5/10 Wood duck, SRKW, BC glaciers, Peter Cavanagh, derelict boats, logging protest, grey whale deaths, 'StoryWalks,' Garry oaks, wolf kill

Wood Duck at Hoag's Pond [Alan Fritzberg]

 
Wood Duck Aix sponsa
Male Wood Ducks are flamboyant in breeding plumage, practically unmistakable with their brightly colored chestnut and yellow bodies, green droop-crested heads, bright red bills, and bold white barring on their faces and bodies...Rarely seen on marine waters, the Wood Duck is a bird of wooded wetlands and slow-moving, tree-lined rivers, with a preference for deciduous-tree habitats. This cavity-nester requires either a natural cavity or nest box to raise its young. (BirdWeb)
 
Southern resident orcas celebrate 3 healthy calves as researchers find J pod in best overall condition in a decade
The three J pod calves are doing well. In fact, the whole southern resident pod is looking better than in a decade, according to researchers out with the orcas. “We hope it continues and these calves can thrive," researcher John Durban says. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

The Big Melt
This is Klinaklini, the largest glacier in Western North America beyond the Alaskan border. As this giant melts, so go B.C.’s more than 16,000 other mountain glaciers — and the pace is fast accelerating. In mere decades, Klinaklini will be gone. Christopher Pollon reports. (The Tyee)

A Washington photographer’s passion: 600,000 photos of flying birds — and the incredible math behind it all
If it weren’t for passionate people, this would be a dull world indeed. Peter Cavanagh, of Lopez Island, certainly qualifies in the passionate category, having taken 600,000 photos in the past 13 years of birds all over the world, from Botswana to the Galápagos Islands. Eric Lacitis reports. (Seattle Times)

Songhees teaming up with other nations to remove derelict boats
 The Songhees First Nation is spearheading a drive to take more derelict boats out of the water while providing jobs and training for other nations on the South Island. About 100 abandoned and sunken vessels are expected to be removed over the next nine months through the Salish Sea Marine Stewardship Project. Darron Kloster reports. (Times Colonist)

First Nation to restrict protesters' access to areas being logged
Huu-ay-aht First Nations will start restricting access to active logging areas in Tree Farm Licence 44 starting on Monday, saying logging activists and ­protests in its territory are ­putting forestry workers at risk. The nation said in a statement that access is being restricted in response to an incident Thursday in which a forestry protester drove through barriers into an active logging area, putting the safety of the driver and forestry workers at risk. Darron Kloster reports. (Times Colonist)

Scientists seek to understand increase in grey whale deaths on West Coast
The recent sighting of an emaciated grey whale off Vancouver Island and the discovery of a dead whale washed up on a B.C. beach highlights concerns that the marine mammals are dying in increasing numbers...Officials have not released a cause of death, but they say dead grey whales on the West Coast of Canada have been increasing in number since 2018. (CBC)

Families can learn about the stormwater process through interactive 'StoryWalks'
Kids and their families have the opportunity to explore parts of Kitsap County they may not have visited while learning about important parts of the stormwater process from activities and a story.  Kitsap Public Works' stormwater division and Kitsap Regional Library have teamed up to host "StoryWalks," an interactive walk program created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, Vermont. Whispering Firs Stormwater Park in Silverdale and qa’qad Stormwater Park in Manchester are hosting StoryWalks this month. Each park filters water from about 100 acres of development and removes around 90% of pollution, said Pat Kirschbaum, education outreach coordinator for the stormwater division. Jessie Darland reports. (Kitsap Sun)

Funding boosts restoration efforts for Vancouver Island’s Garry oak ecosystems
New funding will allow Habitat Acquisition Trust (HAT) to take on Garry oak ecosystem restoration on southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands The funding will allow HAT to establish a restoration crew with three restoration field technicians to work on HAT’s protected lands restoring Garry oak ecosystems over the next year. (Victoria News)

Bill to kill up to 90% of Idaho wolves signed by governor
Idaho Gov. Brad Little has signed into law a measure that could lead to killing 90% of the state’s 1,500 wolves in a move that was backed by hunters and the state’s powerful ranching sector but heavily criticized by environmental advocates. The Republican governor signed the bill on Thursday that had passed the Senate and House with enough votes to overcome a veto. Lawmakers who sponsored the measure said they want the state’s wolf population reduced to the allowed minimum of 150 to reduce attacks on livestock and to boost deer and elk herds. The primary change allows the state to hire private contractors to kill wolves and provides more money for state officials to hire the contractors. Keith Ridler reports. (Associated Press)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  221 AM PDT Mon May 10 2021   
TODAY  Light wind becoming NW 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves less than 1 ft becoming 1 to 3 ft in the afternoon. W  swell 6 ft at 11 seconds. 
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 5 ft at 11 seconds.

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