I am back on Race Rocks after over a two year break. Although I have been here many times I have never been here in July .It is not peaceful. The nesting gulls have lots to say. Mostly to me. I have been here in April when they are establishing their territories and building nests and even in June when they are starting to lay eggs but JULY with chicks hatched it is a whole different atmosphere and, guess what?, they are not happy to see me. However, after only 24 hours we have come to some understanding. I wear a hard hat and carry a broom and they screech until I pass.
Work
My day started at 530 am with a beautiful sunrise and I was cleaning the solar panels at about 6. I started cleaning the student house windows yesterday and continued this morning. I have started cleaning the lamp room and lighthouse.
I have never seen the house and outbuildings in such good shape! Lots of work has happened since I was last here.
Observations
It was a negative low tide and a sunny calm day so I spent a couple hours exploring. I saw 5 starfish, pictures below. In the past several visits to Race Rocks I have seen several Henricia sp. and most of them seemed to be suffering from wasting disease. This is the healthiest one I have seen but it still looks affected. I noticed a study led by MARINe, a multiagency intertidal network including UC Santa Cruz, looking at Sea Stars and their recovery. I will send them my information.
Just above the intertidal I saw a couple of short-billed Dowitchers mixed in with the Surfbirds, Turnstones, Harlequin Ducks and Oystercatchers.
Visitors
Greg and Richard came and filled up the fuel tank and tidy tank. Three volunteers at Pearson came to look around. One will be the ecoguardian in August.
6 to 10 wildlife viewing boats came through Race Passage
Energy
All solar today!
Weather
Clear all day
No wind
Ocean flat calm
Short-billed Dowitcher
Shade is scarce.It is hot on the cistern concrete. Adult gull is panting and the chicks use her for shade
Henricia sp. perhaps still symptomatic wasting disease?
Sunrise
Least Sandpipers
Gumboot Chiton
Orthasterias