No visitors today, but on Sunday Corey drove us back to Race Rocks with some more water as we were having troubles getting our boat to start.
There have not been many whale watching boats but when they are here they often get quite close to the sea lions (within 10m). We can tell when there is a boat present in the reserve by the increase in “barking” and distressed sounds that the sea lions make.
Ecological:
Over the weekend a sea lion was spotted with some fishing line wrapped around its neck. We believe that it could be the same one spotted last year. As it grows it will likely die due to slow suffocation caused by the line. Unfortunately it’s virtually impossible to have someone come to tranquilize and remove the line as the sea lions move on before they can get here. However, if we see it again we will report the injury.
Today we found a large fishing hook which must have come loose off of a sea lion. We’ve previously observed sea lions trying to remove fishing hooks from their skin by rubbing against the jetty.
There are quite a few sea lions all over the island now. We have been delaying our water sample that we normally take from the jetty to avoid having to chase them off, since when they are startled they climb over each other or rush off of the side of the jetty where the water isn’t very deep. The few that have come near the house don’t seem to be moving around much, just resting and getting away from the crowds.
With the return of the sea lions we’ve been getting bitten by little black fleas that we also saw in late spring. They were not a problem while the sea lions were not here, so we’re wondering if the two are connected.
Many of the young seagulls have left or are flying very well. A few of the latest hatched are still here, but the mothers are starting to leave them to fend for themselves.
We have been spotting the odd young elephant seal hauling out for a few hours before continuing on.
We’ve been noticing eagle feathers and dead adult seagulls around the island. Oddly, we haven’t seen the eagles hunting.
Maintenance:
We’ve been needing to do daily fence repairs on the electric fence at the back of the island as the sea lions have been trampling it and breaking the wire and insulators that hold the wire on the posts. Hopefully with some persistence on our part they will learn to leave it alone.
Today we also set up the electric fence that runs between our house and the jetty/north island to prevent them from coming up around the infrastructure. They are stinky and destructive if you let them get too close!
We are still picking up sharp bits of tin and shingles/tar paper/ misc. litter from around the island. Some of it is from the roofs being redone recently, but a lot of it is older and becoming exposed now that the grasses are dormant for the summer. Today we filled two buckets in an hour or two of scavenging.
The weekend was quiet, and Monday has been the same.
Ecological:
The sea lions continue their advances on the island! I think that the electric fence will soon need to be deployed.
Seagulls continue to develop, see in the picture a family of three young (grouped) and one adult (foreground). The shorter chick hatched roughly 5 days later than its siblings and struggles to keep up in growth. Hopefully there’s lots more growing in it’s future, we named the little one Bonsai!
Visibility 15+ miles in the afternoon, heavy fog in the morning
Wind 15 knots W
Calm water
Boats/Visitors:
This afternoon I (Kai) dropped Mara off on land, she will be away for a few days – I have the rock to myself!
Pearson vessel Second Nature has been doing water tours around Race Rocks
Ecological:
The sea lions double in number every day, and you smell them before you see them… Many can be seen with open wounds, 3-6″ long bloody cuts in their sides and back.
Beside the jetty, I spotted a young seagull getting its feet wet in the protected waters. This is the first time we’ve seen them enter the sea.
Sky overcast, some clear patches (not much solar power generated today)
Visibility 15+ miles, no fog
Wind 10-20 knots W
Water calm. Some interesting standing wave patterns lately.
Boats/Visitors:
On Thursday Greg came in the afternoon to top up our water supply. Pearson alum Norbert (currently alum in residence) also came along for the ride to check out our solar panels and provide suggestions for future improvements. Pearson maintenance volunteer Jimmy also stopped in for the night to visit race rocks before he goes home to Mexico. Safe travels!
We had many hands on deck, so we were able to successfully repair and raise the flagpole.
Yesterday Greg visited with a group of college guests who toured the island.
Ecological:
The sea lions have started to haul out on the N + S/SW sides of Great Race Rock.
The oyster catcher chicks have grown to be nearly as big as their parents and are flying all over!
The seagull chicks are getting bigger and when rival adults attack they now fight back. On Thursday we spotted a chick with one eye pecked out and were concerned that it would not survive. Fortunately, when we checked later it was doing well.
There have been large numbers of black turnstones present this past week, 30+ at once
Seagulls eating sea urchins
closer view
Male elephant seal having a soak on the jetty
Seagull bathing
Elephant seal on jetty
Signs of moulting skin and fur
California sea lions swimming
A small boat far from safety in the currents of race passage and very close to the sea lions.
Siblings hatched within 2 days of each other, one much smaller.
Black turnstones
Seersucker kelp on the jetty
Gumboot chiton
Gull catching drips of fresh water
One of the fish a gull regurgitated to feed its chicks
Blooming english stonecrop
Abandoned nest near jetty. Eggs did not hatch and mother is missing.
No visitors to the island since Greg delivered water on Monday. We were happy to have a few guests of the college also stop in for a visit at the same time.
Lately there have been quite a few eco-tourism vessels (20+ each day). The noise from the vessels is continuous and can be felt as a low vibration even inside the house. We have seen the odd private pleasure craft as well but they are typically smaller and move more slowly.
Ecological:
The seagulls are growing more and more! The chicks have started to flap their wings into the wind, and wading into the water near the jetty. The adults seem to be attacking the young less frequently as they get bigger, but we still spot the odd deceased chick. Today we saw an adult gull swallow an unlucky chick whole.
The oyster catcher chicks have begun flying! They are able to cross the short distance between the jetty and the nearby rocks.
There are only two moulting male elephant seals on the island now. They look like they will likely leave soon, as their peeling of skin and fur is nearly done.
Earlier this week we saw orcas in the reserve, making twice in the past week and a half.
There have been a handful of seal pups and their moms resting in the shallower intertidal on the SE side of the island (also many seals on rosedale rock)
There has been a slow increase in sea lions hauling out onto west and middle rock. They occasionally stop on the jetty at a higher tide, or the rocks nearby.
One of the families of geese that hatched here in the spring. They look nearly full-grown now!
An adult seagull bringing food for its chicks.
They swallow their food whole and then fly back to regurgitate it for their young.
One of the first hatched chicks showing development of flight feathers.
The young gulls often sit like this with their feet out in front of them.
A sea lion hauled out beside the jetty.
The kelp forests surrounding us exposed by a lower tide.
A steady stream of whale watching boats today, but not too busy (15 or so). We were pleased to note that they seemed to be keeping mostly to the centre of the channel.
Quite a few small pleasure crafts just outside of the reserve, but only a few entered.
Ecological:
The seagull chicks are getting bigger every day and are beginning to wander more adventurously. This is making it harder for us to move around the island as they are unpredictable and often stray onto the paths. The adult seagulls are more aggressive than ever and have started to dive at our heads.
We noticed that the lack of wind yesterday and clear sunny day was causing the seagulls to pant like dogs. Apparently this is a way for them to shed excess heat through their mouth lining.
A boat getting quite close to a sea lion resting on the jetty.
Greg came by today with some water that we pumped into the main tank. We are told that the new desalinator should be on its way soon, but is going to take a few weeks to ship.
A few whale watching boats today (10-15). Many came close (-50m) to the elephant seals in the jetty and the sea lions on middle rock. We often see them within 10m of the sea otter and kelp patch that it calls home.
Maintenance:
A few days ago we replaced the worn Canadian flag on the flagpole. Today we noticed that the entire rope/pulley system had somehow blown loose and fallen to the ground. The pole is to high for us to reach the top with our ladder, so when it is less windy we will have to take the pole down to make repairs (this will be difficult with so many seagulls about).
Ecological:
Many interesting birds in the reserve this week. Today we spotted some western sandpipers, a couple short billed dowitchers, and a ruddy turnstone all from our kitchen window!
Every day we see more and more sea lions. Greg said that he even spotted a stellar sea lion on his way today.
Short billed dowitcher.
We saw 5 western sandpipers in the grass today.
A ruddy turnstone on top of the cistern.
The moulting elephant seals enjoy soaking in the shallow water of the jetty.
The seagulls all rise into the air when a predatory bird is in the vicinity- usually an eagle.
Visibility: Morning fog 0 miles visibility, clearing to 15+ miles
Visitors/Boats:
Only a few whale watching boats today, as the fog was extremely thick until mid afternoon. One boat came very close to the jetty and a sea lion resting on it.
Ecological:
Yesterday we noticed that the gulls are continuing to attack each others young. As the chicks grow larger and more continue to hatch, it seems as if the population as a whole may be running out of food on the island. We noted that one seagull was pecking at an evergreen shrub, which we haven’t seen them interested in until now. As the gulls become more desperate for sustenance, they appear to be cannibalizing their neighbours young to provide for their own. We found an interesting article about the appearance that Climate change may be turning seagulls into cannibals, written about the observations of biologist Jim Hayward on Protection Island, also located in the Strait of Juan de Fuca (2016).
Sky: Mostly grey, cloudy. Some rain and fog. Periods of partial clearing.
Water: Rippled, fairly calm.
Visibility: 10-13 miles
Boats/Visitors:
Guy came to pick up our weekend visitors who headed home this afternoon. It was nice to have some company out here on the rock!
There were only a handful of whale watching boats in the reserve today since it was quite cloudy and rainy. We were surprised to discover a vessel hovering within 50 meters of a whale within the reserve this evening.
Ecological:
While taking a water temperature reading we accidentally spotted a humpback whale hovering in the main channel! It stayed for about 30 minutes, surfacing approximately every 5 minutes in the same spot, facing towards the current.
The seagull chicks have continued to hatch and there are too many to count. They blend in with the yellowing grasses extremely well and have grown to be twice their original size in only a week. We noticed that one chick near the fuel shed hatched but did not survive, while its two nest mates appear to be healthy.
There has been one male stellar sea lion on middle rock for the past few days, and appears to not be moving much at all.
The goslings are nearly full grown now, and have been swimming
Census
230 Harbour seals
350 adult seagulls and many, many chicks
4 moulting male elephant seals
1 male stellar sea lion
A handful of pigeon guillemots
8 adult oyster catchers, at least 7 chicks spotted
1 humpback whale
2 families of geese, and one additional adult pair
1 nest of barn swallows
Large sea lion on middle rock.
Some of the many seals that have been hauling out during the very low tides.
