Category Archives: Ecoguardians Log

Wolf Eel

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Weather: Fog this morning with very limited visibility. Wind about 20 knots at noon and visibility increased. At 1800 hours clear (and the fog horn is off!)

Facility : The fog made window cleaning easier so washed the outside house windows followed by the solar panels. Much easier to clean when they are still damp with fog. Also cleaned the porch of the lighthouse as during the gale it was very slippery. Layers of algae over the bird poop. I continue with sweeping the lighthouse stairs. Greg came out this afternoon and miraculously fixed 2 squeegees and also showed me how to use the power washer. I started cleaning the walkways but it takes too much water for a task that is endless. If it ever rains it would be good to go out and scrub them then.

Even though it was foggy there was still enough sun getting through that I didn’t require the generator today.

Traffic: 4 ecotourism boats in the fog ( Greg on his way to RR did see Orcas!)

Wildlife: At noon I was able to count 58 seals (including pups) on the south island and south seal island. The fog reappeared and so wildlife viewing was limited. I did see the sea otter! It was in the kelp bed east of the island. I took a very poor picture confirming typical sea otter posture (on its back with his head flexed). Walking on the east shore looking at the intertidal at low tide I saw large white anemones open beneath the surface (Metridium sessile) and sea cucumbers (Cucumaria) in the crevices. I found this dried skeleton of a wolf eel (Anarrhichthys ocellatus) beautifully hung on the rocks.

 

July 25 Gale

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I wonder, does the fog horn go all night?

Wind  westerly

At sunrise (530 am) between 30 and 35 knots, dropped to 20 knots midday for about an hour and then quickly came back up at 1800 hours between 35 and 40

clear most of the day but fog rolling in now

water whitecaps huge swells

Boats

About 6 whale watching boats, all respectful of speed and distance from marine mammals (sea lions on middle rocks)

Facility

Could not work outside today cleaning windows or solar panels due to wind but did manage to clean camera 5 as requested

Wildlife

.3m tide at 10:38 this morning. Great place to get away from the nesting birds. I wanted to see if there was damage from the very hot weather 3 weeks ago. Marine life on many coastal areas of BC suffered greatly. The California mussels and most barnacles looked healthy. I think the tidepools suffered the most but hard to tell as I have nothing to compare. in many tidepools the Coralina algae had gone white and there were many dead chitons. Below are some invertebrate pictures, gumboot chitons, Katerina chiton, lined chiton, abalone!, nudibranchs…

I had time to practice counting birds from the lighthouse lamp room. The middle island at midtide had about 500 gulls. Below the light on the east side of Race rocks there were about 50 Turnstones and Surfbirds. They are well camouflaged. Cormorants (pelagic?) numbered about 12 on the north west. Pigeon guillemots are numerous and 2 groups perching on the rocks above me while I walked numbered 34. Oyster catchers I did not count. Below is a picture of the nest by the boat ramp.

Many of the gull chicks are practicing flying. Jump jump jumping while spreading their wings. I saw a couple get good lift.

 

 

 

Arrived at Race Rocks

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Eco guardian switchover. Thank you Sierra for welcoming me. As the boat pulled away leaving me alone with hundreds of seagulls and their chicks, oyster catchers and pigeon guillemots I was drawn to the other mammals on the island. Hard to be lonely with this guy around! Watching the sunset from the lighthouse I was entertained by the seal pups still trying to nurse from their moms. A river otter ran along the jetty. Tomorrow morning I will check to see if it discovered the Oyster Catcher eggs surrounded by a circle of broken shells. The wind is howling from the west. Huge whitecaps. I was very glad the stairs down from the lighthouse had a railing!

Final Day

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Personal Note:

  • Even though my time here was short and sweet, I will cherish the life long memories created during my time here on the island. I hope to continue my role as eco-guardian here in the future! 

Starry Night at Race.

 

Ecological Notes:

  • 1 female Northern Elephant Seal.
  • 1 male Northern Elephant Seal. 
  • 8 Steller Sea Lions spread out on Middle Rock and South Island.
  • 2 River Otters made their way up towards the house and successfully caught a Gull chick. After making their catch, they quickly ran to hide under a wooden platform.

Facility Work:

  • Cleaned the main house in preparation for the new eco-guardian! 

Noted Vessel Traffic:

  • 7 Ecotourism vessels and 3 pleasure vessels sightseeing in the reserve.

Feature Event: 

  • My partner, Zenon, proposed to me at the top of the lighthouse (I said “yes!”) 

Zenon (left) and Sierra (right) engaged!

** 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

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Ecological Notes:

  • 1 female Northern Elephant Seal.
  • 1 male Northern Elephant Seal. 
  • Many Black Turnstone’s on the East side of the island.

Black Turnstone

Visitors:

  • Greg came out to help with maintenance of the Ocean Network Canada CODAR system and taking battery cell readings. 
  • Welcome Zenon to Race Rocks!

Facility Work:

  • Power washed the East side of the main house. 
  • Applied wood preservative to the back deck of the main house. 
  • Maintenance on Ocean Network Canada CODAR system; swapped out UPS.
  • Battery cell readings with Greg and Zenon.  
  • General cleaning of main house. 

 

Noted Vessel Traffic:

  • 7 Ecotourism vessels.
  • 2 private vessels sightseeing.
  • 1 Canadian Coast Guard Vessel and 1 Western Canadian Marine Response vessel passing through the reserve and sightseeing.

** 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?

Census

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Birds

  • Surfbird 17

  • Western Sand Piper 4

  • Gulls, Glaucous and Western 191

  • Many Gull chicks, unable to count without being disruptive.

  • Cormorants 11

  • Pigeon Guillemots 62

  • Oyster catcher 11

  • Ruddy Turnstones 6

  • Black Turnstone 114

Mammals

  • Steller sea lion 4

  • Harbour seal  53

  • Harbour seal pup 8

  • Elephant seal male 1

  • Elephant seal female 1

  • River Otter 2

Wildlife Observation

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Ecological Notes:

  • 1 female Northern Elephant Seal.
  • 1 male Northern Elephant Seal. 
  • Many Ruddy Turnstones, Black Turnstones, Surfbirds and Western Sand Pipers observed on the east side of the island. 
  • There are many Gull chicks running around the island! The adult Gulls are very protective and will dive down towards me as I walk the path to the main-house. 

Gull Chicks

 

Facility Work:

  • Power washing is satisfying. I finished power washing the south facing side of the student house . 

Noted Vessel Traffic:

  • 4 Ecotourism vessels and 2 pleasure vessels sightseeing in the reserve.

** 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?

 

Morning Fog

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Ecological Notes:

  • 1 female Northern Elephant Seal.
  • 1 male Northern Elephant Seal. 
  • The female Elephant Seal spent the early morning in the shallows. By late afternoon, she made her way back onto the island.
  • The male Elephant Seal has been spending most of his time nestled against the student house.

Facility Work:

  • Power washing continues. I sprayed down the west side of the main house (as high as I could safely reach).

DND events:

  • none

Noted Vessel Traffic:

  • 5 Ecotourism vessels and 2 pleasure vessels.

Weather Events:

  • Fog in the early morning; cleared by early afternoon. 
  • Westerly wind, averaging 20 knots 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?

 

New Eco-guardian

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Ecological Notes:
• 1 female Elephant Seal.
• 1 male Elephant Seal.

Facility Work:
• Power washed stairs of main front house and applied preservative to the wood.
• Cleaned solar panels.

 

Noted Vessel Traffic:
• Several ecotourism vessels and 4 pleasure vessels.

Noted Infractions:
• Two speeding pleasure vessels in the reserve.

Feature Event:
• Bigg’s killer whales entered the reserve yesterday early afternoon and again at sunset!

• Thank you Derek for helping me with the transition as Ecoguardian.

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

Weather – Past:
http://www.victoriaweather.ca/station.php?