Wildlife notes

While cleaning the solar panels I noticed a gull near the Energy Building black oystercatcher nest, closer than it would normally be… not a good sign.  These oystercatchers have already had three different nests (see Assiduous for a summary).  What now?  Below is an illustration (click to enlarge) of their three different nest locations (image 1 to 2) and the increasing size of nest three over time (image 3 to 5). I would guess the shells in nest three would be at least six inches deep and all of them in the area could fill a five gallon bucket.

Their single egg was on nest three yesterday. I can’t say if their last egg was eaten or had hatched.  I was away for a few days between observing nest one and two so in terms of timing it could have hatched. The behaviour of the parents (not alarm calling, not together but on other sides of the beach looking to the sea) suggests it was eaten.  There was a crushed shell in the area but from the light yellow colour on the shell inside and on the rocks and its location on nest one, I believe it was one of the two discarded eggs from nest one.  Both discarded eggs are missing.  I will have to watch these parents closely to see if they are feeding or guarding a chick.

Energy Building black oystercatchers nest number one with crushed egg shell in the middle of the nest. The purple arrows show where the discarded eggs from nest one lay until yesterday.

Today I was able to confirm the Coast Guard oystercatchers second egg hatched. They are feeding two little chicks, one and two days old.  They have been moved further away from the gull nests and near the right kind of cover for the chicks.

Coast Guard oystercatcher parent with two chicks as see from the top of the lighthouse. I am certain their eyes are so good they can see me moving up there. They are named after the Coast Guard who maintains the nearby fog horn and solar panel installation.

Facility work

• cleaned solar panels
• weeding

Vessels

It was a busy day on the water.  There are a lot of whales around but all out of sight for me :(

• Ecotourism: 22
• Private: 9

Weather

Skies clear. Clouds distant. Winds westerly 10 to 22 knots. Daytime temperatures 11 to 15.