Tag Archives: Canada goose

engaging in the preliminaries of early courtship

Posted on by
Monday, April 01, 2002
Good Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max. 10.0 ºC »» Min. 5.9 ºC »» Reset 7.5 ºC
MARINE LIFE: 1 mature bald Eagle today. The geese are still here but I expect any day now they will move on in search of better nesting sites. The two elephant seals have inched their way up the ramp to within 8 inches of the boat house door and show no signs of leaving. Many of the gulls are spending all day in nesting areas and some are engaging in the preliminaries of early courtship-very entertaining to watch- much neck stretching and head bobbing.It can get quite noisy what with the gulls, Oyster Catchers and 7 crows all vocalizing at once when the eagle flies over head, even the geese get in the act.
HUMAN INTERACTION: 2 Ecotour boats and 5 Pleasure Craft through the MPA today.
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:53 PM
Good Morning
WEATHER: Sky Cloudy »» Vis. 15 Miles »» Wind West 17 Knots »» Sea 3 Foot Moderate
posted by Carol or Mike S at 7:07 AM

Early stages of Gull nest building

Posted on by
Friday, March 29, 2002
Good Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max. 8.7 C  Min. 5.9 C  Reset 7.0 C Rain 0.4 mm
MARINE LIFE: 2 Bald Eagles – 1 mature -1 pair Geese. The day started out quite promising however by 13:00 the westerly picked up to 23knts and gusting 30. The small elephant seal is still nosed up to the boat house door and shows no signs of leaving. Enjoy watching the geese which find the activities of the gulls worth investigating up close- as some of the gulls wander about doing what I call ‘ the best methods of nest materials gathering practice’ the geese waddle along behind and follow the gulls right into what will soon be a danger zone -the nesting area. The gulls tolerate the geese now but once they start constructing nests they will become very territorial and will drive off any threat including another gull. Poor friendly geese!
HUMAN INTERACTION: 2 Ecotour boats and 1 small sailboat through the M.P.A. today.
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:39 PM
Good Morning
WEATHER: Sky Overcast Vis. 15 Miles Wind West 11 Knots  Sea Rippled
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:26 AM

Turkey Vultures often land here during the fall migration—

Posted on by
Thursday, March 28, 2002
Good Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max. 8.1 C Min. 6.0 C Reset 7.1 C  Rain 2.6 mm
MARINE LIFE: 4 Bald Eagles – 3 mature, only one pair of Geese today. Another wet and windy day but did have some visitors of note-just before noon 4 Turkey Vultures landed on the ridge just west of the Learning Centre. The other birds were somewhat wary but did not try to drive away the big vultures as they do with the eagles.The geese were very curious and waddled over to have a look all the time waving their necks back and forth. Unfortunately by the time the geese made their way from the flagpole to where the vultures were, they had taken off towards Bentinck Island.Turkey Vultures often land here during the fall migration but this is the first time I can remember seeing them in the spring.The small elephant seal is still hauled out on the ramp,it’s nose just 3 metres from the boat house door, quite comfortable and unconcerned with us passing by even just inches away.
HUMAN INTERACTION: The College boat in with supplies and to pick up the power washer for return to campus.
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:06 PM

Good MorningWEATHER: Sky Cloudy �� Vis. 15 Miles �� Wind South West 21 Knots �� Sea 3 Foot Moderate

posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:34 AM

3 Bald Eagles – 1 mature, 2 pair Geese.

Posted on by
Tuesday, March 26, 2002
Good Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max. 8.1 C  Min. 6.0 C  Reset 7.0 C  Rain 2.8mm
MARINE LIFE: 3 Bald Eagles – 1 mature, 2 pair Geese. Only the small juvenile Elephant seal hauled out today – 1 of the large bulls floated around at the end of the dock most of the morning but never came ashore. Another wet and windy day but at least the temperatures were fairly moderate,spring rain is good but some sunshine would be sooo welcome.
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:09 PM
Good Morning
WEATHER: Sky Overcast  Vis. 15 Miles  Wind West 25 – 30 Knots  Sea 4 -5 Foot Moderate
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:49 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

Elephant seals

Posted on by
Thursday, February 28, 2002
 Good evening
Weather: Clear and sunny>> >> Vis 15 miles>> >>Wind N to NE 5-10 knots all day>> >> Sea rippled
MARINE LIFE: Quiet on all fronts. 4 Canada geese spent the day on the island. 2 mature Bald Eagles near the helipad this morning and 1 immature this afternoon. Spotted 4 adult male Elephant Seals hauled out on Middle Rock. No sign of the wounded young male we saw over the past few days.
HUMAN INTERACTION: Garry came by with the divers and the mother of a student visiting the college. Haven’t been diving since Monday; today would have been a good day to get wet. Zodiac from Victoria Coast Guard Auxillary came through around dinner time. The two Zodiacs from Victoria Police and Fisheries grazed the boundaries of the reserve on their way back to Victoria at sunset; which was a colorful event again tonight.
Chris
posted by Chris Blondeau at 11:44 PM

Elephant seal tangled

Posted on by
Monday, February 25, 2002
Good Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max. 4c >> >> Min 2c >> >> Reset 4c >> >> Rain none
MARINELIFE: Lots of Elephant Seal action today with one in the west bay and one on the slipway. Took lots of video. One on Centre Rock is still tangled in line. Two mature and one immature Bald Eagles here in the morning. Still three pairs of geese.
HUMAN INTERACTION: One ecotour boat and a short visit from Second Nature to drop off supplies. An airplane flew over the MPA at a fairly low (500 ft?) altitude and circled the MPA three times.
posted by Angus Matthews at 9:25 PM
Good Morning
Weather: Sunny and clear >> >>Vis 17 Miles >> >> Wind NNE 14 Knots >> >> Sea 2 foot chop
posted by Angus Matthews at 9:18 PM

Balloon pollution !

Posted on by
Saturday, February 23, 2002
Good Morning
WEATHER: Sky Overcast –Vis 7 Miles — Moderate Rain — Wind NNE 18 Knots –Sea 1 foot chop.
posted by Angus Matthews at 7:24 AMGood Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max. 5.0c >Min 4.2c >Reset 4.8c > Rain 6.0
MARINE LIFE: A day of some confusion as a total reorganisation of the Centre Rock occurred when a large male Elephant Seal returned to the rock and everyone had to trade places. Some confusion for the geese as well with the arrival of a third pair starting a turf war. Only 1 mature and 1 immature Bald Eagle seen today about 16:45.
HUMAN INTERACTION: One dive charter boat with 4 divers aboard in the MPA during the morning and 2 eco-tour boats through in the afternoon. One rental boat 14K-37805 with two people aboard set up to fish just west of the engine room but left when hailed and waved off. A TRIDENT submarine was observed steaming (or reacting) west out of the strait for places unknown under the oceans. One other unusual environmental impact today; as a consequence of a political protest at the BC legislature some 12 nautical miles from Race Rocks. Three blue balloons with the Hospital Employee’s Union logo floated through the MPA carried on the ebb tide and a NNE breeze. Unfortunate pollution.
I was joined by my wife Sandy and our friends Cathy Denny and David Anderson who are staying overnight as deputy assistant guest Eco-guardians. This resulted in a great dinner of Red Snapper. (NOT taken from the MPA!)
posted by Angus Matthews at 9:32 PM

Students out from College for a webcast

Posted on by
Thursday, February 14, 2002
Good Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max. 7.9C  Min. 3.9C  Reset 6.0C
MARINE LIFE: 13 mature, 2 immature Bald Eagles. The Geese spent the day in the Northeast quadrant of Gr. Race, then just after dark we heard them move around to the grass area by the tower, maybe to spend the night out of the wind.
HUMAN INTERACTION: College boats out with Angus, Garry, Chris and students about 9:30 to do a live webcast,not the best weather wind wise – a cold 13 knts. from the north but at least it was sunny! Everyone was rewarded on the trip back to campus with an unexpected ‘ interlude’ with an Orca – most likely transient- just outside the entrance to Pedder Bay. The lone bull was moving westward not too far off shore and although we had to watch him through the telescope it is always exciting to get even a glimpse.Garry and students returned for a dive at 3p.m. Left for the campus about 4:45 p.m. 2 Pleasure craft through the reserve today.
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:06 PM

Harlequins

Posted on by
Monday, February 11, 2002
Good Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max. 8.1C  Min. 2.0C Reset 5.1C  Rain 3.0 mm
MARINE LIFE: 13 mature, 4 immature Bald Eagles today. The 6 Canada Geese spent the day in the area around the Learning Centre. They kept an eye on Mike as he power washed the sidewalks but did not seem bothered by the activity.The Elephant Seal was hauled out on the rocks just below the tower in the morning and then spent most of the afternoon floating about in the East Bay.There were 7 Harlequin Ducks (4 male) also in the east bay area all morning, then saw them later much farther off shore towards the east.Counted 123 Cormorants today.
HUMAN INTERACTION: 1 pleasure craft through the reserve today.
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:22 PM
Good Morning
WEATHER: Sky Part Cloudy  Vis 15 Miles  Wind West 7 Knots Sea Rippled
posted by Carol or Mike S at 7:10 AM