12/5 Green-winged teal, ocean acid, Rustad quits, Ted Yackulic, bumble bee reigns, bears' eyes, Columbia County, democracy watch, week in review

 

Green-winged teal [Lee Barnes]

Green-winged teal Anas crecca 
The smallest dabbling duck, the Green-winged Teal is smaller and more compact than other teals and has a round head and narrow bill. The Green-winged Teal lives in shallow wetlands, preferring fresh water for breeding, but is resident on both fresh and salt water at other times of the year. Tidal mudflats are used by this species more often than by any other duck. (BirdWeb)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Community Voices / The moral comfort of numbers

Tiny cup corals show accelerating ocean acidification in the Salish Sea
Ocean acidification is sometimes described as climate change’s evil twin. The ocean absorbs carbon dioxide from fossil fuel emissions, causing the water to become more corrosive. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KNKX)   

Rustad Quits as Conservative Leader After Day of Chaos
After 24 hours of chaos, John Rustad resigned as BC Conservative leader [Thursday] morning and said he will remain as the MLA for Nechako Lakes. On Wednesday Rustad insisted he was still the leader even after a majority of the party’s MLAs said they had lost confidence in him and the party announced the appointment of Trevor Halford as interim leader. Andrew McLeod reports. (The Tyee) 

Former EPA lawyer based in Seattle fights Trump-related firing
A former U.S. Environmental Protection Agency attorney who was based in Seattle is among those challenging their firings for signing a letter critical of the Trump administration. Ted Yackulic worked for the EPA for nearly 36 years and focused on ensuring polluters paid for environmental cleanup. Isabella Breda reports. (Seattle Times) 

Pollinator reigns supreme in Sidney aquarium’s Salish Sea Idol campaign
The Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea in Sidney is abuzz with news of the bumble bee crowned Salish Sea Idol for 2025.  The campaign invited people to back the contender – bull kelp, bumble bee, camas and Pacific herring – they found most compelling, ecologically important or representative of the Salish Sea watershed. (SaanichNews) 

Charting a Course Through Bears' Eyes 
n British Columbia, stewards from the Heiltsuk First Nation are using computational models and Indigenous knowledge to protect bears’ access to salmon. Jane Palmer reports. (geoGraphic) 

Environmental passion project documents new species in an Oregon county
Jon Hakim, Columbia County, Oregon native, has had published in Northwestern Naturalist the most comprehensive reptile and amphibian survey ever undertaken in heavily forested, and intensively utilized, Columbia County. Steve Lundeberg reports. (Columbia Insight) 

Democracy Watch

• Supreme Court allows Texas to use a congressional map favorable to Republicans in 2026 (AP) 
• ICE Arrest Data Shows Many Immigrants With No Criminal Record (NY Times) 
• Trump’s attack on DEI may hurt college men, particularly White men (Washington Post) 
• DOJ orders prison inspectors to stop considering LGBTQ safety standards (NPR) 

Salish Sea News Week in Review 12/5/25: Prohibition repeal day, WA pipeline, marmot rebound, orca bird hunt, Canada pipeline, auto fuel standards, wolf recovery, Salish Sea acid. 

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Here's your weekend tug weather— 
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  200 AM PST Fri Dec 5 2025    

GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH  LATE TONIGHT  
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH  SATURDAY EVENING    
TODAY  SE wind 10 to 15 kt, becoming SW 20 to 25 kt late this  morning, then becoming W 25 to 30 kt this afternoon. Seas 5 to 7  ft. Wave Detail: SE 2 ft at 4 seconds, W 7 ft at 7 seconds and W 4  ft at 11 seconds. Rain this morning, then a chance of rain early  this afternoon. Rain late.  
TONIGHT  W wind 25 to 35 kt. Seas 8 to 11 ft, building to 9 to  13 ft after midnight. Wave Detail: W 13 ft at 13 seconds. Rain.  
SAT  W wind 25 to 30 kt, easing to 15 to 20 kt in the  afternoon. Seas 7 to 10 ft. Wave Detail: W 10 ft at 13 seconds.  Rain.  
SAT NIGHT  SW wind 10 to 15 kt, becoming S 15 to 20 kt after  midnight. Seas 5 to 7 ft. Wave Detail: SE 3 ft at 4 seconds and W  7 ft at 11 seconds. Rain.  SUN  S wind 20 to 25 kt, veering to SW in the afternoon. Seas  4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: SE 4 ft at 5 seconds, SW 3 ft at  7 seconds and W 6 ft at 10 seconds. Rain.

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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)salish-current.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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