Category Archives: Ecoguardians Log

Census

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Birds

  • Harlequin duck 10
  • Bald eagle adult 5
  • Bald eagle juvenile 8
  • Turnstones 19
  • Gulls, Glaucous and Western 152
  • Cormorants 28
  • Pigeon guillemots 74
  • Oyster catcher 8
  • Canadian geese 18
  • Surf Birds 6

 

Mammals

  • Steller sea lion 53
  • Harbour seal 115
  • California sea lion 28
  • Elephant seal female 6
  • Elephant seal pup 2
  • Sea otter 1
  • Animal Tracking and Injuries: 0

Bird Courting Time

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Ecological Notes:

  • 6 female Elephant Seals, 3 molting very heavily
  • 2 Elephant Seal pups, one spent much of the day soaking in the water at the end of the boat ramp
  • Although not right in the reserve, observed one Humpback whale, about 1 mile south, and Transient Orca between the reserve and Bentinck Island. Identified as the T101’s and T100B’s
  • Lots of courting behavior observed with the Pigeon Guillemots, and also the Harlequin ducks

Pigeon Guillemots

Harlequin Ducks

Facility Work:

  • Pressure washing main building

Noted Vessel Traffic:

  • 5 EcoTourism boats, spread throughout  the afternoon
  • 3 separate sport boat went through the reserve at high speed, luckily no obvious disturbance of the animals other than noticeable wake

Weather Events:

  • Cloudy with sunny breaks, Calm seas

** All 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?

Surface Temperature and Salinity

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Ecological Notes:

  • 6 female Elephant Seals
  • Elephant Seal pups: Only 2 pups on land

Packing tight to preserve heat!

  • lots of nest building by the Gulls and Oyster Catchers

Checking out a good spot

Bringing the goods!

 

Black Oyster Catcher

Facility Work:

  • Continuing the fine work done by the previous Eco Guardians, more scrubbing and pressure washing

Feature event:

  • Daily Water Sampling – Taken each day and reported monthly to The Institute of Ocean Sciences

Waiting for the pier to clear ….

The peanut gallery …

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

 

Weather Events:

  • Cloud coverage, light drizzle, and Calm Seas

 

Weather – Current:

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

Weather – Past:

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

New Eco Guardian Arrival

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Ecological Notes: 6 female elephant seals.
Elephant seal pups: Only 2 pups on land
Visitors: 1, and Last Eco Guardian departed … Thank you Rod!
Facility Work: More Painting, Water Tank refill
Weather Events: Cloud and rolling water.
Weather– Current: http://www.victoriaweather.ca/current.php?id=72
Weather–Past:  http://www.victoriaweather.ca/station.php?

Canada Goose nest by the Science Building, one of many on the island.

Touch up painting

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Ecological Notes: 6 female elephant seals.
Elephant seal pups: Only 2 pups on land.
Visitors: 2
Facility Work:  More wood delivered this morning.  Starting front stairs.  Finishing touches on back railings. Touch up white painting around facility.
Vessel Traffic:  0
Weather Events: Fog this morning. By noon there was sun and flat water again.
Weather– Current: http://www.victoriaweather.ca/current.php?id=72
Weather–Past:  http://www.victoriaweather.ca/station.php?

Census

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Birds

  • Harlequin duck 16
  • Snowy plover 0
  • Bald eagle adult 2
  • Bald eagle juvenile 4
  • Turnstones 28
  • Killdeer 0
  • Gulls 236
  • Cormorants 18
  • Pigeon guillemots 57
  • Oyster catcher 10
  • Canadian geese 10
  • Surf Birds 10

 

  • Mammals
  • Steller sea lion 49
  • Harbour seal 133
  • California sea lion 32
  • Elephant seal male 0
  • Elephant seal female 8
  • Elephant seal pup 2
  • River otter 0
  • Sea otter 1
  • Animal Tracking and Injuries: 0
 

Back stairs nearly complete

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Ecological Notes: 7 female elephant seals.
Elephant seal pups: 2 pups in water.
Visitors: 2
Facility Work: Walk around island to check geese nests.  Only a couple still nesting. Back stairs nearly complete. Started cleaning and stripping of fence by generator room.
Vessel Traffic:  3 pleasure boats
Weather Events: Sun and flat water.
Weather– Current: http://www.victoriaweather.ca/current.php?id=72
Weather–Past:  http://www.victoriaweather.ca/station.php?

Boat run to college for more construction wood

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Ecological Notes: 7 female elephant seals.
Elephant seal pups: 3 pups and down the boat ramp.  One moving closer to the females.
Visitors: 2
Facility Work:  Stair construction moving ahead very well. Did a boat run to college for more wood.  Early morning.
Vessel Traffic:  3 pleasure boat.
Weather Events:Sun and flat water.
Weather– Current: http://www.victoriaweather.ca/current.php?id=72
Weather–Past:  http://www.victoriaweather.ca/station.php?

Student’s marine biology class

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Ecological Notes: 7 female elephant seal in water by day. Land by night.
Elephant seal pups:4 swimming close to boat ramp.
Visitors: 2
Pearson College: 14 students for the day doing marine biology class
Facility Work:  Stair construction continues. Food and supply delivery.
Vessel Traffic:  4 sport boat and 2 Eco tour boats
Weather Events:Sun and flat water.
Weather– Current: http://www.victoriaweather.ca/current.php?id=72
Weather–Past:  http://www.victoriaweather.ca/station.php?