Tag Archives: dunlin

The beginning of nesting season

Posted on by

I am here for four days to give Jillian Brown a chance to attend to her family. It is a special time for me because it is my birthday and the fourth time that I have been here on April 30 but only my second time in the capacity of eco-guardian. This is my third day here and I have updated the SOP to include the up to date log sign in details (Thank you Garry).

The weather is currently 15 knots west but over the past day has been as high as 30 knots, SW and NW. The sky was clear for 2 days and there was enough energy provided from the solar panels to take care of electrical needs.

Below is a picture of a tagged glaucous wing gull that I saw the May 22,2022 (see log entry that date)  in the exact same place. Although this may not surprise you it made me feel like the animals here are familiar. It does seem like the geese nesting by the fuel shed are the same aggressive geese as last year and the ones under the keeper’s house stairs the same mellower geese but I just never had proof. This gave me a feeling of community.

There are 6 elephant seals here, females and immatures, including the tagged yearling. I haven’t seen this year’s pup for 24 hours so perhaps all the newborns are now gone.

Visitors

Yesterday (April 29) I was surprised when 6 kayaks pulled up the jetty. They were from Pearson College and had been given permission to land. Of course the sea lions stampeded on their arrival. Luckily not many kayakers do come this way as the sea lions usually get right in the water even though motor boats come much closer without scaring them. Perhaps they should turn some music on LOUD as they approach?

There were only 2 or 3 ecotourism boats over Friday and Saturday but today there have been 8 in every size, perhaps tied to the massive cruise ship recently docked in Victoria?

Maintenance:

  • I am working on the wood pile, chopping and stacking in the house.
  • Swept the lamp room and continued sweeping the light house stairs.
  • Filled the batteries with distilled water.
  • This is month end so sent the salinity and temp chart to Sebastien Donnet.
  • Also have almost completed the month end report but need to review a few details with Greg.
  • Sent the info of tagged bird info to appropriate source.

 

 

 

 

 

Dunlin

Posted on by

Ecological Notes:

Late in the afternoon today two Dunlin landed on the island.

Check out this link for more info on the Dunlin. https://racerocks.ca/calidris-alpina-dunlin-the-race-rocks-taxonomy/

 

Vessel traffic: Most of the day was quiet in the park. Two Eco-tour boats two private boats passed by. Water and supplies brought to the island today.

Weather– Current: http://www.victoriaweather.ca/current.php?id=72

Weather–Past: http://www.victoriaweather.ca/station.php?id=72

Sea Lions, Boats, & Other Stuff

Posted on by

Weather

  • Visibility: 15+ miles (Mt. Baker visible)
  • Wind: 5-10 knots West
  • Sky: overcast
  • Water: rippled

Ecological

  • Census day!
  • Two California sea lions with neck rings. Poor guys.
  • Two sea lions with brands.
  • California: X168
  • Steller: 678
  • Saw a few California sea lions with head injuries, as well as one Steller.
  1. California Sea Lions: 678
  2. Northern (Steller) Sea Lions: 533
  3. Harbour Seals: 37
  4. Elephant Seals: 5 on Great Race
  5. Seagulls unspecified: 449
  6. Thayer’s Gulls: 235
  7. Glaucous-winged Gulls: 20
  8. Cormorants unspecified: 357
  9. Brandt’s Cormorants: 10
  10. Pelagic Cormorants: 6
  11. Double Crested Cormorants: 4
  12. Black Turnstones: 20
  13. Canada Geese: 5
  14. Dunlin: 1
  15. Savannah Sparrow: 1
  16. Bald Eagle: 1 adult

Maintenance

  • Ran the saltwater pump into the cistern for 5 and a quarter hours.

Boats

  • A handful of eco-tours came by today. At least 5.
  • One of the boats caused a minor sea lion stampede on the east part of Great Race.
  • My photos only show the tail end of the stampede.
  • Much more happened between the “pre stampede” photo and my end shots.

A Very Nice Day

Posted on by

Weather

  • Visibility: 15+ miles (Mt. Baker visible)
  • Wind: 5-10 knots North
  • Sky: clear and sunny
  • Water: calm
  • A very beautiful day, with a nice sunset
  • A good night for stargazing!

Ecological

  • Conducted the weekly animal census.
  • Saw several branded sea lions today.
  • California sea lions: U690, U105, and 8427 (I think I got those correct)
  • Steller sea lions: 420Y and 347Y (those are definitely correct)
  • Also saw one sea lion with a neck ring, presumable from plastic.
  • No harlequin ducks today.
  • One of the male elephant seals was trying to mate with the female.
  • This seems like an odd time of year for that?
  1. California Sea Lions: 728
  2. Northern (Steller) Sea Lions: 493
  3. Harbour Seals: 48
  4. Elephant Seals: 5 Great Race (4 males, 1 that I think is a female)
  5. Seagulls unspecified: 672
  6. Thayer’s Gulls: 247
  7. Glaucous-winged Gulls: 30
  8. Cormorants unspecified: 329
  9. Double Crested Cormorants: 24
  10. Pelagic Cormorants: 11
  11. Brandt’s Cormorants: 2
  12. Black Turnstones: 19
  13. Canada Geese: 6
  14. Black Oystercatchers: 6
  15. Dunlins: 2
  16. Savannah Sparrows: 2

Maintenance

  • Cleaned the solar panels.
  • Tidied up a few odds and ends.
  • The usual chores.

Boats

  • A few eco-tours today.
  • One rental boat came through the middle of the reserve.

Visitors

  • No visitors today.
  • Quite a nice, relaxing day today.
  • The kind of day that makes one appreciate being alone.

The Dunlin!

Posted on by

Weather

  • Visibility: 15 miles
  • Wind: 0-5 knots East
  • Sky: overcast with showers
  • Water: 1′ chop

Ecological

  • Saw one California Sea Lion with a nasty looking neck wound.
  • Conducted a census today.
  • Several bird species notably absent today.
  • No Harlequin Ducks, Savannah Sparrows, or Black Oystercatchers.
  • The Sparrows have been absent all week; I suspect gone for the winter.
  • I’m sure the Harlequins and Oystercatchers are still around.
  • Only saw two Heermann’s Gulls; I think last weeks group was just passing through.
  • I did see my first Dunlin of the season though!
  • And lots more Black Turnstones than in previous weeks.
  • They like to splash around in the rain puddles.
  1. California Sea Lions: 606
  2. Northern (Steller) Sea Lions: 181
  3. Harbour Seals: 12
  4. Elephant Seals: 7 (2 on Great Race, 5 on Middle Rock)
  5. Seagulls unspecified: 586
  6. Thayer’s Gulls: 114
  7. Glaucous-winged Gulls: 76
  8. Heermann’s Gulls: 2
  9. Cormorants unspecified: 356
  10. Black Turnstone: 33
  11. Canada Geese: 3
  12. Bald Eagles: 3 (2 adult, 1 immature)
  13. Dunlin: 1

Maintenance

  • The usual chores.
  • Reset the electric fence which has been faring unusually well.

Boats

  • A surprising number of eco-tours today, given the weather, day of the week, and month.
  • I counted at least 10.

A Subdued Day on the Rock

Posted on by

Light northeasterly winds and grey skies made for a subdued day. The barometric pressure dropped a little, from 1020 to 1010 hPa. The forecasters are calling for a westerly gale starting after midnight, with showers and a risk of a thunderstorm.

Five whale-watching vessels were observed working in the protected area today and there were lots of sports fishing boats in the area, not fishing in the Fisheries and Oceans conservation area.

The usual Saturday dive charter was operating in the protected area and had his divers in the water on the ebb tide. They were picked up over by Turbine Rock.

Ecologically, more migrants are passing through each day. More Dunlin were spotted today, all with two legs. There were larger numbers of Black Turnstone and Surfbirds today as well. California Sea Lions are hauling out on Great Race again now, a little too close to the house for a quiet night. Geese are starting to arrive in the middle of the night too and they always do a lot of honking on touch down.

Work was mostly cleaning up and packing for a few days away. If the weather cooperates, I will head home tomorrow and Riley will take over until March 31st. I look forward to reading Riley’s blog.

 

 

83rd Day of Gregorian Calendar

Posted on by

Today was a more dramatic day featuring strong westerlies, 25 -30 with gusts over 35 knot, lashing rain, dark horizon lines and brief periods of brilliant sunshine. The barometric pressure has been rising since the westerly started last night and reached 1019 hPa by early evening. The forecast is for westerly winds of 20 to 30 knots diminishing to westerly 15 to 20 this evening and to light Friday morning. Friday has a sunnier look and the UV index is forecast to be 4 or moderate.

No whale-watching vessels were observed working in the area today and it would have been miserable for those on deck if they had been out in this weather. No boats were seen in the Protected Area today.

Migratory shorebirds continue to take rest, food and shelter on Great Race. Today I had the opportunity to observe two feeding on (?) above the inter-tidal but in a ‘rich’ spot occupied by hundreds of sea lions in the fall. The cormorants and sea lions switched rocks today. I am not sure how the various haul-outs are chosen by the different species but see the changes.

The large, female Northern Elephant Seal (nick-named Beulah) got really energetic this morning and moved about 15 meters. She is now stretched out beside the walkway to the Eco-guardian’s house.

Today was animal census day but the weather was so bad that I am going to do it tomorrow. Harbour Seal haul-outs almost all have breaking waves so few hauled out; very windy and rough.

There wasn’t enough light to run the de-salinator today but there was enough to take a few photos. No visitors today. Chores were routine.

Battle of the Bulls

Posted on by
Female Elephant Seal

Female Elephant Seal

Ecological Happenings

  • Blustery overcast day with periods of rain.
  • The male Elephant seals continued to be vocal, following the arrival of the female, and were issuing challenges in the morning. The males fought in the water later with the victor trumpeting after having beaten his opponent.
  • Injured Black Turnstone seen hopping about as it was missing a leg.

Marine Vessels

  • Coast Guard Helicopter overhead.

Maintenance

  • Spliced new stern line onto the Whaler.
  • Finished heat shrinking electrical connections on the new power/fuse panel to the Whaler.
  • Cleaned U-bend to bathroom sink in main house.
Challange

Challange

Battle wounds

Battle wounds

Trumpeting in the water

Trumpeting in the water

Immature Bald Eagle

Immature Bald Eagle

Dunlin

Dunlin

Canadian Geese

Canadian Geese

Bald Eagle with catch

Bald Eagle with catch

BEagle with fish2BEagle 2

BEagle in flight2

Gale warning forecast

Posted on by

We began the day with 32 knots and the wind never stopped rising to 40.7 knots around 8:00PM. What a pretty windy month!

All the birds were in the sheltered side away from the wind so it was easy to spot them. Before dusk we saw 10 Turnstones, 2 Western Sandpipers and 3or 4 Dunlins. They were not around a few days before. Exciting!

I even found a ladybug, a small one in the house. Another new species on this small rock

No whale watchers today …Thanks to the wind.

 

The Day After Blue Planet Day

Posted on by

Winds started out very light from a northerly direction and eventually backed all the way through east, southeast and around to westerlies, 15 to 20 knots and gusting, in the afternoon. Although there were some clouds and showers it seemed to be a nice day, but when you look at cumulative solar radiation values they were less than half of yesterday’s values at just below 300 Langleys. The barometer fell gradually all day and levelled out near dusk ending up at ~100.5 HPa. The strong wind warning remains in effect and is forecast to be strongest in the afternoons for the next few days.

Whale watching boats were back today after the storm subsided and four were observed in the Ecological Reserve. They were meeting and exceeding the Marine Mammal Regulations and although a couple of the smaller cowboys did manage to get between Great Race and South Islands. They were going so slowly and cautiously that the sealions that didn’t even wake up as the boats passed by.

No sports fishers or other vessels were observed in the ER.

Black Turnstones in all their summer finery.

Black Turnstones in all their summer finery.

One branded Steller’s Sealion was noted hauled out on the South Islands. This female with brand # 120Y was born at St. George Reef, California in 2002.

Female Steller's (or Northern) Sealion # 120Y. This animal was born in northern California and will be 13 years old this summer.

Female Steller’s (or Northern) Sealion # 120Y. This animal was born in northern California and will be 13 years old this summer.

Today was animal census day and the results are as follows:

Northern Elephant Seals 34 (8 on Great Race)

Harbour Seals 44 (note 137 counted following day, less windy)

California Sea lions 11

Northern Sea lions 38

Sea Otter 1

Canada Geese 18

Harlequin Ducks 4

Pelagic Cormorants 4

Double Crested Cormorants 5

Bald Eagle 2 adults, 2 sub-adults

Killdeer 1

Black Oystercatchers 10

Black Turnstones 15

Surfbird 23

Dunlin 4

Pigeon Guillemots 383

Glaucous-winged Gulls 488 adults 18 sub-adults

Caspian Tern 1 (flying through)

Common Raven 1

Barn Swallows 2

Savannah Sparrow 6

There were no visitors today. Chores were routine.