Category Archives: Ecoguardians Log

Mating has begun

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Observations: I am combining Saturday and Sunday. I wasn’t able to log in until Monday morning. Usually I like to write daily while events are still fresh that wasn’t an option.

The Mist Maiden, Romanzoffia tracyi, a red listed plant, is not yet blooming but coming up on the island.

There are 2 elephant seals on the island. They are both female. I am enclosing revealing pictures because often in posts the gender of the elephant seal can be assumed. In the future these pictures will be evidence!

The past 3 mornings I have opened the basement door to a new goose egg on the pavement being eaten by a gull. Why do they choose to bring the eggs to our door? Is it the least likely place to have it challenged?

…and the title for today, mating has begun.

 

Maintenence

Both Saturday and Sunday the solar panels were cleaned

The batteries topped up on Saturday

The fridge cleaned out

wood brought up to house for burning

Visitors and tour boats

On Saturday there were about 10 ocean touring boats. On Sunday closer to 30. As well on Saturday there were outrigger kayaks navigating Great Race.

Welcome to Race Rocks

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Friday April 5

Arrived at Race Rocks to take the baton from Jeremais. I was here just short of a year ago but this is my 4th or 5th time arriving in April. The house looks remarkable with new windows and new paint. The pathways are all clean and Jeremias has done work everywhere I look. I am thankful for all his endeavours. I come to the island recovering from a back problem and although I know I can do the necessary work it is the first time I will not be able to chop wood, move the concrete posts around and generally I need to sit around more than usual. Lots of time for observations!

As soon as the boat pulled away I went to look for a tagged gull I have documented in 2023 and 2022. And it was there! Same spot. This gives me a moment of reflection, last year I wrote about it too, how most of these animals are likely the same ones which return each year. It also makes me relieved because this bird has survived with 4 tags on its legs. Although we know how light they are I still require reassurance that they do not harm the bird (The birds are tagged elsewhere, at Race Rocks we do not having a tagging program). Here is another bird returned from last year I am even more surprised to see. With this one legged bird there is less certainty that it is the same individual but a remarkable coincidence if not, same month and same spot. If you search my previous blog entries you will find their pictures.

 

 

 

Race Rocks ER Gull Survey April 3 2024

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Race Rocks Gull Survey April 3 2024
Andrew Jacobs  5 April 2024 at 21:35
Hello everyone here’s our survey results from this week out at Race Rocks.
Thanks to everyone for setting this up and Greg for getting us out there for the survey.
Checklist with photos here.
RPBO / BC Nature Gull survey.
Survey conducted by Andrew Jacobs and James Kennerley.
Survey conducted from Great Race Rock while tides allowed.Surveying adults setting up territory for the breeding season and lingering migrants.
Colour morphs for the resident population of Western x Glaucous-winged hybrids setting up territories recorded. Only one pair was displaying at this time although there were multiple probable pairs present in the area. The Western Gulls were not obviously paired up at this time. One of the Glaucous-winged Gulls was likely paired with a light morph Western x Glaucous-winged hybrid.
The gulls on the high cliff and grassy areas tended to be more positioned as if on territories and the gulls on the lower rocks formed more standard congregation flocks. The adult gulls are in breeding plumage at this date.

Other species
At this time a small number of shorebirds are foraging around the timelines and the Black Oystercatchers appear to not currently be on territory. The Rock Sandpipers and Dunlin are going into breeding plumage. Pigeon Guillemot were absent from the site at this time. Two active Canada Goose nests were present. Only 3 Brandt’s Cormorants were spotted as offshore birds however with time restraints we focused on nearshore surveying.

Western x Glaucous-winged Gull Hybrid (Olympic Gull) Colour Morph abundance results of 215 individuals.
202 adults 13 immatures, light morph (Glaucous-winged trending hybrids) 132 adults and 7 immatures, intermediate morph (Intermediate trending hybrids) 58 adults and 2 immatures, dark morph (Western trending hybrids) 12 adults and 4 immatures. There was a pair of intermediate trending birds courting with synchronized dance displays. One Western-trending adult had a very Western-trending voice.
Avian Species List:
7 Canada Goose
19 Harlequin Duck
4 Black Oystercatcher
17 Black Turnstone
13 Surfbird
5 Dunlin
3 Rock Sandpiper
5 Short-billed Gull (1 immature 4 adults)
3 Western Gull (1 immature 2 adults)
6 California Gull (1 immature 5 adults)
11 Glaucous-winged Gull (5 immature 6 adults)
215 Western x Glaucous-winged Gull hybrid (Olympic Gull) (13 immature 202 adults)
1 American Herring x Glaucous-winged Gull hybrid (Cook Inlet Gull) (1 immature)
3 Iceland Gull (Thayer’s subspecies) (3 immature)
43 Brandt’s Cormorant
11 Pelagic Cormorant
7 Double-crested Cormorant
2 Bald Eagle (2 adults)
Pinnipeds
24 California Sealion
4 Steller’s Sealion
1 Northern Elephant Seal
17 Harbour Seal
If there are any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me.
250-507-5360, meowker use the at sign hotmail.com /
Cheers,
Andrew Jacobs

Race Rocks Ecological Reserve #97 warden’s report April 2024

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For the past few weeks a former biology student whom I taught at Pearson College, Jerremy Prassl has been serving as the Ecoguardian at Race Rocks. He would be leaving on April 5 and returning to Britain where he is a professor at Oxford.

I got a ride out on Second Nature with Greg and we also took out two bird observers from the Rocky Point Bird Observatory ( RPBO) / BC Nature Gull survey, Andrew Jacobs and James Kennerley. The detailed observations and a link to the identification of the interspecific gull hybrids eBird Canada Checklist – 3 Apr 2024 – Race Rocks – 16 species (+2 other taxa) was a valuable addition to research in the Ecological Reserve. Below is a sample from Andrew’s photos on eBird of their identification of the different gulls:

 

One project that needs to be done is a more permanent placement of stakes to hold the electric fencing which keeps the sea lions from damaging the vegetation and infrastructure on the island.

In my walk around the island I noted several areas that need attention, BC parks indicated several years ago that they would be out to remove several piles of construction waste. I think this has gone on too long and these piles are very unsightly and an intrusion into the ecosystem. Perhaps a reminder will elicit some action.

 

 

 

 

 

Month End Reporting – and time to batten down the hatches!

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As March has come to an end, yesterday’s primary task was to compile various end-of-month reports, including the daily salinity measurements (sent off to DFO) and a detailed account of energy and water consumption. Over the past 31 days, for example, we desalinated 5504l of water – with nearly half of that powered by solar!

 

Compiling the Reports

Monday evening saw a beautiful sunrise and plenty of sea lions camping out on the north side of the island:

 

That is quite different from the weather today: as I’m typing this, there’s a gale blowing (WNW 39kts), with gusts up to 44kts – time to take down that flag, and batten down the hatches!

Ecological Notes: 

  • Two elephant seals continue to hang out on the island; the juvenile male has not been around for a few days

Visitors: 

  • 2 canoeists came to the docks on Monday afternoon but didn’t land

Facility Work:

  • Monthly report, including checking of all fuel & water stores
  • Compiled & submitted salinity log
  • Chopped Firewood
  • The flag was taken down during a gale

Noted Vessel Traffic:

  • Few vessels are out due to the weather

 

Weather – Current:

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

 

Weather – Past:

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

 

AI innovation comes to Race Rocks

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[FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE]

Revolutionising Lighthouse Illumination with AI Technology

In a groundbreaking development for maritime safety and coastal aesthetics, we are proud to announce that Race Rocks has been chosen as a trial site for the world’s first AI-powered system designed to dynamically to alter light house colour schemes. Developed by some of the world’s leading AI firms, the new system promises to enhance navigational guidance while continuing Race Rocks’ proud tradition of digital innovation in protecting coastal landscapes.

Traditionally, lighthouses have maintained a static colour scheme, providing vital navigation aid to seafarers. However, with the new Automated Palette Regulation Intelligent Lighting For Oceanic Observation & Luminosity System, Race Rocks lighthouse will for the first time be able to adapt its illumination in real-time, optimising visibility and aesthetics simultaneously.

AI at Race Rocks (Sample Illumination)

 

Powered by advanced artificial intelligence algorithms, the system ensures optimal colour selection based on weather conditions, visibility range, and time of day.

C Lyon, director of mammalian affairs, commented:

“Our aim in bringing AI to Race Rocks is to marry safety and beauty along Vancouver Island’s coastline. By harnessing this exciting new technology, we can offer dynamic colour schemes that not only enhance navigational clarity but also elevate the visual appeal of lighthouses, enriching the coastal experience for locals and visitors alike.”

As a testing ground for AI deployment in lighthouses across the Pacific Northwest, a range of colour schemes have been proposed to showcase its versatility:

  1. Ocean Blue Serenity: A calming blue hue, perfect for clear nights and tranquil seas.
  2. Sunset Glow: Warm tones of orange and pink evoke the magic of a coastal sunset, ideal for twilight hours.
  3. Emerald Beacon: A vibrant green reminiscent of coastal foliage, enhancing visibility against rocky shores.
  4. Starry Night: Deep indigo with specks of white, creating a celestial spectacle against the night sky.

In deploying the Automated Palette Regulation Intelligent Lighting For Oceanic Observation & Luminosity System, lighthouses are not just beacons of safety – they become symbols of innovation and beauty, illuminating the way forward for coastal communities.

For further information please contact Elle P. Hantseal at 48.2983N | 123.531W.

[Race Rocks, 1 April 2024] hey Jeremias,, what a coincidence  with April fools day…lol

=== ENDS ===

Happy Easter!

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Race Rocks is famed for its biodiversity (have you checked out our extensive, illustrated taxonomy yet?) – so imagine my surprise when during my regular morning round I encountered a hitherto unspotted species…

Lepus Paschalis (Scotolatae Helveticae)

Whilst our new visitors are cute, as an invasive species I was left with no choice but to take them away for further inspection, and, err, removal from the ecosystem…

HAPPY EASTER TO ALL THOSE WHO CELEBRATE!

Salinity Saturday

Image

A relatively calm Saturday on the Rock provided ample opportunity to finish off various tasks I didn’t quite have the time to complete over the last week – including the monthly calibration of our salinity measurements. What’s that, you ask?

For decades, Race Rocks has been an important site for collecting seawater data – thus creating a valuable longitudinal data set. Every day at maximum flood,* a measurement is taken from the end of the jetty (lifejackets mandatory, especially in rough conditions!), recording both current salinity and temperature.

The digital Salinometre

It’s a quick and straightforward process – submerge the probe to a depth of 1m / 3ft, wait for the readings to stabilise, and press ‘Enter’ to save the data. But it wasn’t always thus – and once a month, the Salinometre is calibrated using the ‘old method’ – i.e., collecting water with rope & bucket, transferring it to a beaker on the workbench, measuring temperature and specific gravity, and then working out salinity using the charts provided.

It’s a bit more complex than the digital measurement – but always reassuring to see the results align!

______
*or, historically, an hour before high tide

 

Ecological Notes: 

  • Sealion numbers continue to increase steadily, with nearly half a dozen naughty ones hauling out on the docks all day

Facility Work:

  • Electric fence repairs, esp in SW sector
  • Solar panel clean
  • Weekly battery water topup
  • Pressure washed approx 1/2 of paths
  • Desalination

Noted Vessel Traffic:

  • Numerous ecotourism vessels as the holiday weekend kicks off
  • A lone visitor on a jetski – first time I’ve ever seen one in the reserve!

 

Weather – Current:

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

Weather – Past:

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

Topping up the Tanks

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Race Rocks is an island without natural water sources – so every drop of water needs to be desalinated. It’s an elaborate process, usually producing no more than 1.5 litres per minute. Come along for a look behind the scenes!

First, we need to get lots of seawater into the main cistern, located between the lighthouse and the Keeper’s cottage. This involves running firehoses (the old Pearson College firefighting setup!) from the cistern down to the dock, and hooking it up to a portable generator (aka ‘the trash pump’).

 

Filling the Cistern

 

It takes several hours to fill up the cistern – leaving plenty of time for step 2: the desalinator.

The ever-fiddly desalinator

With a reverse osmosis system and secondary UV filter plus various pumps required for operation, running the desalinator is probably the single most energy-hungry task, taking baseline consumption from 1.3kW to a load of around 3.8kW: not something you want to risk on batteries alone! As a result, we try to desalinate as much as possible in the early afternoon hours on sunny days, when solar power generation can exceed 5kW. During the winter months and on grey days, the only option is the diesel generator – making every drop of water even more precious.

The main generator

Once desalinated, the water is stored in a big white tank next to the desalination bunker, whence it is distributed to the residences, and filtered one more time before it comes out of the tap. There’s still quite a lot of sediment to be washed out, as you can see from the filters I changed this morning:

Out with the old (right) and in with the new (left)

It’s been a busy day, but lots of tasks are now ticked off the list: thank you Cedric for coming out to help with a few things that required two pairs of hands!

Thank you, Cedric!

Ecological Notes: 

  • One of the female elephant seals and the juvenile male returned to the island today.

Visitors:

  • Cedric from Pearson College kindly came to help out with a few tasks

Facility Work:

  • Set up firehoses & trash pump to fill central cistern
  • Replace water filters in both dwellings
  • Recycling and compost runs
  • Topped up furnace tank in keepers’ house with 200l of diesel
  • Moved large barrel of diesel to the generator room

Noted Vessel Traffic:

  • The number of ecotourism vessels is clearly picking up ahead of the holiday weekend 

Weather – Current:

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

Weather – Past:

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

The Nesting Season Begins

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With the days getting longer and (in theory…) warmer, nesting activity is picking up – more and more seagulls continue to arrive to stake out their territory, collecting grass bedding and defending their budding nesting sites.

Checking out the prime real estate

The Geese are well ahead, with three pairs already nesting – one right by the Keeper’s cottage, one just outside the generator room, and one at the back of the tank shed. Constant vigilance is required, however, lest a greedy seagull comes for the freshly laid eggs…

Ecological Notes: 

  • The male elephant seal set off for his morning splash as usual, but didn’t return throughout the day. The more junior female has returned, resting all day on the rocks above the jetty.

Visitors: 

  • Cedrick’s planned visit postponed until tomorrow due to inclement weather conditions.

Facility Work:

  • Work on perimeter fence where posts had been knocked over by wind / elephant seals
  • Fixed doorframe to desalinator bunker which had snapped off
  • Moved empty Diesel barrels to Tank Shed in preparation for tomorrow’s fuel transfers
  • Begun mapping of load factors / electricity consumption of different appliances across the island

Noted Vessel Traffic:

  • Quite a few ecotourism vessels all around the resort
  • After SAR exercise north of Race Rocks

 

** 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?id=72