Wildlife notes
Sea lions are starting to return in low numbers but they are hauling out on Middle Rock. There are very few gulls left with unhatched eggs and some of the late layers have abandoned their third egg after the first two hatched. The eggs I found previously with their shells partially missing/chipped away (like on July 9th) have been discarded from their nests.
A gull and its chick – not to be messed with!
I have two more introduced species on Race Rocks to report. Cleavers, catchweed, sticky willy, or goosegrass (Galium aparine) was found in the rocks behind the Energy Building. Geese seem to eat it and that may explain how it got here. The second plant, European searocket (Cakile maritima), is growing on the boat ramp in a crack in the concrete. It is common in coastal areas in Europe, Asia and North Africa and may have come to North America in ship ballast water.
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- Cleavers
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- European searocket
Facility work
- cleaned solar panels
- weeding
- studying the Programmers Guide for the Mate3s power system controller and the programmed setpoints
Vessels
- Ecotourism: 21
- Private: 1
Weather
Skies clear. Winds variable and light until late afternoon, moderate SWS in the evening. Daytime temperatures: low 12. high 20.