10/7 Lantern plant, snowberries, J-pod, Dabob Bay, Tulalip hatchery, Canada Goose, floating clinic, marine carbon sequestration

 

Lantern plant [H.Zell]

Lantern plant Alkekengi
The bladder cherry, Chinese lantern, Japanese-lantern, strawberry groundcherry, winter cherry, alchechengi berry, or Klabuster cherry is a species of flowering plant in the nightshade family Solanaceae. Physalis alkekengi has been used for a wide range of purposes in traditional medicine for around two millennia. It was used to heal fever, induce mental serenity, and assist in childbirth. In Japan, its bright and lantern-like fruiting calyces form a traditional part of the Bon Festival as offerings intended to help guide the souls of the dead. (Wikipedia)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Recycling isn’t a scam. Plastics recycling is.

Snowberries
Regarding Friday's flora feature, Don Norman from Go Natives Nursery writes: "While snowberry can be quite invasive, it is so important as a pollinator, with it's long seasonal flowering for so many bees and beneficial insects, that outweighs is unruly behavior.  It is also an important nesting substrate for many birds.  A few birds will eat the fruit in late winter, especially in freezing weather, but it's fruit value is very low."

Endangered Southern Resident orcas return to Puget Sound
Whale researchers on Saturday spotted orcas that are part of the endangered Southern Resident pod. They’re back in Puget Sound, for the first time since April. Observers say the whales are members of the “J Pod.” It’s the first sighting of the autumn season. It’s also the first time the killer whales have been seen south of Admiralty Inlet since April 11. Tom Brock reports. (KIRO)

Dabob Bay conservation area expands by nearly 4,000 acres
State, local partners collaborate on preservation effort.  Elijah Sussman reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

‘A blessing’: Tulalip celebrates money to improve hatchery
The Tulalip Tribes celebrated $2 million of federal money to boost its fisheries programs Thursday at the Tulalip Resort Casino. The funding, made available via the Inflation Reduction Act, was part of $240 million distributed to 27 tribes across the Pacific Northwest and Alaska to support native fisheries. Each tribe initially recieved $2 million, a total of $54 million, with the remainder of the money available through competitive grants. Will Geschke reports. (Everett Herald) Will Geschke reports. (Everett Herald)

Have you considered the Canada Goose?
Giant Canada geese, so ubiquitous today in cities across the country, were once considered extinct. What can we learn from watching them up close? Julia-Simone Rutgers writes. (The Narwhal)

Whidbey Island floating clinic hopes to save orcas
Scientists have transformed a dinghy into a mobile health clinic to assess the health of orcas. Luisa Loi reports. (Whidbey News Times)

Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal is About to Go Big
Following its Singaporean pilot project, carbon sequestration start-up Equatic aims to build a massive plant in Quebec. Ramin Skibba reports. (Hakai Magazine)

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Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  234 AM PDT Mon Oct 7 2024    
TODAY  SE wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 ft  at 13 seconds. A slight chance of rain this afternoon.  
TONIGHT  SE wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W  5 ft at 12 seconds. A chance of rain in the evening, then rain  after midnight.

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