Enjoying watching the 5 little goslings

Thursday, May 16, 2002
Good Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max. 12.1 C  Min. 5.9 C Reset 9.9 C
MARINE LIFE: 1 mature Bald Eagle today.Enjoying watching the 5 little goslings,they sure cover a lot of ground in a day trying to keep up with the adults. They are pretty wobbly on their feet but cute! We are watching the other pair of geese carefully but so far no more chicks.No Oyster Catcher eggs have hatched yet but should be any day now.The gulls are gathering bits of grass and building nests but have not seen any eggs as of yet.
HUMAN INTERACTION: 3 pleasure craft through the reserve today.Station boat to Pedder Bay and back early a.m. for groceries and mail.Second trip after 17:00 to bring Grandsons(and their parents) over for long weekend visit.
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:28 PM
Good Morning
WEATHER: Sky Clear �� Vis 15 Miles �� Wind West 7 Knots �� Sea Rippled
posted by Carol or Mike S at 5:27 AM

First gosling hatch on Race Rocks

Tuesday, May 14, 2002
Good Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max. 10.1 C  Min. 7.3 C  Reset 8.7 C  Rain 1.8 mm
MARINE LIFE: 1 mature Bald Eagle today.We can report that some eggs have hatched! How we missed the obvious searching for the hidden I cannot explain but we now have 5 downy, mustard coloured goslings! We have been or thought we had been over every metre of Gr. Race looking for Oyster Catcher nests and did not find the goose nest. We wondered if they would nest but the geese were always on the move, no obvious nest sitting -how could you miss a 5kg bird incubating eggs for 25-30 days? well it seems we did! Anyway the goslings are cute and on the move with both parents attentively herding them along.There is another pair of adult geese that seem to stay in the grassy area on the northeast corner of the island.We searched the area very thoroughly this afternoon but could not find anything resembling a nest nor did we see any eggs.It will be interesting to watch these little geese grow, evidently they fledge in 45-60 days.
No boats to report- windy with moderate seas all day.
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:33 PM
Good Morning
WEATHER: Sky Cloudy �� Vis 12 Miles �� Wind West 30 Knots �� Sea 4 Foot Moderate — Low South West Swell.
posted by Carol or Mike S at 7:14 AM

PC field lab

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]
———————————————————————
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

Enviro. systems field lab.

 

Wednesday, May 01, 2002
Good Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max. 10.3 C  Min 7.7 C  Reset 9.9 C
MARINE LIFE: 1 mature and 1 juvenile bald eagle,still the 3 geese. A few gulls have managed to gather bits of grass to build nests in spite of the wind, the never ending wind!.Will check the usual areas for more Oyster Catcher nests tomorrow if the winds abates somewhat. Don’t want to disturb any egg sitting especially since the temperatures are so unseasonably cold.Usually by the first of May the garden is 1/4 planted with the snow peas,green onions and radishes up.
HUMAN INTERACTION: 2 Ecotour boats today. 2nd Nature in with Garry, Laura and students for Enviro. systems field lab. The very low tide with the brisk westerly makes landing at the dock tricky to say the least-well done Laura!
posted by Carol or Mike S at 8:05 PM
Good Morning
WEATHER: Sky Part Cloudy  Vis. 5 Miles – Fog  Wind West 29 Knots  Sea 4 Foot Moderate – Low South West Swell
posted by Carol or Mike S at 5:59 AM

bald eagles today looking a little bedraggled

Friday, April 26, 2002
Good Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max. 11.0 ºC »» Min. 6.7 ºC »» Reset 6.9 ºC »» Rain yes Rain 8.8 mm
MARINE LIFE: 2 mature and 1 juvenile bald eagles today looking a little bedraggled in the showers which were quite heavy at times.The 3 geese enjoyed the rain and the ensuing puddles.
HUMAN INTERACTION: 4 Ecotour boats and 1 Pleasure craft through the reserve today. The 2nd Nature was in with Garry, Laura and students for a field lab,unfortunately the rain put a damper on the scheduled outdoor webcast so as all good ‘producers’ Garry improvised.
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:03 PM
Good Morning
WEATHER: Sky Overcast »» Vis 15 Mile »» Wind West 19 Knots »» Sea 2 – 3 Foot Chop
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:30 AM

(eagle) eating the catch of the day (salmon).

Saturday, April 20, 2002
Good evening from Chris and Jane.
We arrived this morning at 11:45 am and took over for Mike and Carol today. As we approached Race Rocks, we both commented on the flag being at half mast. Even on this small island, as on parliament hill and across the country, the symbol of loss was displayed for the four soldiers and their families. Our thoughts were with them.WEATHER: Winds were at 10-15 knots, seas were rippled. Visibility was 10 miles. Clear skies.

MARINE LIFE: 3 bald eagles, two jeuveniles were seen on the south tip of Great Race. One adult on the cliff by the helipad. An adult was seen later in the day at the southern tip of great race, eating the catch of the day (salmon). Three Canada Geese were seen… two were a pair and located on the north eastern area of the island. The other was near the lighthouse. Some of the seagulls are starting to practice and display nesting behaviours. It looks like pairs are starting to form and courtship rituals are taking place. Two pairs of oyster catchers were seen. One on the north eastern side of the island and the other on the docks.

HUMAN INTERACTION: Six boats were fishing off of Rosedale Reef this morning. These were later seen further to the west of Rosedale Reef in the afternoon. They were checked on by a vessel from Fisheries and Oceans early in the afternoon. In the midafternoon, we observed one disabled vessel being towed back to Pedder Bay. One ecotour boat visited the area today and a few fishing vessels stopped on their way in and out to have a visit with the sea lions.

We are going to be returning back to Pearson College Campus at 20:00 hr after another great day on the rock!
Until next time,
Chris and Jane
posted by Chris Blondeau at 6:55 PM

Good Morning
WEATHER: Sky Cloudy »» Vis. 15 Miles »» Wind 13 South West »» Sea 1 – 2 Foot Chop
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:39 AM

pair of geese continue to roam

Saturday, April 06, 2002
Good Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max. 10.1 ºC »» Min. 5.9 ºC »» Reset 7.2 ºC »» Rain 0.5 mm
MARINE LIFE: 2 Bald Eagles, 1 mature. The pair of geese continue to roam the Island, they have a great time in the pond-need some rain soon as they have splashed most of the water out! There are still 10 or so Sealions, 4 large Northern Sealions are hauled out on the south side of the southeast rocks.Without the elephant seals it is very quiet except when the gulls are stirred up by the eagles flying over the island.
HUMAN INTERACTION: 4 pleasure craft through the MPA ( on their way to the halibut grounds -derby this weekend) Station boat to Pedder Bay and back (computer died –to town to get new bits and bytes) 2nd Nature out with guests for a visit.
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:22 PM
Good Morning
WEATHER: Sky Cloudy »» Vis. 10 Miles »» Wind West 19 Knots »» Sea 2 Foot Chop
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:09 AM

 

increasing bird activity

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

Start of the Canada Geese

-2002-04-02′, ’16:13:49′, ‘Good Evening TEMPERATURE: Max. 10.1 1?4C ?? Min. 4.0 1?4C ?? Reset 7.7 1 4C

MARINE LIFE: Not much activity this morning, the north wind was really cold but the afternoon sun was very therapeutic.While I was out picking a few greens the geese waddled over to see what I was up to, they are quite tame and a bit like puppies. As I worked my way along the garden they they kept up about a foot behind me.They enjoyed the carrots I threw on the grass and they spent an hour or so after I went inside, up in the garden scratching about for more. The small pond was popular this afternoon with the gulls and crows. The geese tried to join the gulls in the pond but the gulls squawked and took off , the geese happily shared with the crows and starlings About 14:00 a Blue Heron flew over from Pedder Bay and sat majestically on the east ridge of Gr. Race and is still there as the sun sets. HUMAN INTERACTION: 2 Ecotour boats and 2 College boats this afternoon with students for a dive with Chris and filming with Garry.

Mike and Carol

Blue Heron flew over from Pedder Bay

Tuesday, April 02, 2002
Good Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max. 10.1 ºC »» Min. 4.0 ºC »» Reset 7.7 ºC
MARINE LIFE: Not much activity this morning, the north wind was really cold but the afternoon sun was very therapeutic.While I was out picking a few greens the geese waddled over to see what I was up to, they are quite tame and a bit like puppies. As I worked my way along the garden they they kept up about a foot behind me.They enjoyed the carrots I threw on the grass and they spent an hour or so after I went inside, up in the garden scratching about for more. The small pond was popular this afternoon with the gulls and crows. The geese tried to join the gulls in the pond but the gulls squawked and took off , the geese happily shared with the crows and starlings About 14:00 a Blue Heron flew over from Pedder Bay and sat majestically on the east ridge of Gr. Race and is still there as the sun sets.
HUMAN INTERACTION: 2 Ecotour boats and 2 College boats this afternoon with students for a dive with Chris and filming with Garry.
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:14 PM
Good Morning
WEATHER: Sky Part Cloudy »» Vis. 15 Miles »» Wind North East 20 Knots »» Sea 3 Foot Moderate
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:23 AM