By Russel Barsh

Director of Kwiaht

There was a very bright “fluorescent” green sheen in the water around Indian Island yesterday and today. On investigation, I found that it was a bloom of the sometimes-toxic dinoflagellate Prorocentrum. Almost 100 percent of my sample was this one organism. Rainfall followed by a heat wave (for this time of year) seem to be responsible. Let’s watch for evidence of hypoxia or fish kills after the bloom dies and settles on the beach (brown and later greyish goo).

The Oystercatcher pair and two Rough-Winged Swallow pairs are nesting on the island now. One egg so far in the Oystercatcher nest. The adults are still taking turns guarding the nest but not actually sitting on (incubating) the egg. They may be waiting until they can get three eggs, like they did the last few years. We must keep the nesting area off-limits at this critical time. My summer apprentices Amy Schmidt and Brodie Miller installed two motion-sensor cameras to keep track of what is happening while we stay off the top of the island.

Osprey have been fishing the eelgrass meadow every day at low tide.

We could use more volunteer help. Today I had 30 schoolchildren and about 20 tourists on the island and no one from our MHO team. If you love the island and haven’t been out there recently, come help connect with visitors on the next low tide cycle at the end of the month. We’ll also be at the Farmers Market, on May 31