Watching Our Water Ways

Some people find it amusing that I have encouraged a little wetland to grow in a parking space next to the one where I usually park my truck.

I’ve got photos of the wetland, shown here. And, thanks to Grist magazine, I have enjoyed learning what other people have done with parking spots, other than parking your car. But first let me tell you about this little one-parking-space wetland.

The one-space wetland in a Bremerton parking lot.
Photo by Christopher Dunagan

The parking lot, which belongs to the Kitsap Sun, has been around for many decades and does not have its own storm drain. Instead, the rain water drains down to a corner of the lot, flows into an alley and dumps into a drain maintained by the city of Bremerton.

When I first came to the Sun, I was assigned that corner parking space where the water drains out between two curbs. To keep my feet from getting wet during heavy rains, I would step out of my car, onto the curb and then into the alley. I also made sure that the water flowed freely out of the parking lot and did not form a pool under my car.
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Scott Simon of National Public Radio’s “Weekend Edition” seems to have a thing for moose. On Saturday morning’s broadcast, he interviewed a man who was attacked by a moose in the woods of Western Massachusetts.

It was amusing enough to hear how the man, who had undergone two hip replacements, was able to dart among the trees where the moose had trouble maneuvering with a full rack of antlers. If you didn’t hear the interview, you should probably play it now by clicking the start arrow in the box at right.

What struck me as especially funny was that the man had only been attacked one other time in his life. I was thinking it was probably some kind of bird or possibly a more dangerous animal, such as a bear. But no, his only similar encounter was with a flying squirrel. It took little prompting to get the logger to do a pretty good impression of Natasha from the cartoon “Rocky and Bullwinkle.”
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Great blue herons, which we commonly see along Washington’s shorelines, belong to a family of birds containing 64 recognized species — though some are known as “egrets” or “bitterns.”

This family, Ardeidae, can be found on all continents except Antarctica, according to an entry in Wikipedia. They survive in the cold Arctic, dry deserts and even high mountains. Generally, they are found in the margins of wetlands, lakes, streams and saltwater estuaries.

The first embedded video on this page features some special moments this year at the nest of a family of great blue herons living in Sapsucker Woods Pond near Ithaca, New York. Two cameras, installed and maintained by Cornell Lab of Ornithology, captured the action.

For more about the installation, watch this video featuring Charles Eldermire, who leads Cornell’s BirdCams Project.

To learn more about great blue herons, visit a web page of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, which includes some videos from Washington state.

The great blue heron may be interesting, as it stands motionless waiting for a fish to pass by. But more amusing is the grey heron, which has been known to fish with bait. Check out the second embedded video on this page.

For another video of a heron fishing with bread, check out this YouTube video, complete with narration. “Oh, what a clever bird!”

Other fishing methods include the “canopy technique,” in which the black heron appears as an inanimate rock while searching for prey.

Herons seem to swallow their food whole, even when it comes in big packages. Here’s a video of a black-crowned night heron eating a rather large Pacific mackerel.

Less appealing are videos of herons hunting and eating rats. It’s great to know that somebody is taking care of the abundant rodents, but these videos are not for those uncomfortable at the sight of a struggling rat.

Heron eats rat

Rat gets away

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At times, it seems a little voyeuristic to watch wild creatures behaving naturally, unaware that eyes from all over the world may be watching them via the Internet.

One of the most engaging critter cams is set up at a place called Pete’s Pond, located in the Mashatu Game Reserve in eastern Botswana. The pond lies at confluence of the Limpopo and Shashe rivers in a region that combines dry savannah, riverine forests and soggy marshes.

As I write this on Monday morning, several giraffes have come to the waterhole, where it is late Monday afternoon. Last night (Monday morning at the pond), I spotted a lone jackal wandering near the water.

The viewing is enhanced significantly by volunteers from around the world who take turns aiming the cameras and zooming in on interesting activities taking place. I love the sounds of the pond almost as much as the sights, but an ongoing clicking sound on the audio this morning detracted from the natural sounds.

Late afternoon in Botswana (morning here) seems to be an active time, but apparently different animals show up at the pond at all times of the day and night, and I find it interesting to watch and listen even when things seem completely serene.

I’ve mentioned other wildlife cams on this blog (See Water Ways, March 3, 2011). Technical difficulties always seem to be a factor in keeping these remote cameras in operation.

For the WildWatch Cams managed by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, it does not help that the department has been through some massive budget cuts. Staff efforts on these live videos has been reduced, and some are not in operation. But a few seem to be working fine. Try Batcam, Heroncam, Sealcam and Swiftcam.

If you are aware of other good critter cams working at the moment, feel free to pass them along.

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“Sunday Morning,” the television news magazine, carried a piece yesterday about the dangers of mosquitoes, which reminded me of an “Amusing Monday” I wrote a year ago. Coming off a week of vacation, I thought this would be a good time for a rerun with a few updates.

Last year, people were complaining that mosquitoes in Western Washington were larger, angrier and more abundant than ever before. I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw a repeat performance this year.

Although I have not seen any expert analysis about this, some people believe that the mild winter and wet spring worked in favor of mosquitoes, creating some of the largest swarms of nasty bugs they have ever encountered.

Of course, mosquitoes are serious business, given that they can transmit the dangerous West Nile virus. But even the staid Washington Department of Health knows that humor can go a long way in getting a message across. Check out the videos released at this time last year:

Fight the bite!: Staying safe from West Nile virus

Cover yourself: Stay safe from West Nile virus

Wear repellent to keep mosquitoes away

I’ve collected a variety of funny video clips related to mosquitoes. When you can’t avoid the nasty little insects, try to remember your favorite one.

First, a limerick by Madeleine Begun Kane:

BUGGED
Mosquitos are on the attack.
They have bitten my arms and my back.
You may call ‘em God’s creatures —
These venomous leechers —
I’m tired of being their snack.

Monty Python: Mosquito Hunters

The Clap: a commercial for Good Knight mosquito repellent

Kung Fu Mosquito

X-Box commercial: Work less; don’t lose the gift of play.

Mosquitoes arguing
The Lighter Side Company (click on image)

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I wonder if anyone has noticed that I’ve been away from this Water Ways blog for a time. Aside from visiting my youngest daughter in Yakima, where she had her first baby, I’ve been occupied with breaking news for the Kitsap Sun.

There is no shortage of things to talk about, however, and I’d like to start with the recently approved two-year Science Work Plan for the Puget Sound Partnership.

Joe Gaydos

In developing a plan to investigate science-related questions, the Partnership’s Science Panel set out to identify weaknesses in our overall understanding of the Puget Sound ecosystem. The panel chose to be strategic about filling the gaps in our knowledge.

“We want to know everything, of course,” chairman Joe Gaydos told me. “But just because there’s a gap in our knowledge does not mean we should go out and do a study.

“The real question is, where does the lack of science hinder our ability to make decisions? We’re not just doing science for science’s sake but to help us make better decisions.”

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Work is progressing rapidly around the edges of the Kitsap Forest & Bay Project — an effort to protect a 7,000-acre mosaic of lowland forest, shorelines and wetlands in North Kitsap.

Pope Resources lands for sale Click to enlarge

The ecological values of the undeveloped landscape is becoming known among government officials and the public. So far, nobody has jumped in with millions of dollars to buy the land for conservation. But, as the year comes to a close, there are plenty of reasons for optimism among supporters.

When I consider what it will take to make this project happen, I keep thinking of a jigsaw puzzle. I realize the puzzle metaphor is overworked, but let’s stay with it. A good way to begin picture puzzles is by first lining up all the edges and later filling in the middle. To me, that is what is happening with the Kitsap Forest & Bay Project.

First, Forterra — formerly Cascade Land Conservancy — has embraced the project, bringing to the table extensive experience in acquiring lands for conservation purposes. When an option to buy the land from Pope Resources was announced, Forterra president Gene Duvernoy stated, “This is probably the most important project we can accomplish to save Puget Sound.” See Kitsap Sun, Oct. 17.

Another major step came recently when the Puget Sound Partnership released a draft of its Puget Sound Action Agenda. The Action Agenda is designed to recognize the most important preservation and restoration actions that can be taken in the next two years. Although the actions have not yet been lined up in priority, the Kitsap Forest & Bay Project was called out as a high-priority action. Read the story with links in Kitsap Sun, Dec. 21.

Something similar happened in the first Action Agenda in 2008, when the Partnership called for the acquisition and restoration of lands in the Nisqually River delta. The value was so highly considered that some action areas agreed to delay their own projects to move Nisqually to fruition. Perhaps something like that will happen for the North Kitsap lands. Check out the video “The Nisqually Estuary Returns.”

KUOW reporter Ashley Ahearn visited the North Kitsap property and produced a radio piece that outlines the value of the 7,000 acres and discusses the potential acquisition. She did a nice job, as you can see on Earthfix.

Michelle Connor, executive vice president of Forterra, said Ashley’s story will help spread the word about the project throughout the state and beyond.

“This is something that the Kitsap community has known for a long time,” Michelle told me. “Now other people are catching up with us. There is nothing comparable in the Puget Sound region.”

Further bolstering the project is an upcoming study that will examine the ecological values of the 7,000 acres, including nearly two miles of undeveloped shoreline.

A grant of $270,000 will be used to characterize ecosystem values across the landscape and determine which areas are best suited for preservation, forestry and possibly development. A portion of the grant will be used to decide whether revenues can be generated from timber harvest without upsetting the ecological integrity of the region.

The $270,000 study was part of some $6.3 million provided by the EPA’s National Estuary Program for 23 grants earmarked for protecting and restoring Puget Sound watersheds. See Kitsap Sun, Dec. 23.

Acquisition funding for the Kitsap Forest & Bay Project will depend on a variety of public grants and private donations, each with their own requirements. At the same time, the 7,000 acres under discussion contains a variety of small ecosystems that could qualify for one or more restoration and preservation grants.

The 7,000-acre jigsaw puzzle is rather formidable and almost overwhelming, but Michelle Connor is undaunted. Her optimism is infectious. Few people know as much about public conservation grants and philanthropic efforts, and Michelle has an army of people behind her.

The clear strategy moving forward is to assemble this massive puzzle — with all its shapes and colors — one piece at a time.

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I’m hearing people complain this summer that mosquitoes in Western Washington are larger, angrier and more abundant than ever before.

Although I have not seen any expert analysis about this, some people believe that the mild winter and wet spring worked in favor of mosquitoes, creating some of the largest swarms of nasty bugs they have ever encountered.

Of course, mosquitoes are serious business, given that they can transmit the dangerous West Nile virus. But even the staid Washington Department of Health knows that humor can go a long way in getting a message across. Check out the DOH news release on West Nile virus and the first of three new videos to be released by the agency.

I’ve collected a variety of funny video clips related to mosquitoes. When you can’t avoid the nasty little insects, try to remember your favorite one.

First, a limerick by Madeleine Begun Kane:

BUGGED
Mosquitos are on the attack.
They have bitten my arms and my back.
You may call ‘em God’s creatures —
These venomous leechers —
I’m tired of being their snack.

Monty Python: Mosquito Hunters

The Clap: a commercial for Good Knight mosquito repellent

Kung Fu Mosquito

X-Box commercial: Work less; don’t lose the gift of play.

Mosquitoes arguing
The Lighter Side Company (click on image)

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I’ve always wondered how much ecological good comes from removing old creosote pilings from along the shoreline, as the Washington Department of Natural Resources has been doing in its Creosote Removal Program.

A helicopter transports logs out of the salt marsh at Doe-Keg-Wats near Indianola in Kitsap County
Kitsap Sun photo by Meagan Reid

I was given a new perspective on the problem Tuesday, when I visited the Doe-Keg-Wats estuary. (See my story in Wednesday’s Kitsap Sun.) Now I am better able to see the value of removing creosote logs. Still, I wish a few more quantitative field studies would be done.

We all know that creosote, generally made from coal tar, contains numerous toxic chemicals. A study completed in 2006 for the National Marine Fisheries Service, titled “Creosote-Treated Wood in Aquatic Environments: Technical Review and Use Recommendations” (PDF 1.7 mb) talks about the many toxic constituents (p. 52), routes of exposure (p. 53-54) and toxicity (p. 54-65).

The report draws this important conclusion (p. 84):

“Overall, the laboratory and field studies described above indicate that treated wood structures can leach PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and other toxic compounds into the environment. However, the degree of PAH accumulation to sediment associated with these structures appears to be relatively minor in many settings, particularly in well-circulated waters….

“Nevertheless, there are several factors that suggest that a precautionary principle might be applicable to certain treated wood uses. First, the above studies typically have evaluated responses at the community level (e.g., the benthic invertebrate studies) or to tolerant life stages (e.g., adult oysters and mussels). However, the level of environmental protectiveness applied to T&E (threatened and endangered) species (such as endangered salmonids) should occur at the individual rather than the population or community level.

“Moreover, field studies have indicated that PAHs can accumulate to potentially deleterious concentrations in poorly circulated water bodies or when the density of treated wood structures is high compared to the overall surface area of the water body. As a result, site-specific evaluations of risk should be conducted for treated wood projects that are proposed for areas containing sensitive life stages, species of special concern, or where water circulation and dilution are potentially low….”

This brings us to Doe-Keg-Wats, which appears to be one of the most pristine estuaries in the Puget Sound Region. Take a look at the aerial photo at the bottom of this page.

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When I wrote my recent progress report on the Puget Sound Partnership, my story included little more than brief quotes and snippits of information from a variety of informed people. It is somewhat rewarding to have a blog where I can bring you more complete impressions of the people I interviewed. Here is the fifth in a series of expanded reports from those interviews.

Puget Sound may be suffering ecologically at this point in history, but the Puget Sound Partnership would do best by explaining in a positive way how things can be improved, said state Rep. Christine Rolfes, D-Bainbridge Island.

“Don’t spend your time trying to bum people out,” she told me when I asked her to offer some advice to the partnership. “Focus on bringing people together to make it better. We all want more fish, more birds, more parks. How do we engage people to make it happen? I would say to them, ‘stay creative, stay positive and think local.’”

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