Category Archives: Animal census

Animal Census

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Census done by Students of WestCoast Adventure College during their stay here for classes

 

Birds

  • Harlequin duck                         12
  • Bald eagle adult                        5
  • Bald eagle juvenile                    2
  • Golden Eagle juvenile               1
  • Turnstones                                 10
  • Gulls                                            323
  • Cormorants                                243
  • Pigeon Guillemots                      18
  • Oyster catcher                            6
  • Canadian goose                         10
  • Surf Birds                                    2
  • Dunlin                                          4
  • Savannah Sparrow                     1

 

Mammals

  • Steller sea lion                     79, including 1 female nursing a yearling
  • Harbour seal                         25
  • California sea lion                40
  • Sea otter                                1
  • Humpback whale,                 mid strait south of Race
  • Orca                                        2 hunting in the reserve
  •                                                 6 hunting south of the reserve, waiting until the
  •                                                 2 joined them

Animal Census

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Birds

  • Harlequin duck                 8
  • Bald eagle adult                4
  • Bald eagle juvenile           6
  • Turnstones                        17
  • Dunlin                                 27
  • Gulls                                  132
  • Cormorants                       87
  • Oyster catcher                  23
  • Canadian goose                18
  • Raven                                  2
  • Crow                                     6
  • other shore bird                 7

 

Mammals

  • Steller sea lion              134
  • Harbour seal                     8
  • California sea lion           87
  • River otter                          1
  • Sea otter                             1 (reported to me by tourism vessel)

** Not on count day …. but there were transient orca in the reserve 3 days in a row last week

Animal Census

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This last month, the daily numbers vary dramatically, possibly  due to rapid changes in weather and ultra high tides (?) Still no Elephant Seals hauling out.

 

Birds

  • Harlequin duck              – 6
  • Bald eagle adult            – 4
  • Bald eagle juvenile       – 12
  • Turnstones                    – 18
  • Gulls                               – 43
  • Cormorants                    – 74
  • Oyster catcher               – 6
  • Canadian goose             – 16
  • Dunlin                              – 4

 

Mammals

  • Steller sea lion                   – 132
  • Harbour seal                       – 22
  • California sea lion              – 41
  • Sea otter                              – 1     (reported to me by Eco-Tourism vessel)

Animal Census

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  • Bald eagle adult                          2
  • Bald eagle juvenile                     4
  • Barred Owl                                  1
  • Black Turnstones                      10
  • Black Oyster Catchers                6
  • Gulls                                           148
  • Cormorants  mostly Brandt’s    87
  • Canadian goose                          22
  • Ravens                                          2
  • Surf Scoters                                 12
  • Dunlin                                            8

Mammals

  • Steller sea lion                          590
  • Harbour seal                                42
  • California sea lion                     380
  • Sea Otter                                      1

Several Humpback Whales visible from the reserve

Animal census Oct 18

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Beautiful day, but mostly high tide so a bit harder to count. Injured elephant seal still in the same 10m radius circle near the jetty, 48h after first sighting.

  • 928 california sea lions
  • 566 steller sea lions
  • 8+ bowhead whales
  • 10 canada geese
  • 6 elephant seals
  • 12 harbour seals
  • 230 gulls (way more came back at dusk)
  • 283 cormorans
  • 3 black turnstone
  • 1 brown pelican, passing by
  • 2 ravens, passing by

Tags – see pictures attached. All sea lions except for 2 elephant seals:

  • 312?
  • 3
  • 3X13
  • 730
  • 9776
  • C?70
  • C772
  • C82?
  • C927_456
  • C945_X2
  • K646_greentag_elephant_seal
  • V27
  • V839
  • VA057_cookiecut
  • X0
  • X289
  • X292
  • X2
  • X351_injured_elephant_seal
  • X46
  • X?55
  • X55?
  • X63
  • X655
  • X65?
  • X68
  • X6?
  • X773

Branded Sea lions

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Allen & ilka Olsen, Eco Guardians 6 –13 Oct 2023

Fri 13 Oct
Sun AM; cloud PM. Stiff NE wind/swells 12C
Last day; shift change at 1900 when winds calmed. Second Nature not available/smaller vessel used. Began day looking for more branded sealions; 13 in total sent to researchers.

_blur

Observed much humpback activity in Juan de Fuca; 5
confirmed—do they circle back or are there many more? Five ecotours out with them. Before sunup again, streams of cormorants flying by as well as feeding. Sky and water filled with gulls. Three geese encouraged to leave as feeding on tender new grass around keeper’s house.
Filled batteries with water; ran generator. Generator diesel tank brought down and refilled from tank house. Cleared some concrete walkways. Repaired more fencing—endless task. No sealions in compound, whew.
Housekeeping: The usual cleaning for shift change plus wiped down stair railings/moldings & some of the cabinets; cleaned compost bucket. Emptied toilet. Swept downstairs entry.
We had a marvelous eight days! Signing off from this precious spot……ilka & Allen Olsen

Animal Census Oct 9

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Sun 9 October Allen & ilka Olsen, Eco Guardians 6 –13 Oct 2023

Mon 9 October
Cloud/sun; breezy
Mended much fencing including rewiring at jetty where numerous sealions had breached. Quite a challenge to get
down ramp to lift blocks up to jetty among bothered sealions. Topped up batteries. Washed windows of keeper’s
house. Much ecotour activity from both sides of border. Cruise ship in. Two trips up tower to count further. Sealions
endlessly fascinating—studying & researching to gain understanding.
5 Harbour seal
497 Gull — 314 on Great Race; 163 on isletss
4 Humpback — probably many more
3 Black turnstone
3 Canada goose
1 Oystercatcher

Animal Census Oct 8

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Sunday October  8 Allen & ilka Olsen, Eco Guardians 6 –13 Oct 2023
Warm, sunny, calm seas ~ 18C
Walked fence line; repaired as needed.
From tower:
1009 Sealion
3 Harbour seal

2606 Gull
3430 Cormorant
2 Surfbird
6 Savahna sparrow

Wed 11 Oct CENSUS DAY
Brisk NE wind; 1m swells; cloud/shower; sunny afternoon
Hundreds of cormorants stream by north-facing window before sunup to their daily rock perches.
Hundreds of gulls in feeding frenzy/many immature/~15 immature carcasses observed; 1 sick individual.
Began with walking fence line; a few lines down/another sealion breach/herded back across line.
Blubber Boy still asleep in compound; bestirred with yoga pose then went to derrick crane; not able to breach electri fence so returned to sleeping spot near keeper’s house.
Three trips up tower to again count animals. Allen cleaned solar panels/ residence; windows; filled gas tank.
Sealions intermingle though there are pockets of species-specific. Found 5 branded; will contact scientist:
All mature male California—XI, 303, 9116, 4X6, U92, green flipper tag
Ecotour vessels. Numerous humpback sightings/impossible to count.
1227 Sealion intermingled Steller/California All seem to be male though Cedric reported a single female
2 Elephant seal 3 in total for week
3 Harbour seal
670 Gull
712 Cormorant
15 Oystercatcher
4 Black turnstone
6 Surfbird
10 Canada goose
3 Harlequin duck 8 earlier in week
1 Varied thrush 12 Oct 0930

Animal Census Sat Oct 7

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Sat 7 October  Allen & ilka Olsen, Eco Guardians 6 –13 Oct 2023
Warm, sunny, calm seas ~19
Another full day of ecotours beginning at 0715 plus recreational boaters, cruise ships, freighters. Sealions observed at
jetty in feeding frenzy at max flood—fabulous action. Tower count and on walkabout:
1 Harbour seal
Hundreds of sealions, gulls to be counted —to be counted for census.
7 Humpback whale
660 Cormorant — mostly Brant; some Double crested
4 Oystercatcher
8 Savahna sparrow
1 Black turnstone
3 Canda goose
Warm, sunny, calm seas ~19
Another full day of ecotours beginning at 0715 plus recreational boaters, cruise ships, freighters. Sealions observed at
jetty in feeding frenzy at max flood—fabulous action. Tower count and on walkabout:
1 Harbour seal
Hundreds of sealions, gulls to be counted —to be counted for census.
7 Humpback whale
660 Cormorant — mostly Brant; some Double crested
4 Oystercatcher
8 Savanah sparrow
1 Black turnstone
3 Canda goose

Animal Census Oct 6

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Fri 6 October  by Allen and ilka Olsen, Eco Guardians 6 –13 Oct 2023
Warm, sunny, calm seas. ~18C
Thank you to Greg and Cedric for this second opportunity to serve as eco guardians. Arrived at jetty to numerous
sealions not wanting to leave; much trepidation until Cedric showed us how to deal with them before he reviewed procedures and duties. Water tank filled from tank on Second Nature. Much ecotour activity due to sunny, warm Thanksgiving weather; cruise ships. Much whale spouting from humpbacks.

California sealion

Count from tower:
270 Cormorants — mostly Brant
11 Black Turnstone
1 Surfbird
8 Harlequin duck
520 sealions (counted by Mark, outgoing guardian, on Great Race + islets)