Tag Archives: animal census

Animal Census

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Birds

  • Harlequin duck                                  7
  • Bald eagle adult                                2
  • Bald eagle juvenile                           5
  • Turnstones                                        11
  • Killdeer                                               2
  • Gulls                                                   64     
  • Cormorants                                        42
  • Pigeon Guillemots                             73
  • Oyster catcher                                     8
  • Canadian goose                                 10
  • Surf Birds                                             6

 

Mammals

  • Steller sea lion                             23
  • Harbour seal                                 47
  • California sea lion                        18
  • Elephant seal sub adult male      3
  • Elephant seal adult female          3
  • Elephant seal pups(2F 1M)          3

Animal Census

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Help with the survey from WestCoast Adventure College Students

Birds

  • Harlequin duck                                    18
  • Dunlin                                                    6
  • Bald eagle adult                                   2
  • Bald eagle juvenile                              6
  • Turnstones                                          28
  • Gulls                                                   195
  • Cormorants                                          77
  • Pigeon Guillemots                            105
  • Oyster catcher                                       8
  • Canadian goose                                   12
  • Raven                                                      2

Mammals

  • Steller sea lion                             34
  • Harbour seal                                31
  • California sea lion                       22
  • Elephant seal male                      1 sub adult
  • Elephant seal female                   2
  • Elephant seal pup                        3 – 2 females,1 male
  • Sea otter                                       1 reported to me by Eco-Tourism Vessel
  • Animal Tracking and Injuries:     1 tagged Elephant Seal – Green #K646

Special Guest Animal Census

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Thank you to Andrew Jacobs and his associate for this onsite survey conducted on March 8 …..

It shows the difficulty in Gull ID’s, and why I normally report ### – “Gulls”

 

Total – Species – Stationary (on water or rocks staying in area) Flying (Flying around or past the area)

8 Canada Goose : 8 stationary

25 Harlequin Duck : 25 stationary

17 Black Oystercatcher : 17 stationary

64 Black Turnstone : 9 flying 53 stationary

17 Surfbird : 17 stationary

8 Dunlin : 4 Stationary 4 flying

14 Rock Sandpiper : 14 stationary

7 Common Murre : 7 flying

35 Pigeon Guillemot : 9 stationary 24 flying

1 Marbled Murrelet : 1 stationary

19 Short-billed Gull : 5 immature flying 14 adult flying

4 Western Gull : 2 adult stationary 2 immature stationary

2 California Gull : 1 adult stationary 1 adult flying

2 Herring Gull (American) : 1 immature flying 1 immature stationary

9 Iceland Gull (Thayer’s) : 4 adults stationary 1 adult flying 4 immature stationary

18 Glaucous-winged Gull : 3 adults stationary 3 adults flying 8 immature stationary 4 immature flying

78 Western x Glaucous-winged Gull : 10 adult flying 57 adult stationary 6 immature stationary 5 immature flying

1 Herring x Glaucous-winged Gull : 1 immature stationary

1 Red-throated Loon : 1 flying

121 Brandt’s Cormorant : 20 flying 101 stationary

53 Pelagic Cormorant : 6 flying 47 stationary

9 Double-crested Cormorant : 8 stationary 1 flying

13 Bald Eagle : 1 adult stationary 5 immature stationary 7 immature flying

2 Common Raven : 2 stationary

Harbour seal 23

California sealion 18

Steller’s sealion 19

Elephant Seal Pups 3

Sea Otter 1 (reported by Eco-Tourism Vessel)

Animal Census

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Birds

  • Harlequin duck            14
  • Bald eagle adult             7
  • Bald eagle juvenile        14
  • Turnstones                     28
  • Dunlin                              14
  • Gulls                                38
  • Cormorants                    130
  • Oyster catcher                 6
  • Canadian goose              14
  • Ravens                             2
  • Green-winged Teal          23

 

Mammals

  • Steller sea lion                      38
  • Harbour seal                          19
  • California sea lion                45
  • Elephant seal female            1 coming and going
  • Elephant seal pup                 3
  • Sea Otter                                1

 

Animal Census

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Birds

  • Harlequin duck             12
  • Bald eagle adult            6
  • Bald eagle juvenile        8
  • Turnstones                     40
  • Dunlin                              9
  • Gulls                                132
  • Cormorants                     78
  • Oyster catcher                 8
  • Canadian goose              14
  • Ravens                              2

 

Mammals

  • Steller sea lion                      24
  • Harbour seal                          27
  • California sea lion                 84
  • Elephant seal female            1
  • Elephant seal pup                 3

 

Animal Tracking and Injuries:

  •  Currently 2 California Sea Lions dragging the hind section, apparent broken backs. They are both healed and at reasonable weight.

Census

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  • Bald eagle adult                     4
  • Bald eagle juvenile                  12
  • Black Turnstones                 38
  • Surfbirds                                 10
  • Black Oyster Catchers           22
  • Gulls (mostly Iceland)            53
  • Cormorants                             65
  • Canadian goose                    10
  • Ravens                                      2

Mammals

  • Steller sea lion                               78 (mix of large, medium, and small)
  • Harbour seal                                     8
  • California sea lion                           52
  • Female Elephant Seal  adult            2
  • Newborn Elephant Seal (Dec 26)     1
  • Newborn Elephant Seal (Jan 13)     1

Animal Census

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  • Bald eagle adult                       6
  • Bald eagle juvenile                  8
  • Black Turnstones                   28
  • Surfbirds                                 28
  • Black Oyster Catchers           42
  • Gulls (mostly Iceland)            62
  • Cormorants                             87
  • Canadian goose                       8
  • Ravens                                      2

Mammals

  • Steller sea lion                                98 (mix of large, medium, and small)
  • Harbour seal                                    13
  • California sea lion                           45
  • Male Elephant Seal (yearling?)       1
  • Female Elephant Seal  adult            2
  • Newborn Elephant Seal (Dec 26)     1

 

Census

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  • Bald eagle adult                         8
  • Bald eagle juvenile                   10
  • Black Turnstones                     42
  • Brown Turnstones                    53
  • Surfbirds                                    28
  • Black Oyster Catchers             132 (in very large groupings)
  • Gulls                                           128
  • Cormorants                                175
  • Canadian goose                         8
  • Ravens                                        4

Mammals

  • Steller sea lion                        168 (mix of large, medium, and small)
  • Harbour seal                              23
  • California sea lion                      87
  • Male Elephant Seal                      0
  • Female Elephant Seal  adult       1
  • Newborn Elephant Seal (Dec 26)   1

Census

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December 08, 2022

  • Bald eagle adult                          5
  • Bald eagle juvenile                     4
  • Black Turnstones                       14
  • Black Oyster Catchers                6
  • Gulls, Glaucous and Western    56
  • Cormorants                                  64
  • Canadian goose                          14
  • Crows/ Ravens(?)                        4
  • Surf Scoters                                  9

Mammals

  • Steller sea lion                          190
  • Harbour seal                                42
  • California sea lion                      124
  • Male Elephant Seal                      0
  • Female Elephant Seal  adult       1
  • Female Elephant Seal yearling   1
    • tag X188
  • Sea Otter                                      1

Several Humpback Whales visible from the reserve,occasionally venturing in

July 13 and 14 – Weekly Census

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Ecological Notes:

  • The sea lion population is growing. For the past few days there have been 18 Steller sea lions hauled out on Middle Rocks. That is up from four sea lions one week ago. One of the sea lions has a brand. It appears to say 620R, although the researcher I contacted in Oregon mentioned it is what they call a bad brand and he was unable to determine the brand from the photos I sent. I will keep a look out for the sea lion and see if I can get a better view. The researcher will check his records to see if he can identify the sea lion and be able to record the resighting.
  • The super moon on Wednesday night rose in the southeast at 10:00pm. It was a big bright orange orb that looked more like the rising sun, than the moon.
  • Today’s extremely low tide of -0.2m or -0.7′ was at 10:13am. The overnight high tide at 00:55am was 3.0m or 9.8′. It is apparently the lowest tide in a decade. I was fascinated to see the extended edge of the water all around the many islands. I looked at the exposed intertidal zone from a distance and up on the jetty, so as not to disturb the many delicate species.
  • See the photo gallery below for more ecological happenings from the past two days.

Weekly Census Results from July 13:

  • Steller/Northern sea lions: 18
  • Sea otter: 1
  • Harbour seals: 133
  • Bald eagles: 2 (1 juvenile and 1 adult)
  • Canada geese: 9 (5 adults, 4 goslings)
  • Black oystercatchers: 11 (8 adults, 3 chicks)
  • Cormorant: 4
  • Glaucous-winged gulls nesting on the main island: 247
  • Glaucous-winged gull chicks: approximately 200 (it is hard to get an exact number due to their camouflage in the grass and hiding under their parents)
  • Gulls not nesting (some glaucous-winged and some other species) on the south end of the main island and outer islands: 96
  • Pigeon guillemots: 142
  • Black turnstones: 2
  • Western sandpiper: 2

Weather:

  • Yesterday (July 13):
    • Sky: Part Cloudy
    • Wind: W 12-32 kts
    • Sea: rippled, then up to 3′ waves in afternoon and evening
    • Temperature Low 12oC, High 16oC
  • Today (July 14):
    • Sky: Part Cloudy
    • Wind: W 15-27 kts
    • Sea: rippled, then up to 2′ chop in afternoon
    • Temperature Low 11oC, High 13oC

Visitors:

  • No visitors

Facility Work:

  • Scrubbed and squeegeed solar panels, routine tidying and checking infrastructure around the island.

Vessel Traffic:

  • Many Canadian and American ecotour boats have been nearby and heading through the waters of the ecological reserve.

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