Tag Archives: Black Oystercatcher

PC field lab

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Saturday, May 04, 2002
Good Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max. 9.0 C  Min. 6.1 C  Reset 7.7 C
MARINE LIFE: 1 mature bald eagle in the reserve today, still 3 geese.
HUMAN INTERACTION: 4 ecotour boats ,2 U.S. pleasure craft in reserve today.
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:06 PM
Good Morning
WEATHER: Sky Overcast Vis 15 Miles  Wind West 20 G 30 Knots Sea 4 Foot Moderate — Low South
West Swell
posted by Carol or Mike S at 5:51 AM]
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Friday, May 03, 2002
Good Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max. 11.0 C  Min. 5.3C Reset 8.8 C Rain 0.7 mm
MARINE LIFE: 2 mature, 1 juvenile bald eagles. 3 geese. The Gulls,Pigeon Guillamots and Oyster Catchers are all busy in the nesting areas -found 3 more Oyster Catcher nests with eggs.
HUMAN INTERACTION: 3 ecotour boats, 2 pleasure craft. The Second Nature in just before noon with Garry, Laura and students for field lab.
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:29 PM
Good Morning
WEATHER: Sky Clear  Vis. 15 Miles  Wind Calm  Sea Rippled
posted by Carol or Mike S at 5:56 AM

Black Oyster Catchers,always the first to lay,

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Thursday, May 02, 2002
Good Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max. 10.1 C Min. 7.1 C Reset 7.3 C
MARINE LIFE: 3 bald eagles, 1 juvenile- 3 geese still here.The birds are all actively courting,mating, nest building and in the case of the Black Oyster Catchers,always the first to lay,incubating and protecting their eggs from crows and otters. Now we stay as far away from nesting areas as necessary to prevent stressing the birds.If the birds are off the nests too long the eggs will cool down in the 35+ knt. winds.
HUMAN INTERACTION: The 2nd Nature in just before noon with Garry,Laura,Sylvia and students for field lab. Another successful but tricky low tide landing! The mornings start out somewhat promising then the wind picks up and even with the sun never gets much over 10 C
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:25 PM

 

Good Morning
WEATHER: Sky Cloudy  Vis 15 Miles Wind West 15 Knots  Sea 1 -2 Foot Chop
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:07 AM

one nest of Black Oyster Catcher eggs.

Posted on by
Thursday, April 25, 2002
Good Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max. 11.9 ºC »» Min. 4.7 ºC »» Reset 9.0 ºC
MARINE LIFE: 3 Bald Eagles -1 juvenile.The eagles left the reserve just after 17:00. We are back to 3 geese again,I’m surprised they haven’t all left for ‘greener pastures’ now that the puddles they enjoyed so much have dried up but for a few slimy inches.Still only the one nest of Black Oyster Catcher eggs.
HUMAN INTERACTION: 5 Ecotour boats, 4 Pleasure craft. 2 of the pleasure craft were fishing in the reserve just after 13:00 but moved on with apologies after being advised of the MPA status. Picked up a drifting commercial crab trap off the east shore of Gr. Race and brought it in for disposal. This afternoon 2 College boats were in with Garry,Laura and students for a dive also Angus with Guests.
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:22 PM
Good Morning
WEATHER: Sky Clear »» Vis. 15 Miles »» Wind North 3 Knots »» Sea Rippled
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:26 AM

2 Black Oyster Catcher nests,

Posted on by
Tuesday, April 23, 2002
Good Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max. 11.0 ºC »» Min. 7.1 ºC »» Reset 8.8 ºC »» Rain 0.4 mm
MARINE LIFE: 1 mature Bald Eagle. The gulls kept the big bird moving from rock to rock. Every time the eagle settled down the gulls, in groups of 5 or 6 heckled it until it flew off to another spot.Finally just after 14:00 the eagle took off towards Whirl Bay. Still 3 Geese, the loner follows the pair all around the island but if he gets any closer than 5 metres or so is driven back with much honking and neck waving.Checking the area just above the high tide line turned up 2 Black Oyster Catcher nests, which are really just depressions lined with pebbles and bits of shells and are about 20 cm across. The nest by the East Bay has 3 eggs but the nest on the north side just east of the winch house is empty -will check again tomorrow.
HUMAN INTERACTION: 5 Ecotour boats and 1 Pleasure craft through the reserve today.
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:15 PM
Good Morning
WEATHER: Sky Clear »» Vis. 15 Miles »» Wind West 9 Knots »» Sea Rippled
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:21 AM

gulls are getting territorial and aggressive towards the eagles

Posted on by
Saturday, April 27, 2002
Good Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max. 12.1 ºC »» Min. 5.9 ºC »» Reset 10.1 ºC »» Rain 0.8 mm
MARINE LIFE: 3 mature and 2 juvenile bald eagles today which were kept moving by the gulls and Oyster Catchers.Now that nesting season is getting closer the gulls are getting territorial and aggressive towards the eagles.One of the mature eagles landed by the chopper pad and was immediately the target of 20 or so gulls and a pair of very daring Oyster Catchers.The big bird ducked and snapped it’s beak as the smaller birds dove at it time and time again,finally the eagle flew off to West Race followed by 10 or so gulls which circled the eagle a couple of times then returned to Gr. Race and things settled down until another eagles flew overhead.No other eagles landed as they were headed off as soon as they flew near.
HUMAN INTERACTION: we had 29 ecotour boats and 5 pleasure craft through the reserve today. There was a small pod of Orcas reported in the area of Albert Head and William Head and although it is too far to see the whales one could not miss the myriad of boats which accompanied, followed, pursued these whales for hours.The great, gleaming white cruise ship we could see docked in Victoria no doubt carried many tourists who enjoyed a ‘whale watching tour,evidently this was the first of 21 visits by the liner- the season is just beginning but I am not ready for it.
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:03 PM
Good Morning
WEATHER: Sky Part Cloudy »» Vis. 15 Miles »» Wind North West 3 Knots »» Sea Rippled
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:07 AM

7 pairs of Black Oyster Catchers

Posted on by
Sunday, April 21, 2002
Good Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max. 11.1 ºC »» in. 7.3 ºC »» Reset 8.7 ºC
MARINE LIFE: 2 mature bald eagles today that spent most of the time on the southeast rocks making several flights around Gr. Race at twilight.Still 3 geese. Observed 7 pairs of Black Oyster Catchers spending considerable time in and around nesting areas but no eggs found as of yet.
HUMAN INTERACTION: 3 Ecotour boats and 5 pleasure craft through the reserve. 1 boat with divers off West Race and just off the north shore of Gr. Race. The weather deteriorated in the afternoon with the wind increasing to 30 knts. from the west,so far it has been a cool windy spring.
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:09 PM
Good Morning
WEATHER:Sky Cloudy »»Vis. 15 Miles »» Wind West 19 Knots »» Sea 2 – 3 Foot Chop
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:45 AM

The Oyster Catchers have started mating

Posted on by
Wednesday, April 10, 2002
Good Evening
WEATHER: Max 11ºC »» Min 7.1ºC »»Reset 8.9ºC»» Rain 1.0 mm
MARINE LIFE: No Eagles today. We now have 3 pair of geese. 3 pair of Harlequin Ducks spent the afternoon in the east bay. The Oyster Catchers have started mating and so we will watch out for eggs.
HUMAN INTERACTION: 4 ecotour boats today. The 2nd Nature made 3 trips with fuel this morning and the station boat made a trip to Pedder Bay and back this afternoon.
:
posted by Carol or Mike S at 7:23 PM
Good Morning
WEATHER: Sky Overcast »» Vis 15 Miles »» Wind West 3 Knots »» Sea Rippled
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:31 AM

increasing bird activity

Posted on by
Thursday, April 04, 2002
Good Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max. 12.1 ºC »» Min. 4.7 ºC »» Reset 10.0 ºC
MARINE LIFE: 2 BaldEaglies, 1 Mature, 1 Pair of Geese You can hear on Cameras # 1 & 3, the increasing bird activity especially the Gulls & Oyster Catchers particularly early morning and late evening.
HUMAN INTERACACTION: 09:30 Goast Guard chopper in with worker to inspect inside of tower to see how Starlings are getting inside. Chopper back at 11:30 to pick up worker for return to Victoria base. 4 Ecotour boats, 5 pleasure craft through M.P.A. Collage bout ( Chris ) to Race Rocks with supplies.
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:10 PM
Good Morning
WEATHER: Sky Clear »» Vis 15 Miles »» Wind Calm »» Sea Rippled
posted by Carol or Mike S at 5:48 AM

Eagle harassment

Posted on by
Sunday, March 31, 2002
Good Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max. 10.1 C  Min. 6.5 C Reset 8.5 C
TOTAL PRECIPITATION: Rain 92.5 mm Snow 20.2 cm Total 112.7 mm For the Month.
MARINE LIFE: 1 mature Bald Eagle today, it spent most of the day atop the ridge on the southeast rocks then late in the afternoon, much to the consternation of the gulls and Oyster Catchers, landed on a high point along the east of Gr. Race. There was a lot of noise as the gulls and Oyster Catchers tried to drive the eagle away, at times diving within inches of the eagle’s head.Finally after about 5 minutes the big bird flew off towards Whirl Bay and everything was quiet again.The Juvenile elephant seal has company now, about 17:00 another juvenile elephant seal, just a little larger, hauled out alongside on the ramp.
HUMAN INTERACTION: 2 Ecotour boats through the M.P.A. The college boat picked up the students about 14:30 to return to campus( hope they did not get too wet in the flying spray from the 30+ knt westerly)
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:03 PM
Good Morning
WEATHER: Sky Cloudy �� Vis. 15 Miles �� Wind West 21 Knots �� Sea 3 Foot Moderate
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:50 AM

distinctive cheerful vocals

Posted on by

Sunday, March 24, 2002

Good Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max. 10.1 C  Min. 6.7 C  Reset 9.0 C
MARINE LIFE: 3 Bald Eagles today,also still enjoying the 2 pair Geese. The Oyster Catchers are around all day now,paired off most of the time but still group together several times during the day, especially early in the morning and late evening to fly dipping and diving and calling out with their distinctive cheerful vocals. Lately we have heard them ‘calling’ back and forth at night.The boat ramp continues to be the popular haul out for 2 large bull and the much smaller juvenile Elephant Seals but they are much less vocal and we hear them only occasionally at night..
HUMAN INTERACTION: 5 Ecotour boats,1 Dive Charter boat and 3 Pleasure Craft through the M.P.A. today.
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:07 PM
Good Morning
WEATHER: Sky Clouldy  Vis. 15 Miles Wind West 9 Knot  Sea Rippled
posted by Carol or Mike S at 7:06 AM