Mammals:

• California sealion: 614 plus 9 on outer islets
• Stellar sealion: 350 plus 287 on outer islets, mainly Middle Rock
• harbour seal: 64
• humpback whales: 5 inside the reserve, more outside
• sea otter: 1

Birds:

• gulls: 352
• cormorant: 367
• Canada goose: 9
• harlequin duck: 4
• black oystercatcher: 3 juveniles
• black turnstone: 71
• surf bird: 43
• western sandpiper: 2
• semipalmated plover: 1
• killdeer: 2
• savanna sparrow: 11

Notes on census

Wildlife seen this week but not observed on census day were eight sanderling. The red-footed booby was on Race Rocks this week according to BC Rare Bird Alert. The numbers of sea lions, especially the Stellar sea lions is likely higher. Oddly I haven’t seen or heard an eagle this week.

The census took a long time today.  There were several trips up the lighthouse and just too much to count!

This is photo 2 of 4 taken in a series to count the sea lions on Middle rock, one of the outer islands. There were so many sea lions I needed to count them using this method. The number of sea lions in the census would surely be higher if I could see the back side of the outer islands!

Surfbirds and black turnstones on the Energy Building beach.

Semipalmated plover.

Killdeer.

Eight sanderlings and a western sandpiper in the flats between East beach and the Jetty, in a spot free of sea lions.

Facility work

The sea lions didn’t just mess with the Jetty fencing today, they also took out a long section of the fence near East Beach.

• ran the generator
• repaired fences

A section of electric fence that the sea lions took out today. They dragged the line down to the beach and took a weathered tree root ball with it.

Vessels

• Ecotourism: 30
• Private: 13
• Jet ski: 2

Weather

Clear skies. Winds light 0 to 6 knots, direction variable. Daytime temperatures 12 to 15 degrees.

Started the day with the generator running, walked the fence and then cleaned the solar panels. When I was on the roof cleaning the solar panels, the sun came out; perhaps the cloudy weather forecast was wrong.

Today is census day, so I grabbed a notepad and climbed the tower. I found out very quickly how hard it is to count all the wildlife! From sea lion piles, to hundreds of seagulls, I tried my best. I found it very difficult to know what wildlife is beyond the many rocky outcrops. Using the binoculars in a somewhat methodical breakup of the island into sections, I counted each section and added the numbers. I was amazed at the wildlife on the outer rocks that I don’t normally see…there are lots sausages out there!

Sea lion piles from the tower

Mammals:

• California sealion: 662 plus ~22 on outer islets
• Stellar sealion: 81 plus ~30 on outer islets
• Harbour seal: 90
• Humpback whales: 4 inside the reserve, many more outside throughout the day

Birds:

• Gulls: 471 plus 616 on outer islands (Aug 30 >2200 including chicks)
• Cormorant: 231, more may be just out of view
• Black oystercatcher: 0
• Pigeon guillemot: 1
• Black turnstone: 3
• Savannah Sparrow: 4
• Canada Goose: 6, they have come the past twos day in the late afternoon

Notes on Census

It’s very difficult to see the animals on the outer islets, so the count may be low. I also had difficulty picking out the Stellars from the tower, so the ratio may not be correct.

Facility work

• cleaned solar panels
• ran the gas generator
• fence repairs

Vessels

• Ecotourism: 26
• Private: 7

Weather

Cloudy most of the day.  Winds 3 to 6 knots mainly from the west. Daytime temperatures 13 to 15 degrees.

Mammals:

• California sealion: 457, nearly all on Great Race Rocks (July 25:17)
• Stellar sealion: 205, half of which are on the outer islands (July 25: 29)
• harbour seal: 136
• humpback whales: 6

Birds:

• gulls: >2200 including chicks
• cormorant: 73
• black oystercatcher: 2  (July 25: 14 plus 5 chicks)
• pigeon guillemot: 3 (July 25: 234)
• black turnstone: 4 (July 25: 113)

A lot has changed here in the past month. I have included some of my last census numbers from a month ago to highlight the differences.

The sea lion population has exploded and I expect it will continue to grow in size.  It is much louder here and their stench is overpowering.  The amount of guano has also increased. It is not just the rocks along the shore line that are painted white, it is now all the rocks and walkways. You can’t open a window in the house with the combined aroma of the sea lion scat and the guano. The only somewhat fresh smelling air is at the top of the light house.

The harbour seal pups have been weened and can’t be obviously identified by their size or proximity to their mothers. I also could not locate the oystercatcher chicks so they may have fledged or been pushed off the beaches by the sea lions to stretches of the outer shore I can not access or observe.  The pigeon guillemot have mostly left. One of the three I saw today had a meal in its beak so there may be one chick left in a borrow somewhere. There are also very few shorebirds.

Unfortunately the good camera left the island yesterday. I will only have a cell phone camera so the I’ll be selecting things large enough, slow enough or close enough to photograph.  You will be seeing a lot sea lion photos until the good camera comes back.

A large Stellar sea lion with some California sea lions south of the Energy building many meters above the shore line.

The pile up on the boat ramp. I sent them away when it was time to get the sea water readings. I saw one climb right over the electric fence unbothered so I figure it is best to send them along before the situation gets worse. They’ll either get fed up with moving or become harder to move (i.e. accustom to my idle threats).  I hope it is not the latter.

Facility work

• topped up the battery fluids
• the generator ran for during the day, so I did not clean the solar panels.
• ran the desalinator for 8 hours, produced 600 L of fresh water
• did a load of laundry of bedding and towels
• patrolled the electric fence

Vessels

• Ecotourism: 28
• Private: 11

Weather

Overcast. Winds westerly 9-15 in the morning, west-south-west 8-17 in the afternoon. Daytime temperatures 12 to 14 degrees.

California sea lions: 62
Steller sea lions: 44
Harbour seals: 122

Cormorants: 54
Nesting Gulls: 256 (+ 300 or so chicks)
Gulls (Outer rocks and water): 400
Canada Geese: 2
Oyster Catchers: 21
Pigeon Guillemots: 63
Bald Eagle: 1
Small brown songbirds: 4

Getting to Know the Neighbourhood

My first day alone on the rocks. I began by cleaning the kitchen while a short but mighty burst of rain swept over, saving me from solar panel duty for the morning. Then I ventured out to the top of the lighthouse, coffee and seagull broom in overhead.

The census count took a few trips up to the light, once in the morning, afternoon and evening to get a good idea of who has been hanging around. In the afternoon and evening, many of the nesting birds had gone out for the day, and the sea lions were easiest to count as they all hauled out around the midday low tide to soak in some sunshine. There are a few small shorebirds I wasn’t able to recognize yet- time for some reading!

Facility Work
– Finished topping up batteries
– Transformed old curtains into rags

Weather
Intermittent rain, mostly cloudy. Gusty! Strong westerly winds from 35 to 51 knots. Temperature 12.8 to 17.4 degrees.

Vessels
ecotourism: 16
private: 4

Mammals:

• California sealion: 17
• Stellar sealion: 29
• harbour seal: 143  plus 6 pups

Birds:

• gulls: 1371 (of these 809 were outside of main nesting area, chicks not counted)
• cormorant: 74
• black oystercatcher: 14 plus 5 chicks
• pigeon guillemot: 234
• bald eagle: 1
• harlequin duck: 3
• surfbird: 39
• black turnstone: 113
• ruddy turnstone: 1
• brown headed cowbird: 1
• Canada goose: 3

Wildlife seen this week inside the reserve but not observed today include: killer whale, humpback whale, short-billed Dowitcher, least sandpiper, western sandpiper, wandering tattler. The majority of the gulls outside the main nesting area (i.e., those on the South Islands, Seal Rocks and on the western shore line of Great Race Rock) were California gulls.

Wildlife notes

The sealions are returning in small numbers and are mostly on the South Islands for now. This started early in the week with the arrival of some large growling Stellar sealions. California sealions started appearing (and barking) the past two days.  It will soon start to get louder at night around here.

There are very few gull eggs left unhatched. Some seem eggs abandoned in shallow or untended nests. The single egg made in a nest spun of grass by the door to the Student Building is starting to hatch. Two eggs were in this nest on June 29th.

A simple nest made only of grass from the immediate area near the Student Building door. This may be one of the last gull eggs to hatch this year.  This means no more short cuts across the grass to get to the Student Building. This is unfortunate as “Intersection” gulls has moved their three chick to the start to the Student Building walkway.

I think we are up to 6 seal pups in the area. Like the gulls, they are spread apart in age are vary is size.  The pup on East Beach this afternoon still had its umbilical cord attached so it is a new one since last Census.

Young harbour seal pup on East Beach this afternoon with its umbilical cord still attached.

Same young pup swimming away with its mother.

Vessels

• Ecotourism: 24
• Private: 3

Weather

Partly cloudy. Winds from the west and southwest, calm to 15 knots. Daytime temperature 14 to 17 degrees.

Mammals:

• Stellar sealion: 2
• harbour seal:  165 plus 5 pups

Birds:

• gulls: 832
• cormorant: 67
• black oystercatcher: 14 plus 4 chicks
• pigeon guillemot: 51
• bald eagle: 1
• harlequin duck: 17
• surfbird: 41
• black turnstone: 48
• ruddy turnstone: 1
• least sandpiper: 1
• western sandpiper: 1
• wandering tattler: 1

Wildlife seen this week inside the reserve but not observed today include: California sealion, short-billed Dowitcher, a passerine. Pigeon Guillemots are underrepresented.

The 5 week-old Keepers House black oystercatcher chick “hiding” motionless in the rocks on East Beach. Its beak not yet fully orange, full sized or blunt tipped.

Tiny western sandpiper on East Beach. The Keepers House black oystercatcher parents in the background, always on watch.

Facility work

Thanks to Joan, the lamp room and lighthouse stairs look terrific and it was a clear view through the glass.

• cleaned solar panels
• battery maintenance

Vessels

• Ecotourism: 12
• Private : 0

Weather

Fog in the am. Clear skies. Winds westerlies 17 to 26 knots. Daytime temperatures 12 to 17 degrees.

Mammals:

• Stellar sealion: 1
• harbour seal:  124 plus 3 pups

Birds:

• gulls: 890 (733 Race Rocks plus 157 on South Island)
• cormorant: 33
• black oystercatcher: 14 plus 7 chicks
• pigeon guillemot: 131
• bald eagle: 1
• harlequin duck: 7
• surfbird: 17
• black turnstone: 7
• least sandpiper: 4
• western sandpiper: 1

Wildlife seen this week inside the reserve but not observed today include: California sealion, barn swallow, brown headed cowbird, purple martin, Canada goose.

Mom and seal pup nose touching.

Wildlife notes

There are more dead gull chicks to be found scattered about – deposited on the walkways, lying in front of nests, one even incorporated with grass into the side of a nest. Odd that the gulls remove shells from their nests but they don’t seem to clear away the dead.

This nest is Window Gull’s nest by the tank shed. Last year only one of her three chicks survived. The first two to hatch were lying on the sidewalk. This year her first chick to hatch and die has been become part of the nest, woven in with grass, attracting shiny green flies.

The oystercatcher chicks are doing well.  The largest, the Keepers House chicks are a month old and growing rapidly.  A size comparison for a two week old and month old chick is below.

One month old black oystercatcher chick.

Black oystercatcher chick versus parent size for a month old (left) and a two week old (right).

Facility work

Getting things ready for Joan, the next Eco guardian, who will come in tomorrow and stay for 5 days. I am glad to be able to meet her in person. When I first came in 2024 she was a great help, always answering her phone and my many questions.  I will return to Race Rocks next week.

• cleaned solar panels
• cleaned Keeper house outside windows
• hung three more smoke/CO2 detectors, fixed loose weatherstrip
• organizing, cleaning house

WORDLE TODAY !!!
Another good word for Race Rocks

Vessels

• Ecotourism: 20
• Private: 1

Weather

Partly cloudy. Winds predominately westerlies 7 to 19 knots. Daytime temperatures 11 to 16 degrees.

Mammals:

• California sealion: 1
• Stellar sealion: 1
• harbour seal: 214
• elephant seal: 1

Birds:

• gulls: 621
• cormorant: 20
• black oystercatcher: 14
• pigeon guillemot: 172
• Canada goose: 2
• bald eagle: 1
• harlequin duck: 1

Wildlife seen this week inside the reserve but not observed today include: Caspian tern.

Wildlife notes

The Coast Guard black oystercatchers have hatched a chick with the second one just starting to peck its way out. Once all the chicks have hatched and they leave the nest, observing, photographing and even counting them will be difficult and time consuming… sitting in one spot for a long time swatting at flies, being far enough away that the parents are relaxed but close enough that you don’t need a spotting scope.  Unlike human children, the chicks are remarkably obedient. Just one peep from the parent and the small, well camouflaged chicks run for cover between the rocks.  I still have not been able to confirm how many of the Keepers House chicks have survived. So far I have only seen one.

The Coast Guard black oystercatchers newly hatched chick and their second egg. One of the black marks on the egg is a hole created by the chick inside.

There was a group of 20 Heermann’s gulls on the south shore today.  A classy gull.  It is well dressed and directs its laughter like calls to the skies instead of wildly shrieking in any which direction at any one that will listen.

Two Heermann’s gulls

The sealion numbers have been very low the past weeks. Only two sealions were observed today. One was obviously wounded.  I don’t know why the other one isn’t out with the rest of the sealions gorging on fish.

Wounded sealion on Middle Rocks.

Facility work

• did not clean the panels today, yipee! The generator ran early this morning bringing the batteries to 100%.  Starting with a fully charged battery and sun today, the dirty panels kept the batteries at 99% all day.
• weeding walkways
• general cleaning

Vessels

• Ecotourism: 13
• Private: 1

Weather

Sunny with scattered clouds. Winds westerly 16 to 24 knots. Daytime temperatures 11 to 15 degrees.