Category Archives: Animal census

Animal Census Jan 3, 2024

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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)

Aug 2 – Census surprises

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One of the reasons for doing a weekly census is to put down in writing the numbers of mammals and birds that are actually in the reserve. This gives us the opportunity to compare the results, not simply rely on memory. And that’s a good thing!  My impression on my return to Race Rocks is that there were a lot fewer gulls here than last year.  A check of a census at a similar date in 2022 shows that not to be true. The numbers are actually very similar, but down about 15% from the same period in 2021. Census records the high counts of each species observed during the day. The marine mammals, for instance are best counted at low tide when most are hauled out. The adult gulls are at their highest numbers first thing in the morning and shorebirds gather on the east beach in late afternoon. Gull chicks can be counted anytime, but are usually undercounted because of their great hiding skills. In between, the census person watches for any other birds and animals that might show themselves.

Gull chick hidden in the marigolds.

Today’s census had several surprises apart from the number of gulls. While on the jetty, I thought I caught the flash of a bird in the corner of my eye.  It was more than one. At least 3 swallows were feeding on insects in the small bay beside the jetty. I managed to get some bad photos, but good enough to identify two different Barn Swallows and one Violet-green Swallow. Later in the day, a Lesser Yellowlegs was resting with the other shorebirds, and a Parasitic Jaeger (also identified by bad photos) headed west not far off Great Race. An adult and juvenile Glaucous-winged Gull were out for a little swim.  It always amazes me to see these youngsters in the water!

Lesser Yellowlegs, possibly the first documented for Race Rocks.  First on eBird for the Race Rocks hotspot.

Out for a swim

Among the sea lions today, I found one entangled with a fishing lure. This poor animal has been her for several weeks. Another had been branded for a research study. I’ll report this number to get its history.

tagged 746R

Sea lion entangled with sports fishing tackle.

More photos below!

Census, 2 August 2023

Birds

  • Harlequin Duck                              1
  • Black Oystercatcher                       23
  • Ruddy Turnstone                            1
  • Black Turnstone                              93
  • Surfbird                                           24
  • Western Sandpiper                         2
  • Short-billed Dowitcher                     2
  • Lesser Yellowlegs                           1
  • Parasitic Jaeger                              1
  • Pigeon Guillemot                            83
  • Heermann’s Gull                             2
  • Western Gull                                   1
  • California Gull                                 120
  • Glaucous winged Gulls                 332 adults, 237 juvenile
  • “Olympic” Gull                                3 adults 3 juvenile
  • Brandt’s Cormorant                        7
  • Pelagic Cormorant                         2
  • Violet-green Swallow                     1
  • Barn Swallow                                 2
  • Brown-headed Cowbird                 2

Mammals

  • Harbour seal                                195
  • Northern (Steller’s) sea lion         79
  • California sea lion                        7
  • Sea otter                                      1

Visitors:

  • No visitors
  • Ecotourism traffic has been slow.  Several boats a day, but rarely more than one in the area at a time

Facility Work: 

  • Cleaned windows and solar panels
  • Replaced batteries in smoke, CO alarm in Student House

More photos:

** All wildlife photos taken at safe distances with high-powered zoom, and may be cropped to improve detail! **

July 17-21 and Weekly Census

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Weather for July 17:
Wind: W 14 to 34 knots
Visibility: <1-15 NM
Sky: Partly Cloudy
Sea: rippled in morning, up to 3′ chop in afternoon
Air temperature: 13-17 C

Weather for July 18:
Wind: W 9 to 25 knots
Visibility: 15 NM
Sky: Partly Cloudy
Sea: rippled in morning, up to 2′ chop in afternoon
Air temperature: 11-14 C

Weather for July 19:
Wind: W 6 to 27 knots
Visibility: 15 NM
Sky: Partly Cloudy
Sea: rippled in morning, up to 1′ chop in afternoon
Air temperature: 12-17 C

Weather for July 20:
Wind: W 21 to 40 knots
Visibility: <1-15 NM
Sky: Foggy in early morning, Partly Cloudy after 10:00
Sea: rippled in morning, up to 4′ chop in afternoon
Air temperature: 12-20 C

Weather for July 21:
Wind: W 19 to 40 knots
Visibility: 5-15 NM
Sky: Partly Cloudy
Sea: rippled in morning, up to 3′ chop in afternoon
Air temperature: 12-14 C

Maintenance:
I did the routine tasks of cleaning the solar panels and house windows, topping up the water in the 24 deep cycle batteries, fixing the electric fence, tidying, testing the salinity and temperature of the seawater, maintaining the freshwater system, and running the desalinator with solar power to produce fresh water.

Visitors:
I drove the Race Rocks station boat to pick up a friend, who came for the night of July 18. Brad had visited Race Rocks before when we both worked for many summers on campus as coordinators for PSYL (Pearson Seminar on Youth Leadership).

Weekly Census observed on July 20:
Steller sea lion: 14
California sea lion: 1
harbour seal: 124
cormorant: 5
black oystercatcher: 24 adults, 2 chicks
pigeon guillemot: 162
glaucous-winged gull: 396 adults, 147 chicks
surfbird: 30
black turnstones: 87
western sandpiper: 4

Photo highlights from the past five days: