Category Archives: Ecology

Baby Elephant Seal for the Holidays

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Newborn Elephant Seal pup! After a night of squawking we were met in the morning by this adorable squishy new baby. It makes the cutest sounds!

Weather: 2 days of over 30 knots. Sleet on the afternoon of December 21st after a morning of NW bringing lots of logs into the jetty.

Visitors: 4 tourism boats coming out to view wildlife. Coast Guard doing maneuvers in the crazy currents. Navy ship and submarine out for a jaunt.

 

Maintenance: Greg got the desalinator going. We got Ocean Network Canada’s equipment up and running, I’m told it measures the tides and currents using radar?! Pretty cool. Maybe the subject of a blog post already?

Wildlife: The Elephant Seals showed up in the first week of December, so we were expecting a few months of them hanging out on Race Rocks before anything significant happened. Just kidding! The lone female on the island (pink tag #2) gave birth at around 10pm on December 21st after a chilly afternoon with a bit of snow.

Baby Elephant Seal #1. Could be last years pup? They are thought to return to their same birthing/moulting grounds.

The big male that has been posted up with the female since the beginning of December seems to be pretty protective of the new baby, making sure the rowdy teen male seal knows he is not welcome around the female and pup. There is another large male hanging out next to the generator building, and a small male (possibly last years pup) was hanging out here for a few weeks before heading back into the ocean.

The big male chased the female around the island for a few days before she found her favourite spot and posted up. Turns out those rocks right in from of her is the best nursery.

Momma Seal: Pink tag #2

Having a well deserved rest with her newborn the the giant male stands guard for other males.

We’ve still got lots of California and Steller Sea Lions hanging out on the island/jetty, with lots of bait balls and kelp rafts drifting by. There’s been at least 2 humpbacks feeding between Race Rocks and Edye Point for a few days.

 

Only 1 gull has died in the last week, and was pretty quickly eaten by a couple of eagles.

Because every Race Rocks blog should feature a lighthouse photo.

 

Stunning Weather, Spring at Full Force!

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Weather:

  • Visibility 15+ NM
  • Sky clear
  • Wind 5-10 knots SW
  • Sea State: calm

Marine Traffic/Visitors:

  • 2 jet skis yesterday evening, 1 kayak this morning, 1 eco-tourism vessel yesterday
  • Greg today with supplies (thanks Greg!)
  • 1 boat inside the reserve fishing this morning- Greg stopped to remind them that they were within the boundary on his way
  • Many pleasure crafts just outside of the reserve boundary

Ecological: 

  • Consistent eagle presence as the seagulls continue to return, and food is plentiful in the water
  • The geese seem to be getting pushed out of their territory by the seagulls. The seagulls have continued to steal goose eggs when they get an opportunity, thus there are only 2 remaining nests with eggs. The geese have started to spend more time on the water, and often leave during the day.
  • The pineapple weed has been growing at an impressive rate! Most of the grassier areas on the island are covered by the fluffy foliage.

 

Coralline Algae Discoveries, Impossible Invasive Plants

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Weather:

  • Visibility 15+ NM
  • Sky clear
  • Wind 5-10 knots SE
  • Sea state: calm

Visitors/Marine Traffic: 

  • One medium sized catamaran passed through race passage this morning drifting on the current
  • This afternoon we were joined by Guy and Christine, who brought us some generator hardware and spent a bit of time enjoying the beautiful weather.
  • Quite a bit of commercial traffic outside the reserve today including barges of logs and shipping containers.

Ecological: 

  • There are quite a few beginnings of seagull nests now. They have become more aggressive, and now fight each other over space. We have seen some pairs mating.
  • We have been finding coral-like white fragments in the intertidal since last year, but until now have not been able to identify what they could be. Today we found some that were not white, but red! This insight has led us to believe that this is coralline algae. Amazingly, this article states that these unassuming structures can continue to grow forever (!) if left undisturbed and have growth rings that be counted, just like trees!
  • As Gary Fletcher mentions in this post, prostrate knot weed is one of the invasive species here on Race Rocks. We noticed that it is particularly efficient at growing in places where no other plants are able, therefore it’s beginning to spread in rocky areas. It has notably spread to the rocky areas on the SW side of the island where no other flora nor fauna has managed to establish itself.

 

Tagged Elephant Seal Resight Histories

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The following resight histories were provided by Dr. Patrick Robinson, Director of Año Nuevo Reserve in California. The five elephant seals listed are presently at Race Rocks.

Animal: 48288, tags: GD019R-iu-So,GD018L-ol-So                  
Season 2017                        
OrigTag Age AnimalID ResightID Date Area Tags Read Comment TagComm MarkComm Age Sex Mlt Observer
GD019 0 48288 297540 2017-02-01 AP         P UK   C. Casey
GD019 0 48288 298632 2017-02-09 BBS         W     B. McDonald
GD019 0 48288 298988 2017-02-11 BBS         W M   P. Morris
GD019 0 48288 299787 2017-02-15 BBSU         W M   P. Morris
GD019 0 48288 301742 2017-02-23 BBS GD019R-iu-So,GD018L-ol-So THIS IS THE SECOND 30C, THE FIRST ONE WAS WEIGHED AT NP W M 5 C. Nasr
Season 2019                        
OrigTag Age AnimalID ResightID Date Area Tags Read Comment TagComm MarkComm Age Sex Mlt Observer
GD019 1 48288 330944 2018-04-19 Race Rocks, B.C. Canada GD018 Observed by Laas Parnell    juv     other
GD019 2 48288 330943 2019-04-09 Race Rocks, B.C. Canada GD018 Observed by Laas Parnell   juv     other
Season 2020                        
OrigTag Age AnimalID ResightID Date Area Tags Read Comment TagComm MarkComm Age Sex Mlt Observer
GD019 3 48288 335337 2019-12-14 Race Rocks, B.C. Canada GD018 Observed by Laas Parnell    juv     other
GD019 3 48288 335420 2019-12-29 Race Rocks, B.C. Canada GD019R,GD018L-ol-So reported by Nick Townley (eco-guardian)  juv     other
GD019 3 48288 347129 2020-04-01 Race Rocks, B.C. Canada GD018L-ol-So,GD019R-i Observed by Race Rocks ecoguardian Nick Townley and confirmed with photo. Seal is in great body condition but fur/skin is in poor condition. SA1 M   other
GD019 3 48288 347638 2020-04-12 Race Rocks, B.C. Canada GD018,GD019 Observed by Nick Townley (Race Rocks Ecoguardian)  juv   0 other
                           
                           
Animal: 49134, tags: GE103R-ou,GE135R-il-si                  
Season 2018                        
OrigTag Age AnimalID ResightID Date Area Tags Read Comment TagComm MarkComm Age Sex Mlt Observer
GE103 0 49134 313030 2018-02-05 NP0N   With G7644, Card # 548, but not her original pup. It was raised jointly by G9454 and G7644 after G7644 lost her own pup. P     P. Morris
GE103 0 49134 313518 2018-02-06 NP0N   Is with female 9454 but female 7644 is squabbling with her trying to reach the pup. This is a separate pup from the one marked 76 on LSh. Also has 2 blotches on top of its shoulders, P     P. Morris
GE103 0 49134 314153 2018-02-09 NP1   nursing from female 9454 but 7644 was near P     P. Robinson
GE103 0 49134 314987 2018-02-13 NP0   With Female G7644, Card # 548. It remains to be seen if this is the same pup that is marked 644 L and blotches on top of its shoulder. 6 is backwards, mark almost on ventral side P     T. Keates
GE103 0 49134 315582 2018-02-15 NP0   looks like it could be with either G7466 or G9454 P     R. Holser
GE103 0 49134 316021 2018-02-17 NPG0   This is FOR SURE the pup of 9454 and not 7644. The pup of 7644 is 76. This is one of my study pups that has been adopted by 7644. W     J. Linossier
GE103 0 49134 316052 2018-02-19 NP GE103R-ou One of Juliette Linossier’s study animals W     C. Casey
GE103 0 49134 316341 2018-02-20 NP0S       also 644 L W F   P. Morris
GE103 0 49134 316497 2018-02-22 NP GE103L-ou-So   also has 476? on belly W     T. Keates
GE103 0 49134 316665 2018-02-23 NP GE103R-ou-Si     Noticed marks on L and R, but could not read them. W     R. Cuthbertson
GE103 0 49134 316693 2018-02-23 NP GE135R-il-si,GE103L-ou-si Juiliette study animal. genetic sample AF00375791 database has disagreement on placement of GE103 also 476 on the right and the 6 is backwards W F 25 L. Johansen
Season 2019                        
OrigTag Age AnimalID ResightID Date Area Tags Read Comment TagComm MarkComm Age Sex Mlt Observer
GE103 0 49134 318448 2018-04-17 BBSL GE135R,GE103L-ou-Si     W   100 Robinson class
GE103 0 49134 318974 2018-04-17 BMB GE103L-ou-Si,GE135R-il-Si Cathy Debier 4x blubber biopsy original tag location for GE103 was incorrect W F 100 P. Robinson
Season 2020                        
OrigTag Age AnimalID ResightID Date Area Tags Read Comment TagComm MarkComm Age Sex Mlt Observer
GE103 2 49134 334454 2019-09-07 Race Rocks, B.C. Canada GE103L-ou Observed by Mara Radawetz @ Race Rocks Colony Confirmed by photograph. Seal looks healthy and in good body condition juv     other
GE103 2 49134 334574 2019-10-01 Race Rocks, B.C. Canada GE103 reported by Laas Parnell    juv     other
GE103 2 49134 334575 2019-10-11 Race Rocks, B.C. Canada GE103       juv F   other
GE103 2 49134 346669 2020-03-23 Race Rocks, B.C. Canada GE103L-ou,GE135R-il reported by Nick Townley and confirmed with photo juv   0 other
GE103 2 49134 347639 2020-04-12 Race Rocks, B.C. Canada GE103,GE135 Observed by Nick Townley (Race Rocks Ecoguardian)  juv   0 other
                           
Animal: 52226, tags:                        
Season 2020                        
OrigTag Age AnimalID ResightID Date Area Tags Read Comment TagComm MarkComm Age Sex Mlt Observer
    52226 346670 2020-03-23 Race Rocks, B.C. Canada PT563,PT562 reported by Nick Townley and confirmed with photo ad F 0 other
Season 2021                        
OrigTag Age AnimalID ResightID Date Area Tags Read Comment TagComm MarkComm Age Sex Mlt Observer
    52226 347640 2020-04-12 Race Rocks, B.C. Canada PT562,PT563 Observed by Nick Townley (Race Rocks Ecoguardian) ad F 100 other
                           
Animal: 50727, tags: GE779R-iu-so,GG512L-ol-si                  
Season 2019                        
OrigTag Age AnimalID ResightID Date Area Tags Read Comment TagComm MarkComm Age Sex Mlt Observer
GE779 0 50727 329337 2019-02-20 NP3         P     C. Casey
GE779 0 50727 329365 2019-02-23 NP3         W     M. Emard
GE779 0 50727 329392 2019-02-23 NP3 GE779R-iu-so       W     P. Robinson
GE779 0 50727 329711 2019-02-24 NPG3         W     E Levy
Season 2020                        
OrigTag Age AnimalID ResightID Date Area Tags Read Comment TagComm MarkComm Age Sex Mlt Observer
GE779 0 50727 330651 2019-03-12 NPD GG512L-ol-si,GE779R-iu-so     W M 99 P.Robinson
GE779 1 50727 347641 2020-04-12 Race Rocks, B.C. Canada GG512R,GE779L Observed by Nick Townley (Race Rocks Ecoguardian)  juv     other
                           
Animal: 48066, tags: GC887R-iu-So                    
Season 2017                        
OrigTag Age AnimalID ResightID Date Area Tags Read Comment TagComm MarkComm Age Sex Mlt Observer
GC887 0 48066 298641 2017-02-09 BMC         P     B. McDonald
GC887 0 48066 298732 2017-02-10 BMS         W     T. Barclay
GC887 0 48066 298955 2017-02-11 BMC         P     P. Morris
GC887 0 48066 299024 2017-02-12 BMS         P     M. Voisinet
GC887 0 48066 300206 2017-02-21 BMN         W     T. Russell
GC887 0 48066 300244 2017-02-21 BMC         W     E Levy
GC887 0 48066 300257 2017-02-21 BMC GC887R-iu-So     W     R. Holser
GC887 0 48066 300557 2017-02-22 BMC         W     P. Morris
GC887 0 48066 302743 2017-03-10 BBNS GC887R       W     P. Morris
Season 2019                        
OrigTag Age AnimalID ResightID Date Area Tags Read Comment TagComm MarkComm Age Sex Mlt Observer
GC887 2 48066 330772 2019-03-26 Race Rocks, B.C. Canada GC887R-iu-So Also reported present at Race Rocks in December 2017 and December 2018. juv M   other
Season 2020                        
OrigTag Age AnimalID ResightID Date Area Tags Read Comment TagComm MarkComm Age Sex Mlt Observer
GC887 3 48066 335252 2019-12-07 Race Rocks, B.C. Canada GC887       juv M   other
GC887 3 48066 347642 2020-04-12 Race Rocks, B.C. Canada GC887R Observed by Nick Townley (Race Rocks Ecoguardian)  M   other

banded immature eagle

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wind 11 knots north east

sky clear

water calm visibility >15

Started the day watching the sunrise from the light house as I have for the past 7 days. This was the first morning whales were not visible. the water surface was like a mirror. There was no wind. Many groups of birds, between 20 and 50, were headed south. In the course of 30 minutes I saw over 10 groups. They looked like Alcids and I suspect common murre. There is a poor picture below but when I enlarge it I can make out the markings..

 

 

I saw what I believe was a dolphin twice. Just a blow much smaller then the whales and almost no animal visible. I only saw each blow because I was looking through binoculars at the birds, otherwise I would have missed it.

About an hour later I took this picture of an immature eagle eating a gull and when I looked online I could see its’ tag.

The humpback whales were visible again around 10 a.m. and I watched 2 of them for about an hour. There were lots of pectoral fins,dives and mouths breaking the surface followed by bubbles.

 

Maintenance

Greg and Guy came out today and filled the water tank, pressure washed around the generator house. We cleaned up some oil that is leaking in the generator house from the coast guard abandoned machinery. Brought fuel up to the generator. This week I brought almost all the wood from under the porch into the house and today I started moving the pile of driftwood by the jetty up under the porch. Also I am planning to have the lighthouse stairs swept by tomorrow (20 left to go). Electric fence mending continues daily.

 

Whale Watching boats

I have been pleasantly surprised at how respectful the whale watching boats have been. There has not been one incident of the sea lions plunging into the ocean. The boats go slowly and seem to watch the sea lions behaviour and veer away if they notice any activity suggesting anxiety. BUT TODAY after I had watched the humpbacks a boat zoomed over way too close and kept following the whales. they did not drift but actively pursued the whales for over an hour within 10 metres of them or closer. I took lots of photos and will send them to Tyron Pile. it was upsetting to watch. Maybe a new driver?

 

Decade Comparisons:Sea Surface Temperature at Race Rocks-

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Link to Race Rocks Mean Monthly Sea Temperature 1921-present,

Monthly temperature averages in degrees Celsius for Race Rocks
1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 Average Month
Jan 6.4 7.1 7.1 6.6 7.8 7.6 6.9 7.1 6.5 7.0 Jan
Feb 7.1 6.1 6.4 7.3 6.9 8 7.4 7.3 6.3 6.6 6.9 Feb
Mar 7.3 6.6 6.7 7.7 7.3 8.6 7.8 7.8 7.1 7.1 7.4 Mar
Apr 7.7 7.5 7.6 7.9 8 9.2 8 8.6 7.8 8.2 8.1 Apr
May 8.5 8.3 8.6 9 9.2 10.1 8.8 9.7 9 9.3 9.1 May
June 9.5 9.5 9.3 9.8 10.1 10.7 9.8 10.2 9.8 10 9.9 June
Jul 10.3 10.5 10.3 10.5 11.1 11.1 10.5 10.8 10.8 10.6 10.7 Jul
Aug 10.5 10.3 10.5 10.3 10.8 10.9 10.9 10.9 10.8 10.8 10.7 Aug
Sept 10.3 10.2 10.6 10.2 10.2 10.5 10.3 10.3 10.7 10.6 10.4 Sept
Oct 9.8 9.3 9.6 9.2 9.2 9.8 9.7 9.2 9.8 9.4 9.5 Oct
Nov 9.1 8.4 8.7 8.8 8.3 9.1 8.6 8.6 8.8 8.6 8.7 Nov
Dec 8.2 7.1 7.9 7.3 8.2 8.5 7.6 7.9 7.8 8 7.9 Dec
8.8 Decade
average
Average
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Jan 8.2 8.2 7.7 8.7 8 7.5 7.9 8.1 8.8 7.8 8.1 Jan
Feb 8.6 7.8 7.9 9.2 7.8 7.7 7.7 7.9 8.5 7.9 8.1 Feb
Mar 8.8 8.4 8.1 9.7 8.1 8.1 8.1 7.7 8.7 8.3 8.4 Feb
Apr 9.2 9.2 9 9.9 8.9 9.1 8.7 8.7 9.2 9.1 9.1 Apr
May 10.2 10 10.3 10.4 9.5 10 9.7 9.4 9.9 10.4 10.0 May
June 11.2 10.4 10.9 11.4 10.4 11.1 10.6 10.5 10.9 11 10.8 June
Jul 11.8 11.5 11.7 11.7 11.1 11.3 11.3 11.2 11.3 11.8 11.5 Jul
Aug 11.5 11.5 12.2 12.3 11.5 11.7 11.4 11.7 11.4 11.9 11.7 Aug
Sept 11.3 10.5 11.6 12.1 11.9 11.4 11.4 11.3 11.4 11.2 11.4 Sept
Oct 10.2 9.9 11.3 10.7 10.1 10.3 10.2 10 10.9 10.6 10.4 Oct
Nov 9.4 8.7 9.9 9.8 9 9 9.2 9 9 9.4 9.2 Nov
Dec 8.9 7.6 9.3 9 8.5 8 8.3 8.8 8.5 8.6 8.6 Dec
9.8 Decade
Average
This analysis has been done by Garry Fletcher using the monthly averages of the daily temperatures.
See this file for the complete set of monthly data1921 to present
The following is a comparison between 1951-1960 and 2001-2010

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
1951 7.5 6.9 6.7 8.1 9.2 10.2 10.4 11.1 10.9 9.5 8.5 7.7
1952 6.9 7.1 7.6 8.2 9 9.6 10.4 10.5 10.2 9.8 8.6 7.9
1953 7.8 7.9 7.6 8.1 9.3 9.8 10.6 11 10.6 9.9 9.3 8.5
1954 7.1 7.3 7.5 7.9 8.7 9.3 9.9 10 10 9.4 9.1 8.4
1955 7.5 7.1 6.7 7.5 8.4 9.3 9.8 10.2 10 8.9 7.5 6.6
1956 6.7 6.4 6.3 7.6 8.7 9.6 10.2 10.4 10.1 9.2 8.1 7.1
1957 6.3 6.2 7.2 8.1 9.3 10 10.3 10.5 10.5 9.8 8.8 8.3
1958 8 8.3 8.6 9.3 10.3 10.7 11.5 11.5 11 9.9 8.7 8.1
1959 7.6 7.4 7.9 9.1 9.7 10.4 11.3 11 10.4 9.7 8.3 7.8
1960 7.1 7.5 7.5 8.6 9.6 10.3 11.4 10.8 10.1 9.5 8.6 7.9
Mean 7.25 7.21 7.36 8.25 9.22 9.92 10.58 10.7 10.38 9.56 8.55 7.83

2001 7.9 7.7 8.1 8.7 9.7 10.6 11.3 11.4 11.4 10.2 9.2 8.3
2002 8.1 7.9 7.7 8.7 9.4 10.5 11.2 11.7 11.3 10 9 8.8
2003 8.8 8.5 8.7 9.2 9.9 10.9 11.3 11.4 11.4 10.9 9 8.5
2004 7.8 7.9 8.3 9.1 10.4 11 11.8 11.9 11.2 10.6 9.4 8.6
2005 7.7 8 8.8 9.4 10.7 11.2 11.6 12.1 11.5 10.4 9.5 8.3
2006 8.61 8.49 8.41 8.75 10.08 10.86 11.66 12.09 11.49 10.55 9.29 8.5
2007 7.8 7.9 7.9 9 10 10.2 11.2 11.6 11 10 9 8
2008 7.46 7.33 7.68 8.06 9.36 9.77 10.84 11.3 11.16 10.14 9.39 7.87
2009 7.29 7.2 7.5 8.4 9.54 10.4 11.4 11.74 11.8 10.5 9 7
2010 8.11 8.68 9.12 8.96 9.54 10.36 11.16 11.93 11.08 10.37 8.98 8.5
Mean 7.95 7.96 8.22 8.82 9.862 10.58 11.34 11.71 11.33 10.36 9.17 8.24

Monthly Means
2001-2010 1951-1960
Jan 7.96 7.25
Feb 7.96 7.21
Mar 8.22 7.36
Apr 8.83 8.25
May 9.86 9.22
June 10.58 9.92
july 11.34 10.58
Aug 11.71 10.7
Sept 11.33 10.38
Oct 10.36 9.56
Nov 9.17 8.55
Dec 8.24 7.83

See also https://www.env.gov.bc.ca/soe/indicators/climate-change/sea-surface-temperature.html

Unsafe Snorkeling, Fall Changes, Census

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Weather: 

  • Visibility 15+ NE
  • Sky overcast, cloudy
  • Wind 15-25 kn N
  • Water moderate waves, white caps.

Visitors/Boats: 

  • Around 15 whale watching boats yesterday
  • Corey, Guy, and a student with their visiting grandparents visited yesterday, and delivered water- the desalinator is on the horizon!
  • We are ending our term on Race Rocks tomorrow, so Greg and Guy will come for a debrief before the next eco-guardian takes over.

Yesterday we saw a pleasure craft enter the reserve and drop snorkelers into the water less than 100 m from our jetty, within 5 m of shore and the hauled out sea lions. The animals were distressed and swam around the snorkelers barking. The current was flooding very quickly (5 knots), which creates dangerous water currents, eddies, and upwellings. We as well as Corey in Second Nature motioned for the boat to move away, but they simply gathered the snorkelers and moved around the corner where they presumably thought we would not see them. An eco-tourism vessel in the reserve also noticed them and contacted us to let us know, out of concern for their safety given the animals present and the currents at the time.

In the past scuba divers and vessels have found themselves capsized or pulled away from their dive site and rescued by helicopter, and in 2015 a diver went missing and was found deceased days after they disappeared by a fisherman after rescue crews were not able to find them. We were especially concerned for this group’s safety due to lack of float marking their position and the frequent boating traffic through the reserve. In the past, seal pups have been decapitated by vessels passing through too quickly and unable to see them. If these snorkelers had been pulled away by the currents, there would have been a high chance of being struck by a vessel unable to see them in the rough water.

Ecological: 

  • The sea lions population continues to grow! We are having to repair the fences sometimes twice per day. It seems like a more powerful electric fence energizer could be a good idea.
  • We spotted a little Greylag goose among the Canadian geese yesterday.
  • The sea lion that we spotted on Sept. 12th with an apparent propeller wound to his head is still here. He stays near the jetty and seems to have some behavioural anomalies, presumably due to the head injury. He is not afraid of us like the others, and does not move away into the water with the others when we clear the jetty. We haven’t had any problems but are weary that his behaviour could be unpredictable. Marty (the vet that came to aid in rescuing the entangled sea lion) mentioned that sometimes when this happens a shard of their skull can splinter and cause a brain infection. We hope this little guy is on the mend.
  • There have been many Canadian Geese passing through this week; A few days ago we counted over 20. The geese are not native to the island, but according to Gary Fletcher they arrived somewhere in the 80’s as the population of geese on Vancouver Island were introduced/grew. Addling the eggs began somewhere in the late 90’s. Unfortunately, this year two nests survived and hatched goslings, meaning that 20 geese left the island after 8 nested here in the spring.

Census: 

  • 500 Sea lions
  • 15 harbour seals
  • <20 seagulls
  • Approx. 20 cormorants
  • 3 short billed dowitchers
  • 1 Greylag goose
  • 1 sanderling
  • 1 Savannah sparrow
  • 20-23 Canada geese

Whales! (and census)

Gallery

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This gallery contains 4 photos.

Weather:  Visibility: Very clear, 15 miles Wind: 15-25 knots Sky: Mostly clear, some clouds Water: Choppy, white caps Boats/Visitors:  Today a contractor visited to fix our internet/ phone cable in the main residence. At the same time Corey, two BC … Continue reading →

Spotted: Turkish Marsh Gladiolus!

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Weather:

  • Visibility: 5 miles
  • Wind: 12 knots
  • Sky: Overcast in the morning, clearer skies in the second half of the day
  • Water: Calm

Boats/Visitors:

Greg came again on Tuesday to bring us more water, we get a few hundred litres per load so our main water tank is over half full again. There has been a steady trickle of tour/whale watching boats, approximately 10-15 per day.

Ecological:

The two moulting elephant seals are still here, and they appear to be in less pain and are doing well.

The seagulls continue to get more and more aggressive, we’ve noticed that their eggs go missing. Yesterday, near the main path to the jetty there was a nest containing one egg and a territorial pair of gulls. Today, they are off the nest and the egg is missing.

Near desalination building we found a great example of what appears to be Gladiolus Imbricatus in bloom. According to a previous log post by Garry Fletcher: “Originally from south-eastern Europe/Turkey, it was introduced in the garden of an early lightkeeper and has been growing unattended here for over 50 years.”

While doing our daily seawater salinity and temperature sample, we were able to get a great picture of two sea lions on the jetty that were basking in the evening sun.

Wind, Fog, and Eggs!

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Weather: 

  • Visibility varied today. This evening visibility is excellent, 10-13 miles. This afternoon we were surrounded by fog and could not see even nearby north rock (less than 1 mile).
  • Wind this evening is blowing 30-40 knots. This morning was calmer, 12 knots.
  • Sky clear. This was interrupted mid afternoon by thick fog.
  • Water white capping and breaking into spindrift.

Boats/Visitors: 

  • Today was fairly quiet, with only a few whale watching boats in the morning which seemed to mostly keep a good distance. Greg visited this afternoon to deliver water as we are still waiting for the new desalinator. A former student visited as well.
  • The swiftsure international sailing race passed Race Rocks on Saturday, so we have been seeing the boats trickle back towards Victoria over the past couple of days.
  • Yesterday we spotted a rental boat from Pedder Bay Marina attempt to pass through the channel between our main island and the south islands.
  • Lately whale watching boats have been present viewing the elephant seals and sea lions. Many have appeared to be well within the 100m distance from sea lions required by DFO.

Whale watching boat disturbs sea lions on jetty

Whale watching boat approaches sea lions on rocks

Ecological: 

  • Two evenings past we noticed the first seagull eggs of the season. We noticed that one nest was missing its egg the next morning. The seagulls have become quite aggressive towards us but only if we get too close to their nest by accident.
  • There are still four elephant seals on the island, two moulting, the juvenile male from this past spring, and an older female.
  • The sea lions have remained on the SE side of the island, although fewer than what we were seeing before surrounding our jetty. They have been enjoying surfing the waves periodically.
  • Another oyster catcher nest spotted on the SW side.
  • We have been finding dead seagulls presumably killed by the bald eagles that have been hanging around. They especially like to sit on top of camera three.

Seagull guarding its egg and nest.

Other: 

  • Except for in the occasional presence of fog, we have been able to operate the island completely with solar on clear days.
  • We were in need of batteries so missed a few days of salinity/temperature data collection.