SEA STAR WASTING SURVEY - LAST OF SUMMER 2015

The latest (8/28/15) Sea Star Wasting survey on the south side of the breakwater at S. Alki resulted in disappointing findings.  In total 32 Purple Stars were seen with 11 showing signs of SSWD.  This is a large increase in % and number of stars with SSWD from earlier this summer.  The reduction in total number counted has gone from 95 to the present 32.  These missing stars may have migrated elsewhere, or may have died from SSWD and been washed away.  It's also remotely possible they could be hiding deep inside the breakwater, but I doubt it.  The increase in diseased stars makes it more likely that the missing stars died and washed away, but that is impossible to know.
On a side note:  I counted 44 Keyhole Limpets on the south side of the breakwater.  Prior to SSWD I would be happy to find 6 or so on the breakwater.  So I'm guessing the lack of predatory stars has made life easier for the limpets and they have responded accordingly.....or they may just have come out from hiding deep inside the breakwater....which I doubt.

Keyhole Limpet

Purple Star with SSWD

 

RED SKY-NORTHWEST FIRE SEASON 2015

Is 2015 summer the view of the future for the Western United States?  Drought in California, exceptionally low snow pack in the Cascade and Olympic mountains and a very hot dry summer has resulted in one of the worst fire seasons for the West Coast states of Washington, Oregon and California.

If climate predictions are correct for the rest of this century we will see more low snow pack winters and drier, hotter summers.  Water shortages will become more common and dry hot forests will be ready to burn at the first spark.  Washington State is under a Federal Disaster Declaration as fire remains out of control on the east side of the Cascade mountains.  The towns of Twisp and Winthrop have been evacuated and Chelan is completely surrounded by fire except for the Lake Chelan side.
Even the lake front has seen the destruction of homes with lake shore property that were defended by home owners who took all the fire safety and landscaping precautions possible.  The fire is too hot and moves too fast to defend against in many areas.

Portland Oregon has seen worse air quality than Beijing China.....which is famous for poor air quality.
Smoke from east side Cascade fires usually is blown east away from west side cities but this year the wind has occasionally changed and move the smoke west.  High altitude smoke from California fires has given Seattle red sunsets all summer with eastern Washington smoke coming to visit lately.

I don't know how many climate change deniers have lost homes in these fires......but my guess is they may have done some rethinking after this summer.

It's not over yet by any means as more hot weather and high winds are forecast......it's going to give new meaning to "the long hot summer"........in the future you may not even get Las Vegas odds of your east slope house surviving for many years as this could be the century of fire in the West.

Some hope:  A strong El Nino is forecast for the winter of 2015-16 which usually means lots of storms for California with heavier than normal rainfall.  While this may not cure California's drough completley it may make a dent in it.  Many more wet winters will be needed to solve California's water problems.

 



HOODED (LION) NUDIBRANCH MATING SEASON

Summer is mating time for Melibe leonina, the Hooded (Lion) Nudibranch in Puget Sound.  This unusual sea slug does a lot of swimming from place to place to find mates and food.  Food consists of small invertebrates that are captures with an oral hood.  Hooded sea slugs usually are found on eel grass and use the oral hood to envelope prey items that live on the surface of the eel grass blades.  Eggs are laid in ribbons attached to the eel grass or sea weed....often Ulva.  They apparently live about one year, reciprocally fertilize one another (hermaphrodite), lay their eggs and die.
Melibe produces a sweet fruity aroma when handled and this gives the group name " bouquet".
This chemical odor is used to attract others in the hunt for a mate.  Many sea slugs produce chemical defenses which make up for the lack of a protective shell, spines or other defenses perhaps this works for the Hooded sea slug.   "Predators may include fish, kelp dwelling crabs and sea stars, but when disturbed Melibe leonina has the ability to autotomize (shed) its cerata. This will hopefully lead the would-be attacker away as the discarded appendages float off, or at least cause a distraction long enough for the sea slug to make an escape."
 The images/video below were taken a Seahurst Park in Burien WA on 8-2-15.

Hooded Sea Slug

Eggs of Hooded Sea Slug

 

 

 

Videos :  Top-Laying eggs
                Second from top-Laying eggs
                Others are of swimming, group, and using oral hood on eelgrass

TOXIC ALGAL BLOOMS 2015

The west coast of the North America is experiencing a very strong toxic algal bloom that reaches from Mexico to Alaska.  It is unusual to this early in the season...usually we see these in July and August but not at this level.  Shellfish harvesting and Dungeness Crab harvest have been cancelled for the time being.  These algal blooms usually are strongest when the water warms, upwelling brings up nutrients from deep water, and there is abundant sunshine.  All three of these factors are currently present.  So to some degree it is not surprising that we see these blooms now.  How long they will last in anybody's guess...perhaps throughout the summer.  Check the link for more information:

http://mynorthwest.com/11/2774211/Why-this-years-toxic-algae-blooms-in-Washington-are-different


Commercially harvested shellfish for sale in stores and restaurants are closely monitored for toxins and are considered safe to eat.....but do not eat shellfish that are sport harvested...or that you harvest...you may be very sorry....but not remember why.  

HARBOR SEAL PUPPING SEASON 2015

Harbor Seal pupping season has begun in Puget Sound.  Seal Sitters volunteers (NOAA authorized stranding network organization) monitored a premature pup for three days on Alki Beach West Seattle beginning June 11th.  The pup was a premature birth and still had the lanugo coat (usually shed in the womb before birth).  While there was an adult seal in the area there were no observed feedings of the pup for 3 days.  Premature pups have a mortality rate of 90% in the wild even if there is a mother with them.  Often mothers abandon the premature pups.  It was determined that the pup had not been fed since first observed and was weak and dehydrated.  Under NOAA protocols the pup was removed from the beach by authorized Seal Sitters personnel for health evaluation.  The examination determined that the pup had not been fed by the mother and was in very poor condition.  For these reasons (and that survival even with medical care was extremely doubtful) the pup was euthanized by a WDFW marine biologist.  While this is a sad start for the pupping season the Puget Sound seal population is healthy.  

On a side note a group of Transient Orca whales was seen in the area on Friday the 12th.  These Orcas feed on marine mammals including harbor seals, porpoises, sea lions, elephant seals and whales.  A larger than average number of these mammal eating whales have been seen in Puget Sound since last fall.  The whales impact on the harbor seal population over that period is not known.
Seal Sitters volunteers spent long hours monitoring this first pup of the season and will likely be spending many more hours doing the same monitoring as the pupping season ramps up. 

 Anyone seeing a marine mammal on a West Seattle beach can contact Seal Sitters at 206 905 SEAL.  They will respond quickly and monitor the animal as long as it is on the beach, keeping it secure from disturbance of people and dogs.  Pups need rest out of the water for 50% of the time in order to conserve energy and heat.  Forcing a pup into the water and shortening its rest period can greatly reduce the pups chances of survival.  Disturbing a marine mammal by coming too close is illegal under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and can incur a fine and possible jail sentence.  Please remember to share the shore.  Thank you.

Premature Harbor Seal pup being removed from beach

Premature Harbor Seal pup with lanugo coat

Seal Sitters Volunteers removing Harbor Seal pup for medical evaluation

 

NACHES LOOP HIKE AUGUST IN JUNE 2015

It's no secret that last winter was a low snow pack year for Washington 's Olympic and Cascade mountains.  Combine that with a number of days with temperatures in the 75 to 85 degree range and you have conditions in the mountains on June 10th that look more like late July or even early August.  On the Naches Peak Loop trail in Mt. Rainier NP this is especially evident.  Streams are dry and ponds are noticeably smaller.  Flowers are in bloom that would usually be waiting for the snow to melt.  While Washington's mountains did get a somewhat average precipitation this winter most fell as rain in the area below 5,000 feet resulting in the very low snow pack.  Less runoff for Puget Sound....ya that's the marine link in this post.  :)

In June this lake should still be snow covered
 

Editor limps along...beats staying home every time

The shrinking pond
 

Tiger Beetle

Leaf blower amid the silence of Mt. Rainier NP
 



SEA STAR SURVEY CONSTELLATION MARINE RESERVE AND CONDO PILINGS 6-3-15

SURVEY RESULTS:
Constellation Marine Reserve- Alki Seattle (entire park down to minus 2.2ft. tide level):
Pisaster ochraceus (Purple Star)  78 healthy and 19 with SSWD (all with SSWD had low to moderate levels, none were disintegrating)  The images show the level of SSWD on individual Purple Stars.
Two small Sunflower Stars were seen both being eaten by gulls....SSWD was not seen on either but it was hard to tell.

Condo pilings south of Constellation Marine Reserve:
Pisaster ochraceus (Purple Star)  35 healthy and 4 with SSWD - again low to moderate level and none disintegrating.
Largest star had ray (arm) length of 6 inches which is near maximum size for this species.
The pilings under the condos is the only area where large Purple Stars are seen in this area.
It may be that being out of direct sunlight and in a cooler habitat has allowed some of these stars to survive the SSWD epidemic.

Survey results show that the level of SSWD is down from 2014 when infection rates were above 80% in the area.  Many Pisaster o. have been lost over the past 2 years.  The count of Purple Stars in 2011 prior to SSWD for Constellation Marine Reserve was 609.
While this is good news it does not mean SSWD is on the way out.....only time will tell.

SSWD = Sea Star Wasting Disease

Purple Star (Pisaster o.) with SSWD

Purple Star (Pisaster o.) with SSWD

Purple Star (Pisaster o.) with SSWD

Gull with Sunflower Star

Damaged small Sunflower Star (gull damage)

Large Purple Star on condo piling

Purple Stars on condo piling

Purple Star with SSWD on condo piling

Large Purple Star on condo piling

Purple Stars on condo piling (large one with SSWD on upper arm)

Purple Star with SSWD on condo piling

Small Purple Stars (healthy) on condo piling

Condos south of CMR

Purple Star with SSWD - CMR