Category Archives: Bird Notes

Pigeons – guillemots back

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Weather

Very light wind,not stable going from  West to East,calm sea, Sky:overcast to cloudy and rainy (light).Visibility :10 miles, Air temperature:3.9 degrees Celsius.

Ecological

Today for the first time this winter we saw a flock of guillemots :30 around.Chunk was gone fishing but back in the evening .12 geese almost all the time on the Rock.

Vessels

One watching vessel and a big fishing boat heading to the Ocean.

Census

Pigeons -guillemots:35

Elephants Seals : 5 to 6

Gulls :650

Californians Sea Lions :235. One tagged: no 486

Steelers sea Lions:55

Geese:12

Eagles:6 to 9

Harlequin Ducks:7

Harbour Seals:27

Cormorants:110

cold winter days

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Weather

On the first it has been a windy day gusting at 39 knots .with the low temperature 1.9 degrees celsius it was very chilly on the rock. Wind was from the North East ,it was sunny with a good visibility and just 30% of humidity. On February 2nd the wind was lighter around 20 knots and 28 at the most.from North East which gave a big swell on the jetty and no sun.The Sunrise was at 7:41AM and Sunset at 5:20PM.  The water temperature dropped under 7 degrees celsius. On the 3rd same conditions but very cloudy and a little of snow.

Ecological

We have now steady 6 Elephant seals on the place . Chunk managed to stay away from the family lawn but watched them all the time.he tried to come closer but as soon as the other one was aware of him he went back to the lighthouse area .The 2 pups look like 2 “pinatas “. Boss tried a few times to mate the female but without too much success. Now 10 to 12 geeseDSC_0513DSC_0527DSC_0556DSC_0571

Vessels

In average we have 1 to 2 eco -tourism boat everyday

Maintenance

Because of the  cold and windy weather we kept busy inside

Chunk here to stay

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Weather

West light wind,Calm,clear,stronger wind expected that day,around 25knots,Visibility:15 miles,Cold :1degree celsius in the morning

Ecological

Very active birds especially gulls fishing all around,some eagles (4)and geese (12) and Chunk. We discovered that he spent the night  far from the other one but on shore closed to the batteries rooms. He managed to go the day before” incognito” through the rocks and not by the central alleys. I would say “par la porte des artistes”.Comfort is an important matter!I saw a tagged Sea Lion :C105.

Vessels

2 eco – tour boats and a long US military boat very high on the water heading to the ocean.

Maintenance

End of the month reports : sea water datas and ‘liquids” on the Rocks. Guy put 200 litters of gazoil into the yellow tank.Some wood chopping.Desalinator and generator on

 

Visitors again

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Weather

No wind at all early in the morning but North East tendency,4 knots,calm,overcast,4degrees,Visibility over 15miles ,Sea water stable around 7 degrees

Ecological

9 geese,a lot of gulls,and many eagles.Chunk came when Boss was gone . he spent part of the day in the waters closed to the jetty and met our visitors

Visitors

Guy went to town for some admin that day so I welcomed our visitors :the same divers than Yesterday. They could’t get in touch with the college on Sunday so they came back to the best spot around. We made a tour of the place together and got the chance to see the pups . We went to the Sea lions spot on South too.They were happy but I try to let them understand that this place was protected and not open to public and they phoned right away to the VP of operation :Mr Pile and let him a message and references.They could observe closely Chunk and even offered him an apple!

Census day and find “6 Spots” the harbour Seal!

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Weather

Another calm day with 9 knots,North East wind at 8:00AM ,Calm sea,Cloudy to some sunny periods,Visibility over 13 miles. Sea water :7.1 degrees Celsius

Ecological

I thought to have seen the famous seal on Turbine Rock this morning. there was a beautiful spotted Seal and actually the first one like that I ever saw…but when I went to do the census I discovered 7 or 8 spotted ones all together on South Island so…I am not sure anymore …Is “6 spots “around or not?…I let Pam to be the expert and the judge . Again Chunk :he spend the afternoon closed to Guy working at the cleaning of the railway (drifting wood again).A lot of activity for the gulls on the fish banks. In the night I have been awaken by the Sea Lions for the first time in those Winter months

Vessels

3 Watchers  and a police boats going towards Esquilmalt..some small fishing boats closed to Pedder Bay.

Census

Gulls:520

Cormorants :90

Harbour Seals :17

Elephants Seals:6 (2 pups,2 females ,2 males)

Eagles:8

Harlequin Ducks :8 seen this week

Geese:6 seen this week

Black Turnstones: a few

Sea lions : 200

 

Watchers back

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Weather

12 knots North East wind at 8:00,Cloudy,Visibility:13miles,Calm day, Air Temperature :6 degrees Celsius.

Ecological

Between 5 and 9 eagles steady on the Rocks. Lovely Harlequin Ducks.

Maintenance

Worked on the old generator . all the parts are now loose; Ready to be hauled out soon.

Other

Helicopter closed and a plane far above.

2 watcher boats in the passage.

Chunk ‘s visit

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Weather

It has been a very calm weekend . North East wind mainly and very light wind around 50 knots and a pretty cloudy sky all the time.

Ecological

Chunk was back on Saturday but not for so long , I would say 3 hours …He stayed closed to the boat shed . For a long time ” Boss ” was deeply asleep but at the end when the other tried to come up …he just needed to show up and Chunk was gone as fast as a torpedo. Don’t tell me that an elephant seal can’t go fast! Every thing looked fine with the e females Elephant seals and pups . They are bigger and the second born bigger than the first. The male tried to get one female after the other but without success and a lot of drama. It is always scary to see the young one so closed in this situation. Many eagles have been around those last days. On Sunday we had 4 geese and later 7 and on Sunday 13…many cormorants too and Oyster catchers.

Maintenance

We went on with the wood stacking job and brought bak to the main house the wood under the guest house. On sunday we were busy with the jetty. Logs everywhere and our main concern was to get free the launching boat way in case of an emergency.

Vessels

Just a few boats around:a small sailboat in the passage, a big fishing boat on his way to the coast, and a few watching boats .

Census day

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Weather

Pretty windy day ,North wind ,22knots at 8:00 and around 30 at 2:00PM.,white crests on the sea,visibility over 15miles

Maintenance 

Outside wall of the main house and staircase washed.

Ecological

Birds very active :fishing all around. many Oyster catchers on the south rocks of Main. Quiet Elephant seals

Census

Elephant seals:5: one big male,2 females and 2 pups

Sea lions:140

Gulls:440

Geese :4

Oyster catchers :20

Cormorants :around 40

Eagles: 2 adults and 2 juveniles

Black Turnstones:15

Harlequin ducks: 14 seen this week

Others 

Water infiltration by the windows and from the wall in a spot.Stairs a little bit slippery

 

the storm never came

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Weather

Looking at the forecast we were expecting a gust (to 40knots)on the 17th but it stayed pretty calm .Just a big swell came from East. When we had a look on the website Windyty the wind was on the West coast outside and on Victoria and the North of Vancouver Island. The sky has been very cloudy with a dark sea  and rain never far.The air temperature was a higher and the water too( around 7 degrees Celsius.) In the morning of the 18th in a gloomy atmosphere the flag was hanging like a stick for a while and like the day before keeps changing its direction all the time . The tides are really high. never saw them like that before

Ecological

Everything is fine in the nursery .The big male spend his days closed to the females and babies ,waiting for his turn and sometimes trying to get one or the other but to now without success. We got the visit of a few eagles and some geese .

Maintenance

More wood split and stacked. The desalinator and generator are on almost everyday . Guy hauled up with the crane a very long log around 30feet. The last 200 liters of gas oil have been transfered to the yellow tank.We have now 7 barrels empty ready to be filled up and 2 Propane bottles. The barrels bottoms have been got rid of rust  and repainted.

Vessels

One watching boat almost everyday

 

The new one and mum get settled

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Weather

Wind:11knots,North East

Sky:Clear to cloudy

Visibility:Over 15miles

Ecological

Everything was going smoothly for the the new one.We missed the birth for one minute looking for our camera. It was so quickly done . What was very nice to watch and listen were the fist interactions between the 2. The male coming from sea one hour letter was also pretty dramatic : the female trying to protect the young one but she couldn’t help a full inspection. After that he went away observing closely the situation from a distance. The placenta went out 6hours later for the delight of a gull keeping the others out of the way.The baby was already looking for the tits and the mother tried to help him but no feeding for that day.

other

Visitors :Kyle brought James . and he put a camera up ready for the next coming birth in a few days.