Category Archives: Species

Another juvenile elephant seal

Posted on by

Winds decreasing all day to almost zero. Forecast calling for showers after midnight tonight. Barometric pressure still on the rise since Saturday night.

5 whale watching boats

3 recreational fishing boats

Another juvenile elephant seal arrived on the island today, bringing the total number to three. All three made their way down to the jetty this afternoon and the two juveniles were sparring for an hour or so. The adult river otter also made its way from Camera 5 to the winch deck again today. Great bioluminescence tonight!

Continued cleaning the boat shed.

Aurelia aurita: Moon Jellyfish–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

Posted on by
ESMoon-jelly

Moon Jellyfish Aurelia aurita photos by Eric Schauff

ESMoon-jelly2

From the log February 05, 2002
We counted 7 Moon Jellyfish( Aurelia aurita) floating amid the logs and debris in the tide wash east side of the boat dock.Most of them were 15-16 cm wide. In the sea they looked bluish -white and translucent.Unfortunately they were somewhat battered as they washed towards shore and Garry said that they were on their last legs so to speak.
Mike and Carol Slater.

From the log February 05, 2002
There were 19 Moon Jellyfish along the east side of the dock this morning and we saw quite a few more just off shore when we left in the boat.
Mike and Carol Slater.


Scientific classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Cnidaria
Class: Scyphozoa
Order: Semaeostomeae
Family: Ulmaridae
Genus: Aurelia
Species: A. aurita

Aurelia aurita
Linnaeus, 1758

Other Members of the Phylum Cnidaria 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.

 

Sedum anglicum, English Stonecrop–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

Posted on by
stonecrop

Sedum anglicum,(in bloom in July,) English Stonecrop– invasive at Race Rocks

 

Englishstonecrop

Sedum anglicum, English Stonecrop all photos by Garry Fletcher

This plant was introduced to Race Rocks by Assistant keepers in the 1980s. From a small flower bed near the assistant’s house It has spread over much of the Great Race Rock Island. Since it is a member of the Crassulacea family, it uses the crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) method for fixation of

The crevices of the rock outcrops where native grasses grew are being invaded by this stonecrop.

The crevices of the rock outcrops where native grasses grew are being invaded by this stonecrop.

Carbon Dioxide for photosynthesis. Since it can fix Carbon into a chemical when stomata are open only when its cool at night, it is very resistant to drought, and can survive with very little soil.

stonecrop_cistern

The mat of green is a monoculture of Sedum anglicum, English Stonecrop growing on the concrete surface of the large gound-level cistern.

It is of course not the only introduced species on Race Rocks but since it is not grazed by anything, it is rapidly replacing the sparse growth of native species such as thrift  and grasses in the rock crevices.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
Order: Saxifragales
Family: Crassulaceae
Genus: Sedum
Species: S. anglicum
English Stonecrop
Other Angiosperms (flowering plants) at Race Rock

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.

 

Romanzoffia tracyi : Mist maidens–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

Posted on by

Romanzoffia tracyi

Scientific classification
Family: Boraginaceae (Borage)
Subfamily: Hydrophylloideae (Waterleaf)
Genus: Romanzoffia
Species: R. tracyi (Jepson)
Common name: Tracy’s mistmaiden

General: Perennial herb from well-developed, brown-woolly basal tubers; stems several, ascending, long glandular-hairy, 2-12 cm tall [1].

Continue reading →

Chen caerulescens : Snow Goose –Race Rocks Taxonomy

Posted on by
Snow Goose

Lesser Snow Goose, Chen caerulescens

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Subphylum Vertebrata
Class Aves
Order Anseriformes
Family Anatidae
Subfamily  Anserinae
Genus Chen
Species caerulescens
Common Name: Snow Goose or Blue Goose

 

This is the first observation and photo we have of a snow goose at  Race Rocks. Ecoguardian Courtney Edwards took this photo on April 21, 2014. These geese migrate in great numbers through the lower mainland area at this time of year.

Bucephala albeola: Bufflehead, Race Rocks Taxonomy

Posted on by
bufflehead-female-ce30mar13

Bufflehead , Bucephala albeola photographed near Great Race Rocks March 30, 2014 by Courtney Edwards,

buffleheadmaleandfemales

Bufflehead male and females.

Classification:
Domain: Eukarya
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Aves
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Subfamily: Merginae
Genus: Bucephala
Species: albeola
Common Name:Bufflehead

 

rmbuffleheadPM

Male Bufflehead, Bucephala albeola photo by Ryan Murphy

We normally see Buffleheads throughout the winter months feeding in bays and along beaches on the shores of Metchosin. The males are much more obvious from their contrasting black and white plumage. This is the first observation we have had in the Race Rocks waters.

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, 2014–Garry Fletcher

Mirounga angustirostris: Taxonomy and Image Index File

Posted on by

 4 videos of the elephant seal birth in 2016

 

 

 

Announcement in the Log – Ecological reserves –Update on Elephant seals   Birth of this years elephant seal pup occurred as scheduled on January 14, 2016, same date as 2014.

The Jan 2015 pup was stillborn.

The posts for the follow-up of this pup are at   https://www.racerocks.ca/e-seal-pup-born/

All posts on elephant seals at Race Rocks from the website. All posts on elephant seal births at Race Rocks

Male

Continue reading →

Pelicans

Posted on by

Macoma sp. — The Race Rocks Taxonomy

Posted on by
rmmollusc

Macoma sp. Photo by Ryan Murphy

 

We are not sure of this classification of this bivalve but just had to use this image that Ryan took at Race Rocks, as it shows association with two other classes of Molluscs,  the chitons and the gastropods.

Here is a possible classification from ITIS Report
Animalia: – animals
Subkingdom:  Bilateria
Infrakingdom:  Protostomia
Superphylum: Lophozoa
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Bivalvia
Subclass: Heterodonta
Order: Veneroida
Superfamily: Tellinoidea
Family: Tellinidae
Genus: Macoma (Leach,) 1819
Species: Macoma brota Dall, 1916 – heavy macoma

 

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. Dec 2005–Ryan Murphy

 

Darwin Core Archive Species identified in the Race Rocks Ecological Reserve in British Columbia

Posted on by

Garry Fletcher,  Lester B Pearson College, 650 Pearson College Drive, V9C 4H7, Victoria, Canada;
Mary Kennedy, OBIS Canada, Bedford Institute of Oceanography, B2Y 4A2, Dartmouth
Corresponding author(s): Garry Fletcher (garryf(use the at sign) gmail.com), Mary Kennedy (mary.kennedy(use the at sign)dfo-mpo.gc.ca)
Received {date}; Revised {date}; Accepted {date}; Published {date}

Citation: Combination of authors, year of data paper publication (in parenthesis), Title, Journal Name, Volume, Issue number (in parenthesis), and doi of the data paper.
Abstract
XwaYeN (Race Rocks) is a showcase for Pacific marine life; including large marine mammals, seabirds, fish, invertebrates and plants. XwaYeN has a rich marine heritage and is culturally significant for several First Nations in the area. The waters surrounding XwaYeN (Race Rocks) are also an important nursery and recruitment area for Northern abalone, currently listed as a threatened marine species by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). Protecting this area will enhance the protection of this threatened species.

In 1980, the province of British Columbia, under the authority of the provincial Ecological Reserves Act, established the Race Rocks Ecological Reserve, which provides for the protection of the terrestrial natural and cultural heritage values (nine islets) and of the ocean seabed (to the 20 fathoms contour line). Ocean dumping, dredging and the extraction of non-renewable resources are not permitted within the boundaries of the Ecological Reserve.

Ecological Reserves are areas in British Columbia selected to preserve representative and special natural ecosystems, plant and animal species, features, and phenomena. Ecological Reserves provide the highest level of protection for the maintenance of physical and biological diversity while allowing for research and educational activities. Click here for more information on Ecological Reserves.  Race Rocks Ecological Reserve was established to protect terrestrial, intertidal and sub-tidal communities that are extremely rich as a result of strong tidal currents. Continue reading →