Mammals:

• Steller sea lion: 168 South Islands
• California sea lion: 2 South Islands, 67 Race Rock
• Harbour seal: 1 South Islands, 19 Middle Rocks.

Birds:

• Gulls: 399
• Cormorants:  271
• Bald eagle: 3 mature
• Black oystercatcher: 6
• Harlequin duck: 7
• Black turnstone: 5
• Song bird: 1

Wildlife seen this week inside the reserve but not observed today include: humpback whale. For several days this past week there have been 50+ black turnstones and up to four immature bald eagles.

168 Stellar sea lions dog piled on one of the South Islands.

Two male Harlequin ducks drying off on East Beach.

Wildlife notes

The elephant seal seem agitated this morning, moving about and calling. She settled in for the afternoon in the hollow beside the bunker.

A glorious day on Race Rocks. The elephant seal in the hollow between the bunker and the walkway on the right.

The girthy female elephant seal.

Facility work

• dug in the compost bin
• some fence repair
• general cleaning

Vessels

• Ecotourism: 3
• Private: 0

Weather

Skies partly cloudy, clearing midday.  Moderate easterly breeze. Daytime temperature 9 degrees.