Category Archives: Bird Notes

Random Encounters

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A number of infrequent avian visitors have been popping by for a visit, or more likely a rest on their northward migrations. Two days ago a Greater White-fronted goose (Anser albifrons) spent the night, and the next night a Black Brant (Branta bernicla nigricans) had replaced it. The black brand stayed two days and fed vigorously the whole time. I just discovered how rare these birds are with only 115,000 in the world.

I have noticed several pairs of Wandering Tattlers (Tringa incana) in the least few days

And another favourite the Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)

Finally, the California Sea Lions (Zalophus californianus) have begun to arrive.

Busy whale-watching season

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The weather has settled after a couple of blustery days and the sun is shining. Erik and I are refuelling the station which involves transporting about 6,000 litters of diesel fuel from Pedder Bay Marina to the island. We should be completed this afternoon. Hopefully this will last about one year, but that depends on conserving energy/electricity wherever possible.

Seven Pearson students spent last weekend here and we may get another group this coming weekend, however that depends on getting a new part for our desalinator. Without water it is challenging to host our guests, and I may have to ration our dwindling supply for a few weeks until the new part arrives. I counted just under 20 whale-watching vessels in the preserve last week, averaging 2 a day with 4 or 5 on the weekends. I will monitor the numbers more closely as tourist season arrives. DND continues to explode ordinance on Bentinck Island, much to the annoyance of every living thing in the reserve. The percussive shock waves rattle the windows and seem very incongruous with the spirit and intention of this place. I can’t quite understand why they won’t perform their exercises in an inland location where the noise and pollution can be better contained. I believe they are violating federal guidelines and hope they will take measures to ameliorate the effects of their mandate.

 Dunlin

Hundreds of pigeon guillemots are banding the seashore around Great Race and they add a colourful and busy presence to the island. Three scruffy young female elephant seals are busy moulting their pelage. Little scraps of old skin and fur are littering the island, adding to the biological detritus that makes up the bulk of the soil layer along with guano, shell and decayed plant material. A few California Sea Lions are in the area along with the Stellar and Northerns.

 Stellar Sea Lion

 We have a new camera now with a good telephoto lens so I hope to edu-tain you with beautiful pictures of magnificent animals…. stay tuned!

Animal Visitors

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Yesterday two Whimbrels were seen on the south shore of Great Race and this morning a posse of California Sea Lions was swimming about South Rocks barking in their distinctive manner. Garry alerted me to another weaner elephant seal pup on West Rocks. Today we have 5 e-girls here at the station: Bertha, Squall, Divot (she has raw sores/holes in her skin but seems otherwise healthy), Goat (this one crawled up to the weather station in  the middle of the island), and 5086 (Fifty/Fiddy) whom I believe we first saw in December. I had thought Squall had left as I didn’t see her for a few days but turns out she had crawled up into the boathouse to get some peace and quiet!

Plenty of recreational fisherfolk are fringing the reserve. I suppose it makes a cunning sort of sense to hunt near the place where most of the fish are, but there is a self-serving element to that way of thinking that is reflective of why we need to have parks, reserves and preserves in the first place! Personally I prefer finding my dinner on the shore within the intertidal zone where I can be sure of what I am catching and can ensure there are plenty left to restock the locale. Unfortunately for me I won’t be eating creatures from the reserve though!

Today 6 kayakers lingered for quite a while at Middle Rocks; the Sea Lions didn’t like it and went in the water. We think of kayaks as benign but i have found that most animals prefer to know when the humans are coming and kayaks allow us to sneak up on them, ironically causing more panic than a motorized vessel. Yesterday I observed a huge submarine pass within 2 miles of the island. I reckon it was a Trident nuclear sub as it was escorted by the American Coast Guard. I can’t imagine the Sea Lions liked that either!

Animal Census Apr 18, 2012

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Stellar Sea Lion – 20

Elephant Seal – 12

Harbour Seal – 200

Glaucous-winged Gull – 200

Brandt’s Cormorant – 250

Pelagic Cormorant – 10

Black Turnstones – 30 w/ 2 juveniles

Surfbirds – 10

Raven – 4

Crow – 1

Dunlin – 2

Sparrows – 6

Pigeon Guillemots – 150

Harlequin Ducks – 100

Canada Goose – 20

Bald Eagle (adult) – 4 (juvenile) 8

Black Oyster-catcher – 40

34 people have visited in the least 2 weeks

Bertha comes back!

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A big sleek elephant seal arrived yesterday and proceeded to block the boat ramp until I shooed her away and was able to launch. At some point she rolled over and I saw the big scar on her belly! Bertha had returned, but was looking sleek and fully recovered from the challenges of giving birth and feeding her newborn 3 months earlier. Neither Squall nor Bertha paid much attention to one another, but I haven’t mastered the nuances of e-seal communication techniques so I may have missed something!

photos 1-3 credit Helene Cyr

A little tickle with the paddle after cajoling and pleading  had no effect…

There are plenty of pigeon guillemots around to cheer up my day! I love their bright red/orange feet and the way they splash into the water when they settle down.

Moulting Time

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There are about 8-10 young and mostly moulting elephant seals in the reserve at this time. Between four and six have been lounging on the pier creating obstacles for the group of 10  students that spent the weekend here. The grumpy infected girl at the end of the dock made all of us clamber around the outside of the rail to get to and from the boat. Today I thought she looked a bit better. There appears to be an object imbedded in her lower palate; perhaps a barb or spine from a fish she was hunting. I hope it works it’s way out in time. Presumably elephant seals are pretty durable creatures… we will keep a close eye on her recuperation.

The students did a great job of weeding the scotch thistles from around the tower.

There are plenty of Pigeon Guillemots and Black Oystercatcher pairs on the island, with a few Harlequin ducks and Rhinoceros Auklets just offshore. The Harbour Seals should start giving birth soon. There is a large pregnant female on the foreshore near the engine room.

3 rental boats entered the reserve and broke all the rules for respectable human decorum here. I called the marina and they quickly responded by phoning the renters to warn them of their infractions. I was happy to see them promptly exit the reserve and head off towards the military ballistics range.

Phalaropus fulicarius:red phalarope–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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This is the first image taken of this species at Race Rocks  March 2012

 

 

I was on the docks at Race Rocks when I saw this small phalarope which I thought was the red-necked version. A viewer pointed out that it had a grey back and a thick bill. Therefore it is the “Red” phalarope, Phalaropus fulicarius. It turns out that all the others we have seen in that same area by the docks in the past have been the red phalarope,  Phalaropus lobatus  which have a brown marked back  This is their winter non-breeding plumage so none of the colourful plumage of the breeding season shows up.  (Garry Fletcher)

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Subphylum Vertebrata
Class Aves
Order Charadriiformes
Family Scolopacidae
Genus Phalaropus
Species fulicarius Linnaeus 1758
Common Name: Red Phalarope
Garry Fletcher

Stormy, Misery gone, Surfbirds

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Early Monday morning there were strong winds SE and again this morning, over 40 knots. Yesterday there was periods of snowfall blowing in from the West.  Pressure falling, more wind expected tonight.

Misery left the main island on Friday evening, I have not seen or heard any sign of him since.  I suspect he might be gone for the season.

Surfbirds

Since the stormy weather Monday I have not seen either of the moulting female elephant seals.  Since Misery left Squall has been more active.  She has been moving around the island more and doing tail biting exercises.   She is attracted to puddles and has gone down to the crane deck a few times and seems curious about the ocean.  I have still not seen her approach the water though.

On Sunday there was a large flock (+150) of Surfbirds (Aphriza virgata) and maybe a few Black Turnstones (Arenaria melanocephala) in the East bay.

On Tuesday one eco tour vessel entered the reserve.

Have been working on a new compost containing system lately, have poured 6 concrete footings/anchors over the past few days.  On Monday did maintenance on the fire pump.

Project Week-part 3 (final)

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Yesterday was the last day of project week, in the morning I brought students back to campus in two trips on the whaler.  It has been great group to have out here for the past week, they have helped out with several projects and tasks, endured some stormy weather, survived without a shower, cooked their own food (and shared a few good meals with me), and experienced the isolation and richness of the Race Rocks Ecological Reserve.  During their stay they were very conscious of the time and resources required for importing fuel and generating energy and fresh water and did a great job minimizing consumption and waste.

In the final days of the week students helped out with transferring diesel to the furnace tanks and cleaning cupboards in the science centre kitchen.  Throughout the week the group maintained a daily count of animals in the reserve, the count is included below.

 

Feb 27 Feb 28 Feb 29 Mar 1 Mar 2 Mar 3
Harbor seals 45 50 10 22 20 16
Elephant seals 2 2 2 2 2 2
Sea lions 2 5 5 5 6 6
Gulls 57 23 33 43 31 26
Cormorants 60 27 29 40 56 32
Oyster Catchers 3 5 3 6 7
Bald Eagles 1 1 1
Brown Sandpiper 4 12 8 6
White Sandpiper 5 3 4
Pigeon Guillemots 22 150
Common Mergansers 2
Harlequin Ducks 12 7 6

Thanks to the group for their contributions and good company.

 

Camera 5 working

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The remote camera on the N side of the Great Race is working now, you can access it here: www.racerocks.com/racerock/video5.htm

Note: there are 20 presets which cover all major points in a 300 degree view.

Squall has been staying around the SE side of the tower.  Misery comes and goes, the pup usually keeps out of his reach.

Yesterday there were 2 eco-tour vessels in the reserve.

Facility work: replaced toilet vent fan, replacing basement basin drain plumbing, planning composting containers.

Bird count today: 6 Harlequin ducks, 150 Cormorants, and 90 gulls.

Wind 20- 30 knots from the west all day, rainy.