8/7 Pigeon, 3 orcas dead, Fraser R slide

Pigeon [Wikipedia]

Domestic pigeon Columba livia
The domestic pigeon (also called the rock dove or city pigeon) was originally found in Europe, Northern Africa, and India. Early settlers introduced it into the eastern United States as a domestic bird in the 1600s. Since then, it has expanded throughout the United States to Alaska, across southern Canada, and south into South America... Two native birds, the band-tailed pigeon (Columba fasciata) and the mourning dove (Zenaida macroura) are sometimes confused with domestic pigeons. Band-tailed pigeons are similar in size but have a purplish head and breast, a dark-tipped yellow bill, yellow feet, and a small white crescent on top of the neck. Mourning doves are smaller than domestic pigeons, have a long, pointed tail, large dark eyes, a dark bill, and a mournful who-ooh, who-who-who call. (Seattle Audubon)

Three more orca deaths takes census count down to 73 Southern Residents
Four orca deaths and two births over the past year brings the official population of southern resident killer whales to 73 — the lowest number since the annual census was launched in 1976. This evening, the keeper of the census — Ken Balcomb of the Center for Whale Research — sadly announced the deaths of three orcas who have not been seen for several months. (Declared dead are J-17, Princess Angeline; K-25, Scoter; and L-84, Nyssa. J-50, Scarlet, died earlier.) Chris Dunagan reports. (Watching Our Water Ways) See also: 3 southern resident killer whales presumed dead after being missing over summer  (CBC) and Orca population drops as 3 more killer whales presumed dead John Ryan and Isolde Raftery report. (KUOW)

Time of essence as Fraser River slide blocks spawning salmon
Time is critical to find a solution to a massive obstruction in British Columbia’s Fraser River as 90,000 salmon wait downstream and an estimated two million more sockeye are about to arrive, federal Fisheries Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said Tuesday. The minister said dozens of people are working against the clock looking for ways to clear a path that allows salmon to get through the area where a massive rockslide came down in the river northwest of Kamloops. The slide was discovered in June and has created a five-metre waterfall nearly impassable for the salmon. (Canadian Press)


Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  310 AM PDT Wed Aug 7 2019   
TODAY  W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming NW in the afternoon. Wind  waves 1 to 3 ft. SW swell 2 ft at 17 seconds. 
TONIGHT  NW wind 10 to 20 kt. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. SW swell 3  ft at 16 seconds. A slight chance of drizzle after midnight.



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