11/4 State of Puget Sound, climate change kids, rising rivers, algae bloom, tangled orca

(Matthew G. Hull/BirdNote)

The Oystercatcher's World
Black Oystercatchers prey on shellfish in the wave zone, especially mussels and limpets. The waves cause mussels to open often, making them easier to eat. The Black Oystercatcher nests on ledges just off shore, and its eggs and young suffer far less predation by mammals. Contrary to their name, oystercatchers rarely eat oysters. (BirdNote)

2015 State of the Sound report: Analysis of ecosystem recovery shows mixed progress
The 2015 State of the Sound, released [Nov. 3] by the Puget Sound Partnership, indicates that while the Puget Sound recovery community is making progress in effectively restoring habitat, measures for Chinook salmon, Southern Resident Killer Whales, herring, and other native species show a decline, and local improvements in water quality still don’t add up to improvements at the regional scale…. The State of the Sound presents the latest findings on Puget Sound recovery by evaluating the progress of several aspects of the ecosystem called Puget Sound Vital Signs. The report also shows how successful regional partners are in implementing Puget Sound Action Agenda, the shared plan for recovering the ecosystem. (Puget Sound Partnership News Release)

Kids Sue Over Climate Change And A Judge In Wash. State Is Listening
Kids packed a courtroom in Seattle on Tuesday to hear oral arguments in a case about their future. Eight young teenagers are the plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the state Department of Ecology. They want to force action on climate change. “It just feels like there’s not enough people who care about, like, animals and other things that can’t talk for themselves – babies who haven’t been born yet, people from the future, basically,” said 13-year-old Lara Fain. She’s one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, which says the State Department of Ecology isn’t doing enough to limit the carbon pollution that causes global warming. 15-year-old Aji Piper agrees. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KPLU)

Skagit, Samish rivers rise with rain
The rains that dampened the Skagit Valley over the weekend sent the Skagit River surging over Young’s Bar in downtown Mount Vernon and caused a shellfish harvest closure in Samish Bay. The increased water level and river flow, however, did not cause the Skagit River to cross the flooding threshold. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Algae Bloom Off Pacific Coast Blamed For Marine Mammal Poisoning
Scientists have found dozens of poisoned dolphins, whales and sea lions off the coast of Washington, Oregon and California this year. They tested positive for a toxin caused by a massive algae bloom this summer in the Pacific Ocean.  Toxic domoic acid is produced by algae in the ocean, and this year the algae are thriving in the largest bloom ever recorded here. Marine mammals are poisoned when they eat fish that are contaminated. Jes Burns reports. (EarthFix)

Orca may be entangled in rope and buoy near Nanaimo
A killer whale that may be entangled with a rope and buoy has prompted Fisheries and Oceans Canada  to ask whale watchers in the South Salish Sea to alert them if they spot the orca. Transient killer whale 77A was spotted with the gear from the Thetis Island-Chemainus ferry in Stuart Channel near Nanaimo, B.C. on Sunday. Fisheries and Oceans Canada marine mammal coordinator Paul Cotrell told CBC said it has an expert team ready to go to the whale if it's still entangled. (CBC)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 240 AM PST WED NOV 4 2015
TODAY
E WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 9 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS THIS AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT
E WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING W AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 9 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.

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