There will be a community meeting Wednesday night of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (MROSD) board of directors at the Half Moon Bay firehouse, 1191 Main Street, from 7 to 9pm.  The board will discuss the purchase of Tunitas Creek Ranch from Peninsula Open Space Trust, the final draft of its Grazing Management Policy, and its Good Neighbor Policy.

More info: 650-691-1200,  [email protected]

A large group of killer whales has been spotted off Half Moon Bay. It’s not unheard-of, but it doesn’t happen very often, reports the Chronicle.

"It’s exciting for us because they traveled so far to get to California, which means they can travel farther than people thought to find food," said Nancy Black, a marine biologist and whale expert for Monterey Bay Whale Watch. "Before, it was just transient (orcas) that have been seen in Bay Area. This is something unusual."

Ken Balcomb, senior scientist and founder of the Center for Whale Research, which has tracked the pod in Washington for 30 years, said the whales, including a mother and calf, were positively identified through the photos as members of a family group called "K-pod."

Based on observations made a little over a week earlier off Half Moon Bay, Balcomb believes that members of "L-pod" are also in the vicinity. If they are, it would mean that as many as 63 whales could be spread out over 30 miles around the Farallones.

The appearance of the whales this far south suggests that their supply of salmon in their usual habitat is shrinking.

There’s also a report with photos (no film) of the whales on the KCBS website.

The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is recruiting for its Advisory Council. The Advisory Council brings together community members representing different constituencies and the public at large to provide advice to the MBNMS Superintendent on the management and protection of sanctuary resources.

Advisory Council members are recruited and appointed through a competitive, public process. Advisory Council members serve three-year terms and participate in bi-monthly public meetings held in communities adjacent to the MBNMS. Since its establishment in March 1994, the Advisory Council has played a vital role in the decisions affecting the MBNMS along the central California Coast.
 
The MBNMS is currently seeking both primary and alternate representatives for the Agriculture, Business/ Industry, Commercial Fishing, Recreational Fishing, Recreation, Research, Conservation, and two At-large Advisory Council seats.
 
Application packets and information on the MBNMS and the Advisory Council can be obtained by visiting the website at: http://www.montereybay.noaa.gov/sac/2007/recruit07v1/011607covlet.html, or by calling Paul Chetirkin at (831) 647-4210. Completed applications must be received at MBNMS, 299 Foam Street, Monterey, CA 93940 by February 23, 2007.
 
For more information on the MBNMS and the Sanctuary Advisory Council please go to: http://www.montereybay.noaa.gov/

By a unanimous vote, Ken Nitz was last night elected President of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (MROSD) Board of Directors for a one-year term. Also elected were Directors Pete Siemens as the District’s Vice President, Curt Riffle as Treasurer, and Mary Davey as Secretary.

An avid environmentalist, Ken Nitz lives in Redwood City and has represented the residents of Ward 7 on the Open Space District’s Board of Directors since 1996 when he was first elected to a seat on the Board.  In addition to Redwood City, San Carlos, and Woodside, President Nitz’ Ward also includes part of the San Mateo County coastside. The boundaries of District Wards 6 and 7 were reapportioned in 2004 in order to democratically represent coastside residents who became District constituents when the Coastside Protection Program became official on September 7, 2004. Among Nitz’ constituencies are El Granada, Half Moon Bay, Montara, Moss Beach, and Princeton. Nitz has a long history of community involvement, including volunteering at Earth Day 1990, for the Gorilla Foundation, and Wildlife Rescue as well as a number of District events.

There’s something special going on in the twilight sky over the next few days: A comet visible to the naked eye.

Comet McNaught is already the brightest comet in thirty years, according to Space.com, and is poised to get a lot brighter—maybe even up to forty times as bright as Venus (the brightest light in the sky aside from the Sun and Moon) as it races toward its closest approach to the Sun, from January 12-15.

This comet, like all comets, are one of nature’s great illusions. As comets approach the Sun they form their spectacular, ghostly tails. But contrary to what you you might think, the tail does not necessarily trail out behind the comet—the tail simply points away from the Sun, no matter the actual direction of the comet.

How to find the comet: The comet is visible to the naked eye but you will have better luck with a pair of binoculars—a small, inexpensive pair will do just fine. Wait until just after sunset (about 5:15 pm), then locate Venus. Venus is the bright, blue-ish "star" that appears in the southwest sky just before sunset. If you know where the Farallone Islands are you can simply draw an imaginary straight line from Venus to the Islands and scan with your binoculars at the line’s halfway point. You are looking for a small, fuzzy point of light with a tail. 

If you don’t know where the Farallone Islands are simply put your fist out at arm’s length and start searching two or three "fists" to the right of Venus at an elevation about halfway from Venus to the horizon. You should have until about 5:45 to see the comet, depending on the fog banks.

Early birds can also look for the comet in the morning sky—the south-eastern morning sky, starting about 45 minutes before sunrise.

Cross your fingers and hope for clear skies!