Monthly Archives: December 2014

Mesophyllum sp.: epiphtic coralline algae–Race Rocks Taxonomy

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mesophyllumbad

Mesophyllum sp.Photo by Ryan Murphy

mesophyllum

Ryan Murphy photographer pointing to the the round epiphyte

Classification:
Phylum: Rhodophyta
Class: Rhodophyceae
Order: Cryptonemiales
Family: Corallinaceae
Mesophyllum sp.

Description: This plant is erect, up to 2 cm. wide. Its colour is dark pink to purple. Shape is circular. It exists as a flattened growth epiphytic on many geniculate rhodophytes such as Bossiella sp.
Habitat: On geniculate rhodophytes in tide pools.
Pacific Coast Distribution: Alaska to California.
Other Rhodophytes or Red Algae at Race Rocks

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. —Ryan Murphy

 

census

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DSC_7738

morning light on the olympic peninsula, Washington.

Wind light in the morning, below 10 knots, but large swells rolling in throughout the day. At Trial and Discovery the wind was clocking at 30 knots SE, gusting over 40, which was creating the waves.  In the evening the wind changed direction and was gusting over 35 knots West.

The high tide combined with NE swell meant the jetty was practically submerged a good part of the day.  Some logs and debris were thrown up and piled at the top of the jetty walkway.  I got the boat ramp cleared but will have wood to deal with tomorrow, the big log is about 26 feet long.

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debris left from the high tide and waves

Sealions were clinging to the small amount of rocks that were left with the tide and swells. Chunk came onto the main island, I couldnt see the other elephant seals anywhere, waves were washing over the West rocks where they had been resting.

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sealions on the South rocks

 

Census today: There was a higher than usual number of Black Oyster Catchers on the south side of the island.

California Sea lions: 8

Northern Sea Lions: 133

Harbour Seals: 2

Elephant Seals: 1

Cormorants: 79

Canada Geese: 2

Gulls: 300

Bald Eagle: 5

Harlequin Ducks: 4

Black Turnstone: 18

Dunlin: 4

Sparrow: 2

Green Winged Teals: 7

Black Oyster Catchers: 116

Surfbirds: 7

 

Whaler and a pike pole

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Calm day, North wind under 10 knots.  Partly clear, brief period of rain.  A lot of the driftwood cleared out overnight.

Went off island with the zodiac in the morning. Picked up some supplies including first aid supplies and a new 16 ft pike pole, thanks to Courtney.  Went to part of the Pearson College end of year staff lunch and then returned in the station whaler, which had been in for servicing.

One ecotour vessel in the reserve, maybe more while I was off island.

Pike poled some logs into the ebb current.

NE subsiding

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Wind was from the North in the morning, 10 knots and shifted to 20 knots West in the evening. Pressure falling to a low of around 1000 hPa in the evening then rising.

One ecotour in the reserve today.

Tides have been getting lower earlier in the day so I am able to do more wood cutting and clearing in the afternoons.

Lots of plastic

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Mostly cloudy, wind N 10 knots.

1 sports fishing boat and 1 ecotour vessel that brought 2 divers.

More drift wood cutting and collecting and trying to keep the boat ramp clear.  Lots of plastic garbage washing up in the last few days, noticeably more than usual.  Will try to analyze what garbage we are getting the most of and report back. There is also a lot of small, insidious pieces of styrofoam and plastic pellets. This photo is just the big stuff from today.

this is just the plastic garbage collected today from the debris,

Today’s harvest of plastic.

Logs and debris

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NE wind has persisted, 25-30 knots all day.  3-4 foot waves rolling into the mouth of the jetty, continuing to bring in logs and debris due to high tides and wind direction.

 

Have been doing a lot of cutting and collecting wood and frequent boat ramp clearing.   Unfortunately the station pike pole is missing and the crane is out of order so it is difficult to clear it out logs.

 

 

NE wind

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Clear skies and a steady north east wind, 20-25 knots.  High tide and the NE wind has been bringing in lots of driftwood and garbage onto the boat ramp and around the jetty.

5 sailboats circumnavigated race rocks

Rebooted camera 2. Hammer drilled holes in the rock for mounting a plaque. Collected firewood, cleared debris from ramp, collected garbage.

census, banded cormorant

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Atmospheric pressure rose to a high of over 1020 h Pa today.  The NE wind has started to return, 10 to 20 knots most of the day.

One whale watching boat and one dive boat in reserve today.

Thursday the weather/visibility was pretty bad for a census and on Friday I went off island so I did a makeup census on Saturday.

Notably: there was a high count of cormorants, 520, compared to last week as well a yellow banded individual (KCO)- details documented on next post. There was a high number of bald eagles (20) in reserve, and a lone kingfisher and pelican again in the reserve.  While there have been over 40 black oyster catchers here this week there were none observed today.

Harvested driftwood including a good size fir log I tied up at high tide and bucked and chopped once the tide had fallen.  Worked on toilet install and hammer drilling for plaque install.

Census:

California Sea lions: 38
Northern Sea Lions: 222
Harbour Seals: 5
Elephant Seals: 6
Cormorants: 520
Canada Geese: 2
Gulls: 680  mostly Thayer’s)
Bald Eagle: 20
Harlequin Ducks: 5
Black Turnstone: 2
Dunlin: 3
Sparrow: 0
Kingfisher: 1

Pelican:1

Banded Cormorant data:

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DSC_6938 banded cormorant

Double-Crested Cormorant photo by Ecoguardian Alex Fletcher

 Note on banded cormorant:
The bird (KC0) was banded as an adult at a breeding colony on East Sand Island in the Columbia River estuary (near Astoria, OR) in May 2013 by the group, Bird Research Northwest (http://www.birdresearchnw.org). They  banded the bird as part of their study on movement and demography of the species. (There is a large DCCO colony there and some  think authorities  are trying to destroy it as the corms are eating all the fish that are trying to get up the river. See
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/11/141118-shooting-cormorants-columbia-river-salmon-endangered-species-environment/)

On Dec . 30, 2014 the following details were sent to us after we reported it to the
The North American Bird Banding Program

Banding Data returned after reporting:
Band Number :1128-01387 KC0
Species: Double-Crested Cormorant
Age of Bird : Hatched in 2011 or earlier
Banded : 05/31/2013 Sex Unknown
Location:  East Sand Island, 2.4 KM West-Southwest of Chinook, WA, Clatsop county , Oregon USA (Coordinates: LAT: 46.25833; LON: -123.975 )
Bander Dr. Daniel D. Roby Oregon Cooperative  WRU Oregon State  University 104 Nasgh Hall Corvallis  OR 97331 3803
Encounter Data
Location 2 mi SSE of Rocky Point, British Columbia, Canada
Encountered 12/13/2014
Desc: Race  Rocks Ecological Reserve

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Info from : BandReports@usgs.gov

The North American Bird Banding Program
Bird banding is important for studying the movement, survival and behavior of birds. About 60 million birds representing hundreds of species have been banded in North America since 1904. About 4 million bands have been recovered and reported.

Data from banded birds are used in monitoring populations, setting hunting regulations, restoring endangered species, studying effects of environmental contaminants, and addressing such issues as Avian Influenza, bird hazards at airports, and crop depredations. Results from banding studies support national and international bird conservation programs such as Partners in Flight, the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, and Wetlands for the Americas. The North American Bird Banding Program is under the general direction of the U.S. Geological Survey and the Canadian Wildlife Service. Cooperators include the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Mexico’s National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity and Secretary of the Environment and Natural Resources; other federal, state and provincial conservation agencies; universities; amateur ornithologists; bird observatories; nature centers; nongovernmental organizations such as Ducks Unlimited and the National Audubon Society; environmental consulting firms and other private sector businesses. However, the most important partner in this cooperative venture is you, the person who voluntarily reported a recovered band. Thank you for your help.

U.S. Geological Survey
Canadian Wildlife Service
Please Report Bands at www.reportband.gov or call 1-800-327-BAND

Direct reporting form we used can be found  at:
https://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/BBL/bblretrv/