FoER Field Trip ——–May 12, 2013

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The Friends of Ecological reserves sponsored a field trip to Race Rocks On Sunday May 12. Chris Blondeau, Director of Operations for Lester Pearson College operated the boat and Garry Fletcher led a  group of ten on a tour of the reserve. The following gallery of images shows some of the activities.

references:
The tagging of elephant seals indicating their origin:

The hurricane of 2006

 

 

Tagged elephant seals

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Observation of tagged elephant seal May 12 , 2013.

 

 

Where do the gulls go at night?

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Glaucous-winged Gull

Glaucous-winged Gull

The Glaucous-winged Gulls (Larus Glauscens) is an almost ever-present fixture of Great Race Islet. This time of year from dawn to dark they can be seen occupying their potential nesting locations, building those nests, and settling territorial disputes with their neighbours. But many nights, when I head out to turn the generator off, I discover a silent and empty island; 300 gulls have simply disappeared, gone to some mysterious location I can only guess at. Do they prefer to sleep on the water? Do they feed on certain foods at night? What’s going on out there at night!

Sunset Soaring

Sunset Soaring

Regardless, I can tell you that Glaucous-winged Gulls are an extraordinary bird, at home on the lightest of breezes or duelling with the 50 knots gusts of an afternoon’s Westerly gale. Only in their ubiquitousness do we loose sight of their beauty and efficiency. They are masters of their realm.

 

 

 

The Hub of Activity

The Hub of Activity

In other news, yesterday there were 10 elephant seals in the yard and on the boatramp! This is a new record for Great Race. There are 4 young males, Bertha the mature female and 5 smaller females. A good-sized male is out on Middle Rock but it doesn’t look big enough to be Misery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Juvenile Bald Eagle

Juvenile Bald Eagle

Many eagles are in the reserve, most juveniles. I watched one hunt a gull this morning and was surprised how the eagle targeted an individual gull and chased it for over a kilometer out to sea before I lost sight of them both.

Race Rocks Now a 1% for the Planet Recipient

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Lester B. Pearson College funds the operation of the Race Rocks Ecological Reserve by raising funds specifically dedicated to the Race Rocks Project. Recently this project has been accepted as a recipient for funding from the 1% for the Planet organization. Below is a statement from their web page . Click on the icon for more information and find out how you may help by persuading members of the business community to contribute.

partner_badge_200x250_white “It’s about businesses recognizing that industry and ecology are inherently connected. It’s about realizing the positive effects of connecting businesses, consumers and nonprofits through philanthropy. And it’s about understanding that the true cost of doing business can be mitigated by a simple pledge to the planet.
Since 2002, 1% for the Planet has inspired members of the business community to contribute 1% of sales to environmental groups around the world. In return, this growing alliance of companies is given the opportunity not only to see their self-worth rise, but their net worth climb as well.”

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Return to the Race Rocks Project Sponsors Page

Ouch, ouch, ouch…

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Update: The young e-seal seems to be doing well. I was just in the water clearing kelp from near the jetty and was able to observe it closely. Elephant seals are extremely tough and resilient; its abrasions are almost fully healed already! The one change in its behaviour I have noticed is a reluctance to come ashore. He has spent the last 48 hours in the shallow water at the foor of the boat ramp.

Animals have accidents just like we do. I happened to witness a tumble this morning when a lounging juvenile elephant seal lost its bearings and fell from the jetty. I was trying to photograph pigeon guillemots, sitting on the rocks across from the seal. When I saw it tumble I ran over and at first glance thought it was dead. It was stuck pretty good and having a tough time rolling over. After 30 seconds of struggle I used my boot to help steady it until it could roll over… I am sure it would have made it on its own but I couldn’t watch it suffer in the position it was in, and it was clearly in some distress. I normally let nature’s dramas play out on their own but the jetty is a man-made object and contributed to the seal’s predicament…. At the moment the unhappy little tyke is recovering in the water and looks like it will be OK, but it has to be hurting. I’ll monitor its recovery. Here are the pictures:

Such a lovely morning until

 

 

 

 

 

Such a lovely morning until-2Such a lovely morning until-3Such a lovely morning until-4Such a lovely morning until-5Such a lovely morning until-7

Temperature Graph for April, 2013

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Whole Month Temperature Graph for April 2013

In April 2013, Environment Canada started recording temperature again at Race Rocks . This was discontinued with the automation of the station in 1997. Other Archived weather may be found  in the “Weather Archive Category”
The links for next month below take you to  graphs of the following months.

Seawater Data April, 2013

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Month: ___APRIL  Year: 2013    Pacific Time Zone

Observer: Pearson  College  UWC
Date Time Sea
Temp.
°C		 Jar
Temp.
°C		 Hydro-  meter   No. Observed Density
1 19:30 7.5 7.6 10,802 245.0000
2 19:30 7.4 7.5 10,802 244.0000
3 20:00 7.6 7.7 10,802 243.0000
4 9:00 7.7 7.8 10,802 242.0000
5 9:00 7.8 7.9 10,802 241.0000
6 13:00 7.7 7.8 10,802 241.0000
7 14:00 7.4 7.5 10,802 244.0000
8 14:00 7.9 8.0 10,802 242.0000
9 14:30 7.7 7.8 10,802 243.0000
10 15:00 7.6 7.7 10,802 245.0000
11 16:00 7.7 7.8 10,802 244.0000
12 18:00 7.2 7.3 10,802 243.0000
13 18:30 7.5 7.7 10,802 242.0000
14 18:00 7.9 8.0 10,802 241.0000
15 19:00 7.4 7.5 10,802 241.0000
16 20:00 7.5 7.6 10,802 240.0000
17 20:15 7.7 7.8 10,802 239.0000
18 9:00 7.6 7.7 10,802 240.0000
19 10:00 7.9 8.0 10,802 239.0000
20 10:00 8.1 8.3 10,802 239.0000
21 10:00 8.2 8.3 10,802 238.0000
22 10:30 8.4 8.5 10,802 237.0000
23 13:30 8.3 8.4 10,802 238.0000
24 15:00 8.5 8.6 10,802 239.0000
25 15:30 8.6 8.7 10,802 243.0000
26 18:00 8.0 8.2 10,802 242.0000
27 19:00 7.8 7.9 10,802 240.0000
28 19:30 7.6 7.0 10,802 239.0000
29 20:00 7.4 7.5 10,802 246.0000
30 20:00 7.4 7.6 10,802 249.0000
Mean*                * 7.8 7.9 241.6333
Recorded by Race Rocks Marine Protected Area Guardian

Bertha is Back

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And more beautiful than ever!

Bertha and gang avoiding the strong Westerlies

Bertha and gang avoiding the strong Westerlies

Bertha's Scar

Bertha’s Scar

This morning 5 elephant seals were on the island, probably seeking some degree of shelter from the 35 knot Westerly wind that has been blowing all day. 4 are juveniles, but in the middle of the pile lies Bertha looking sleek and glossy-brown. She is easily identified by the large scar on her chest and her clouded left eye. Last year she arrived on Great Race on April 15th. I think she has been in the reserve for a little while now but I had not been able to identify her while she rested on Middle Rocks.

 

 

 

Biding their time...

Biding their time…

 

We appear to have about 300 Glaucous-winged Gulls on the island this spring. My estimate is that there are about 25% fewer individuals than last spring, when I counted about 200 breeding pairs. Other animals noted in the past few days have been several Dunlins, a small flock of Barn Swallows, a Whimbrel and what resembled a Solitary Sandpiper. I also saw for the first time a Mink (Mustela Vison) on Great Race; quite a swim for the little athlete!

Erik and I did an oil and filter change on the generator. Hopefully it will be the last one and we will soon be able to afford to install a wind generator to provide the last 20% of energy we require. We run the generator about 2.5 hours a day this time of year.

We had 3 groups of student this month, 2 roofers, 3 techs from Environment Canada, and several college staff. Tour boats and fisherfolk are being seen more regularly in the reserve as the nicer weather begins. We had to ask one group of fishers to pull their lines and leave the Reserve. Infractions are almost always due to ignorance and I am lobbying the government to post a few signs which, unattractive as they may be, could go a long way towards ameliorating those infractions.

Birdyfull Sunset

Birdyfull Sunset