Female and Male Elephant seals at the jetty
Ecological Happenings
- A cold, but bright day with winds building to near gale force later on.
- Two female Elephant seals now on middle rocks seen fighting with each other, though somewhat less aggressively than the males.
- The males Elephant seals have also come to blows again with the same male displaying injuries as last time. The alpha male retaining standing and access to the area of the main island with a female on it. The other is pushed to the fringe of the main island, though no less vocal.
- Large male Orca seen to the north of the reserve, being harried by a whale watching boat that was much too close.
Marine Vessels
- One Whale watching boat through the reserve. In clear violation of the “Be Whale Wise” guidelines and Fishery Notice for the reserve by coming within 50m of an Adult Male Orca on the north edge of the reserve.
Maintenance
- Works list compiled.
- Fuel, energy and water readings taken for end of shift report.
- Tidying, cleaning and finishing up.
Other
- Sample of Pyramimonas collected for the Marine Science teacher (Laura Verhegge) at Pearson College.
Whale watchers getting far too close to a male Orca on the North side of the reserve
Female Elephant seal
Female Elephant seals fighting on Middle Rocks. Thayer’s gulls, Double-crested and Brant’s Cormorants stay out of the arena.
More wounds on the dominated male
Marbled Godwit still around the main isalnd
Beaten, but not out