Thursday, August 08, 2002
Good Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max. 15.9 C Min. 10.8 C Reset 13.9 C
MARINE LIFE: The gull chicks are growing rapidly, a lot of wing flapping, unfortunately getting airbourne has it’s risks.Several chicks have been blown into unfriendly territory ie- a neighbouring nest, been attacked and have died. Most of the wounds were around the head and neck. The chicks still unable to fly in any organized way, run but in a panic just get farther from the safety of their nesting area. The adults treat a chick from a neighbouring nest as they would any other threat to the safety of their own young, they chase and peck at it and of course the squawking attracts other gulls and so there is the helpless chick set upon by 20 or so adult gulls. Fortunately most of the time the chick is able to get to neutral territory and by trial and error make it’s way back to the relative safety of it’s own nesting area.Six of the geese were back this morning, one of the adults was missing – we know the missing one is an adult because the five young are still making the ‘peeping’ sounds and do not show the ‘threat’ behavior of neck waving and hissing. Just before 20:00 they flew off towards Pedder Bay, wonder what happened to the ‘missing’ goose? There was another group of California sealions in the area last night just after 2 a.m. – sounded like a larger group, maybe 15 or so judging from the barking
which woke me up but this morning counted only 6 floating about in the kelp.
HUMAN INTERACTION: There were 23 Ecotour boats and 4 pleasure craft in the reserve today.
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:40 PM
TEMPERATURE: Max. 15.9 C Min. 10.8 C Reset 13.9 C
MARINE LIFE: The gull chicks are growing rapidly, a lot of wing flapping, unfortunately getting airbourne has it’s risks.Several chicks have been blown into unfriendly territory ie- a neighbouring nest, been attacked and have died. Most of the wounds were around the head and neck. The chicks still unable to fly in any organized way, run but in a panic just get farther from the safety of their nesting area. The adults treat a chick from a neighbouring nest as they would any other threat to the safety of their own young, they chase and peck at it and of course the squawking attracts other gulls and so there is the helpless chick set upon by 20 or so adult gulls. Fortunately most of the time the chick is able to get to neutral territory and by trial and error make it’s way back to the relative safety of it’s own nesting area.Six of the geese were back this morning, one of the adults was missing – we know the missing one is an adult because the five young are still making the ‘peeping’ sounds and do not show the ‘threat’ behavior of neck waving and hissing. Just before 20:00 they flew off towards Pedder Bay, wonder what happened to the ‘missing’ goose? There was another group of California sealions in the area last night just after 2 a.m. – sounded like a larger group, maybe 15 or so judging from the barking
which woke me up but this morning counted only 6 floating about in the kelp.
HUMAN INTERACTION: There were 23 Ecotour boats and 4 pleasure craft in the reserve today.
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:40 PM