12/23 Mistletoe, stormy weather, Baird Cove, Port Townsend deer, birds in the cold, week in review

 

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Mistletoe

Mistletoe Viscum album
Mistletoe is native to Europe and western and southern Asia. Viscum album is a hemiparasite on several species of trees, from which it draws water and nutrients. The ritual of oak and mistletoe is a Celtic religious ceremony, in which white-clad druids climbed a sacred oak, cut down the mistletoe growing on it, sacrificed two white bulls and used the mistletoe to make an elixir to cure infertility and the effects of poison. (Wikipedia)

Cancelled ferry sailings, bus services, flights: The latest on the B.C. South Coast winter storm
A second significant winter storm forecast to sweep Southern B.C. on Thursday night has prompted cancellations across bus services, ferry sailings and flights. (CBC)

Freezing rain falls across western Washington. Here's what to expect
Almost all of western Washington is under a Winter Storm Warning starting that expires ending Friday evening. The bulk of the Puget Sound area will be under the warning until 7 p.m. on Friday, while Skagit, Whatcom and San Juan counties will be under a storm warning until 10 p.m. Friday. (KING)

This Thurston County estuary has been protected for salmon habitat conservation
Near one of the northernmost tips of Thurston County lies a small estuary that’s been identified as high priority for conservation. Baird Cove, an 87-acre pocket estuary on Johnson Point, was recently acquired by the Nisqually Land Trust and will now be permanently protected. Located just south of Zittel’s Marina, the estuary is a habitat for out-migrating juvenile salmon and was listed in Puget Sound salmon recovery plans as a vital natural area, according to a news release from the Nisqually Land Trust. Ty Vinson reports. (Olympian)

Port Townsend residents say deer have grown to "absurd" numbers
Deer have been a fixture of Port Townsend for years. And judging by Youtube videos, residents' reactions to them are mixed — there's surprise, adoration, annoyance, even fear. Two dogs have been killed by deer in the last several years in Port Townsend, the mayor said. Last week at a city council meeting, one resident said a deer kicked her in the head and knocked out several teeth. Scott Greenstone reports. (KNKX)

Cold could kill some smaller songbirds, says birder
Some smaller birds will succumb to cold temperatures because they can’t get warm. Others can be found sleeping at night in unusual spots, like porches, or clumping together. Louise Dickson reports. (Times Colonist) 

Salish Sea News Week in Review 12/23/22: Julebukk Friday, Ghost River, biodiversity pact, chicken flu, seaweed farms, WA zero-emissions, WA aluminum, king tides, nutrient reduction, Salmon People, COP15 promises, Skagit salmon.

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Now, your weekend tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  519 AM PST Fri Dec 23 2022   
GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM PST THIS MORNING   
TODAY  SE wind 25 to 35 kt easing to 10 to 20 kt in the  afternoon. Wind waves 6 to 8 ft subsiding to 3 to 5 ft in the  afternoon. SW swell 3 ft at 13 seconds building to 7 ft at 13  seconds in the afternoon. Rain and a slight chance of freezing  rain in the morning then rain likely in the afternoon. 
TONIGHT  SE wind 5 to 15 kt becoming E 10 to 20 kt after  midnight. Wind waves 3 to 5 ft. SW swell 7 ft at 12 seconds.  Rain. 
SAT  SE wind 15 to 25 kt becoming S in the afternoon. Wind  waves 5 to 7 ft. SW swell 6 ft at 10 seconds building to 10 ft at  11 seconds in the afternoon. Rain. 
SAT NIGHT  SW wind 5 to 15 kt becoming SE to 10 kt after  midnight. Wind waves 4 to 6 ft subsiding to 3 to 4 ft after  midnight. SW swell 9 ft at 12 seconds. 
SUN  E wind 10 to 20 kt. Wind waves 3 to 5 ft. W swell 10 ft at  12 seconds.

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