Category Archives: Webcam Visitor Observations

In Memoriam : Pam Birley

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For many years we had the privilege of having many contributions to the Race Rocks website by Pam Birley of Leicestershire, England. Pam was a regular observer on our remote-controlled cameras, and she made the most observations of any outside viewer on the website. For 10 years, from 2004 to 2013, she produced a monthly set of images, which we consider to be  a most valuable baseline record of the animal life at the ecological reserve during those years,  https://racerocks.ca/pam-birleys-images-of-race-rocks-2004-2013/

Clicking on   https://racerocks.ca/?s=Pam+Birley&submit=Search illustrates how prolific Pam was in reporting on unique as well as regular events at Race Rocks Ecological Reserve.  In 2005 and 2008  we were able to accompany Pam and her husband Dennis on trips to Race Rocks. She loved keeping track of activities of the sea birds and marine mammals and several times she was the first to report the birth of an elephant seal pup early in the year. We also mused that if a shingle was loose on a roof of one of the buildings, Pam would be the first to let us know. 

We are so sad to hear recently of her passing and we will miss her contributions greatly 

Peregrine Falcon returns

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Pam Birley from England took this image on the remote camera 5 today.  Almost yearly, she has spotted peregrines on Great Race Rocks using the remote control cameras . 

Falco peregrinus: Peregrine falcon –The Race Rocks Taxonomy

Pigeon Guillemots Return to Nesting Grounds.

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Pam Birley of England made the first observation today for this year using the remote control camera 5, of the return of the pigeon guillemots to their nesting  grounds here on Race Rocks . She commented: “I haven’t seen them mentioned by the guardian yet but I took this screenshot on 3rd Feb”.

Christmas Bird Count at Race Rocks 2020

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Today was the annual Christmas bird count. Martin Stewart provided the transportation on the boat Ecosphere for Matt and Courtney Cameron to go out to Race Rocks Ecological reserve from Pedder Bay with Garry Fletcher. 

Observations were done from the marine a out through Pedder bay and then we docked at Race Rocks to be met by Courtney the Ecoguardian.  We had only a brief window of time, probably an hour  there before the wind started to pick up from the North East, but that was adequate to get a good count of the birds on shore.

Pam Birley from England took these photos on camera 5 :

Striking in their abundance were the and Pelagic and Brandts Cormorants. On leaving we circled around the South side of the islands and out past West Rock where there were also large numbers of cormorants.  From West Race Rocks we went over to Emdyck Pass behind Bentinck Island and found another large gathering of Cormorants, and some alcids.  The other bird that seemed much more frequent than previous years were the Black Turnstones

On the island, after stepping carefully past a male elephant seal on the jetty, we were able to view the new pup and mother elephant seal with the large male up on the lawn by the house. 

The following three sets of data are from their e-bird posts,

Continue reading →

Larus californicus: California Gull

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In March 2010 Pam Birley captured this gull with the remote camera. She wrote “I saw a California gull recently and attach pics.  You don’t seem to have any in the taxonomy pages.   It’s not a rare gull but this maybe the first I have seen at RR.” Indeed it is one of those gulls which has fallen through the cracks so this is a rather late addition to our taxonomy.

This adult plumage is reached after 4 years. Note the black tip on the bill and the yellow legs which distinguish it from the Western Gull.
Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Sub-Phylum Vertebrata
Class Aves
Order Charadriiformes
Family Laridae
Genus Larus
Species californicus
Common Name: California Gull

Other Members of the Class Aves at Race Rocks.
taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams. March 10 2010- Pam Birley

Larus hyperboreus: Glaucous Gull — The Race Rocks Taxonomy

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A photo of the rare second year Glaucous Gull on the right, Western Gull on the left. Photo March 8, 2009 by RyanThis is only the third record for this area in the Rocky Point Bird Observatory records.

Probable identification of the white gull on the left is the immature Glaucous gull. The gull on the right is an immature Glaucous-winged gull (photo 21st Dec 2005..camera 5 by Pam Birley)

To the left: This is a tentative identification. If it is correct, according to David Allinson of the Rocky Point Bird Observatory, ” this probably represents only the second record for Glaucous Gull (a 1st winter bird) for Rocky Point’s checklist (and a first for Race Rocks too!). The big head, the large bubble-gum pink dark-tipped bill, and white head and body (at least what can be seen) seems to be diagnostic.
However, to be cautious I should only say probable as we cannot see all of the bird.”

 

To the left: This is a tentative identification. If it is correct, according to David Allinson of the Rocky Point Bird Observatory, ” this probably represents only the second record for Glaucous Gull (a 1st winter bird) for Rocky Point’s checklist (and a first for Race Rocks too!). The big head, the large bubble-gum pink dark-tipped bill, and white head and body (at least what can be seen) seems to be diagnostic.
However, to be cautious I should only say probable as we cannot see all of the bird.”This is one of the largest species of gull. It can be up to 66-81 cm. in length. It nests on the tundra, and the range is circumpolar.It moves South in winter but only small numbers reach as far as the Pacific Northwest.”

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Sub-Phylum Vertebrata
Class Aves
Order Charadriiformes
Family Laridae
Genus Larus
Species hyperboreus
Common Name: Glaucous Gull

 

Other Members of the Class Aves at Race Rocks.
taxonomyiconReturn to the Race Rocks Taxonomy
and Image File
pearsonlogo2_f2The Race Rocks taxonomy is a collaborative venture originally started with the Biology and Environmental Systems students of Lester Pearson College UWC. It now also has contributions added by Faculty, Staff, Volunteers and Observers on the remote control webcams.
October 2006 Pam Birley

Eagles near the webcam

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Have a couple nice screen captures of the bald eagles that have been hanging around the camera sent in by Jenn W.

 

Pam sees 6-spot the harbour seal

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Pam Birley of Leistershire  England has regularly photographed this harbour seal which she named 6-spot , since 2008.. Their lifespan is 25-30 years.

Branded sea lion

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Pam Birley sent these photos today that she took on the remote camera5:

Cam 5 Eagle picture taken from England

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Pam Birley sent this picture that she captured today of a pair of eagles.
she writes “The superb eagle pair were perched below Cam 5 today. ”