The young female elephant seal was back this morning, out on the end of the jetty. Unfortunately the camera battery was charging, and she was bullied off by a set of California sea lions before I could get a photo. I opened the fence near the ramp, but she doesn’t seem to know to come up. Another first sighting for me this morning was a flash of a river otter scampering out from the woodpile near the crane shed!
Later in the afternoon, I did manage to get some clear photos of a Lapland longspur in winter/non-breeding plumage, and a junco. It’s fascinating to see the variety of smaller birds coming to forage in the absence of the nesting gulls. And the longspur sure came a long way! Breed in the artic tundra, their habitat range stretches all the way to the Gulf of Mexico’s northern coast.
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- This non-breeding adult’s plumage is made distinct by bold black framing of the face and deep chestnut wings.
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- When it comes to animal photography, timing really is key!
Facility Notes
- Checked student house condition to prepare for tomorrow’s group
- Continued removal of hardware from old fenceposts
- Cleared booklice from pantry storage
Weather
Overcast, calm seas. Windspeeds from 1 to 15 knots. Temperatures between 9-11°C.
Vessel Traffic
Ecotourism: 3