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Posted in Animal census , Bird Notes , Ecoguardians Log , Infractions , Island Visitors , Mammal Notes , Marine Vessels , PC Students at Race Rocks , Vessel Observations
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Tagged barn swallow , Black Oystercatcher , branded , chuckles , intertidal , nest , sea star
Weather
Visibility: 15 miles
Wind: 15 knots West most of the day, 30-40 in the evening.
Sky: clear
Water: 2′ chop
Ecological
This morning there was a new large male elephant seal on Great Race.
He is far larger than any of the other ones here.
Then in the evening Chunk arrived on the Western part of the island, equalling the new male in size.
Chunk was last reported as being on Great Race on March 4th of this year.
Chuckles was last sighted on Great Race on February 29th of this year.
I don’t think the other one is Chuckles, as I remember Chuckles being smaller.
15 in total on Great Race.
Lots of entertaining e-seal sparring and interactions, much to the delight of the students.
e-seal sparring 1
e-seal sparring 2
e-seal sparring 3
e-seal sparring 4
e-seal sparring 5
e-seal sparring 6
e-seal sparring 7
e-seal sparring 8
e-seal sparring 9
New male!
New male!
Can we identify him?
Ali and seals
Size comparison
Chunk!
His back (pun)
Definitely Chunk!
Maintenance
In the morning, the 4 of us finished uncovering the brick feature under the flywheel.
We also cleaned the algae off of the flywheel and cleaned the solar panels.
In the afternoon we scraped paint chips off the white railings near the derrick.
Did the old water sampling method, as the YSI wasn’t turning on.
Boats
Lots of eco-tours today.
Most of them appeared to go too close to the sea lions.
Several sailboats out on the water; beautiful!
Sail, boat!
Never seen this one before.
Too close?
Other
Approximately 10 DND blasts today at the more easterly detonation station on Bentinck.
This included blasts at 9:30, 9:40, 10:00, 12:48, 12:49, & 12:51.
The initial blast scared several sea lions into the water.
By my personalized scale, the first five were medium blasts, the final five were huge.
For those of you wondering, my scale goes something like this: small, medium, big, huge, massive.
Weather
Visibility: 15 miles
Wind: 20-25 knots West
Sky: mostly cloudy
Water: 1′ chop
Ecological
14 elephant seals on Great Race.
1 on Middle Rock.
I saw 6 cormorants today. Higher than most census counts these days.
Maintenance
Cleaned some windows this morning.
Cleaned the solar panels.
The students did more window cleaning after they had settled in.
Boats
Kyle and Guy brought out Maya, Tazi, and Ali to stay at Race Rocks until the 30th.
About a dozen eco-tours came by today.
Military
Too close?
Too close?
Too close?
Too close?
Visitors
Maya, Tazi, and Ali are now staying in the Students’ House.
They will be of much help in the chore and social departments.
Weather
Visibility: 15 miles
Wind: 15-20 knots West
Sky: overcast
Water: calm
Ecological
15 elephant seals on Great Race.
Maintenance
Boats
At least 8 eco-tours today.
Several of the tours, and one pleasure craft, appeared to be too close to the marine mammals.
The guidelines specify a distance of at least 100 metres.
Weather
Visibility: 15 miles
Wind: 0-5 knots SW
Sky: overcast in the morning, sunny all day!
Water: calm
Beautiful day!
Ecological
Saw a California sea lion branded U33 (perhaps U?33)
16 elephant seals on Great Race today.
A very tiny seal (though weaner sized, based on its coat a yearling) spent the afternoon on the rocks near the jetty.
It had very little interaction with the bigger elephant seals, and then it swam away.
3 elephant seals on Middle Rock.
Saw a hummingbird today.
Maintenance
Painting.
Ran the desalinator.
Boats
Many eco-tours came by today. At least 10.
Some of them appeared to be too close to the sea lions near the derrick.
Weather
Visibility: 15 miles
Wind: 15-20 knots West, later 30
Sky: mix of sun and cloud
Water: calm, later 2′ chop
Ecological
16 elephant seals on Great Race.
Lots of empty seagull nests scattered about the rocks now.
Maintenance
Boats
At least 8 eco-tours today.
Fairer weather=more boats.
A few small pleasure craft as well.
Weather
Visibility: 15 miles
Wind: 5-10 knots West, later 0-5 South
Sky: clear and sunny
Water: calm
Temperature: Just a match under 16C (60F)
Ecological
Got a better view of the tagged elephant seal today. The tag reads: 5086.
Apparently she was born at Año Nuevo in 2011, the daughter of G2234, an 8 year old born at Año Nuevo in 2003.
She was last documented at Race Rocks on April 22Â 2012.
Maintenance
Took out all the remaining Canada Thistle with the weed-eater.
Cleaned the solar panels.
Began painting.
Boats
A couple of small pleasure craft came by today.
One boat appeared to be only a few yards from the sea lions on South Rock.
Weather
Visibility: 15 miles
Wind: 15-20 knots West, later up to 35.
Sky: mix of sun and cloud
Water: 3′ chop
Ecological
15 elephant seals on Great Race.
Quite social and entertaining today. Some of them even trying to follow me around, though they didn’t like the noise of the weed eater.
About half as many Canada Geese on the island today!
Maintenance
Did some more weed whacking along the paths.
Cleaned the solar panels.
Stacked some firewood.
Cleaned part of the students’ house with algicide.
Boats
3 eco-tours today.
1 rented pleasure craft was seen fishing to the East of Great Race, quite likely within the reserve area where no fishing is allowed.
The photos I took aren’t the best. I spied them fishing with the binoculars before I could grab the camera.
This photo doesn’t really show it, but they were fishing
Leaving after fishing. Still within reserve?
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