Category Archives: Mammal Notes

Happy New Year from Race Rocks!

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Coming into 2022, the snow is melting and the elephant seal pup is getting faaaaat.

Mikey has ballooned from his starting weight (around 50lbs) to his current blubbery size around 200lbs, quadrupling his size in 10 days. It’s pretty remarkable to see the massive increase in size for this little seal pup, and you can see the calories flowing from his mom into the pup.

Day 1 for Mikey the Elephant Seal pup

Day 10 of Mikey the Elephant Seal Pup

As Beverly gets closer to weaning her pup (typically they nurse for 20 days), the Beachmaster is getting increasingly interested in mating. Last year Bev didn’t start mating until the last 2 days of nursing, which means we are expecting anther week until the mating starts.

 

The Race Rocks Beachmaster checking to see if Beverly is ready to mate yet. We are expecting another week until she’s interested.

One of the more ‘stressful’ events during this time is the Beachmaster checking on the pup. This involves mouthing the pup, which looks like the pup is going to get bit, but I think it’s more of a full contact smell than an actual bite. Last year this was alarming when this 4000lb seal would roll up on a little 200lb pup, but as we saw Bev mating with this same Beachmaster, odds are that the pup is his, and to date none of the mouthing has resulted in any damage to the pup.

We’ve found it incredibly interesting to watch Beverly raise her pups on Race Rocks, and the way she used to geography of the island to protect her pup. Bev uses the steps and walkway right outside of the eco-guardian house as a kind of fortification around her pup. When the Beachmaster comes up to check on Bev and her pup he can’t climb up the steps , and also can’t really get at the pup when he’s wedged on the ledge. This buys her time to get the pup nice and big before starting to adventure around the island with him, which started on day 9.

Bev’s magic ledge of protection.

 

 

December 29th – A Break in the Snow

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Ecological Notes:

First things first: the new Elephant Seal pup is doing great! 8 days old today, very vocal and mobile; especially when compared to last years pups. The seal pup doesn’t seem to mind the cold, and we’re reached the point of nursing where the mom starts moving around throughout the day. Maybe to stimulate the pup to get moving and muscle-y, or maybe to get a break from the nursing.

The Beachmaster left the island after the first 2 days of snow. He was spotting wallowing around Race Rocks, so maybe just using the warmer ocean water rather than sitting on land getting snowed on.

Once the snow stopped falling we had a shift in birds, with 12-20 eagles spotted in the early mornings feeding on what looks like bits of other birds. Maybe the cold was enough to provide some good food for all those eagles. Prior to the snow we were seeing 3-5 eagles in the mornings.

The California and Steller Sea Lions have been moving around the islands trying to find spots where they can group up and keep warm. This has provided an opportunity for the Harbour Seals to haul out, something that we don’t see much with the available real-estate claimed by the larger sea lions. It’s funny to me that the seals choose to be on land when the sea lions choose to hang out in the water.

Facility Work:

We have been fighting to keep things unfrozen for the last week, with temperatures dropping the water pipes froze and we’re working to keep the desalinator and other infrastructure from freezing as well. Shovelling walkways and keeping things snow free.

DND events:

Real quiet on the DND front. No boats or blasting over the holidays.

Weather Events:

The snow showed up Christmas night, heralded by the foghorn. Not much snow lands on Race Rocks when it’s blowing, and the cold (around -5 to -7 for a few days) kept the snow nice and powdery, perfect to be swept!

30-40 knot winds and cold weather have made us VERY appreciative of the new windows in the Eco-Guardian house, significantly improving the insulation.

 

Weather – Current: 

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/current.php?id=72

Weather – Past:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/station.php?

First Elephant Seal Pup of the Season!

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It’s that magical time of year where the Northern Elephant Seals come ashore and give birth! Our first mom is the same female who showed up first last year, Pink Tag 2 (who we affectionately call Bev), who came ashore on December 15th. After several days of being sassy and pregnant she gave birth to a new male pup on December 21st.

Bev seems to have a purposeful strategy showing up and birthing before the other females. Last season Bev showed up almost a month before the other moms, and left before the other moms were even getting ready to birth. By this time her pup was pretty huge and mobile. She gave birth last year on December 22 2020, so pretty much on schedule with what she did last year.

One of the first big hurdles for newborn pups is just figuring out just how to nurse, some pups take days to figure this out, but not this first pup: he was nursing within hours of being born is already looking plumper than when he was born.

Weather Days

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Ecological Notes:

  • The large Male Elephant Seal has been coming and going from the island, often bellowing for a while each day.
  • During the stormy weather over the last month, I had noticed more than one Sea Lion with what looked like minor injuries. Now that there are less on the island, I can move about into “their” areas. Unfortunately, I have found 2 of what looked like healthy animals that have passed. This is not uncommon, but always sad.

Visitors:

  • The Waterfront Coordinator delivered fuel for the generator, and electric fence parts.

Facility Work:,

  • Cutting salvage wood recovered from the ocean is hard on the saw chain. Add to this that some of  it is hardwood and you find yourself touching up the blade and/or sharpening it very often.

  • The more you cut, the more you get to split!

  • Rain days mean time best spent on indoor projects ….. some are mundane, but still have to be done.

Clean the fridge

Replace furnace filter

 

DND events:

  • Thursday included several blasts  on the west beach.

Noted Vessel Traffic:

  • Several Ecotourism Vessels, including one that paused for all the guests and crew to sing Happy Birthday to the Ecoguardian!

Weather Events:

  • Several days of high, cold Northeasterly winds gave way to Westerlies of 25 – 30 knots on Thursday. Mix of sun, cloud, and rain squalls throughout the day.

 

** All wildlife photos taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail! **

 

Weather – Current:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/current.php?id=72

 

Weather – Past:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/station.php?

Sunny with a chance of Elephant Seal

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Ecological Notes:

  • The Large Male Elephant Seal that has been visiting the water by the jetty decided to come up for a sunbathe and snooze today. He is larger than I originally thought!

  • The Sub-Adult Male Elephant Seal is still hauled out on middle rock.

Facility Work:

  • Although some large drift logs were lost during the last couple weeks, now the tide is lower while it is still daylight, allowing me to tie them off at high tide, and buck them up at low tide.

  • Today though, the large male was in a place that would have put me between him and the water …. not a place I want to be while using a chainsaw and not able to keep a good eye out!

Noted Vessel Traffic:

  •  Just 2 Ecotourism vessels.

Weather Events:

  • Clear and sunny all day, winds primarily westerly 15- 20 knots. Winds shifted to Northwest early evening and dropped to 5 knots. Swells up to 1.5 meters from the west.

 

** All wildlife photos taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail! **

 

Weather – Current:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/current.php?id=72

 

Weather – Past:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/station.php?

Mature Male Elephant Seal

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Ecological Notes:

  • A new Adult Male Elephant Seal has been visiting the main ramp area for periods of time. While not quite as large as the Alpha and Beta males here last winter, this guy is pretty big!

  • The Sub-adult Male Elephant Seal, that was hauled out for a week or so last month, has been hauling out on middle rock.

Facility Work:

  • We got the Desalinator up and running! After changing the control panel, we re-checked and adjusted some settings and it’s working fine now.
  • Finished the new layout on the pier electric fence. As we had added a new, more powerful, fence energizer, many of the old wires and connectors were failing. Each Ecoguardian comes to Race Rocks with their own skillsets and ideas. This new idea will hopefully be more  sturdy, and easier to repair and maintain. ……. (but we’ll see!)

  • Received and assembled a new cart for the portable diesel tidytank. As the last one failed, will be adding an additional safety strap to this one for when someone has to move it by themself..

Noted Vessel Traffic:

  • Ecotourism vessels and private vessels have been visiting to enjoy the sights and sounds of Race Rocks.
  • A single paddler in an outrigger canoe also ventured out and through the main channel.

Weather Events:

  • Heavy rains over the weekend gave way to light fog on Monday. Westerly winds of 5 – 10 knots prevailed.

 

** All wildlife photos taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail! **

 

Weather – Current:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/current.php?id=72

 

Weather – Past:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/station.php?

Eagle Eye

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Ecological Notes:

  • As the California Sealion numbers decrease, I’m noting more Steller Sealions on the main island. They are a lot more skittish to my movements around though.

    Wary of any movement on land …

    Keeping an eye on me

  • Still lots of juvenile Bald Eagles on the island, primarily in the mornings.

Juvenile Bald Eagle, scanning the water from a good perch

More Gull remains

  • At least 3 Humpback whales seen to the southwest of race about 2 miles out, more blows in the distance.

Facility Work:

  • Temporary fix to the generator room door, awaiting new handle to install.

  • Repaired and re-installed the top of the VHF antennae on the main house.

  • Repaired and re-attached the vent hose on the Natures Head in the main house.
  • Hauled out more drifting wood and serviced the chainsaw after cutting through some hardwood logs.
  • Rebuilt and reinforced some old sawhorses to use when cutting smaller firewood.

Noted Vessel Traffic:

  • 2 private vessels and 4 Ecotourism vessels enjoying the sights and sounds of the ecological reserve.

Weather Events:

  • Westerly winds of 5 – 10 knots. did a quick rotation around past north, becoming easterly for a brief period before noon, but returned to westerly after that. Clear skies in the morning gave way to overcast by mid afternoon. Seas were flat calm all day.

 

** All wildlife photos taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail! **

 

Weather – Current:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/current.php?id=72

 

Weather – Past:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/station.php?

Seal Pup

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Ecological Notes:

  • Each morning has had an abundance of eagles, including many juveniles. Also noticing more and more carcasses of younger gulls, suggesting the eagles are learning to hunt here.
  • A not so common visitor to the main boat ramp today. Normally,  Harbour Seals stick to the outer rocks and edges of the island, avoiding the common sea lion haul outs. This little guy was hauled out on the main ramp, and interestingly, not one sea lion came up the ramp the entire time he was there. Checking with my camera from a distance, he had a little gash above his eye, but after a long nap, he made his way back down to the water with little effort.

Visitors:

  • Shorefront Coordinator delivered fuel, groceries, packages, and parts for the desalinator.

Facility Work:

  • Some basic house maintenance, fencing repairs (as always with the storms coming through!) and random lumber tidy up.
  • Troubleshooting the hardline (voip) phones with IT department, remote resets, but still no success.

DND events:

  • Several large blasts. Noted lots of disturbance with the sea lions, perhaps still on edge after the storms.

Noted Vessel Traffic:

  • Ecotourism vessels enjoying the sights and sounds of the reserve.

Weather Events:

  • Oh what the difference a day makes! The previous days storms had westerly winds gusting over 60knots, with waves spray coming right over the helipad, and the pier was totally awash most of the day. As power was down at Pearson College, no internet until mid day.
  • Today though had westerly winds of 15 – 20knots, light swell and mixed clear and cloudy periods.

 

** All wildlife photos taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail! **

 

Weather – Current:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/current.php?id=72

 

Weather – Past:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/station.php?

Maintenance and Repairs

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Ecological Notes:

  • The younger Elephant Seals left after just a short visit. The adult female stayed and rested for about 4 days.

  • The sub-adult male is still onsite, nestling in the bushes in the center of the island. At one point, the contractors left the basement door open on the main house, and we caught the male bee-lining for the door! Luckily, he stopped once someone called out to him.

    As he slowly turned back towards his favorite spot by the tall bush.

  • Sealion numbers are down to about 1/3 since the big storms left (will do a count on Monday)

  • Many Black Turnstones present at this time.

    Many nestled in the rocks

Visitors:

  • Window Contractors, and deliveries by both Greg and Jeff.

Facility Work:

  • Almost continuous repairs and upgrades to electric fencing.

Sometimes it’s lucky and they just knock down the posts without damaging anything.

  • Collecting wood brought in by the storms.

Pulled up by hand and pipe pole!

  • I keep an eye on the Web Cams by checking them daily. A little water got in, and this happened!

 DND events:

  • Detonations most of the week, some very heavy ones. Marine Mammal Observers were on the water, keeping an eye out for cetaceans. Noted sealion disturbance, they have seemed to be very edgy since the storms subsided.

Noted Vessel Traffic:

  • Mostly just daily visits from Ecotourism operators, and a couple private vessels, also primarily looking at the birds and wildlife.

Weather Events:

  • Variable weather, medium winds and rain showers.

 

** All wildlife photos taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail! **

 

Weather – Current:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/current.php?id=72

Weather – Past:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/station.php?

Race Rocks CAS week 2021, including Wildlife Census

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8 students, 2 elephant seals & over 1200 sea lions for 1 week

The Ecological Reserve hosted instructor Laura Verhegge and 8 IB students from Pearson College for 5 days of learning, exploring, and fun!

Ecoguardian Derek also included some naturalist-level sharing of information about Race Rocks, pinnipeds, bull kelp, and even great views of humpback whales and Southern Resident Killer Whales (Orca)!

 And the students did the Wildlife Census