11/2 Snowbird, Northern goshawk, Still Cr. chum, Lummi recall, Treaty 8, oil trains safety, PSE carbon $

Dark-eyed Junco (Daniella Theoret/BirdNote)

Return of the Snowbird
You may see Dark-eyed Juncos in the summer, but come fall, many more — those that have been nesting in the mountains or farther north — arrive to spend the winter. These juncos often visit birdfeeders for winter feasting. Dark-eyed Juncos forage on the ground. The flash of white tail-feathers when one is alarmed alerts other members of the flock, and is also used as part of the courtship display. (BirdNote)

Haida Gwaii's last remaining Northern goshawks threatened, biologist says
Northern goshawks, predatory birds with a distinct black and white plumage, are a mainstay in cold-weather climates. But wildlife biologist Frank Doyle says their numbers on Haida Gwaii are in dramatic decline. And these birds are special. "Haida Gwaii was a glacial refuge 10,000 years ago and like many of the species here, they're genetically distinct," Doyle explained…. The birds do not travel to the mainland, so when they die out, they're gone forever…. Doyle said there were a number of local factors leading to the hawk's population decline including habitat loss and pressure from introduced species. (CBC)

Spawning salmon: Chum ‘beat odds,’ return to Metro Vancouver streams
A bumper return of chum salmon to B.C.’s south coast is flooding urban streams in Metro Vancouver, inspiring dedicated streamkeepers, providing easy viewing opportunities for the public and offering hope for the coexistence of nature in a modern metropolis…. Chum returned to Still Creek five years ago for the first time in about eight decades. Spawning activity can be viewed at the corner of Natal Street and Cornett Road, just upstream from Vancouver Film Studios and downstream from Canadian Tire. These fish swam up the Fraser River, then diverted up the Brunette River to Burnaby Lake and on to Still Creek. Among the other streams experiencing returns are Stoney Creek, Guichon Creek, Eagle Creek, Deer Lake Brook and Buckingham Creek. Larry Pynn reports. (Vancouver Sun) Larry Pynn reports. (Vancouver Sun) See also: Hundreds expected for Saturday salmon-watching tours  About 525,000 chum are forecast for central and south Puget Sound. That's a touch better than last year's returns, but only about half of 2007's levels. Tristan Baurick reports. (Kitsap Sun)

Lummi Nation starts recall of council member for attempt to develop Cherry Point
A council member at Lummi Nation is facing a recall after he allegedly tried to get and develop land at Cherry Point, a location the tribe has been trying to protect from major development for years. Lummi Indian Business Council initiated a recall of council member Henry Cagey on Monday, alleging he tried to acquire land at Cherry Point for development. According to a news release issued by the tribe, the action would violate Lummi policy adopted in January 2016 that declared, “the Lummi Nation opposes any and all development at Xwe’Chie’eXen,” the native name for Cherry Point. Samantha Wohlfeil reports. (Bellingham Herald)

First Nations fight to halt resource development in northeast B.C.
The Blueberry River First Nations are arguing in court that based on promises made by the Crown in 1899, resource development should be halted in a huge swath of northeast British Columbia, an area that encompases some of the most intense oil and gas, pipeline and logging activity in the province. In an injunction application made Monday in the Supreme Court of B.C. the BRFN seek to protect hunting, trapping and fishing rights which they say were guaranteed by Treaty 8 more than 100 years ago. They claim those rights are now being destroyed by the cumulative impact of developments. BRFN lawyer Maegen Giltrow told court that many areas within the traditional territory of the bands are “perceived as being spoiled or unsafe” because of industrial activity. Mark Hume reports. (Globe and Mail)

Canada’s oil trains just got safer. We’re stuck on the slower track Congress set
More than a year ahead of the United States, the Canadian government has removed tank cars from the transportation of crude oil that have leaked and caught fire in rail accidents. Canada’s Transport Minister, Marc Garneau, said Monday that the legacy DOT-111 tank car would no longer be permitted to move crude oil within Canada as of Tuesday, 16 months ahead of schedule. According to a timetable set by Congress last December, a comparable phase-out won’t occur on the U.S. side of the border until Jan. 1, 2018. Curtis Tate reports. (McClatchy)

PSE joins big-money fight over nation's first carbon tax
If you go to Puget Sound Energy’s website, you’ll see Washington’s largest utility claim to take a stand on greenhouse gas emissions. The gas and electric utility says says it's investing in wind power and supporting policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. At PSE's Bellevue headquarters on Monday, you’d have seen environmentalists protesting PSE's efforts to block action on climate change…. Initiative 732 is the carbon tax on the Washington ballot. It would tax carbon emissions and cut taxes on manufacturing and sales…. PSE is one of the biggest donors trying to discourage voters from passing it. Other heavy hitters include a national trade group for the oil industry and Kaiser Aluminum of Spokane. John Ryan reports. (KUOW)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-  300 AM PDT WED NOV 2 2016  

GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM PDT THIS MORNING THROUGH THIS  AFTERNOON  
TODAY  SE WIND 25 TO 35 KT. COMBINED SEAS 5 TO 8 FT WITH A  DOMINANT PERIOD OF 16 SECONDS...BUILDING TO 9 TO 11 FT WITH A  DOMINANT PERIOD OF 15 SECONDS IN THE AFTERNOON. RAIN.
TONIGHT  SE WIND 20 TO 30 KT...BECOMING S 15 TO 25 KT AFTER  MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 3 TO 5 FT. W SWELL 10 FT AT 14 SECONDS. RAIN  IN THE EVENING...THEN RAIN LIKELY AFTER MIDNIGHT.
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