- Elk River Natural Resources Conservation Area (dnr.wa.gov)
Totaling 5,560 acres, this area is the largest, highest quality estuarine system remaining in Washington or Oregon. Elk River Natural Resources Conservation Area includes diverse habitats, ranging from tide flats and sloughs, saltmarsh and freshwater wetlands, to forested uplands. As part of the Pacific Flyway, the Elk River estuary is an important spring and fall stopover area for shorebirds and waterfowl, such as the common loon, tundra swan, and various species of ducks, plovers, and sandpipers, supporting up to 1 million shorebirds annually. The NRCA also includes a nesting site for bald eagle and significant habitat for elk, bear, beaver, river otter and other mammals.
- Pollux (star) (Wikipedia)
Pollux is the brightest star in the constellation of Gemini. It has the Bayer designation β Geminorum, which is Latinised to Beta Geminorum and abbreviated Beta Gem or β Gem. This is an orange-hued, evolved red giant located at a distance of 34 light-years, making it the closest red giant (and giant star) to the Sun. Since 1943, the spectrum of this star has served as one of the stable anchor points by which other stars are classified. In 2006 an exoplanet (designated Pollux b or β Geminorum b, later named Thestias) was announced to be orbiting it.