Daily Archives: Sunday,June 10, 2012

Sea Otter, Enhydra lutris— Race Rocks Taxonomy

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abjune102012rrseaotter

Adam Bird, aboard a whale watching charter took this photo of a sea otter on June 10, 2012 at Race Rocks .

This is the first image taken of this species at Race Rocks .

This sea otter was observed over several days in the kelp bed off the Middle Rocks in Race Rocks Ecological Reserve. Sea otters were introduced to the Bunsby Islands, Checlesset Bay north of Kyuquot village on the West Coast of Vancouver Island in 1969, 1970 and 1972. Considerable research on them has been done over the years especially by Dr. Jane Watson, and it is archived on the Friends of Ecological Reserves website in the Checlesset Bay Ecological Reserve #109 archives:

Since then Ecoguardians have taken pictures of sea otters out in the lkelp and along the shore of Great Race Rocks almost every year, here are a few samples:

This tag will bring up other examples of observations of this species at Race Rocks

 

I also observed a sea otter and was able to get some pictures in 2014

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Subphylum Vertebrata
Class Mammalia
Order Carnivora
Family Mustelidae
Subfamily Lutrinae
Genus Enhydra
Species lutris ( Linnaeus,(1758)
Common Name: Sea Otter

Other Members of the Class Mammalia at Race Rock

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. Garry Fletcher, 2012

 

Caspian Terns

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Caspian Tern, June 11, 2012

I have noticed several (2-6) Caspian Terns (Hydroprogne caspia) in the area for a month or so. They have proven very challenging to photograph but I got a couple good shots this afternoon. It is the world’s largest tern with a length of 48–56 cm, a wingspan of 127–140 cm. The global population is about 50,000 pairs. They have a distinguishing croak that sounds a bit like a Great Blue Heron.

Black Oystercatcher Eggs June 10, 2012

I also finally found an Oystercatcher nest just above the high-tide line on the West side of the island below the engine room.

 

Hydroprogne caspia: Caspian Tern–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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mikercaspianternjune112012
Mike Robinson, the Lester Pearson College Ecoguardian at Race Rocks Ecological Reserve, reported in the Race Rocks log on Caspian Terns and provided this picture.
This is the first image taken of this species at Race Rocks June 10, 2012.

Mike  commented :” I have noticed several (2-6) Caspian Terns (Hydroprogne caspia) in the area for a month or so. They have proven very challenging to photograph but I got a couple good shots this afternoon. It is the world’s largest tern with a length of 48–56 cm, a wingspan of 127–140 cm. The global population is about 50,000 pairs. They have a distinguishing croak that sounds a bit like a Great Blue Heron.”
Domain:  Eukarya
Kingdom:  Animalia
Phylum:  Chordata
Subphylum:  Vertebrata
Class:  Aves
Order:  Charadriiformes
Family:  Sternidae
Genus:  Hydroprogne
Species:  caspia (Pallus, 1770)
Common Name: Caspian Tern

Global Status: G5 (Nov 1996)
Provincial Status: S3B (Nov 2011)
BC List: Blue
COSEWIC Status: Not at Risk (May 1999)
SARA Schedule:
General Status Canada: 3 – Sensitive (2005)
Migratory Bird Convention Act: Y
Return to the Race Rocks taxonomy and image gallery

This file is provided as part of a collaborative effort by the students, faculty, staff and volunteers of Lester B. Pearson College   June 10,2012 -Mike Robinson