A panting parent (they do this to dissipate heat) with their young chicks hiding in the shadow.

Wildlife notes:

Many new chicks have hatched. I was happy to see the relatively calm “sidewalk” gull has a new chick. This gull has had a hard time of it right in the favourite path of the male elephant seal. He mostly enjoys the grassy hollow these days but previously he crossed the walkway daily. The nest is close to and several inches below the walkway, which has saved her last remaining egg from being crushed – the other egg disappeared in mid June.

Sidewalk gull’s new wet chick.

Two purple martins investigated the fog sensor pipes protruding half way up the south side of the lighthouse tower.  Gary will bring a purple martin nesting box to the island. Hopefully they will find it to be a suitable home.  A hummingbird was spotted but moved too quickly for a positive identification or photo.

Facility work:

• cleaned solar panels
• weeding brick walkway by Energy House.
• house cleaning

Vessels:

28 ecotourism

Weather:

Clear skies, winds light and variable most of the day, switching to a moderate westerly breeze late afternoon, high of 25 degrees.