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- Jeremy and Garry
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- Jeremy and Greg checking water reservoir storage level
For the past few weeks a former biology student whom I taught at Pearson College, Jerremy Prassl has been serving as the Ecoguardian at Race Rocks. He would be leaving on April 5 and returning to Britain where he is a professor at Oxford.
I got a ride out on Second Nature with Greg and we also took out two bird observers from the Rocky Point Bird Observatory ( RPBO) / BC Nature Gull survey, Andrew Jacobs and James Kennerley. The detailed observations and a link to the identification of the interspecific gull hybrids eBird Canada Checklist – 3 Apr 2024 – Race Rocks – 16 species (+2 other taxa) was a valuable addition to research in the Ecological Reserve. Below is a sample from Andrew’s photos on eBird of their identification of the different gulls:
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- Glaucous-winged
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- Western
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- WesternXGlaucous-winged hybrid
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- Herring x Glaucous
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- Iceland(Thayers)
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- Tulips survive after may years of being planted by former lightkeepers
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- Stairs covered with the introduced sedum.. and interesting ecological succession story
One project that needs to be done is a more permanent placement of stakes to hold the electric fencing which keeps the sea lions from damaging the vegetation and infrastructure on the island.
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- unstable concrete supports for the electric fencing
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- area inhabited over the last few months by sea lions on the left
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- areas protected from sea lion haulout have vegetation surviving preventing erosion
In my walk around the island I noted several areas that need attention, BC parks indicated several years ago that they would be out to remove several piles of construction waste. I think this has gone on too long and these piles are very unsightly and an intrusion into the ecosystem. Perhaps a reminder will elicit some action.
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- Wood waste from house balcony replacement
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- Concrete from stairs repair
