Category Archives: Ecoguardians Log

Foghorn and tower updates

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Ecological Notes:

  • Large female Elephant Seal came up to the centre haul out area on the Island. She appeared to be one of the females from last year. She spent regular periods ca.ling out, before leaving after 3 days ……. a pattern I have seen each time any single Elephant Seal has come to the reserve this season

  • Juvenile Golden Eagle still visiting occasionally
  • One morning there was an extra high number of eagles here….. 40+. I looked for new carrion or any other reason for there to be so many, but couldn’t find any.
  • California Sea Lion that had a band removed a while ago is around, and his neck appears to be healing well

Visitors:

  • 2 techs from the college
  • 3 techs from coastguard

Facility Work:

  • Pearson College IT installed new Starlink system at the top of the tower. Still awaiting implementation

  • Coastguard attempted to repair foghorn system but are awaiting parts now, and serviced the battery system for thew lighthouse
  • Cleaned the filter on the main house furnace, but detected a probably leak in the main fuel line
  • Received new files to re-work the chainsaw chain
  • Cleaned the rest of the outside walls of the student building, save for one area where I couldn’t position  the ladder safely by myself.(once the green is gone, the residue comes off after a couple rains)
  • Cleaned a small section of the roof, but found it pretty sketchy for a “larger” old guy to extend his reach that far above the ladder!

  • Daily attempts to keep the boat ramp clear of driftwood

Noted Vessel Traffic:

  • Eco-Tourism vessels

Weather Events:

  • Thursday, February 15:
    • Sky: Overcast, with brief showers
    • Wind: N 30kts, dropping to 15kts late afternoon
    • Sea:  .5M chop
    • Temperature Low 3oC, High 8oC
  • Wednesday, February 13:
    • Sky: High overcast with sunny breaks, rain showers
    • Wind: NE 20-25 kts, rising to 30kts in the evening
    • Sea:  waves to 1M, high standing waves in the channels
    • Temperature Low 7oC, High 9oC
  • Tuesday, February 12:
    • Sky: Overcast with a few sunny breaks
    • Wind: N 20kts, switching to E 5-10kts during the day
    • Sea:  light chop
    • Temperature Low 7oC, High 9oC

 

 

** 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?

Educational Visit, and Orca

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Ecological Notes:

  • Steller Sea Lion photographed nursing what appears to be a yearling “pup”

photo by Ashley Warwick

  • 2 Orca hunting in the reserve, 6 more hunting south of the reserve. This is not uncommon behaviour, as the 2 inside can panic and scatter the seals and sea lions out into the deeper water
  • Juvenile Golden Eagle present 2 days in the reserve. (there has been one frequently sighted in the Rocky Point area since last fall)
  • Students conducted the animal census

Visitors:

  • In cooperation with Pearson College, 7 Students and 1 chaperone for the WestCoast Adventure College stayed for 4 days. Current Eco-Guardian taught classes in Marine Mammals of the Salish Sea, and did some Heritage Arts projects in the evening. In addition, students learned about Race Rocks, all operations out here, and helped the Eco-Guardian with projects …. especially projects like work on ladders, and moving logs that are difficult to do by himself

Learning how to fill the cistern, photo by Sean Thompson

Facility Work:

  • Gutters cleaned on the Student House/ Science Center
  • Most paths, wooden stairs, roof of desalinator bunker, some exterior walls treated to remove algae
  • Paths pressure washed
  • logs stacked in the ramp area, pre-bucked and moved to the upper bucking area
  • More large logs salvaged and moved onto the ramp area
  • Weekly battery maintenance

DND events:

  • 3 days with occasional blasting, some delays when Orca in the pass

Noted Vessel Traffic:

  • Eco-tourism vessels
  • Cetacean Research vessel when whales present, and Marine Mammal Observer Vessel present blasting

Research vessel – Mike 1, photo by Ashley Warwick

 

Weather Events:

  • Week ending February 10

    • Sky:Overcast with sunny breaks
    • Wind: 5-15 kts
    • Sea:light swells
    • Temperature Low 6oC, High 9oC

 

 

** 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?

Animal Census

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Census done by Students of WestCoast Adventure College during their stay here for classes

 

Birds

  • Harlequin duck                         12
  • Bald eagle adult                        5
  • Bald eagle juvenile                    2
  • Golden Eagle juvenile               1
  • Turnstones                                 10
  • Gulls                                            323
  • Cormorants                                243
  • Pigeon Guillemots                      18
  • Oyster catcher                            6
  • Canadian goose                         10
  • Surf Birds                                    2
  • Dunlin                                          4
  • Savannah Sparrow                     1

 

Mammals

  • Steller sea lion                     79, including 1 female nursing a yearling
  • Harbour seal                         25
  • California sea lion                40
  • Sea otter                                1
  • Humpback whale,                 mid strait south of Race
  • Orca                                        2 hunting in the reserve
  •                                                 6 hunting south of the reserve, waiting until the
  •                                                 2 joined them

Detailed Bird Count

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Report by fill-in Eco-Guardian Ann Nightingale, accompanied by James Kennerley
Landed on Great Race Rock to conduct gull survey on behalf of RPBO. Principally observed birds on Great Race Rock and surrounding islands. Didn’t really seawatch from the island.
22 Species observed
+4 other taxa
871 individuals
1 Species with photos

Observations

  1. Harlequin Duck

    Number observed: 16

    Details

    Several groups, largest was eight birds. Many smart drakes. Some males moulting into formative plumage too.

  2. Surf Scoter

    Number observed: 6

  3. White-winged Scoter

    Number observed: 8

    Details

    Single group close to shore of Great Race Rock.

  4. Black Oystercatcher

    Number observed: 4

    Details

    Two pairs flying around on arrival.

  5. Black Turnstone

    Number observed: 12

    Details

    Ones, twos and threes scattered around. A few initially on grassy areas when we arrived before moving towards the shoreline.

  6. Surfbird

    Number observed: 5

    Details

    At least five singles scattered around.

  7. Dunlin

    Number observed: 3

    Details

    Scurrying around grassy area when we arrived then moved towards rocky shoreline. One definitive, two formative.

  8. Rock Sandpiper

    Number observed: 3

    Details

    Two together on south side which I had good views of through my scope for a couple of minutes as they moved in and out of view between rocks. I moved closer for a better look but they vanished either walked around the back of the little island or flew off.

    Later I had superb views of a definitive bird (see definitive wing coverts) on the north shore but only for a couple of minutes before the bird quickly moved west along the shore and around a corner.

    Media

    Rock Sandpiper - James Kennerley
    © James Kennerley Macaulay Library
    Rock Sandpiper - James Kennerley
    © James Kennerley Macaulay Library
    Rock Sandpiper - James Kennerley
    © James Kennerley Macaulay Library
    Rock Sandpiper - James Kennerley
    © James Kennerley Macaulay Library
    Rock Sandpiper - James Kennerley
    © James Kennerley Macaulay Library
    Rock Sandpiper - James Kennerley
    © James Kennerley Macaulay Library

  9. Pigeon Guillemot

    Number observed: 12

    Details

    Most moulting into alternate plumage.

  10. Common Murre

    Number observed: 4

    Details

    One in alternate plumage.

  11. Short-billed Gull

    Number observed: 25

    Details

    All loafing on West Race Rock.

  12. Western Gull

    Number observed: 4

    Details

    Two definitive, two first cycles.

  13. Herring Gull

    Number observed: 7

    Details

    At least a couple of definitive birds, a couple of second cycles and three first cycles (juv).

  14. California Gull

    Number observed: 3

    Details

    Definitive and two first cycles (juv).

  15. Glaucous-winged Gull

    Number observed: 180

    Details

    130 in main flock on Great Race Rock. 10 on West Race Rock. 40 others scattered around. Approximately 95% of adults with primaries darker than mantle to varying degrees so likely this number includes some individuals that may better fall under ‘Olympic Gull’.

  16. Western x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid)

    Number observed: 25

    Details

    Estimate for the number of especially distinctive hybrids.

  17. Herring x Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid)

    Number observed: 5

    Details

    At least a handful of ‘Cook Inlet Gulls’. Likely were more which I may have overlooked or incorrectly called ‘Olympic’.

  18. Iceland Gull (Thayer’s)

    Number observed: 292

    Details

    240 in main flock on west side. 27 on West Race Rock. 25 on north side. Approximately 90% were definitive birds.

  19. Larus sp.

    Number observed: 60

    Details

    Estimate of the number of indetermined hybrids.

  20. loon sp.

    Number observed: 2

    Details

    Distant on water and another in flight.

  21. Brandt’s Cormorant

    Number observed: 88

    Details

    Majority loafing on north side of Great Race Rock near gull flock.

  22. Pelagic Cormorant

    Number observed: 25

    Details

    Majority loafing on north side of Great Race Rock near gull flock.

  23. Double-crested Cormorant

    Number observed: 61

    Details

    Majority loafing on north side of Great Race Rock near gull flock.

  24. Bald Eagle

    Number observed: 17

    Details

    Spread out loafing on high points of islands.

  25. Barn Swallow

    Number observed: 3

    Details

    Three appeared just as we were leaving hawking low around jetty for insects.

  26. Savannah Sparrow

    Number observed: 1

    Details

    Lurking along edge of rocks. Fairly dark chocolatey and rufous bird. Slim bill. Prominent yellow at base of supercilium.

    https://ebird.org/checklist/S160741512

Early Spring Cleaning

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Ecological Notes:

  • Still waiting to see if any Elephant Seals show up for the moult season
  • Sea Lion numbers are down a bit and not fluctuating as they have been
  • Transient Orca have been in the reserve 3 times at least over the last few days. they hunted right off the end of the pier, and in the channel just south of the light

Visitors:

  • Shore Front coordinator delivering supplies and fuel

Facility Work:

  • There was water in the basement of the Student and Science Center, and I first I couldn’t find the source. I checked all the plumbing on that side of the room, and mopped up the water. Checked a couple hours later and there was as much water there again. Realize it must be a new leak, and that it was still going. Took longer than it should have to find the leak, as it was working around the lowest points and looked like it was coming from the other direction. Isolated the problem, and repairs will be done tomorrow

  • With warmer weather and less rain, time to start spring cleaning of sidewalks. The algae cleaner needs the temperature, and rain free days to work.
  • Catching back up on fuel deliveries allows the replenishing of the Gerry Cans in reserve.

  • Noticed the fog horn wasn’t working on Sunday during the heavy fog. Coastguard notified so they could put out a notice to mariners. they have scheduled a visit for Thursday to repair it. With current availability of GPS and Radar on vessels, glad I didn’t have to use the manual back up!

  • Checking smoke detectors and first aid supplies that may expired

  • Awaiting new materials for the pier fence, cleaned up old wiring, saving longer pieces for repairs and making gates

DND events:

  • Detonations during the last week, under the guidence supplied by the Marin Mammal Observers on the water.

Noted Vessel Traffic:

  • Still a few Eco-Tourism vessels coming through.
  • 3 or 4 private vessels as well, all appropriate behavior

Weather Events:

  • Wednesday January 31:
    • Sky: High overcast with occasional sunny breaks
    • Wind: ESE to 30kts early, rotating through to NE 10-15kts during the day
    • Sea: rippled, some standing waves due to wind/tide combinations
    • Temperature Low 10oC, High 13.5oC
  • Tuesday January 30:High overcast, occasional brief rain

    • Wind: NE dropping to 0kts at sunrise, raising through the day to NE 25kts, then dropping again in the evening
    • Sea:  light chop
    • Temperature Low 10oC, High 14oC
  • Monday January 29:
    • Sky: Dense fog all day
    • Wind:N to NE rising from 5kts to 20kts through the day
    • Sea:  light chop
    • Temperature Low 9oC, High 11oC

 

 

** 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?

Animal Census

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Birds

  • Harlequin duck                 8
  • Bald eagle adult                4
  • Bald eagle juvenile           6
  • Turnstones                        17
  • Dunlin                                 27
  • Gulls                                  132
  • Cormorants                       87
  • Oyster catcher                  23
  • Canadian goose                18
  • Raven                                  2
  • Crow                                     6
  • other shore bird                 7

 

Mammals

  • Steller sea lion              134
  • Harbour seal                     8
  • California sea lion           87
  • River otter                          1
  • Sea otter                             1 (reported to me by tourism vessel)

** Not on count day …. but there were transient orca in the reserve 3 days in a row last week

Wood and log season

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Ecological Notes:

  • Still no Elephant Seals hauled out
  • Many Sea lions here, but behaviour seems a bit different. Normally the California Sea Lions are pretty chill, but they all seem really jumpy, suggesting maybe many of these are not regulars here. I’ve also had 3 very aggressive encounters, where they see me coming and charge towards me. 
  • Really important to always stay on your toes and assume nothing!

 

  • A resurgence of Oyster Catchers as well, pairing off and picking there own little territories.
  • Many Eagles present each morning, leaving remains of successful hunts on gulls.

Visitors:

  • Students for Pearson College came for short visit, and working on Ocean Temperature and Salinity readings.
  • Supply, fuel, and propane deliveries. Weather and other logistics prevented the large fuel tank delivery of diesel, so it was delivered in Jerry cans.

Facility Work:

  • Weather permitting, near daily cleanup of the dirftwood and logs at the boat ramp and pier area. This is important to keep clear for deliveries and potential emergencies
  • As the weather has warmed up, there is less use of electricity, allowing the return to running the generator normally only once a day now. Also easier for the wood stove to keep the main area of the house warm in the evening

Noted Vessel Traffic:

  • Vessels from 2 Eco-Tourism spent time in the reserve with attendees from the Tourism Victoria IMPACT program. Included was a visit to Lester B. Pearson College, and marine observations in the area. https://www.tourismvictoria.com/impact/day-impact
  • Eco-Tourism vessels continue to visit the reserve
  • Educational programs  with Eaglewing Tours also visit the reserve almost daily

Weather Events:

  • Tuesday, January 23:
    • Sky: Fog in the morning, giving way to high overcast mid day, a couple periods of very little rain sprinkles
    • Wind: Rotating through the compass, most 0-5kts, a little peak in the afternoon of W 15kts
    • Sea: Light ripple all day
    • Temperature Low 8.1oC, High 9.6oC
  • Saturday, February 04:
    • Sky: High overcast, occasional brief rain showers
    • Wind: N 20-25kts early morning, dropping gradually to N 5kts by evening
    • Sea:  light chop
    • Temperature Low 7.5oC, High 9.6oC

 

 

** 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?

After the storm, awaiting the cold!

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Ecological Notes:

  • Still no Elephant seals hauled out
  • After the big storm on the 9th, there is a massive increase in the number of Sea Lions

This early crocus may find it was a bit too early!

Visitors:

  • Recent fuel, grocery, and parcel delivery.

Facility Work:

  • Lots of ongoing debris removal from the boat ramp and pier area. Important to ensure it’s clear in case of emergencies, and to aid in moving the cart through for deliveries.

Although these were already disconnected… they storm moved then about 4 meters

Returns as fast as you move it

  • More firewood bucking and splitting to keep gaining on the  stored wood available

  • Set up and pumped sea water into the cistern for the desalinator unit
  • Assessed, tidied up, and did temporary fixes to storm damaged  buildings
  • Transferred all delivered fuel to local drums and tanks, freeing the main tank for the next delivery and moved to the generator building so none has to be transferred during the potential snowfall. Added some to the main house tank, to keep the chill off during the freezing weather to prevent the pipes for freezing.
  • Checked and ran new extension cords to the heat tape on the outside pipes from the water tank
  • Verified operation of the wail heater in the deslinator building, again to prevent freezing

Noted Vessel Traffic:

  • Eco-Tourism vessels, mostly the same 3 rotating through daily, depending on weather conditions

Weather Events:

The storm on the 9th was one of the greatest I’ve seen out here. Westerly winds up to 60 knots combined with low pressure and extremely high tides created the perfect storm. Waves crashing on the western shore were producing spry well over the Helicopter pad and the Student house. It was hitting so hard, the wind was carrying  pieces of wood half way across the island. One 12 foot log hit end-wise on the pier,; and was thrown in the air high enough to clear the rail. Water and debris washed all the way up the ramp to the boat house.

  • Tuesday, January 9:
    • Sky: Heavy storm clouds, rain and highwind squals
    • Wind: w 45-50kts, gusting to 60 kts
    • Sea:3 meter swells with higher wind chop, breaking high on the west side of the main island
    • Temperature Low 5oC, High 8oC
  • Wednesday, January 10:
    • Sky: Foggy until mid-afternoon, clear and sunny to overcast
    • Wind: wind rotating through the compass, 5-10kts, rising to W 30kts during the night
    • Sea:  1m swells and chop
    • Temperature Low 5oC, High 10oC
  • Thursday January 11:
    • Sky: mix of sun and cloud, giving way to overcast and mixed rain/snow mid afternoon
    • Wind: averaging  N 25 kts gusting up 45 mid afternoon
    • Sea: high waves and swells
    • Temperature high of 7, dropping rapidly to freezing late afternoon, expected low of -9 tonight

 

 

** 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?

December 2023 Seawater Data plus UPDATE

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Updates …… there has been an ongoing error with the Salinity Measurement unit, correct with a newly calibrated unit mid month  (unit 23)

readings until December 8 (and past months) will be recalculated and update when available ….. parallel readings after dec 21 will help with the re-calculations

DAILY SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE AND SALINITY OBSERVATIONS
Institute of Ocean Sciences, North Saanich, B.C., V8L 4B2
Station: RACE ROCKS
Observer: Derek Month: December
YSI ID: 13 then moved to 23 Year: 2024
YSI YSI
Temp Sal
Day Time ºC ppt
unit13 1 14:30 9.8 33.2
2 15:00 9.4 33.4
3 15:30 9.6 33.4
4 16:00 9.4 33.2
5 8:30 10.0 33.2
6 8:30 9.4 33.4
7 9:30 9.2 33.2
8 10:30 9.2 33.3
unit23 9 10:45 9.2 30.6
10 11:30 9.2 31.3
11 12:00 9.2 31.9
12 12:40 9.0 31.7
13 13:30 9.0 31.7
14 14:00 9.1 31.9
15 14:50 9.2 31.9
16 15:30 9.1 31.7
17 17:00 9.1 31.9
18 18:30 9.2 31.7
19 19:30 9.0 31.9
20 8:30 9.0 31.8 unit 13 readings
21 8:45 9.2 31.7 33.10
22 9:30 9.1 31.9 33.30
23 10:30 9.1 31.7 33.10
24 11:15 8.9 31.7 33.10
25 11:55
26 12:30 9.1 31.8 33.20
27 13:20 9.0 31.9 33.20
28 14:00 9.1 31.7 33.10
29 14:40 8.9 31.8 33.30
30 15:30 9.0 31.9 33.20
31 16:30 9.1 31.7 33.10

 

Animal Census

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This last month, the daily numbers vary dramatically, possibly  due to rapid changes in weather and ultra high tides (?) Still no Elephant Seals hauling out.

 

Birds

  • Harlequin duck              – 6
  • Bald eagle adult            – 4
  • Bald eagle juvenile       – 12
  • Turnstones                    – 18
  • Gulls                               – 43
  • Cormorants                    – 74
  • Oyster catcher               – 6
  • Canadian goose             – 16
  • Dunlin                              – 4

 

Mammals

  • Steller sea lion                   – 132
  • Harbour seal                       – 22
  • California sea lion              – 41
  • Sea otter                              – 1     (reported to me by Eco-Tourism vessel)