Wildlife notes

I always gaze about when I’m on the roof of the Energy Building cleaning the solar panels. This morning a flash of red caught my attention near a small harbour seal pup and mom swimming between the southwest shore and South Seal Rocks. It was the placenta trailing behind the pup! They disappeared from view 15 minutes later with the placenta still attached. It is heartwarming to observe the close physical contact between females and their pubs on land and in the sea swimming together as they roll, swirl, bend and touch noses to smell each other. We know there at least three new pups: the one first observed on July 2, the pup on the boat ramp July 5, and today’s pup.

Harbour seal mom and pup swimming to toward South Seal Rocks. The placenta is trailing behind the pub

Harbour seal mom and pup with placenta.

Harbour seal with her pub on the shore by the Energy Building. By the colouring and markings on the pub’s face it seems to be same one as first observed on July 2 and 3rd.

Facility work

• cleaned the solar panels
• weed whacking

Vessels

• Ecotourism: 17
• Private: 2
• Rowboat: 1

Weather

Winds light to moderate, mostly westerly. Skies partly cloudy. Daytime temperatures: low 13, high 18.