The morning was calm and mostly clear with very light winds (<5 knots) from the southeast. The wind picked up a little in the afternoon and switched to north-northeast by evening. The barometer peaked at 1020 hPA mid-day after rising quickly from yesterday’s low of almost 995. As the sun sets, the barometer is falling almost as fast as it rose and the forecast has a strong wind warning in effect. The forecast also calls for clouds and periods of rain on Monday along with the wind.

Five whale watching vessels were observed in the protected area. There may have been more when I went ashore for a few hours. Four pleasure craft were observed in reserve. One rental boat was observed speeding in reserve on the south side but stopped just after they were spotted and left the area slowly and carefully. There was one over-flight observed, it looked like a fisheries patrol vessel and they were high, probably one thousand feet.

One very large Humpback Whale was blowing near Rosedale Reef in the morning and there was some whale activity near West Rock in the afternoon, but unable to identify the species. Whale watching vessels were aggregating there.

The adult Bald Eagle was back on North Rock today and I counted 95 cormorants in the water just after a flock of gulls flew past alerting the presence of the eagle. As the salmon rivers start to be less busy there will be more and more eagles.

Processing some of the photos taken earlier in the fall brought to light a few showing a very young (still black) Stellers Sea Lion on Middle Rock. That might be a new record.

Red-winged Blackbirds moved through Great Race today and as in the spring they landed on the tower before heading south. There were seven on them and they may have come down to ground but I was busy and didn’t see them.

My husband is here for Thanksgiving and I am thankful

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