
Don’t forget to use your accumulated votes before December 31! It’s easy to do in the Target Circle App.
Inspiring stewardship for Puget Sound and the greater Salish Sea through education. Visit our website www.harborwildwatch.org to learn more. Have fun."
Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/harborwildwatch We are a non-profit marine environmental education organizaton dedicated to inspring stewardship of the Puget Sound. Our programs take place on the beach, in the classroom and at special events in the City of Gig Harbor and throughout the Key Peninsula. Our motto is to "Learn.
Operating as usual
Don’t forget to use your accumulated votes before December 31! It’s easy to do in the Target Circle App.
Did you snap a photo of today’sking tides? Post them here!
A surprisingly beautiful late night at the Tacoma Narrows Beach Park! The most rain was on the drive over and tonight felt BALMY compared to the monitoring events earlier this week-phew! Thanks to all the folks who made it out to the beach- we will have one more event in January (TBA). Merry merry!!!
We’re taking a peek into the crystal ball and see that there is no beach monitoring in this evening’s future!
Sunrise Beach Park cancelled 12/23- stay tuned for a reschedule in January. ❄️🎉
Happy solstice science on the beach!!! Uber cheers to the folks who volunteered to invent an entirely new set of “you know it’s cold when…”
…The splash of a squirting bivalve freezes on your jacket sleeve. …Mike has to use a hair dryer to open the Subaru doors to pack the monitoring gear…the anemones are the consistency of frozen grapes…icicles are hanging from beach driftwood…the stadia rod has to be de-thawed for each extension… crab parties under rocks lack all scurry… fish are found frozen… car keys have to be thawed before vehicles can start… what are toes and fingers again? That’s all to say we had a really good time. Merry Solstice!
Wildside Weekly: We are putting the WINTER in the last of the Winter Beach Monitoring Season (December 21, 22, 23, & 26th), Antifreeze Fish Feature and Activities for a Snow Day
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Wildside Weekly We are putting the WINTER in the last of the Winter Beach Monitoring Season (December 21, 22, 23, & 26th), Antifreeze Fish Feature and Activities for a Snow Day Wildside Weekly December 21, 2022
Here is a very fun craft featuring some fantastic sea life.
Celebrate Winter With Four New Paper Snowflake Templates Celebrate the most wonderful time of year with our adorable Woods Hole Science Aquarium paper snowflakes! Enjoy four new designs inspired by a few of our aquarium residents: Atlantic cod, chain dogfish, common spider crab, and diamondback terrapin.
Wildside Weekly: Community Science Helps Alert the Public, Experimental Olympia Oyster Restoration, and the Last of the Winter Beach Monitoring Season
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Wildside Weekly Community Science Helps Alert the Public, Experimental Olympia Oyster Restoration, and the Last of the Winter Beach Monitoring Season Wildside Weekly December 13, 2022 STEWARDSHIP HIGHTLIGHT Wat
Community science for the WIN and a BIG thanks to the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department for making this advisory happen. Harbor WildWatch teams up with South Sound Surfrider every month to test our local waterways for harmful bacteria. This sampling is conducted by the rad crew of water sampling volunteers aka, THE Blue Water Task Force. Included in this team is the Science and Math Institute Highshool, which makes the lab analysis possible! Hopefully this poo issue will be resolved soon and we can get back to recreating safely in the Thea Foss Waterway.
Cheers to some soggy science with a hearty bunch last night. Happy to see Olympia oysters, sand lance, bitty seastars, a kelp crab, moon snail, and more amidst delight despite the rain!
Teamwork makes everything easier. This stellar crew helped us complete our Beach Monitoring program just before the rain started last night. We saw many things, including some barnacle eating nudibranchs, spot prawns, ochre sea stars, and a huge red rock crab. The information we gather helps us to understand what changes in biodiversity might be happening over time.
Wondering when the next low tide is?
Order your calendar today! You can opt to include tidal charts from any US coastal location. Or simple leave it blank like a standard calendar. Half of the profits come directly back to us to support environmental education and stewardship of the Puget Sound and Salish Sea.
Thank you to everyone who has already ordered!
www.calendarlink.org/harborwildwatch
Today’s the day! We’ve been getting to Learn and Have Fun with some fabulous humans at the Restore America’s Estuaries Conference this week in New Orleans! From planting trees in the marshes of Louisiana with , presenting a poster, attending talks, booths, and happy hours; there’s been a lot of great work and fun going on. And there’s more! Today and are getting pumped up for their presentation on an experimental Olympia oyster restoration in the Puget Sound. More on that soon!
What do you think this sea Star is so sassy about? Spiny Pink Sea Star, Pisaster brevispinus, found during tonight’s TikTok live stream. We saw many other healthy stars and moon snails!
The tree is lit! Thanks to the hundreds and hundreds of people who came to the Christmas Tree lighting. We painted lots of faces, taught about sea life, and everyone had a great time despite the cold. Special thanks to our amazing volunteers who had their hands in the water most of the night.
Everyone needs a calendar, so why not get one that has the tidal chart printed right on it and supports marine education at the same time?
Get yours today at www.calendarlink.org/harborwildwatch
You can select tides for any location in the US.
Wildside Weekly: Touch Tanks at the Tree Lighting, Salmon Tour & Winter Beach Monitoring - Join the FUN!
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Wildside Weekly Touch Tanks at the Tree Lighting, Salmon Tour & Winter Beach Monitoring - Join the FUN! Wildside Weekly November 30, 2022 CREATURE FEATURE Touch Tanks at the Tree Lighting Saturday, December 3rd
Despite sideways rain, cold temperatures, and late hours - happy beach times were had by all kicking off the winter beach monitoring season at Penrose Point State Park!
Wildside Weekly: Upcoming Salmon Tours & Winter Beach Monitoring - Join the FUN!
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Wildside Weekly Upcoming Salmon Tours & Winter Beach Monitoring - Join the FUN! Wildside Weekly November 22, 2022 IN THE FIELD Winter Beach Monitoring Winter is coming. Break out the foul weather gear, put new ba
Don’t forget your tote bags and t shirts! We’re printing fish on Saturday 11-4 behind the Harbor History Museum.
Join us at the 14th annual Donkey Creek Chum Salmon Festival to celebrate the return of salmon and remind us of ways we can protect our local waterways. There will be lots of fun activities for all ages, including FACE PAINTING!
Visitors will have a chance to make their own pressed salmon art, interact with live marine invertebrates, guess the weight of a Chum salmon and even taste delicious salmon burgers!
Grab a spot in Austin Estuary to watch the kayak and dragon boat races. Or, learn about the salmon journey by catching an engaging walking tour.
Whatever you do, don't miss out on this fun, family-friendly event! Saturday and Sunday November 19-20 from 11-4pm at Donkey Creek Park
What a fantastic field trip! Preschoolers from the Gig Harbor Cooperative Preschool explored the estuary and learned all about salmon. The weather looks amazing for this weekend’s Chum Salmon Festival so we hope you’ll join us 11-4pm Saturday and Sunday at Donkey Creek Park, the Harbor History Museum and Austin Park at txʷaalqəł Estuary. It’s a fun, free event, so bring the whole family!
Wildside Weekly: Chum Fest THIS Weekend, Chum Salmon Feature & Nifty Net Pen News
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Wildside Weekly Chum Fest THIS Weekend, Chum Salmon Feature & Nifty Net Pen News Wildside Weekly November 16, 2022 IN THE FIELD CHUM FEST - THIS WEEKEND Nov 19 & 20th! The 14th annual Chum Salmon Festival is near
We are pleased to welcome to the 14th annual Chum Salmon Festival! They will be selling salmon on Sunday, November 20th from 11-4 (or until they sell out!) they will have: Fresh-frozen sockeye salmon portions (6-8 oz each)
Fresh-frozen sockeye salmon fillets (1-2 lbs each)
Alder smoked sockeye and coho portions (6-8 oz each)
Garlic Pepper smoked sockeye portions (6-8 oz each)
Candy smoked sockeye (6-8 oz each)
Smoked sockeye salmon spread (8 oz tubs)
Here is a little more about them:
Our products are fisherman-direct, meaning we catch the salmon ourselves and partner with a local fishing family on Whidbey Island for processing and smoking. All salmon are hand-selected for high quality by Zack (co-owner/fisherman) and our fishing methods are sustainable and traceable. Our mission is to nourish our community with wild Alaskan salmon and promote environmental stewardship concerning wild salmon. We also donate a portion of our revenue to The Wild Salmon Center, whose mission we align with and are grateful for.
Folks can find us on the web (harborfishcompany.com), Instagram (), and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/harborfishcompany)
Come visit this happy fish and many more next Saturday and Sunday! Please share, we want this to be a whole community event!
Donkey Creek Chum Festival is coming up this Saturday, November 19th from 11 - 4 at the Harbor History Museum! It's free and fun for all ages. Come see the Gig Harbor Land Conservation Fund booth and help us create "salmon scales" from your handprints! Thanks to Land Fund Board Member Dennis Moore for creating the salmon outline! Learn how you can help preserve salmon habitat in our rivers and streams and hopefully have a chance to cheer the salmon on as they make their way up Donkey/North Creek! Thanks to Harbor WildWatch for putting on this amazing community event - we hope to see you there!!!
Wildside Weekly: Chum Fest Nov 19 & 20th, Sea Lion Feature & Leave the Leaves Stewardship Tip
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Wildside Weekly Chum FEST Nov 19 & 20th, Sea Lion Feature & Leave the Leaves Stewardship Tip Wildside Weekly November 9, 2022 IN THE FIELD Mark Your Calendar for CHUM FEST - Nov 19 & 20th! Are you excited yet? We
Are you excited yet? We sure are! The 14th annual Chum Salmon Festival is happening in just 10 days! And for the first time ever: it’s a two day festival. Help us to welcome the salmon home to Donkey Creek on November 19-20th from 11-4pm at Donkey Creek Park, the Harbor History Museum and txʷaalqəł Estuary.
California sea lions caused quite the commotion this afternoon. They were probably feeding on salmon. A few others were thermoregulating by holding their flippers up in the air. It was amazing to see them so close to shore.
Leave the leaves or lose them? It all depends! Leaf litter plays an important role in returning nutrients to the soil and providing shelter for over-wintering insects. But fallen leaves can block light to lawns. If you’re the type of person to reach for the fertilizer and moss killer in the spring, your yard (and the surrounding watershed) would probably benefit from raking the leaves now to keep the grass healthy over the winter. Mulching mower blades can chop the leaves into fine particles that allow light in and break down quickly. Another great solution is to put leaves anywhere you would place mulch. Around trees or in garden beds, leaves can suppress w**d growth and provide insulation against winter’s cold for the more tender plants. Be sure to remove any leaves from storm drains or flooding can occur.
What’s that? Partly cloudy on Saturday for Pier Into the Night! We hope you’ll join us. will be there with hot cocoa and treats. Bring a chair and plenty of layers to stay warm as we peek into Gig Harbor Bay.
It’s back and better than ever! Join us for a TWO DAY homecoming celebration of our local Chum Salmon November 19-20, 2022
Have you attended Pier Into the Night yet? The next one is this Saturday 6pm at Jerisich Dock. bring a chair and a cozy blanket and settle in for a fun underwater show. We never know what we might find!
Pier Into the Night (and the Harbor) this week - Gig Harbor Now Pier Into the Night, a Harbor WildWatch program, provides a chance to see what's in the Harbor without getting your feet wet.
Happy Halloween from Harbor WildWatch!!
Nanomia bijuga
Looking a bit like a drifting piece of cellophane, this animal hunts for plankton as is drifts through the water. Siphonophores use multi-branched stinging tentacles to capture prey, casting them out like a fishing net. When disturbed, the tentacles quickly bunch together. This is technically a colonial animal, comprised of many individual hydroids, each with specialized function. They can be up to 12 inches in length. The largest siphonophore ever measured was 46 meters long and was found off of Western Australia in water over 600 meters deep. Look for the tailed siphonophore off of docks in calm water. This one was spotted off of Jerisich Dock on October 26, 2022.
Grab your favorite beverage and settle in on Facebook LIVE to learn all about crab larvae monitoring happening here in Puget Sound. Crabs are often encountered species on our beaches, but the beginning of their life is spent drifting in open water. Tune in at 6:00pm PST to hear what Fran Marvin and Ashley Benson from UWT have been learning about crab larvae.
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Cocktails & Fishtales is Harbor WildWatch's science-social series. Held monthly, these programs feature a scientist, researcher, or environmental artist on an ecological topic. While these programs are traditionally 21+ and held at a local taproom or venue, during the pandemic they have shifted to an online format for all ages. They continue to serve as an engaging and interactive way to learn about the environment, and bring together eco-enthusiasts from our local community... and, now, beyond. Questions and interaction are highly encouraged!
Cocktails & Fishtales are educational events. As such, Harbor WildWatch does not endorse any speaker, service, or product represented at Cocktails & Fishtales.
Wildside Weekly - Cocktails & Fishtales TONIGHT, Make Waves Recap, Salmon Observation Station & Siphonophore Feature
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Wildside Weekly Cocktails & Fishtales TONIGHT, Make Waves Recap, Salmon Observation Station & Siphonophore Feature Wildside Weekly October 26, 2022 IN THE FIELD Cocktails & Fishtales Grab your favorite beverage a
The Salmon Observation Station is up! Please take a moment to note when you observed the creek and whether or not you saw any salmon. It only takes a moment and helps us track when the fish show up!
Here's some highlights from our Make Waves fundraiser last week. Our sincerest thanks to everyone who attended and donated!
https://youtu.be/UQ30_IpM--E
Don’t be crabby, join us for Cocktails & Fishtales tonight (10/26)! Tune in on the Harbor WildWatch page to have your questions about larval crab monitoring answered Live at 6pm PST.
Harbor WildWatch is dedicated to providing opportunities for learning about local ecosystems in a fun and engaging way.
Our main areas of activity are two-fold:
1. Hands on interpretive programs at local area beaches that introduce the public to the local marine life and encourage respect for the wildlife around us; public talks; school workshops; and a Youth Naturalist Training program.
2. Development of resource materials for the public, including: Puget Sound's Wildside: A Natural History of Puget Sound's Marine Environment reference guide; permanent signage around Gig Harbor, neighborhood parks, and state beaches; brochures about local wildlife; and other projects that teach about the marine environment.
Wednesday | 10am - 4pm |
Thursday | 10am - 4pm |
Friday | 10am - 4pm |
Saturday | 10am - 4pm |
Sunday | 10am - 4pm |
Official site providing information to staff, parents, community, and potential applicants from the
The Harbor History Museum tells the history of the Gig Harbor Peninsula with exhibits and hands-on i
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My Home Preschool helps guide and direct you with detailed lesson plans. This virtual preschool is a
We are Physicians Compliance Connection LLC, your one stop regarding OSHA, WISHA, HIOSH, HIPAA, Haza
Meets every Thursday from 8-9 a.m.
A proven non-invasive method for identifying targeted species in their natural habitat.
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