Race Rocks Ecological Reserve-

marine ecology educational resource, remote-control webcams,elephant seal colony,Sea lion haulout,sustainable energy, solar energy

Census

Posted on Friday,January 19, 2018 by Laas Parnell

Weather

Visibility:15 Miles
Wind: 0-10 NW
Sky: Cloudy
Water: Calm

Boats/Visitors

a couple ecotours went by today

Ecological

The pup is getting so big, elephant seal pups are supposed to gain about 10 pounds a day

Census

Stellar Sea Lions – 74
California Sea Lions – 107
Harbour Seals – 0
Elephant Seals – 5 – 3 males, 1 female and 1 pup
Cormorants – 88
Gulls – 182
Eagles – 6
Black Turnstones – 27
Black Oystercatchers – 12
Geese – 2

Census

Posted on Thursday,January 4, 2018 by Mikey Muscat

Weather

Visibility: clear, 15 miles throughout the day
Wind: ranging from 9-22 knots throughout the day
Sky: overcast for most of the day
Water: calm, a bit choppy at times

Boats/Visitors

Didn’t notice much boat traffic today aside from the usual busy commercial freighters
No visitors today

Ecological

More failed mating attempts by the young male elephant seals with the one female on the island.

Census

Cormorants – 90
Gulls – 275
Elephant Seals – 6 (3 adolescent males, 1 adult male, 1 adult female and 1 pup)
California Sea Lions – 120
Stellar Seal Lions – 93
Black Turnstones – 10
Canada Geese – 4
Bald Eagles – 7
Three males surround the single female currently on the island

Census & Five Male Elephant Seals

Posted on Tuesday,December 26, 2017 by Mikey Muscat

Weather

Visibility: 15 miles all day
Wind: Light breezes throughout the day NE mostly
Sky: mostly cloudy
Water: a bit rough, one to two foot swells

Boats/Visitors

Boat traffic was pretty minimum today again, saw one fishing boat go by
No visitors today

Ecological

There are now a total of 5 male elephant seals on the island. Two are full grown and the other three are adolescents.
The two elephant seal pups are still around as well.

Census

California Sea Lions – 78
Stellar Sea Lions – 64
Harbour Seals – 2
Elephant Seals – 7
Gulls – 58
Cormorants – 16
Bald Eagles – 2
Black Turnstones – 6

Census, birds and mammals

Posted on Saturday,December 16, 2017 by Mikey Muscat

Weather

Visibility: 15 miles
Wind: 6-10 NE throughout day
Sky: cloudy with some sun
Water: mostly calm, a bit choppy

Boats/Visitors

had a few eco tour boats cruise by
no visitors today

Ecological

Census:

California Sea Lions – 120
Stellar Sea Lions – 102
Harbour Seals – 4
Seagulls – 252
Eagles – 5
Cormorant – 22
Canadian Geese – 12
Black Turnstone – 3

Census

Posted on Thursday,November 23, 2017 by Laas Parnell

Weather

Visibility: 15 Miles
Wind: 15-30 SW throughout the day
Sky: cloudy for the most part, bit of sun came through
Water: a bit choppy today

Boats/Visitors

Had a couple boats cruise by

Ecological

slightly less sea lions
also saw, oystercatchers, harlequinns
a couple eagles

Notes

looks like the wind is going to pick up again tonight

Census

Stellar Sea Lions – 267
California Sea Lions – 142
Harbour Seals – 14
Elephant Seals – possibly one on the outer rocks, not sure
Gulls – 275
Cormorants – 321
Black Turnstones – 32
Geese – 16
Oystercatchers – 4
Harlequinn Ducks – 16
Eagles – 2

The Sea Lions are Leaving

Posted on Thursday,November 2, 2017 by Laas Parnell

Weather

Visibility: 15 Miles
Wind: 15-30 NE throughout the day
Sky: cloudy all day bit of sunshine came through in the afternoon
Water: choppy today

Boats/Visitors

Some ecotours skipping across the waves today

Ecological

less sea lions today than last week

Notes

DnD was blasting again today

Census

Stellar Sea Lions – 105
California Sea Lions – 286
Elephant Seals – 2
Cormorants- 634
Gulls – 308
Geese – 14
Oyster Catchers 8
Black Turnstones – 8
Eagles – 2

Census October 26th

Posted on Thursday,October 26, 2017 by Laas Parnell

Weather

Visibility: 15 Miles
Wind: 0-15 SE
Sky: clear most of the day
Water: calm

Boats/Visitors

Had plenty of ecotours cruising by

Ecological

Not as many sea lions today, they might have peaked by now but last year they didn’t start leaving until mid november
there were a couple injured sea lions plus a dead one
only saw one elephant seal today but I’m sure the others are around
So many stellars, mostly on the outer rocks
there was also an eagle
haven’t seen the otter or any oyster catchers
also saw a few humpbacks out there (not included in census)

Notes

plenty of solar input today

Census

Stellar Sea Lions – 235
California Sea Lions – 421
Harbour Seals – 18
Elephant Seals – 1(seen) I’m sure there are at least 3 or 4 more around
Gulls (unspecified) – 456
Cormorants – 713
Black Turnstones – 22
Geese – 8
Eagle – 1

Census day

Posted on Thursday,October 12, 2017 by Laas Parnell

Weather

Visibility: 15 Miles
Wind: 0-10 W
Sky: cloudy throughout the day and a but of a drizzle this morning
Water: calm, but the current was running pretty good

Boats/Visitors

The new generator was set up today so we had a few people to come in and set that up which is great

Ecological

even more sea lions this time, of both stellars and californias
also 2 more elephant seal showed up this morning, both female

Notes

tried to set up the electric fence again by the generator room but the sea lions tear back it down in minutes
Saw the sea lions today that was darted a couple weeks ago and he is still healing (pictures in gallery)
And the sea lion that currently has a band around its neck is still around
There was a stellar that I thought might have something around his neck but it was just a gash, possibly from other sea lion?

Census

Stellar Sea Lions – 62
California Sea Lions – 456
Elephant Seals – 5 (all female)
Harbour Seals – 128
Gulls (unspecified) – 524
Cormorants – 367
Black turnstones – 32
Sparrows – 43
Oyster Catchers – 6
Sea Otter ( I can’t sea it very well but I’m sure it was around ) – 1

Census Day

Posted on Thursday,October 5, 2017 by Laas Parnell

Weather

Visibility: 15 Miles
Wind: 10-20 NE
Sky: clear all day
Water: calm

Boats/Visitors

Had some visitors come by from Eagle Wing Tours

Ecological

The 3 female elephant seals are still here
Spotted some California Gulls today too

Notes

There was another sea lion with a band stuck around his neck, will alert DFO so they can come out here and help out the sea lion, the last pictures are of this sea lion
It was pointed out to me that I have not been including the sea otter in my census, I admit I have a hard time spotting him from here so I often forget about him

Census

stellar sea lions – 42
california sea lions – 286
gulls – 324
oyster catchers – 8
black turnstones – 18
sparrows – 32
harbour seals – 87
sea otter – 1

Census Day

Posted on Thursday,September 28, 2017 by Laas Parnell

Weather

Visibility: 15 Miles throughout the day
Wind: 0-10 NW throughout the day
Sky: clear all day
Water: calm

Boats/Visitors

Mostly just whale watchers and other boats cruising by on this beautiful sunny day

Ecological

plenty of sea lions around but not as many as I thought there would be

Notes

DnD was blasting again today
I finally have a full fresh water tank so hopefully it rains soon so I can start pressure washing and cleaning the pathways and buildings off
Significantly less sea lions I expected I suspect many of them went for swim while I was doing the census because it was a rather hot day today but here are the numbers are I have right now

Census

Stellar Sea Lions – 68
California Sea Lions – 97
Harbour Seals – 72
Gulls – 153
Cormorants – 73
Black Turnstones – 21
Sparrows – 24ish, hard to see and fast to fly off