Back to the Rock, and prepared for the Storm

A warm welcome back!

Ecoguardian  Notes:

  • Derek is happy to return to fill the role as Ecoguardian here at Race Rocks, after spending the summer and fall season exploring the Salish Sea as an Ecotourism guide. A special thanks to Jill for leaving the reserve and facilities is such tip top shape!
  • (lack of photos due to no reliable  internet, and running this through a phone hotspot)

Ecological Notes:

  • Dramatic mid week reduction of Sea Lions
  • Working to convince the Sea Lions to not use the ramp area, as pregnant Elephant Seals could be returning in the next month

Visitors:

  • During the Ecoguardian exchange and transfer, Greg delivered firewood and supplies
  • Greg brought out the IT manager to work on the internet and router system.

Facility Work:

  • Attempted repairs to the Desalinator system, realizing more parts were needed.
  • Ongoing troubleshooting of the Internet and wifi system.
  • Main official Weather Station on the tower has been not in operation for a week or so, awaiting outside support for repairs
  • troubleshooting the “local” station at ground level as it lost wind direction sensor during the high wind storm Friday Nov 04.
  • Although the were in good repair earlier in the week, the electric fences now need major repairs, but waiting for the wind to die down after the stormy weekend

DND events:

  • Many detonations on Wednesday Nov 02. Prior to them, I noted 10 to 15 Humpback whales between the reserve and the detonation area. During the blasting, most, if not all, moved west to just beyond Beechy Head. They returned to the area the next day.

Noted Vessel Traffic:

  • Canadian and American EcoTour vessels visiting the reserve, including regular visits from one company doing an educational program with elementary school children.

Weather Events:

  • Sunny and warm, with relatively calm seas, on November 1st for transfer day!
  • Yesterday (Friday, November 05):
    • Sky: Thunder Clouds throughout the day, mixed with high cloud cover
    • Wind: Variable, 15-30knts during the day, rising to 50knts in the evening, gusting to 65knts
    • Sea:  2′ – 3′ chop, larger swells developing as the wind rose in the evening
    • Temperature Low 7oC, High 10oC
  • Today (Saturday, November 05):
    • Sky: Shifting between  clear skies to high overcast with heavy rains and the low pressure system rolls though. Large hail mid afternoon.
    • Wind: W/WSW 25-30 kts
    • Sea:  2-3 foot waves
    • Temperature Low  5oC, High  8o

 

** All wildlife photos taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail! **

 

Weather – Current:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/current.php?id=72

 

Weather – Past:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/station.php?

October 2022 Seawater Data

DAILY SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE AND SALINITY OBSERVATIONS
Institute of Ocean Sciences, North Saanich, B.C., V8L 4B2
Please email monthly to Peter.Chandler@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Station RACE ROCKS
Observer Jillian October
YSI ID: 27 Year: 2022
YSI YSI
Temp Sal
Day Time ºC ppt
1 18:08 10.2 32.6
2 6:55 9.9 32.7
3 8:05 9.9 32.7
4 10:12 9.9 32.8
5 11:20 10.0 32.7
6 17:00 10.5 32.0
7 13:00 10.3 32.6
8 13:45 10.0 32.8
9 14:30 10.0 33.0
10 15:00 10.2 32.8
11 16:00 10.0 32.8
12 10:00 10.0 32.8
13 16:15 10.0 32.6
14 17:20 10.1 32.4
15 18:10 10.3 32.3
16 6:30 9.9 32.6
17 7:25 9.9 32.5
18 9:57 10.2 32.2
19 15:05 10.7 31.8
20 11:30 10.5 32.0
21 14:00 10.4 32.1
22 12:40 10.3 32.2
23 13:15 10.3 32.0
24 13:45 10.1 32.2
25 14:18 9.6 32.7
26 15:00 9.6 32.6
27 16:00 9.5 32.8
28 16:10 9.5 32.9
29 16:50 9.5 32.8
30 5:30 9.4 32.9
31 6:30 9.2 33.1

In Memoriam : Pam Birley

For many years we had the privilege of having many contributions to the Race Rocks website by Pam Birley of Leicestershire, England. Pam was a regular observer on our remote-controlled cameras, and she made the most observations of any outside viewer on the website. For 10 years, from 2004 to 2013, she produced a monthly set of images, which we consider to be  a most valuable baseline record of the animal life at the ecological reserve during those years,  https://racerocks.ca/pam-birleys-images-of-race-rocks-2004-2013/

Clicking on   https://racerocks.ca/?s=Pam+Birley&submit=Search illustrates how prolific Pam was in reporting on unique as well as regular events at Race Rocks Ecological Reserve.  In 2005 and 2008  we were able to accompany Pam and her husband Dennis on trips to Race Rocks. She loved keeping track of activities of the sea birds and marine mammals and several times she was the first to report the birth of an elephant seal pup early in the year. We also mused that if a shingle was loose on a roof of one of the buildings, Pam would be the first to let us know. 

We are so sad to hear recently of her passing and we will miss her contributions greatly 

Orcas Feeding and Humpback Whales

From the moment light touched the surface of the ocean there seemed to be excitement around me. 6:55 I stood on the end of the jetty finishing up our daily salinity and temperature readings, I looked out just to see the brief moment a pod of Orca passed through the reserve and as I headed up to the house the spray of a humpback whale arose in the east. A few hours later I found myself captivated for over an hour as the T109A pod hunted and fed upon, likely a young seal that tended to be hidden within the north kelp bed to which the orca swam, jumped, herded and slapped their tails in. While hundreds of nervous sea lions popped in and out of the nearby rocks worriedly. As the meal ended they slowly made their way west out of the reserve, whilst 4 humpback whales passed back and forth through the south of Race Rocks Ecological reserve.

 

Weather:

    • Sky: Clear
    • Wind: East 5kts
    • Sea: Calm
    • Visibility: 10 nautical miles due to haze from smoke

Weekly Census:

  • Steller/Northern sea lions: 768
  • Female Stellar/Norther sea lion: 2
  • California sea lion: 1257
  • Female California Sea lion: 1
  • Harbour seals: 53
  • Black oystercatchers: 14
  • Cormorants: 127
  • Glaucous-winged gulls: 334
  • Juveniles Glaucous-winged gulls on Great Race Rock: 5
  • California Gull: 48
  • Hermanns Gull: 5
  • Harlequin Duck: 1
  • Black turnstones: 41
  • Fox Sparrow: 4
  • Surfbirds: 2
  • Raven: 1
  • Elephant Seal (female): 2
  • Humpback Whale: 4
  • Orca (T109As): 6

Visitors:

  • Students from Marine Sciences at Pearson College visited throughout the week.
  • Greg and Cedric delivered water along with another.
  • Dan from IT with another, worked on our internet connections (Sept.30)

Facility Work:

  • Cleaned solar panels
  • Cleaned windows
  • Electric fence repairs has become 3 times a day.
  • Rewired sections of electric fence
  • Built some bracing for electric fence posts
  • Ran Generator for a few hours to top up batteries.
  • Treated stairs
  • Removed 2 Flashers that had been entangled on sea lions and got stuck in rocks.

Vessel Traffic:

  • Many Canadian and American ecotour boats have been nearby and heading through the waters of the ecological reserve. Cruise ships are going by daily.
  • Many small recreation fishing vessels drift through observing wildlife.

 

September 2022 Seawater Data

DAILY SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE AND SALINITY OBSERVATIONS
Institute of Ocean Sciences, North Saanich, B.C., V8L 4B2
Please email monthly to Peter.Chandler@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Station RACE ROCKS
Observer Jillian September
YSI ID: 27 Year: 2022
YSI YSI
Temp Sal
Day Time ºC ppt
1 17:50 11.1 32.0
2 6:30 10.6 32.0
3 7:28 10.8 31.9
4 8:30 11.1 31.8
5 9:50 11.1 31.7
6 11:24 11.2 31.9
7 12:30 10.8 32.2
8 13:25 10.4 32.6
9 14:25 10.8 32.3
10 14:59 10.2 32.8
11 15:39 10.6 32.7
12 16:15 10.6 32.4
13 16:55 10.6 32.4
14 17:25 10.3 32.5
15 18:04 10.4 32.4
16 6:35 10.5 32.1
17 7:20 10.3 32.4
18 8:30 10.5 32.2
19 10:45 11.2 31.7
20 11:59 11.2 31.6
21 12:28 11.4 31.6
22 13:25 11.3 31.4
23 14:50 11.7 31.5
24 14:15 11.5 31.6
25 14:45 11.6 31.7
26 15:08 11.1 31.9
27 15:20 10.7 32.2
28 16:05 10.1 32.6
29 16:20 10.4 32.5
30 17:15 10.1 32.9

Swooping Swallows – September 17th

At first light Barn swallows swooped around out the front window but disappeared by afternoon. Bate balls of herring have become more and more prevalent in and around the reserve creating great gull frenzies and bring more whales in and around the reserve. Orca cruise by every few days and Humpbacks are spotted every day it seems. I’ve been busy working on painting restoration projects before the rainy season, scrapping, priming and painting metal doors around the reserve. Now that its cooled the thorny invasive plants have dried and I’ve began the process of pulling them. Fleas brought here upon the sea lions infest the thorns and its necessary to tuck pants into socks, wear big rubber boots and try to keep gloves tightly sealed in cuff of jacket. The sea lions at the Jetty have become more and more and push through the electric fence a few times a day. I have slowly been working my way around the fence stacking rocks upon the bases of the posts which has been helping with the damages and constant knocking over.

Weather:

    • Sky: Overcast to partly sunny in afternoon
    • Wind: West 3kts
    • Sea: Calm
    • Visibility: 10 nautical miles in morning, to 15 in afternoon

Weekly Census:

  • Steller/Northern sea lions: 508  (Most of which can be viewed on Middle Rock.)
  • Female Stellar/Norther sea lion: 2
  • California sea lion: 913
  • Female California Sea lion: 1
  • Harbour seals: 183
  • Black oystercatchers: 9
  • Cormorants: 44
  • Glaucous-winged gulls: 654
  • Juveniles Glaucous-winged gulls on Great Race Rock:39
  • California Gull: 57
  • Sanderling: 1
  • Sandpiper: 1
  • Black turnstones: 21
  • Fox Sparrow: 19
  • Barn Swallow: 6
  • Humpback Whale:2

Visitors:

  • 16 Pearson College WCA students and 2 teachers visited on September 14th
  • Greg and Cedric
  • Dan from IT worked on our internet connections and upgrades on September 15th
  • Andrew runs the Pearson College Social Media and Visitor Corey toured September 1th

Facility Work:

  • Cleaned solar panels
  • Cleaned windows
  • Electric fence repairs has become 3 times a day.
  • Ran Generator for a few hours to top up batteries.
  • Water delivery
  • Scrapped and primed another metal door for painting
  • Pulled invasive species

Vessel Traffic:

  • Many Canadian and American ecotour boats have been nearby and heading through the waters of the ecological reserve. Cruise ships are going by daily.
  • Spill boat drifted by through Middle channel
  • Many small recreation fishing vessels drift through observing wildlife.
  • Beautiful red sailboat came through middle channel

 

Mount Baker clearly visible at sunrise.

A stellar (Northern) sea lion and Glaucous winged gull at sunrise.

California Sea lions waking at sunrise.

6 Barn Swallows swooped around at first light.

Barn Swallow sitting on the electric fence at the down ramp to the jetty.

One of the few Juvenile Glaucous winged gull that remain.

A darker coloured stellar sea lion casually scratching his cheek.

Harbour seal with rising tide.

Roaring stellar sea lion.

Glaucous winged gull.

Sanderling hopping in amongst the sleeping sea lions.

Oyster catchers are hard to spot if not for their red beaks.

California sea lion drying off below the lighthouse.

California sea lions sleeping

Stellar sea lions, playing and showing dominance over their favourite lounging spots.

Stellar sea lions swarm Middle Rock.

Stellar sea lions swarming Middle Rock.

Gulls on a herring ball.

Harbour seals and Oyster catchers.

Glaucous winged gulls atop the Ecoguardian’s residents.

Fox Sparrow

California sea lion swimming by the jetty.

California sea lions sleeping under the crane deck.

Mouth scar on a California sea lion.

Humpback whale near west rocks.

Rafting California sea lion in the bull kelp.

Black turnstone.

Interesting scar pattern on the back of a California sea lion.

Sandpiper hard to spot in the old feathers and crisp grass.

Stellar sea lion jumping into the water.

Incredible orca bite scar on a California sea lion.

An evening tour boat passing through the reserve.

Another of the evening tour vessels passing through the reserve at sunset.

California sea lion at sunset.

A couple of the youngest juvenile glaucous winged gulls.

A California sea lion climbs the north shore rocks of Great Race.

California sea lions tucked in on the grass behind the boat shed.

Spill recovery vessel drifts through Middle channel

Mares tail clouds and california sea lions on the heli pad.

Hundreds of California sea lions and Stellar sea lions snuggle up in the evening.

Sunset lighthouse.

 

September 9th – Southern Smoke

With more and more sea lions arriving the electric fence repairs are becoming more frequent and more damaging. Each morning on average at least 2 sections are broken. Often many blocks/ posts are knocked over and simply need to be stood back up and repositioned. Topped up the batteries with our diesel generator this morning while wandering the reserve to observe and do our weekly animal census. Late morning I finished off my battery door and metal box repurposing project with a final coat of marine enamel paint.

In the afternoon Greg and Cedric stopped in with a full load of diesel fuel and our friend to visit for the weekend.

Weather:

    • Sky: Clear with smoke from Manning Park fire
    • Wind: SE 10 kts
    • Sea: Slight ripple
    • Visibility: 15 nautical miles in morning, dropped to 10 due to smoke

Weekly Census (observed on Sept. 3rd):

  • Male Elephant Seal: 1
  • Sea otter: 1
  • Steller/Northern sea lions: 349
  • Female Stellar/Norther sea lion: 1
  • California sea lion: 896
  • Female California Sea lion: 2
  • Harbour seals: 280
  • Black oystercatchers: 4
  • Cormorants: 36
  • Glaucous-winged gulls: 1150
  • Juveniles Glaucous-winged gulls on Great Race Rock:49
  • California Gull: 48
  • Harlequin Duck: 1
  • Sanderling: 1
  • Sandpiper: 1
  • Surfbirds: 2
  • Black turnstones: 20
  • Fox Sparrow: 11

Visitors:

  • Greg and Cedric dropped off a friend for the weekend while delivering diesel fuel.

Facility Work:

  • Cleaned solar panels
  • Electric fence repairs has become 3 times a day.
  • Ran Generator for a few hours to top up batteries.
  • Fuel Delivery and transfer
  • Finished door and metal box repurposing project.

Vessel Traffic:

  • Canadian and American ecotour boats regularly come through the reserve.
  • A recreation fishing boat toured through the north viewing the wildlife.
  • Spill response boats, 1 to the north of north rocks, 1 through main channel.

 

Smoke rolling in from the south east, Mount Baker can only just be scene.

Morning smoke creates unique sunrise colours, as our flag flies at half mast in honour of         Queen Elizabeth II

Sleeping California Sea Lion on the northern rocks of Great Race rock.

Camouflaged Black Turnstone in the low tide muscles.

Female Stellar sea lion on South shore of Great Race Rock.

Sanderling wandering among the sleeping california sea lions.

Fox Sparrow hops along a path as more flit by.

California sea lions sleeping under the deck by the crane.

Glaucous winged gulls at sunset.

California sea lions and a glaucous winged gull at sunset.

September 3rd Animal Census

Since arriving each day more and more sea lions arrive and less birds return. Observing whales of varying types and numbers is a daily occurance, lately to the north for Orca and to the south/ south west for the Humpback and A lone Blue whale swam by from north to south along the west shore.

Weather:

    • Sky: Clear with Fog to the South/South East
    • Wind: SW 16 kts
    • Sea: Slight ripple
    • Visibility: 5 nautical miles to North, less than 1 to South

Weekly Census (observed on Sept. 3rd):

  • Male Elephant Seal: 1
  • Steller/Northern sea lions: 278
  • Female Stellar/Norther sea lion: 1
  • California sea lion: 499
  • Harbour seals: 99
  • Humpback Whale: 1
  • Blue Whale: 1
  • Orca: 2
  • Bald eagles: 1
  • Black oystercatchers: 5
  • Cormorants: 39
  • Glaucous-winged gulls: 646
  • Juveniles Glaucous-winged gulls:151
  • California Gull: 218
  • Harlequin Duck: 1
  • Sanderling: 1
  • Sandpiper: 1
  • Surfbirds: 5
  • Black turnstones: 22

Visitors:

  • No visitors

Facility Work:

  • Cleaned windows
  • Electric fence repairs
  • Ryan tinkered in the workshop

Vessel Traffic:

  • Canadian and American ecotour boats regularly come through the reserve as well can be scene just outside of the reserve observing the different whales that have been in the area.

 

Juvenile Glaucous winged gull.

Black Turnstones can often be spotted on the east banks of Great Race.

The lone female Steller/ Northern sea lion lounging on the southern bank of Great Race.

Harbour Seal basking at low tide.

Stellar/ Northern sea lions snuggled up.

A couple Harbour Seals take advantage of low tide as a curious California sea lion swims past.

California Sea lions playing in the south channel.

California Sea lions playing in the south channel.

 

August 2022 Seawater Data

DAILY SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE AND SALINITY OBSERVATIONS
Institute of Ocean Sciences, North Saanich, B.C., V8L 4B2
Please email monthly to Peter.Chandler@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Station RACE ROCKS
Observer Nick/Ann August
YSI ID: 27 Year: 2022
YSI YSI
Temp Sal
Day Time ºC ppt
1 17:03 10.7 31.6
2 17:35 10.8 31.7
3 18:14 11.5 31.3
4 19:01 11.4 31.2
5 8:06 10.8 31.5
6 9:03 11.2 30.9
7 10:05 11.3 30.8
8 11:08 12.0 30.5
9 12:10 11.8 30.3
10 13:12 11.0 31.2
11 14:22 10.6 31.6
12 15:22 10.1 32.2
13 16:20 10.4 32.2
14 16:53 10.6 32.1
15 17:33 10.5 32.3
16 18:12 10.5 32.2
17 18:51 11.0 32.1
18 7:25 10.2 32.2
19 8:22 10.6 32.0
20 9:48 11.0 31.9
21 11:25 11.3 31.7
22 12:24 11.4 31.4
23 13:12 11.4 31.5 H=230-5=225 Metal thermometer=12.2 Glass thermometer=12.3
24 13:56 11.4 31.4
25 14:34 11.2 31.6
26 15:07 11.2 31.7
27 16:25 10.9 32.0
28 17:00 11.0 32.0
29 16:20 11.3 32.0
30 16:35 11.2 32.0
31 17:02 11.3 31.9

August 24 and 25

Aside

On Wednesday, a Coast Guard Helicopter arrived with a repair crew to deal with the foghorn.  While the Glaucous-winged Gulls around the helipad were disrupted temporarily, and many California Gulls on the Middle Islands took to the air, most were back in their places within a few minutes. The marine mammals from harbour seals to elephant seals were relatively unaffected, with the exception of several Steller’s sea lions which briefly moved from the jetty area.  They returned within 10 minutes of the helicopter’s departure. Although the foghorn was given a clean bill of health in the good weather, it failed again on Thursday when the fog lasted several hours. The Coast Guard was notified.

Several branded sea lions are being seen.

A Common Raven (not common on Race Rocks) flew over the island around noon.

Census numbers show changes in the birds that have been breeding here. Most of the PIGU have moved on now that young have fledged. Likewise, GWGU numbers are dropping as young gulls take to the air.

Harbour seals and shorebirds have been adjusting to increasing presence of sea lions, with the former loafing more on the outer islets, and the shorebirds bunching up more against the rocks on the east of the island rather than on the beach.

This will be my last post as relief ecoguardian this year. It’s been a pleasure to be here again amongst the wildlife. I hope my personal project–renewal of the compost–will be appreciated by the ecoguardians who follow. For a more personal and detailed look at life as a relief ecoguardian, please check out my blog at http://nightingaleadventures.blogspot.ca

Ecological Notes:

  • The young elephant seals appear to have moved on. The alpha male continues and has started his molt, moving between the Science Building for resting and the jetty for relief.
  • Passerines seen in the last two days were Brown-headed Cowbird and Common Raven.
  • Branded Steller’s sea lions (882R, 998E, 431Y, and 486Y) and 1 branded California sea lion (V29) were seen during census on Wednesday.  882R and a new California sea lion (U958) were seen on Thursday. The latter also visited Race Rocks in 2020.
  • Bird action on the water over the last two days, with many birds feeding on the tide lines.
  • 2 California sea lions breached the fences on Thursday Both were escorted back to the other side of the fences.
  • See photos below for more ecological sightings.

Census (Wednesday, August 24):

Mammals

  • Elephant seal: 1 (1 adult male)
  • Steller sea lion: 210 (including branded (882R, 998E, 431Y, and 486Y)
  • California sea lion: 343 (including branded V27)
  • Harbour seal: 237
  • Sea Otter: 1
  • Harbour porpoise: 14 (to the west of the reserve)

Birds

  • Black oystercatcher: 5 (4 adults 1 chick )
  • Killdeer 1
  • Black Turnstone: 85
  • Surfbird: 10
  • Common Murre: 300, plus another 550 beyond the reserve
  • Pigeon Guillemot: 28
  • Rhinoceros Auklet: 8
  • Heermann’s Gull: 2
  • California Gulls: 800, plus another 500 beyond the reserve
  • Glaucous-winged Gulls: 343 adults 141 chicks
  • Pelagic Cormorant: 1
  • Brandt’s Cormorant: 11
  • Common Raven: 1
  • Brown-headed Cowbird: 1

Weather:

  • Yesterday (Wednesday, August 24):
    • Sky: Brief period of fog in the morning, then clear
    • Wind: Variable calm-25 kts
    • Sea: rippled to 2′ chop
    • Temperature Low 12oC, High 18oC
  • Today (Thursday, August 25):
    • Sky: Foggy until mid-afternoon, clear and sunny to overcast
    • Wind: W/WSW 16-37 kts
    • Sea:  light chop turning to high waves by evening
    • Temperature Low  12oC, High  20oC

Facility Work:

  • Solar panels cleaned daily. Windows washed.
  • Fence line visually inspected and several posts put back into place.

Vessel Traffic:

  • Many Canadian ecotour boats have been nearby and heading through the waters of the ecological reserve. Cruise ships are going through daily.

Here are photo highlights from the past two days. Click on the photos for larger views and captions.

431Y remains at Race Rocks

486Y still on Race Rocks

882R branded at Rogue Reef, OR in 2011

998R still on site

Sea Otter is back in the kelp off the east side of Race Rocks.

Foghorn repair crew landing

Coast Guard crew cleaning their solar panels.

Alpha male elephant seal beginning his annual molt.

Steller’s sea lions

California Gulls circling during helicopter approach

Marine mammals were unperturbed by the helicopter.

Adult and some juvenile gulls departing as helicopter landed.

Youngsters gathered into creches when the adults left due to helicopter landing

It didn’t take long for the gulls to resume normal activities.

Alpha male elephant seal beginning his annual molt.

Alpha male elephant seal beginning his annual molt.

Alpha male elephant seal beginning his annual molt.

Brown-headed Cowbird

U958 was branded in Astoria, OR in 2015 and was previously seen at Race Rocks in 2020.

Surfbird molting from its breeding plumage.

Neck wound caused by entanglement.

Fence breach!

California sea lion branded at San Miguel Island, California in 2010.