Category Archives: Animal census

May 15th Census (and Farewell for Now)

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I can’t believe it’s my last day! Where did the time go?! I’m already looking forward to coming back. 

As always, it’s been an honour to be out here and spend time on this little rock. 

May 15th Census:

Mammals:

  • Steller sea lion: 21
  • California sea lion: 24
  • Harbour seal: 66
  • Elephant seal: 3 female 
  • Cetaceans: 1 grey whale, reports of many harbour porpoises in the area

Birds:

  • Gulls: 391 (these have increased a LOT in number this week) 
  • Pigeon guillemot: 78
  • Cormorants: 29
  • Canadian geese: 10
  • Bald eagles: 10
  • Harlequin duck: 2
  • Oyster catcher: 6 

That’s all for now! 

 

May 8th Census

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I postponed my census from yesterday until today due to weather. I think yesterday’s wind must have blown away all the animals, not a single sea lion out front! 

Today was much nicer for counting and way more animals, although this may be the longest I’ve gone without seeing a whale here. Not a single one yet and its been a week! 

Mammals:

  • Elephant seals: 3 females
  • Harbour seals: 32
  • Steller sea lions: 37
  • California sea lions: 21

Birds:

  • Gulls: 114 
  • Cormorants: 19
  • Pigeon guillemots: 153
  • Oyster catchers: 8
  • Canadian geese: 6
  • Bald eagles: 3
  • Raven: 1
  • Harlequin ducks: 6 

Gulls are starting to build their nests!

I will note that 2 brown pelicans have been hanging around the last few days, and Ollie the sea otter as well but I did not see any of them today. 

Vessels:

  • Ecotourism: 5
  • Private: 4

Animal Census

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  • Bald eagle adult                   3
  • Bald eagle juvenile             2
  • Black Turnstones                  18
  • Gulls                                    122
  • Cormorants                          50
  • Pigeon Guillemots                87
  • Oyster catcher                        12
  • Canadian goose                      7
  • Harlequin Ducks                   8
  • Pacific Wren(?)                        2   comes flying out of  the shrubbery too
    fast to get a picture

 

Mammals

  • Sea Otter                                   1
  • Steller sea lion                       22
  • Harbour seal                            43
  • California sea lion                  24
  • Elephant seal female            2 juveniles, Adult female has also been around the last couple days again, but not coming up to the top area at all

Animal Census

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  • Bald eagle adult                    5
  • Bald eagle juvenile                4
  • Black Turnstones                  23
  • Gulls                                     98
  • Cormorants                           77
  • Pigeon Guillemots                64
  • Oyster catcher                        14
  • Canadian goose                      7
  • Harlequin Ducks                     17
  • Pacific Wren(?)                        4    comes flying out of  the shrubbery too
    fast to get a picture

 

Mammals

  • Sea Otter                                   1
  • Steller sea lion                       28
  • Harbour seal                            57
  • California sea lion                  33
  • Elephant seal female            2 juveniles (adult female has not been seen in a while)

Animal Census

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Birds

  • Harlequin duck                       6
  • Bald eagle adult                     4
  • Bald eagle juvenile                7
  • Black Turnstones                  34
  • Ruddy Turnstones                 8
  • Gulls                                       112
  • Cormorants                            74
  • Pigeon Guillemots                 48
  • Oyster catcher                        12
  • Canadian goose                      7

 

Mammals

  • Norther Fur Seal                      1
  • Steller sea lion                       19
  • Harbour seal                            36
  • California sea lion                   23
  • Elephant seal female             3, 1 adult, 2 juveniles 
  • Sea otter  – while not at the reserve, Ollie was reported to me as being over by william head

Wildlife Census

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This week the highlight was definitely the lightning storm! This is the only time we’ve seen lightning on Race Rocks, and it was very cool to see it. Over there. Not hitting the lighthouse.

We still have a resident female Elephant Seal! She goes to sea most nights and returns in the morning. We like the idea of her munchin’ on animals all night long, and that would align with the crazy amount of pooping she’s been doing. Typically Elephant Seals have very few excretions while on land, but this lady has been painting the town orange.

Very few Whale Watching boats this week, and the California Sea Lions decided to spend the week elsewhere, maybe munching on all those spawning herring up island?

Mammals:

  • Stellar Sea lions: 27
  • California Sea lion: 10
  • Harbour Seal: 16
  • Northern Elephant Seal: 1

Birds

  • Gulls: 64
  • Cormorants: 157
  • Eagle: 4 Adult, 4 Juvenile
  • Turnstones: 55
  • Canada Geese: 7 – 3 breeding pairs
  • Oystercatcher: 16

   

Animal Census

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We had some Transient Orca practicing hunting maneuvers around the S side of Race Rocks, a very exciting welcome back to the island! We’re told by the whale folks this was most likely T075b’s practicing working together on ‘pincer’ movements on the sea lions.

Mammals:

  • Stellar Sea lions: 195
  • California Sea lion: 125
  • Harbour Seal: 20
  • Orca: 4 – T075b

Birds

  • Gulls: 60
  • Cormorants: 120
  • Eagle: 6
  • Turnstones: 10
  • Canada Geese: 13

 

Last Census of 2024 & 2 Entangled Sea Lions

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Gorgeous day today!

Since it looks like it’ll be my only sunny day of my trip out here, I spent most of it outside. It was also the perfect day for an animal census.

While out and about today I unfortunately came across two entangled sea lions. Both have been reported to the right groups and I will be monitoring them over the next few days to see if they stick around.

Facility Work:

  • Topped up battery electrolytes
  • Repaired electric fence
  • Dug up weeds
  • Washed main house windows

Vessels:

  • Private: 1
  • Ecotourism: 3

Dec 30 Census:

Mammals:

  • California sea lions: 182
  • Steller sea lions: 339
  • Harbour seals: 24

Birds:

  • Bald eagles: 25
  • Canadian geese: 15
  • Gulls: 531
  • Turnstones: 47
  • Cormorants: 132
  • Oyster catchers: 6
  • Harlequin ducks: 8

Race Rocks ANIMAL CENSUS December 23

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Race Rocks ANIMAL CENSUS
2024-11-25 2024-12-16* 2024-12-23*
Elephant Seal(male)
Elephant seal (female) 1
Steller’s Sea Lion 289 310 335
California Sea Lion 263 243 180
Harbour Seal 23 10 27
Sea Otter
Orca 5 (3 days ago)
Humpback 3 2
Gray Whale
Species 1
Species 2
Species 3
Canada Geese 27 15 15
Harlequin Duck 4 5
Black Oystercatcher 12 18 0
Black Turnstone 228 37 12
Surfbird 3
Whimbrel
Killdeer 3 4
Dunlin
Black-bellied Plover
Ruddy Turnstone
Species 1
Species 2
Species 3
Species 4
Pigeon Guillemot
Common Murre
Rhinoceros Auklet
Species 1
Species 2
Species 3
Species 4
Glaucous Winged Gull
Western Gull
Glaucous X Western Gull Hybrid
Iceland(Thayer’s) Gull
Heerman’s Gull
California Gull
Short-billed Gull
Gull Species unknown 226 89 187
Gull Species 2
Gull Species 3
Cormorant total 147 123
Brandt’s Cormorant
Double-Crested Cormorant
Cormorant species unknown 228
Pelagic Cormorant
Pelican
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle Juvenile 6 11
Bald Eagle Adult 6 3 4
Peregrine Falcon
Raptor Species 1
Raptor Species 2
Raptor Species 3
Western Crow 3
Raven 2
Purple Martin
Barn Swallow
Pacific Wren
Savannah Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
very fast, unable to get pic, wren size 4
Species 2
Species 3
Species 4
Other Species 1
Other Species 2
Other Species 3

* Numbers reflect taken after a large storm surge, animals and birds dissipated,

Race Rocks ANIMAL CENSUS Dec 16

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Race Rocks ANIMAL CENSUS
2024-11-25 2024-12-16* 2024-12-23
Elephant Seal(male)
Elephant seal (female) 1
Steller’s Sea Lion 289 310
California Sea Lion 263 243
Harbour Seal 23 10
Sea Otter
Orca 5 (3 days ago)
Humpback 3 2
Gray Whale
Species 1
Species 2
Species 3
Canada Geese 27 15
Harlequin Duck 4
Black Oystercatcher 12 18
Black Turnstone 228 37
Surfbird 3
Whimbrel
Killdeer 3 4
Dunlin
Black-bellied Plover
Ruddy Turnstone
Species 1
Species 2
Species 3
Species 4
Pigeon Guillemot
Common Murre
Rhinoceros Auklet
Species 1
Species 2
Species 3
Species 4
Glaucous Winged Gull
Western Gull
Glaucous X Western Gull Hybrid
Iceland(Thayer’s) Gull
Heerman’s Gull
California Gull
Short-billed Gull
Gull Species unknown 226 89
Gull Species 2
Gull Species 3
Cormorant total 147
Brandt’s Cormorant
Double-Crested Cormorant
Cormorant species unknown 228
Pelagic Cormorant
Pelican
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle Juvenile 6
Bald Eagle Adult 6 3
Peregrine Falcon
Raptor Species 1
Raptor Species 2
Raptor Species 3
Western Crow 3
Raven 2
Purple Martin
Barn Swallow
Pacific Wren
Savannah Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
very fast, unable to get pic, wren size 4
Species 2
Species 3
Species 4
Other Species 1
Other Species 2
Other Species 3

* Numbers reflect taken after a large storm surge, animals and birds dissipated, just now returning