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:
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- 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.