2/5 Western tanager, Boldt 50, snowpack, drought, sewage burning, Oak Bay cleanup, Bigg's killer whales, Wet'suwet'en arrests, Black Press

 

Editor's note: We were sad to learn from BirdNote that biologist and photographer Gregg Thompson passed away. Gregg's photos and Birdnote stories with those photos have graced many a News and Weather posting. We will honor Gregg with a week of his photos and BirdNote stories. A donation to BirdNote would be an appropriate gesture to recognize Gregg for his art and spirit.

Western Tanager [Gregg Thompson]

Western Tanagers Are Flashes of Bright Color
Western Tanagers dart from tree to tree, on the lookout for delicious bugs. They’ll find them by scanning the tree bark — or maybe snatching them from mid-air during flight — a tactic called hawking. (BirdNote, May 20, 2023)

50 years after Boldt Decision: new and lingering challenges to salmon recovery
As Washington treaty tribes mark the 50th anniversary next week of the Boldt Decision, challenges to a sustainable salmon population remain. Richard Arlin Walker reports. (Salish Current)

WA’s mountain snow recharges our drinking water, powers our lives. Now it’s turning to rain.
Washington will see more water when it doesn’t need it and less water when it does. The implications for our drinking water and hydropower are big. Conrad Swanson reports. (Seattle Times)

New study says climate change behind drop in Northern Hemisphere snowpack
New scientific research...found climate change-driven snowpack trends in half of the 169 river basins in the Northern Hemisphere, 31 of which they said they could “confidently attribute to human influence.” Blair Miller reports. (Washington State Standard)

B.C. oil and gas producers warned of potential water shortages in drought-stricken areas
Extreme drought continues in northeast B.C., where much of province's natural gas production is concentrated. Karin Larsen reports. (CBC)

Lynnwood pays $550K fine for running afoul of standards for sewage burning
An aging incinerator the city of Lynnwood uses to process waste has become less efficient. At the beginning of 2020, it fell out of compliance with those standards. Now the city has paid more than $550,000 in penalties to the EPA. The city will have to decommission the incinerator to comply with the standards. Lauren Gallup reports. (NW Public Broadcasting)  See: Sewage burning? Yes, it’s a thing in western Washington John Ryan reports.(KUOW)

Divers pull up toilet, TV in marine cleanup off Oak Bay
Seachange Marine Conservation Society is conducting an underwater debris cleanup in Oak Bay, with divers in the water helped by a boat, plus a dumpster and excavator at ­Cattle Point. This week they have collected two tonnes of fishing gear, household garbage, clothing and some surprising items — like a boat toilet and an old television. Roxanne Egan-Elliott reports. (Times Colonist)

Record number of Bigg’s Killer Whales sightings in 2023
More than 1,400 Bigg’s Killer Whales sightings were reported in the Salish Sea in 2023, according to the Orca Behaviour Institute. This number surpasses the 2022 record by about 200 sightings, the institute says, and contributes to an eight-fold increase in sightings from 10 years ago. Pippa Norman reports. (Vancouver City News)

BC News obtains never-before-seen RCMP footage of Wet'suwet'en arrests
BC Indigenous has obtained new RCMP footage of 2021 arrests at Coyote Camp on Wet'suwet'en territory, a key location for the Coastal GasLink pipeline. Jackie McKay reports. (CBC Indigenous)

Major Shakeup in Washington State and Hawaii Journalism
The financially-stressed Black Publishing, owners of 35 news outlets in Washington state (including the Everett Herald) and major newspapers in Hawaii, is selling its 144 news organizations. Our local news diet is in doubt. Chuck Taylor and Jim Simon report. (Post Alley)

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Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  238 AM PST Mon Feb 5 2024    
TODAY  E wind 10 to 20 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. NW swell 5 ft at 9 seconds.  
TONIGHT  SE wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. NW swell  7 ft at 9 seconds.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. It is included as a daily feature in the Salish Current newsletter. Click here to subscribe. Questions? Email mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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