I have had the privilege of visiting Race Rocks several times over the years, and have boated near the ecological reserve many times while birding with friends. I have to admit that I was very jealous of those who actually spent days, weeks or months here. Thanks to a series of unrelated events, I now find myself here as a relief eco-guardian for a week. It’s a dream come true!
The reports of calm seas this morning turned to more active weather just around the time that Greg Dickinson, Garry Fletcher and I headed out from the Pearson College dock. Pleasure craft were all heading the other way, into the shelter of Pedder Bay.
Approaching Race Rocks, my home for the next week.
As the wind continued to pick up, I was given a whirlwind tour of the facilities, a book of standard operating procedures, and specific instructions on how to operate certain important equipment. Then, before things got too rough, the previous week’s relief eco-guardian and company, Greg, and Garry were headed back to Pearson, leaving me with the gulls and guillemots!
Bye for now!
Ecological Notes:
1 Male Elephant Seal (continuing)
Still molting. Apparently has lost several hundred pounds.
3 Californian Sea Lions on the main island, many more on middle island
Small group of California Sea Lions checking out the island
10+ Steller’s (Northern) Sea Lions on the middle island
This is what attracts the eco-tourism vessels
10 Harbour Seals close in, many more on surrounding islands
Three species of gulls noted today:
Many Glaucous-winged Gulls, including young of various ages. Some were testing their wings in the heavy wind.
Glaucous-winged Gull chicks looking for lunch
The youngest Glaucous-winged Gull I saw today
3 California Gull
California Gulls
2 Heermann’s Gull
Heermann’s Gull
80 Pigeon Guillemot spread over much of the rocky shoreline of the island. Frequent forays into the surrounding waters.
Pigeon Guillemots were still in breeding plumage
4 Black Oystercatcher (although I suspect more out of sight) including the youngster that hatched about a week ago
Black Oystercatcher amongst other shorebirds
74 Black Turnstone
Many nestled in the rocks
Black Turnstones
11 Surfbird
Surfbirds
2 Western Sandpiper
Western Sandpipers foraging in the grass
No raptors or songbirds (passerines)
Vessel Traffic: 4 ecotourism vessels between 1500 and 1600 today. Most fishing and pleasure craft had retreated as wind and seas increased.
Weather Events: Wind picked up from the west shortly after noon and continued 30+ km/hour into the night. Seemed to drop off after 2200, but still gusty.
Weather – Current: http://www.victoriaweather.ca/current.php?id=72
Weather – Past: http://www.victoriaweather.ca/station.php?