8/15 Canada goose, energy storage, oldest humpback, wildfire logging, election deepfakes

Canada goose

Canada goose Branta canadensis
This big 'Honker' is among our best-known waterfowl. In many regions, flights of Canada Geese passing over in V-formation -- northbound in spring, southbound in fall -- are universally recognized as signs of the changing seasons. Once considered a symbol of wilderness, this goose has adapted well to civilization, nesting around park ponds and golf courses; in a few places, it has even become something of a nuisance. Local forms vary greatly in size, and the smallest ones are now regarded as a separate species, Cackling Goose. (Audubon)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Settlement agreement reached on lawsuit

Concerns expressed about proposed energy storage facility
Opposition to a proposed energy storage facility just east of Sedro-Woolley was clear Tuesday during public hearings at the Sedro-Woolley Community Center. Goldfinch Energy Storage wants to build a battery energy storage facility on 14 acres at 25080 Minkler Road. Safety and environmental concerns were raised time and time again Tuesday at what is known as the Goldeneye Project. Vince Richardson reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

How the world’s oldest humpback whale has survived is a mystery
When Adam A. Pack, a marine mammal researcher at the University of Hawai’i at Hilo, was photographing whales in Alaska’s Frederick Sound in July, he instantly recognized the flukes of an old friend. Emphasis on old. The tail — mostly black, with a wash of white speckles near the edge — belongs to a whale named Old Timer. First spotted in 1972, Old Timer is now a male of at least 53 years, making him “the oldest known humpback whale in the world,” said Pack, who is also the co-founder and president of The Dolphin Institute. Emily Anthes reports. (NY Times)

Logging after wildfires is a hot industry in B.C. Could it do more harm than good?
Forestry companies get a slew of profitable perks to harvest areas burned by B.C. wildfires. They're also allowed to log living trees that could be key to species and ecosystem recovery in burn zones. Zoë Yunker reports. (The Narwhal)

See why AI detection tools can fail to catch election deepfakes
Artificial intelligence-created content is flooding the web and making it less clear than ever what’s real this election. Kevin Schaul, Pranshu Verma and Cat Zakrzewski report. (Washington Post)

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Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  209 AM PDT Thu Aug 15 2024    
TODAY  W wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas around 3 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft  at 9 seconds.  
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas around 3 ft. Wave Detail: W  3 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 msato at salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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