August 25th
Birds:
Mammals:
Animal Tracking and Injuries:
Mammals
sea otter: 1
elephant seal: 1 female
harbour seal: 34 (6 South Islands, 1 South Seal Rocks, 19 Middle, 1 Turbine, 7 North Is.)
Stellar sea lion: 185 (48 Great Race Rocks, 136* Middle, 1 Turbine)
California sea lion: 108 (107 Great Race Rocks, 1 Turbine)
Birds
cormorant: 45 (21 South Islands, 24 Great Race Rocks)
gulls**: 761 (33 South Islands, 4Turbine, 7 North, 717 Great Race Rock)
oyster catcher: 20
pigeon guillemot: 123
surfbird: 46
black turnstone: 149
ruddy turnstone: 3
harlequin duck: 1
barn swallow: 1
Canada goose: 7
song bird: 3
* Note: all sea lions on Middle Rock were counted as Stellar sealions, there may be a couple of California sea lions mixed in.
** Note: Gull counts do not include this season’s chicks
Wildlife notes:
The entangled Stellar sea lion was not spotted today on Great Race Rocks. A Stellar sea lion with a dark coloured stain around its neck (possibly a packing band), reported previously by naturalists on the ecotourism boats, was sighted on Middle Rock during the census.
The Stellar sea lion on Middle Rocks with a possible new entanglement is located in the bottom centre of the photo and has a dark coloured ring around its neck.
I wish I could sleep like a sea lion, on any surface, cold, hard, flat or bumpy and with only a log for a pillow.
Visitors:
Greg and Gabe came out to work on the electric fence
Facility work:
Vessels:
Weather:
Clear skies. Moderate to fresh westerly breeze. Daytime temperatures: low 13, high 15.
Census Results:
Mammals:
Birds:
Facility work:
Vessels:
Weather:
** All wildlife photos are taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail! **
Mammals
elephant seal: 2 (male and female)
harbour seal: 186 (45 South Islands, 53 South Seal Rocks, 29 Middle, 20 Turbine, 39 North Is., 6 Great Race Rock)
Stellar sea lion: 20
California sea lion: 2
Birds
cormorant: 11
gulls*: 607 (4 South Islands, 603 Great Race Rock)
oyster catcher: 10 adults, 1 chick
pigeon guillemot: 124
surfbird: 36
black turnstone: 123
ruddy turnstone: 6
short billed dowitcher: 2
western sandpiper: 7
least sandpiper: 1
harlequin duck: 2
barn swallow: 1
* Note: Gull counts do not include this season’s chicks
A collection of gulls on the western shore, many of which are California gulls.
Pigeon guillemot
Facility work:
Vessels:
12 ecotourism, 1 private, 1 spill response vessel
Weather:
Partly cloudy. Predominately westerlies, fresh to strong breeze most of the day, gale force for two hours in the early evening, moderating to near gale by late evening. Daytime temperatures: minimum 11, maximum 15 degrees.
Mammals
sea otter: 1
elephant seal: 2 (male and female)
harbour seal: 192 (48 South Islands, 54 South Seal Rocks, 36 Middle, 16 Turbine, 33 North Is., 5 Great Race Rock)
sealion: 5 (on West Rock, too far to identify)
Birds
cormorant: 18
gulls: 506 (18 South Islands, 488 Great Race Rock)
oyster catcher: 10 adults, 1 chick
pigeon guillemot: 26
surfbird: 38
black turnstone: 28
ruddy turnstone: 2
western sandpiper: 1
least sandpiper: 1
harlequin duck: 2
Wildlife notes:
The last of the gull chicks are hatching. Only about 5% or less of the gulls are still sitting on eggs. Gulls get a bad rap and called names like shit hawks. It is true there are white streaks and splotches everywhere, but if you watch the nesting gulls, parents and even the larger chicks, they take great care to walk up to 6 feet away from their nesting area to do their business.
Some photos the elephant seals sleeping side by side.
Facility work:
Vessels:
3 ecotourism, 1 private
Weather:
Cloudy early morning. Fresh westerly breeze in the morning, steady strong breeze the rest of the day. Daytime temperatures: minimum 13, maximum 14 degrees.
Mammals
sea otter: 1
elephant seal: 2 (male and female)
harbour seal: 126 (46 South Islands, 6 South Seal Rocks, 18 Middle, 33 Turbine, 21 North Is., 2 Great Race Rock)
humpback whale: 1 (approx. 1 mile to the east)
Birds
cormorant: 28
gulls: 628 ( 34 South Islands, 14 South Seal Rocks, 4 Middle, 1 Turbine, 575 Great Race Rock)
oyster catcher: 10 adults, 3 chicks
pigeon guillemot: 86
surfbird: 27
black turnstone: 16
ruddy turnstone: 1
western sandpiper: 1
least sandpiper: 2
harlequin duck: 1
swallow: 1
purple martin: 1
Western sandpiper
Least sandpiper
Ruddy turnstone
Wildlife notes:
The California sea lion with the wounds on his flipper hasn’t been spotted for a few days. The new black oyster catcher chick hatched on July 5 in the open on the western shore has been moved up higher on the rocks. The pigeon guillemots are easy company – neither the gulls or the oyster catchers mind them around.
Another little climber. Hatched July 5.
Black oyster catcher chick eating its lunch.
Facility work:
Vessels:
21 ecotourism, 1 private, 1 outrigger canoe paddler
Weather:
Sunny breezy day. Westerlies strengthening to near gale by early evening. Most of the day 12 to 14 degrees with a high of 17 at 19:00.
Mammals
sea otter: 1
California sea lion: 1 (injured)
elephant seal: 2 (male and female)
harbour seal: 123 (26 South Islands, 64 South Seal rocks, 8 Middle, 16 Turbine, 9 North Island)
Birds
bald eagle: 4
cormorant: 28
gulls: 496
oyster catcher: 11 adults, 3 chicks
pigeon guillemot: 24
great blue heron: 1
surfbird: 5
black turnstone: 1
harlequin duck: 1
Wildlife notes:
To the census I have to add 12 small flashes of white, travelling in a tight group – did some impressive high speed acrobatics on the north shore. The pigeon guillemots are under represented. They have been travelling in and out all day with few remaining on the island at any one time. Their nesting locations are easier to spot now. The birds land near the nesting area with their prize and stall for a while, seeming to look about cautiously before they approach their nests, but perhaps they are just showing off their catch. The California sealion has a wound (one large and central, one smaller near the tip) on his left flipper and has dipped in and out of water many times today. The black oyster catcher chicks on the bolder beach near the house, first photographed June 12, are now about half the size of their parents. A new black oyster catcher chick hatched today on the western shore, in the open without any sort of nest. Not many new gull chicks today. The elephant seals continue to tumble and grumble, then separate and ignore each other.
Heading to the nest
Black oyster catcher with the 3+ week old chicks.
Newly hatched black oyster catcher chick.
Facility work:
Vessels:
14 ecotourism, 5 private, 1 highly skilled outrigger canoe paddler
Weather:
ENE 6 -10 knots most of the day, switching W 15 in the early evening. High of 26 degrees.
Mammals
sea otter: 1
California sea lion: 1
elephant seal: 1 (male)
harbour seal: 156 (46 South Islands, 21 South Seal rocks, 89 Middle and North Islands)
Birds
bald eagle: 4
cormorant: 28
gulls: 481 (451 Great Race Rock, 2 South Island, 28 South Seal Rock)
oyster catcher: 8 adults
pigeon guillemot: 53
harlequin duck: 1 young male, 2 females
Female harlequin duck
Visitors:
Greg and Cedric delivered two more loads of water. The tank is full with >4500L :)
Facility work:
Vessels:
14 Ecotourism boats
Weather:
First day since June 11 to experience calm seas in the morning. Clear skies, winds light ESE veering to W 8 by evening.
Happy census day! See below for this week’s creatures.
Mammals:
California sea lions: 30
Elephant seals: 1 (male)
Harbour seals: 143
Sea otter: 1 (Ollie)
Steller sea lions: 8
Birds:
Bald eagle (adult): 2
Bald eagle (juvenile): 4
Barn swallows: 1
Canadian geese: 4
Cormorants: 62
Gulls: 358
Oyster catchers: 8
Pigeon guillemots: 103
Facility work:
Vessels:
Weather:
** All wildlife photos taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail! **
Today is animal census day! I swear all of the sea lions hide when it comes time to count them, but our big male elephant seal is still here. Upon a closer inspection (him lying directly out my front door) I actually think this is a different animal than the one that was here in March. At first I thought he had just gained weight back post moult but I think it’s just an older/larger male. It’s great to have him here either way!
May 30th Animal Census:
Mammals:
California sea lions: 20
Elephant seals: 3 (1 male, 2 females)
Harbour seals: 108
Sea otter: 1 (Ollie)
Steller sea lions: 6
Birds:
Bald eagle (adult): 3
Bald eagle (juvenile): 2
Barn swallows: 2
Canadian geese: 10
Cormorants: 23
Gulls: 336
Harlequin ducks: 10
Oyster catchers: 9
Pigeon guillemots: 75
Ravens: 1
Looks like the gull count will be going up soon!
** All wildlife photos taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail! **