3/11 Little gull, marmot puppet, Esquimalt Gorge Park, foreign orcas, autism drug, democracy watch. Little Gull [Glen Tepke]   Little Gull Larus minutus  The smallest of gulls, Little Gull sightings are rare and occur primarily in the fal...

Wednesday's Salish Sea News and Weather: Little gull, marmot puppet, Esquimalt Gorge Park, foreign orcas, autism drug, democracy watch. salishseanews.blogspot.com/2026/03/311-...

3/10 Spurge, WA low oxygen, Drayton Harbor shellfish, public land protection, blocking access, Roundup, democracy watch. Spurge Spurge Euphorbia Euphorbia is a large and diverse genus of flowering plants, commonly called spurge, in the family Eupho...

Tuesday's Salish Sea News and Weather: Spurge, WA low oxygen, Drayton Harbor shellfish, public land protection, blocking access, Roundup, democracy watch. salishseanews.blogspot.com/2026/03/310-...

Salish Current is accepting submissions for its Earth Day Creative Writing Contest. Writers are invited to submit a poem, essay or short story about Earth and the local environment, with bonus points for work connected to topics covered by Salish Current.

3/9 Billy Frank Jr., Skagit creeks, camground shutdown, BC geothermal, democracy watch. Billy Frank Jr. [Richard Arlin Walker] Happy Birthday, Billy! Billy Frank Jr. was a Native American environmental leader and advoca...

Here's your Monday Salish Sea News and Weather: Billy Frank Jr., Skagit creeks, campground shutdown, BC geothermal, democracy watch. salishseanews.blogspot.com/2026/03/39-b...

3/5 Skunk cabbage, BC smugglers, Aboriginal rights, killer whale moms, high seas, quakes, democracy watch Skunk cabbage Skunk cabbage L ysichiton americanus Skunk cabbage is a perennial fleshy herb from upright und...

Thursday's Salish Sea News and Weather: Skunk cabbage, BC smugglers, Aboriginal rights, killer whale moms, high seas, quakes, democracy watch salishseanews.blogspot.com/2026/03/35-s...

3/4 Hemlock, BC logging, regulating data centers, Hummingbird Hill, Nanaimo trail, Surrey Speak, frog breeding, democracy watch. Western Hemlock     Western Hemlock Tsuga heterophylla Western Hemlock occurs from the southern coast of Alaska to the northern coast ...

Wednesday's Salish Sea News and Weather: Hemlock, BC logging, regulating data centers, Hummingbird Hill, Nanaimo trail, Surrey Speak, frog breeding, democracy watch. salishseanews.blogspot.com/2026/03/34-h...

3/3 Moss, BC time, salmon spawn, spongy moths, democracy watch. Moss baubles [Laurie MacBride] Moss baubles Laurie MacBride in "Eye on Environment" writes: "Our mostly mild, wet February has promp...

Tuesday's Salish Sea News and Weather: Moss, BC time, salmon spawn, spongy moths, democracy watch. salishseanews.blogspot.com/2026/03/33-m...

3/2 Robin, data center regs, enviro crimes bill, cross-border relations resolution, Japanese beetle spray, democracy watch. American Robin American Robin Turdus migratorius The quintessential early bird, American Robins are common sights on lawns across...

Here's your Monday Salish Sea News and Weather: Robin, data center regs, enviro crimes bill, cross-border relations resolution, Japanese beetle spray, democracy watch. salishseanews.blogspot.com/2026/03/32-r...

2/27 Plum blossom, Columbia R salmon, Tacoma trees, elephant seal flu, conservation's new era, democracy watch, week in review. Plum blossom Chinese plum Prunus mume Chinese plum is a tree species in the family Rosaceae . It is also referenced by its flowers as p...

Here's your Friday Salish Sea News and Weather: Plum blossom, Columbia R salmon, Tacoma trees, elephant seal flu, conservation's new era, democracy watch, week in review. salishseanews.blogspot.com/2026/02/227-...

The Salish Sea Institute at Western Washington University invites applications from scholars, journalists, researchers, knowledge holders and others to join an international cohort of Salish Sea Fellows.

The deadline is fast approaching - applications due March 1!

forms.office.com/pages/respon...

2/26 Oregon hairy triton, herring spawn, Burrard Inlet dredging, Padilla Bay eelgrass, flare fix, underground dam, democracy watch. Oregon hairy triton       Oregon hairy triton Fusitriton oregonensis Oregon hairy triton is a species of large predatory sea snail, a mari...

Thursday's Salish Sea News and Weather: Oregon hairy triton, herring spawn, Burrard Inlet dredging, Padilla Bay eelgrass, flare fix, underground dam, democracy watch. salishseanews.blogspot.com/2026/02/226-...

Indigenous rappers ‘carry the torch’ Rap Reunion in Bellingham reignites the local hip-hop scene.

Indigenous rappers from Bellingham and the Lummi Nation gathered at the Rap Reunion in the Karate Church in January, bringing together artists who’ve been active in the local hip-hop scene for more than a decade.

salish-current.org/2026/02/20/i...

2/25 American dipper, Indigenous Rights Law, goeduck harvest, gov's new ferries, SCOTUS climate, democracy watch. American dipper American Dipper Cinclus mexicanus The slate-gray American Dipper is North America’s only truly aquatic songbird. I...

Wednesday's Salish Sea News and Weather: American dipper, Indigenous Rights Law, goeduck harvest, gov's new ferries, SCOTUS climate, democracy watch. salishseanews.blogspot.com/2026/02/225-...

2/24 Spanish bluebell, Wei Wai Kum First Nation, Dungeness crab rules, democracy watch. Spanish bluebell Spanish bluebell Hyacinthoides hispanica The Spanish bluebell, or wood hyacinth, is a spring-flowering bulbous p...

Tuesday's Salish Sea News and Weather: Spanish bluebell, Wei Wai Kum First Nation, Dungeness crab rules, democracy watch. salishseanews.blogspot.com/2026/02/224-...

2/23 Ruby-crowned kinglet, coal plant emissions, cutting western OR forests, protect public lands, plastic problem, Indigenous curriculum, Trump's border wall, democracy watch. Ruby-crowned Kinglet [Evan Lipton] Ruby-crowned Kinglet Corthylio calendula A tiny bird seemingly overflowing with energy,...

Here's your Monday Salish Sea News and Weather: Ruby-crowned kinglet, coal plant emissions, cutting western OR forests, protect public lands, plastic problem, Indigenous curriculum, Trump's border wall, democracy watch. salishseanews.blogspot.com/2026/02/223-...

2/20 False Lily of the Valley, greenhouse gas regs, Trump's weedkiller, BC reconciliation law, Pat Arnold, democracy watch, week in review. False Lily of the Valley [Ben Legler] False Lily of the Valley Maianthemum dilatatum A perennial herb from wide-spreading rhizomes with...

Here's your Friday Salish Sea News and Weather: False Lily of the Valley, greenhouse gas regs, Trump's weedkiller, BC reconciliation law, Pat Arnold, democracy watch, week in review. salishseanews.blogspot.com/2026/02/220-...

2/19 Skink, new orca calf, transforming biosolids, African farm, swallow homes, receding glaciers, AK oil drilling. Western skink [WDFW] Western skink Plestiodon skiltonianus Western skinks can be found in eastern Washington, Idaho, from south-cen...

Thursday's Salish Sea News and Weather: Skink, new orca calf, transforming biosolids, African farm, swallow homes, receding glaciers, AK oil drilling. salishseanews.blogspot.com/2026/02/219-...

2/18 Hyacinth, WA climate funds, glyphospate spraying, Roundup cancer, BC critical minerals, democracy watch. Hyacinth Hyacinth Hyacinthus is a genus of bulbous herbs and spring-blooming perennials. The name comes from Greek ...

Wednesday's Salish Sea News and Weather: Hyacinth, WA climate funds, glyphosphate spraying, Roundup cancer, BC critical minerals, democracy watch. salishseanews.blogspot.com/2026/02/218-...

Tuesday's Salish Sea News and Weather: Sturgeon poacher, whale-safe fishing gear, Tacoma oaks, BC treaties, public lands, leaving the US, democracy watch. salishseanews.blogspot.com/2026/02/217-... poacher

2/16 Crocus, climate fight, Columbia R salmon, WA Fish & Wildlife Commission, democracy watch Crocus Crocus Crocus are low growing plants, whose flower stems remain underground, that bear relatively large white, ye...

Here's your Monday Salish Sea News and Weather: Crocus, climate fight, Columbia R salmon, WA Fish & Wildlife Commission, democracy watch salishseanews.blogspot.com/2026/02/216-...

2/13 Friday the 13th, greenhouse gas, 'forever chemicals,' delisted endangered plants, buy more coal, WA coal plant, AK drilling, democracy watch, week in review. Friday the 13th Friday the 13th Friday the 13th, date that signifies bad luck in many Western cultures. The superstition is akin to t...

Here's your Friday Salish Sea News and Weather: Friday the 13th, greenhouse gas, 'forever chemicals,' delisted endangered plants, buy more coal, WA coal plant, AK drilling, democracy watch, week in review. salishseanews.blogspot.com/2026/02/213-...

Taking action, staying engaged Commentary: We, the People, must continue to stand strong together.

Community Voices:

“These are not normal times.
Now, more than ever, for the love of democracy and our communities, our commitment to stay engaged with our federal government is essential.”

Read the full story by Debbi Fincher at the link below.

salish-current.org/2026/02/13/t...

2/11 Midge, Edmonds marsh, Ingenika, caribou habitat map, ‘Na̱mg̱is territory, WA income tax, democracy watch. Midge     Midge Chironomidae Any of a group of tiny two-winged flies (order Diptera ) that superficially resemble mosquitoes. ...

Wednesday's Salish Sea News and Weather: Midge, Edmonds marsh, Ingenika, caribou habitat map, ‘Na̱mg̱is territory, WA income tax, democracy watch. salishseanews.blogspot.com/2026/02/211-...

Putumayo Generation rise up

2/10 Caddisfly, U.S. climate regs, orcas, democracy watch. Caddisfly Caddisfly Trichoptera Any of a group of around 17,000 species of mothlike insects that are attracted to lights at night and l...

Tuesday's Salish Sea News and Weather: Caddisfly, U.S. climate regs, orcas, democracy watch. salishseanews.blogspot.com/2026/02/210-...

How big should Whatcom County’s new jail be? Part 1 Proposed jail size leads to cost and ethics questions.

With an estimated price tag of at least $170 million, Whatcom County’s new jail will be the biggest project the county has ever embarked on. But how big, exactly, should the jail be? 

Read the part 1 of the full story by Christy Carley at the link below.

salish-current.org/2026/02/10/h...

2/9 Sea hawk, Stillaguamish Tribe, underwater noise, national monument fishing, dicamba, salmon affliction, lovebird, democracy watch Osprey Osprey Pandion haliaetus The osprey, historically known as sea hawk, river hawk, and fish hawk, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of...

Here's your Monday Salish Sea News and Weather: Sea hawk, Stillaguamish Tribe, underwater noise, national monument fishing, dicamba, salmon affliction, lovebird, democracy watch salishseanews.blogspot.com/2026/02/29-s...

Watercolor illustration of a basking shark swimming through the Salish Sea

Did you know that basking sharks used to be a common sighting in the #SalishSea? Watch the recording of Kelly Bushnell’s, Ph.D, Environmental Speaker Series talk on these gentle giants!

Watch now: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Skdy...

Illustration by Preston Graves

2/6 Squid, more TM oil, WA dead bills, salmon grant, democracy watch, week in review. Market squid [David Andrew/WDFW] Market squid Loligo opalescens Squid belong to the class of mollusks known as cephalopods , wh...

Here's your Friday Salish Sea News and Weather: Squid, more TM oil, WA dead bills, salmon grant, democracy watch, week in review. salishseanews.blogspot.com/2026/02/26-s...

2/5 Tadpole, BC heat, Thurston Co battery storage, Trump energy delay, WAPO cuts, democracy watch. Tadpole Tadpole A tadpole or polliwog (also spelled pollywog) is the larval stage in the biological life cycle of an amphibian. Most ta...

Thursday's Salish Sea News and Weather: Tadpole, BC heat, Thurston Co battery storage, Trump energy delay, WAPO cuts, democracy watch. salishseanews.blogspot.com/2026/02/25-t...