These past few weeks we have had a pair of barn swallows calling Race Rocks home. I’m certainly not surprised by this, with the overwhelming abundance of flies and fleas for them to easily feed upon and few predators. Barn swallows aren’t rare to see swoop by for a day within the reserve, however, as I watch these two now daily they appear to be scouting out the best dry locations to potentially nest. One, scooting itself up under the roof of some of the outbuildings, and into the gaps in the house fascia, while the other sits below keeping watch. The last time these birds were documented nesting and having fletchings at Race Rocks was well over 15 years ago back in 2006. A fairly easily recognized bird, and one many of us have likely seen as they can be found in every province and territory (except Nunavut) so it may come as a surprise they are actually on the special concern list in Canada; due to human impact causing loss of nesting sites, food sources and climate change.
Male Barn Swallow
Female Barn Swallow
Birds
- Harlequin duck 5
- Bald Eagle 2 adult 3 juvenile
- Glaucous winged Gulls 590
- Cormorants 33
- Pigeon Guillemots 293
- Oyster catcher 10
- Oyster catcher eggs 13 (3 in three and 2 in a two other nests)
- Barn Swallow 2
- Canada Goose 12
- Black Turnstone 1
- Cowbird 2
Mammals
- Steller sea lion 1 (blasting the past two days has impacted)
- Harbour seal 83
- California sea lion 25
- Elephant seal sub adult male 2
- Elephant seal adult female 2
- Elephant seal pups 2
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- Elephant seal sleeping in the pinappleweed
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- Glaucous winged gulls atop the north camera.
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- Elephant seals playing int the water beside the jetty.
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- pigeon guillemots floating on the current
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- Oyster catcher among the pigeon guillemots, close to her nest.
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- The two barn swallows.
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- Pigeon Guillemots
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- California sea lions on the south west bank.
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- Coast Guard vessel passing by.
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- Fog rainbow and gulls.
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- A Pair of oyster catchers lounging on the path in front of the science house.
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- Look closely and you will spot three oyster catcher eggs in the nest on top of the northern rocks.
Visitors:
- No visitors lately
Facility Work:
- sharpened hatchet and axe
- chopped kindling
- Created documents for Fire extinguisher locations and inspections
- Cleaned house
- Filled water in batteries
- Emptied and cleaned composting toilet
- Cleaned windows and solar panels
- Finished all repairs and rebuilt sections of Electric fence All set for sea lion season!
** All wildlife photos taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail! **
Weather – Current:
http://www.victoriaweather.ca/current.php?id=72
Weather – Past: