The Daily Bucket is a regular feature of the Backyard Science group. It is a place to note any observations you have made of the world around you. Insects, weather, meteorites, climate, birds and/or flowers. All are worthy additions to the bucket. Please let us know what is going on around you in a comment. Include, as close as is comfortable for you, where you are located. Each note is a record that we can refer to in the future as we try to understand the patterns that are quietly unwinding around us.
|
California
Continued below the orange worm tracks
Possible Sighting of Pufferfish in Monterey Bay Area reported 10/24
Pufferfish possibly seen in Monterey Bay waters - SFGate
Two pufferfish may have been spotted on a Monterey Bay beach, far north of their usual range of habitat, according to the Santa Cruz-based conservation group Save Our Shores.
The fish were spotted roughly 4 miles south of Marina State Beach in Santa Cruz County.
"I believe that the two puffers I saw were porcupine fish, which are more commonly found in Baja California, but I'd want to get a second opinion," Kippen said
El Nino and the "Blob" of warm water off of the coast may have brought them north.
------/------
Further north, 1,000 acres of additional wetlands were opened to the San Pablo (San Francisco) Bay. This land, once reclaimed from the bay is now being reclaimed for the bay. A hole was punched in a levee to start the process on October 25th.
"we're talking 20, 30 years," said Julian Meisler, baylands program manager for the Sonoma Land Trust, which purchased the land in 2005. "Bringing a marsh to life is a major effort."
In the meantime, it will still be a natural buffer for rising waters and freak tides.
The land was acquired with the help of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria who donated a $4 million option that they held on the land to the Sonoma Land Trust.
Ceremony near San Pablo Bay marks planned rebirth of wetlands - SFGate
------/------
Yet further north,
700 Acres of Sonoma County to Be Returned to Native American Tribe
The Kashia band of Pomo Indians are a coastal tribe local to the area that has long lacked access to the coast. That is now changing.
But in a groundbreaking land sale, 700 acres of coastal lands will return soon to Kashia control for the first time in 200 years. Sonoma County leaders voted last week to pledge more than $2 million to a coalition of groups which have raised $6 million to purchase the one mile strip of coastal land from a private family, ensuring its future as open space.
"They're a coastal people, but for generations they havent had access to the coast," said Brendan Moriarty of the Trust For Public Land, which spearheaded the deal. "This property's going to give them their coast back."
The sprawling piece of land included groves of old redwoods, hilltop views, Native American archaeological sites and the precipitous cliffs opening up to the Pacific Ocean just north of Salt Point State Park. The deal will preserve the land as open space while giving the control to the Kashia who plan to preserve the land and return the forests to resiliency.
"We're going to manage this forest to become an old growth forest," said Kashia Tribal Chairman Reno Keoni Franklin. "I will see that in my lifetime."
**
"Spotlight on Green News & Views" will be posted every Saturday at 5pm Pacific Time and every Wednesday at 3:30 Pacific Time on the Daily Kos front page. Be sure to recommend and comment in the diary.
**
Now It's Your Turn What have you noted happening in your area or travels? As usual post your observations as well as their general location in the comments.
Thank you.