Today started fairly clear, then clouded over. In the afternoon it was sunny for a few hours and eventually the sky darkened and at dusk the rain started. The barometer rose to almost 1019 hPA mid-day and then fell. The forecast is for clearing and light east winds with sunshine on the horizon.
Twelve commercial whale-watching vessels were observed working in the Ecological Reserve. They were in the area watching a Humpback feeding very close to the western reserve boundary, transient orcas to the southwest and southern resident killer whales to the northeast.
Today was census day due to thick fog yesterday.
Animal Census
Steller Sea Lion 338
California Sea Lion 908
Harbour Seal 178
Northern Elephant Seal 5
Sea Otter 1
Southern Resident Killer Whale (26 observed within one mile of ER during count week, (Race Passage, east, west and south of RR)
Biggs Killer Whale (Transients) (9 during count week Race Passage & southwest)
Humpback Whale (3 observed within one mile of ER during count week)
Minke Whale (1 observed within one mile of ER during count week just east of North Rock)
Canada Goose 20 attempting to be full time
Harlequin Duck 5
Surf Scoters 30 (flying through to east)
Double-crested Cormorant 12
Brandt’s Cormorants 27
Pelagic Cormorant 5
Black Oystercatcher 5
Black Turnstone 7
Surfbirds 13
Kildeer 2
Total gull count 2469
Estimated numbers
Glaucous-winged Gull 350
California Gull 50
Thayer’s Gulls 1500
Herring Gull 1
Ring-billed Gull 1
Western Gull 1
Heerman’s Gull 15
Mew Gull 20
~531 unidentified gulls
Common Raven 2
Savannah Sparrow 10
Fox Sparrow 2
Song Sparrow 2
Junco 3
Pacific Wren 1
Other chores were routine. There were no visitors.