Daily Archives: Saturday,April 23, 2022

Census

Posted on by

Weather: wind was westerly until this afternoon and now is southeast

sunny and the water was calm

Visitors: several ecotourism boats going slowly by the jetty

10 kayaks by north rocks

fishers, 2 right near the RR fishing boundary

Census

7 adult female elephant seals

1 male pup born this year (already close to the size of the smallest female)

12 California sea lions, mostly male

27 stellar sea lions on south islands

60 seals on seal rocks and surrounding water

Cormorants 21

Gulls, Glaucous wing and Western 288 on Great Race,

most gulls are mature and in pairs, no nests yet, on the edges of Race Rock there are some immature gulls

Dunlin 3 ,one in summer plumage

Eagle 3, 2 mature one probably less than 1 year

Canada geese 14 to 20, 3 active nests

pigeon guillemot  counted 104 this morning in one area

oyster catchers  ?20

turnstones ?30

savannah sparrows 8

harlequin ducks 10

brandt’s cormorant 1

 

of note, no river otters, sea otters or whales today and yet it was the perfect day for sightings

brandt’s cormorant

Immature glaucous-wing gull?

So much solar energy!

Posted on by

Weather: wind westerly currently 10 knots SUN!

Visitors: 2 groups of students from Pearson College came for quick trips. I took 2 groups from each trip up the lighthouse. 2 ecotourism boats through the reserve. One fisher boat passed through. All respectful.

Facility maintenance :

cleaned the solar panels and checked the fencing.

wood splitting. house maintenance.

This afternoon our battery was charged 100% by the sun and it was only 3 o’clock so to use energy I vacuumed the basement.

Observations: Last night the birds I have been chasing came right next to the house. Definitely Dunlins, one in summer plumage and two immature. This morning I saw a flock of about 100 pigeon guillemots. While cleaning the solar panels on the roof looking at the rocks to the north there were several oyster catchers, then about 25 PG, then 8 Harlequin ducks all in their groups. The gulls seem to be doing a good job keeping the geese under control. They were eating 2 more eggs today.

Currently 7 elephant seals, several went into the ocean this afternoon but they have returned.

Spectacular low tide in front of the student house. Saw a starfish still alive with only four legs and a freshly dead starfish. Looking for Mist Maiden but didn’t find any more patches.

Starfish

not only the elephant seals are moulting