Daily Archives: Tuesday,June 15, 2004

Isodictya rigida: finger sponge– Race Rocks Taxonomy

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isodictya

This image, taken by Russel Wyeth,assistant to Dr. Gitai Yahel  off the docks at Race Rocks, shows the intricate associations of other invertebrates sharing the same habitat.

juancarlosponge

Juan Carlos took these images while doing a video of the path for the tidal generator cable.

The biodiversity in locations which receive heavy current is considerable. Depth 12 meters.

Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Porifera Class: Demospongiae Order: Poecilosclerida Suborder: Mycalina Family: Isodictyidae Genus: Isodictya Bowerbank, 1864 Species: rigida ( Lambe, 1893)

This file is provided as part of a collaborative effort by the students, faculty,volunteers,staff and researchers of Lester B. Pearson College
 Date: 2005 Dr. Gitai Yahel

Passer domesticus: House Sparrow- The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Sub-Phylum Vertebrata
Class Aves
Order Passerifomes
Family Passeridae

Genus Passer
Species domesticus
Common Name: House Sparrow,  Passer domesticus

One of the worst introduced European species in North America because of their habit of preying on other nests in the area they are frequenting , 

Given that house sparrows are so common everywhere else, it is surprizing that they are rarely seen on Race Rocks. 

Normally this species can be quite damaging to other nesting birds but there are few other small birds that nest here other than the occasional barn swallow.

This bird was the subject of the Classic Paper by Bumpus on Limiting Factors 

taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams. Somealea Phoung PC year 34

 

Historic and Prehistoric Markers at Race Rocks

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burial cairnsFirst Nations Burial Cairns at Race Rocks.

 

 

 

concrete cylinder

Concrete Cylinders, probably used for allignment in the 1860 construction of the lighthouse

 

 

 

 

International marker

A reference in this article helps explain the occurrence of three similar markers at Race Rocks. This was in reference to Discovery Island, but the same type of markers occur at Race Rocks.

” Three cast concrete cylinders referenced the original lighthouse. These were positioned in a straight line with distances measured between each and the lighthouse.”

Resurvey of the Boundary Between the United States and Canada from Point Roberts on the 49th Parallel to the Pacific Ocean. By David Steele, PLS, Survey Manager for the Washington State Dept.of National Resources.ESS Article , Spring 2002 (pdf file)Our thanks to David Steele for permission to use his article. The acronym in the file name “ESS” means Evergreen State Surveyor, which is the Land Surveyors Association of Washington quarterly journal.
brassModern Survey markers at Race Rocks.

 

 

 

 

Commemorative brass plate from the Royal Canadian Navy on the tower marking the 100th year anniversary of the tower.

 

 

Materials for this file have been assembled over several years by Garry Fletcher Educational Director, racerocks.com, former faculty member at Lester B. Pearson College. If anyone has any insight into these or other markers or artifacts on the island, we would appreciate hearing from you