(Full Internet is down again, therefore lack of pictures)

Ecological Notes:

• Total of 12 Canada Geese on the main rock right now
  
• High level of black, and brown Turnstones noted
• Still lots of Humpback Whales in all directions around the reserve

Visitors:

• 6
• Greg, Marine and Seafront Operations Coordinator, transporting guests and IT tech
  
• IT tech  to work on the tower end of the Internet backup system
• College guests for a brief tour and intro to the reserve
  

Facility Work:

• Modified the line on the flagpole, to allow the flag to be fully removed from the pole without risking losing the line up the pole.
  
• IT restored the back up system for the internet for the facility (worked for a few days, then back down again)
  
• Continuous repairs to the electric fence system
• Weekly battery maintenance, as well as the monthly equalization charge to the system
• Working on removing green growth from the buildings

DND events:

• Ongoing detonations
  

Noted Vessel Traffic:

• Ecotourism vessels enjoying the sights and sounds of the reserve.
  
• A few private vessels also

Ecoguardian  Notes:

• Although there’s lots of work to do out here, I’m often asked about what I do in my free time. Activities are varied, but this week I made some pickled eggs, pickled onions, pickled sweet peppers, and pickled habanero red onions!

Weather Events:

• Primarily N/NE winds for the last week, overcast with some sun, no rain
• Thursday November 17:
  • Sky: light overcast in the morning, then cleared off in the afternoon
    
  • Wind: N/NE winds 5-10knts
    
  • Sea: rippled to 2′ chop
  • Temperature Low 4 ^oC, High 8 ^oC
• Friday November 18:
  • clear skies with slight, even haze throughout the day, able to see the outlines of the Olympic Peninsula
    
  • Wind:N/NE 20-30knts in the morning,10-15knts in the afternoon
    
  • Sea:  1 meter waves in the morning, flattening to less than .5 meters as the tide switched matching the wind direction
    
  • Temperature Low  4^oC, High  7^oC
• Saturday November 19:
  • mostly clear skies, some haze in the distance
  • Wind: N/NE 5 – 10knots
  • Sea: Very light chop
  • Temperature Low  2^oC, High  6^oC
• Sunday November 20:
  • Overcast skies, light rain starting in the evening.some haze in the distance
  • Wind: E/NE 5 – 10knots
  • Sea: Very light chop
  • Temperature Low  4^oC, High  8^oC

• Tower weather electronics are still down, so wind numbers are estimates.

Weather – Current:

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

Weather – Past:

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

Ecoguardian  Notes:

• (lack of photos due to no reliable  internet, and running this through a phone hotspot) Will try to add photos later!
  

Ecological Notes:

• Many Sea Lions returned to the main island after the main storm, mostly on the east side of the island (although that may change as we now have strong NE winds)
  
• Noted a few injuries to Sea Lions, from minor head and body wounds, to one that looked like it had a badly damaged pec fin
  

Facility Work:

• Started fence repairs Sunday, only to have most of what was done blown/knocked down by Monday! 3Dprinting some more quick connectors for the wire tape
  
• Internet troubleshooting is ongoing, biggest direct effect is lack of Opticsre system to closely monitor the battery levels
• Topped up battery levels, and did Equalization charge

Noted Vessel Traffic:

• 2 highly skilled kayakers paddling around the reserve and “surfing” in the standing waves in the main channel. (I always do a quick assessment through the binoculars when I see an paddlers approaching the reserve.)
  
• Just a few Ecotour vessels through the reserve on Sunday while the conditions permitted tours

Weather Events:

• Yesterday (Sunday, November 06):
  • Sky: High cloud, occasional sunny breaks
    
  • Wind: Variable 5 – 10kts
  • Sea: rippled to 2′ chop
  • Temperature Low 5^oC, High 8^oC
• Today (Monday,  November 07):
  • Sky: Mid level overcast, water level view to the Olympic Peninsula
    
  • Wind:N/NE 25-30kts, gust to 35kts
    
  • Sea: 1 meter+ waves and chop
    
  • Temperature Low  2^oC, High  5^oC … wind chill -2
    

** 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?

At first light Barn swallows swooped around out the front window but disappeared by afternoon. Bate balls of herring have become more and more prevalent in and around the reserve creating great gull frenzies and bring more whales in and around the reserve. Orca cruise by every few days and Humpbacks are spotted every day it seems. I’ve been busy working on painting restoration projects before the rainy season, scrapping, priming and painting metal doors around the reserve. Now that its cooled the thorny invasive plants have dried and I’ve began the process of pulling them. Fleas brought here upon the sea lions infest the thorns and its necessary to tuck pants into socks, wear big rubber boots and try to keep gloves tightly sealed in cuff of jacket. The sea lions at the Jetty have become more and more and push through the electric fence a few times a day. I have slowly been working my way around the fence stacking rocks upon the bases of the posts which has been helping with the damages and constant knocking over.

Weather:

• • Sky: Overcast to partly sunny in afternoon
  • Wind: West 3kts
  • Sea: Calm
  • Visibility: 10 nautical miles in morning, to 15 in afternoon

Weekly Census:

• Steller/Northern sea lions: 508  (Most of which can be viewed on Middle Rock.)
• Female Stellar/Norther sea lion: 2
• California sea lion: 913
• Female California Sea lion: 1
• Harbour seals: 183
• Black oystercatchers: 9
• Cormorants: 44
• Glaucous-winged gulls: 654
• Juveniles Glaucous-winged gulls on Great Race Rock:39
• California Gull: 57
• Sanderling: 1
• Sandpiper: 1
• Black turnstones: 21
• Fox Sparrow: 19
• Barn Swallow: 6
• Humpback Whale:2

Visitors:

• 16 Pearson College WCA students and 2 teachers visited on September 14th
• Greg and Cedric
• Dan from IT worked on our internet connections and upgrades on September 15th
• Andrew runs the Pearson College Social Media and Visitor Corey toured September 1th

Facility Work:

• Cleaned solar panels
• Cleaned windows
• Electric fence repairs has become 3 times a day.
• Ran Generator for a few hours to top up batteries.
• Water delivery
• Scrapped and primed another metal door for painting
• Pulled invasive species

Vessel Traffic:

• Many Canadian and American ecotour boats have been nearby and heading through the waters of the ecological reserve. Cruise ships are going by daily.
• Spill boat drifted by through Middle channel
• Many small recreation fishing vessels drift through observing wildlife.
• Beautiful red sailboat came through middle channel

Mount Baker clearly visible at sunrise.

A stellar (Northern) sea lion and Glaucous winged gull at sunrise.

California Sea lions waking at sunrise.

6 Barn Swallows swooped around at first light.

Barn Swallow sitting on the electric fence at the down ramp to the jetty.

One of the few Juvenile Glaucous winged gull that remain.

A darker coloured stellar sea lion casually scratching his cheek.

Harbour seal with rising tide.

Roaring stellar sea lion.

Glaucous winged gull.

Sanderling hopping in amongst the sleeping sea lions.

Oyster catchers are hard to spot if not for their red beaks.

California sea lion drying off below the lighthouse.

California sea lions sleeping

Stellar sea lions, playing and showing dominance over their favourite lounging spots.

Stellar sea lions swarm Middle Rock.

Stellar sea lions swarming Middle Rock.

Gulls on a herring ball.

Harbour seals and Oyster catchers.

Glaucous winged gulls atop the Ecoguardian’s residents.

Fox Sparrow

California sea lion swimming by the jetty.

California sea lions sleeping under the crane deck.

Mouth scar on a California sea lion.

Humpback whale near west rocks.

Rafting California sea lion in the bull kelp.

Black turnstone.

Interesting scar pattern on the back of a California sea lion.

Sandpiper hard to spot in the old feathers and crisp grass.

Stellar sea lion jumping into the water.

Incredible orca bite scar on a California sea lion.

An evening tour boat passing through the reserve.

Another of the evening tour vessels passing through the reserve at sunset.

California sea lion at sunset.

A couple of the youngest juvenile glaucous winged gulls.

A California sea lion climbs the north shore rocks of Great Race.

California sea lions tucked in on the grass behind the boat shed.

Spill recovery vessel drifts through Middle channel

Mares tail clouds and california sea lions on the heli pad.

Hundreds of California sea lions and Stellar sea lions snuggle up in the evening.

Sunset lighthouse.