past expanses of clear-cut land, is the entrance to one of the largest contiguous tracts of old-growth rainforest on Vancouver Island. The Central Walbran Valley near Port Renfrew is not protected parkland, but has incalculable ecological value, environmentalists say…. Tonight at 7 p.m., environmentalists plan to gather at the Fernwood Community Centre to discuss next steps in their campaign to stop Surrey-based Teal-Jones Group from carrying out plans to log eight cutblocks in the 486-hectare area. Amy Smart reports. (Times Colonist)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 235 AM PDT TUE JUL 21 2015
TODAY
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 9 SECONDS. CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT EASING TO 5 TO 15 KT LATE. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT 9 SECONDS.

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told