Tag Archives: elephant seal

Back on the Rocks!

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I am back on Race Rocks for the next two weeks, having been away since August. Greg drove me out yesterday afternoon in the boat Second Nature, arriving at 15:30. After unloading my gear and food, I reacquainted myself with the island’s building, systems, and other species.

There are two elephant seals on the island. One sub adult hauled out on the boat ramp has two green hind flipper tags labelled H999 and K646. They mentioned by Derek on the April 1, 2023 census: https://racerocks.ca/animal-census-31/. Green tags usually signify the seal was tagged as a pup at Ano Nuevo Reserve, near Santa Cruz, California. I have put in a request with the researchers there to find out about the sighting history of the seal. The other seal here right now is a female adult, who has been hauled out near the bushes on the centre of the island and made some trips to the water, was probably one of the mothers from the winter breeding season.

The most populous birds right now are the few hundred nesting glaucous-winged gulls and chicks. There are still many nests with eggs yet to hatch. The pigeon guillemots are active in a few places around the island: near the jetty, blasted rocks north and west of the helicopter pad, and the south side of the island. I have yet to see any oystercatcher chicks or the barn swallows that have been seen recently.

Weather for July 7 afternoon and evening:
Wind: W 32 knots
Visibility: 15 NM
Sky: Clear
Sea: 3′ chop
Air temperature: 14 C

Weather for July 8:
Wind: W between 10 and 31 knots
Visibility: 10-15 NM
Sky: Partly Cloudy
Sea: rippled in morning, up to 3′ chop in afternoon
Air temperature: 12-15 C

I gave the solar panels a good scrub this morning to get off the built up gull guano. I have also been monitoring the freshwater levels after a couple recent leaks that have been fixed.

Here are some photos from the past two days:

Foggy day for an Animal Census

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The first foggy day in a couple weeks today!

With 6 new solar panels installed along with replacements to wiring that had corroded with the salty air this week, it seems the fog is barely affected our power supply which is amazing!

A couple DND blasts at Noon through the fog made even fewer animals around the reserve today.

 

Birds

  • Harlequin duck                                  5
  • Bald eagle adult                                2 
  • Glaucous winged Gulls                  527   
  • Cormorants                                      31
  • Pigeon Guillemots                             176
  • Oyster catcher                                    10
    • Oyster catcher eggs                   7   (3 in two nests and 1 in a third)
  • Savannah Sparrow                              1
  • Canada Goose                                     14
  • Barn Swallow                                       1
  • Crow                                                     3

Mammals

  • Steller sea lion                             10
  • Harbour seal                                 63
  • California sea lion                        17
  • Elephant seal sub adult male      2
  • Elephant seal adult female          2
  • Elephant seal pups                      3

 

Visitors:

  • Race Rocks Challenge participants
  • 3 contractors installing and maintaining solar panels
  • 44 Marine Science students visited to write their exam
  • 4 Pearson College Second year students came for a visit before the school year ends.

Facility Work: 

  • Fixed Compost
  • Taped off Oyster Catcher nests and made map 
  • Cleaned house
  • Filled water in batteries
  • Emptied and cleaned composting toilet
  • Cleaned windows and solar panels
  • Mopped basement
  • Organized and cleaned tool drawers
  • Fixed and rebuilt sections of Electric fence
  • Cleaned lighthouse

 

** All wildlife photos taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail! **

 

Weather – Current:

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

 

Weather – Past:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/station.php?

Animal Census with a couple quick Terns

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Birds

  • Harlequin duck                                  5
  • Bald eagle adult                                2 
  • Bald eagle juvenile                           1
  • Ruddy Turnstone                              1
  • Glaucous winged Gulls                     685 
  • Cormorants                                        72
  • Pigeon Guillemots                             327
  • Oyster catcher                                    10
  • Savannah Sparrow                              6
  • Canada Goose                                     14
  • Raven                                                   2
  • Caspian Tern                                       2
  • Barn Swallow                                       2

Mammals

  • Steller sea lion                             16
  • Harbour seal                                 79
  • California sea lion                        32
  • Elephant seal sub adult male      2
  • Elephant seal adult female          3
  • Elephant seal pups                      3

Visitors:

  • Mollie – future Ecoguardian 

Facility Work: 

  • Chopped and stacked remaining fire wood
  • Deep Cleaning of Kitchen and sorting through house hold items
  • 3 coats Stained Kitchen table
  • Sharpened Axe
  • Mounted 2 large Elephant Seal winter coat sheds for future visitors and students to touch and see. 
  • Set up Hose system from Science house up to solar panels so we no longer have to haul a 5 gallon bucket up a ladder
  • Cleaned solar panels
  • Addled Canada Goose Eggs and mapped out nests
  • Cleaned windows

 

** All wildlife photos taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail! **

 

Weather – Current:

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

 

Weather – Past:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/station.php?

Peregrine Falcon During Animal Census

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It was a very quick moment but a peregrine falcon flew by, low along the rocks of the east shore and swooped across the north by the crane and jetty. I lost sight of it quick and was unable to snap a photo, but I was a beautiful moment to witness.

Adult Bald Eagles were catching fish today and fighting over them in the sky.

Juvenile Bald Eagle sitting on the old crane.

Adult Bald Eagle perched atop our northern camera.

Adult Bald Eagle with a fresh catch.

 

Birds

  • Harlequin duck                                  4
  • Bald eagle adult                                2 
  • Bald eagle juvenile                           2
  • Turnstones                                        1
  • Glaucous winged Gulls                  527     
  • Cormorants                                        36
  • Pigeon Guillemots                             167
  • Oyster catcher                                    8
  • Fox Sparrow                                         8
  • Canada Goose                                     16
  • Raven                                                   1
  • Peregrine Falcon                                     1

 

Mammals

  • Steller sea lion                             35
  • Harbour seal                                 73
  • California sea lion                        38
  • Elephant seal sub adult male      2
  • Elephant seal adult female          2
  • Elephant seal pups                      2

 

Coast Guard Zodiac going through Middle channel.

Visitors:

  • Sarah, a women who is also a marine biologist, battling cancer who will loose her sight came out to see the elephant seals before she does. 

Facility Work: 

  • Chopped drift wood
  • Cleaning and organizing house and tools 

 

** All wildlife photos taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail! **

 

Weather – Current:

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

 

Weather – Past:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/station.php?

Animal Census

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Birds

  • Harlequin duck                                  4
  • Bald eagle adult                                2
  • Bald eagle juvenile                           1
  • Turnstones                                        6
  • Killdeer                                               2
  • Glaucous winged Gulls                  597     
  • Cormorants                                        74
  • Pigeon Guillemots                             195
  • Oyster catcher                                    11
  • Canadian goose                                 11
  • Surf Birds                                             3
  • Savannah Sparrow                             1
  • Fox Sparrow                                         11
  • Canada Goose                                     11

 

Mammals

  • Steller sea lion                             6        – Seem to have disappeared today
  • Harbour seal                                 68
  • California sea lion                        47
  • Elephant seal sub adult male      2
  • Elephant seal adult female          3
  • Elephant seal pups(2F 1M)          3

Visitors:

  • 14 Pearson College student  and Laura visit the western tide pools

Facility Work:

  • Fire wood chopping 
  • Cleaning and organizing house and tools 

** All wildlife photos taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail! **

 Weather – Current:

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

Weather – Past:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/station.php?

Elephant Seal Baby #2

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Ecological Notes:

  • 2 female Elephant Seals

  • 2 Elephant Seal pups (one born the morning of Friday the 13)

  • The yearling male is still determined top rest near the others, but they keep chasing him away
  • Humpback female and calf far west of the reserve, but viewable with binoculars (thanks to clarification by an eco-tourism guide)

Facility Work:

  • Fence work
  • Restacking some old lumber
  • Sweeping outbuildings 

Visitors:

  • Shorefront Coordinator brought 2 groups of students from Pearson College to see, and learn, about the Elephant Seals and the new pups

DND events:

  • 6  or 7 Detonations throughout the day on Friday
  • Some Sea Lion disturbance noted
  • The new mother Elephant Seal, jumped for the first couple of blasts at least

Weather Events:

  • Friday January 13:
    • Sky: Overcast with snow flurries
    • Wind: N/NE winds 20-30 Kts
    • Sea: 1 meter swells
    • Temperature Low 7oC, High 9oC
  • Saturday January 14:
    • Slight Overcast with mostly sunny periods during the day
    • Wind: E/NE 10-20 kts
    • Sea:  calm to 1 meter waves
    • Temperature Low 6oC, High 10oC

 

 

** All wildlife photos taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail! **

 

Weather – Current:

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

 

Weather – Past:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/station.php?

Waves and wood

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Ecological Notes:

  • Female Elephant Seal and pup
  • Juvenile Male Elephant Seal just napping.
  • For the past couple months, there have been a daily morning “crew” of eagles actively hunting gulls on the main island. Normally there are between 8 and 12, mostly immature, but  a couple of adults too. There have been less lately as they have pretty much taken/scared away most of the gulls. I was finding up to 2 or 3 carcasses a day in the central area.

Facility Work:

  • Replaced motherboard on the desalinator unit.
  • Quick-fixed some of the siding that was peeling off the buildings.
  • Far from good, but good from afar!
  • Due to king tides, predominately high N/NE winds, and sheer amount of logs and debris in the water, made the long overdue decision to just pack up the pier electric fencing until spring. It’s easier to just move the Sealions off often when the tide is higher.

 

Weather Events:

  • Thursday January 5
    • Sky: mix of cloud and clear skies in the morning. turning to overcast mid day. Visibility 20 – 25 kms, low clouds obscuring the Olympic Peninsula
    • Wind E 25 to 35 knots veering to SE 30 to 40 late in the afternoon …. gusts to 50knts ”” drop tp calm late in the evening
    • Sea: up to 2 meter waves on top of swells from the southeast. You DO NOT want to be taking a boat from here to Victoria in that!
    • Temperature Low 8 oC, High 13 oC
  • Friday January 6:
    • Overcast with a mix of sunny periods, clear skies after dark
    • Wind SE 5-10 knots in the day, then increasing to SE 25 to 35 knots early  evening.
    • Sea:  Flat calm in the morning (wind with tide),
    • Temperature Low 6oC, High  10oC

 

 

** All wildlife photos taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail! **

 

Weather – Current:

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

 

Weather – Past:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/station.php?

Happy Holidays

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Wishing everyone the best of the holiday season, in what ever way is important to you!

For me it means Merry Christmas from Race Rocks.

 

Ecological Notes:

  • A quick visit from a very skittish Yearling Elephant Seal pup, came and departed quite fast.
  • The large Female Elephant Seal was less mobile the last couple days, but still very vocal. It appears as though she is calling out and still looking for others. She spends a lot of time very near the house, and vocalizes a lot as I come as go …. not aggressively though.

Visitors:

  • The Waterfront Coordinator did a touch and go to drop off groceries and parcels.

Facility Work:

  • With the snow gone, able to us the pathways to move fuel and supplies around again, and restock the back up supplies in the proper locations.
  • As the water system was frozen for a few days, all waterlines were checked for damage as they thawed.
  • There is a “weak link” in the toilet unit in the student and science center. When the unit is closed incorrectly, there is a part that breaks (this has happened 3 times). I reverse engineered the part, starting with a sketch and measurements and made a new part using a 3d printer. The challenge is that if it is re-enforced to much, it could cause a different, more difficult part to break ….. but at least the part can be replaced without waiting for a new part to be shipped.

 

Weather Events:

  • Saturday December 24:
    • Sky: Overcast with occasional showers
    • Wind: N/NE winds 20-30 Knt shifting to some S/SE winds
    • Sea: 1 meter swells
    • Temperature Low 4 oC, High 8 oC
  • Sunday December 25:
    • Overcast with occasional showers
    • Wind:N/NE 20-30knts, shifting all the way around to Westerlies
    • Sea:  1 – 2 meter waves
    • Temperature Low  5oC, High  9oC
  • Tower weather electronics are still down, so wind numbers are estimates.

 

 

** All wildlife photos taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail! **

 

Weather – Current:

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

 

Weather – Past:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/station.php?

Snow Receding

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Ecological Notes:

  • The California Sea Lions have made themselves at ease in the snow.

  • The large female Elephant Seal was very active and vocal today. She spent much of her time ,moving around the center of the island, from high spot to high spot, lifting high as though she was looking for something, all the while bellowing and “calling”
  • A first for me, while I had the camera out with the long lens, I saw a female Steller Sea Lion nursing  pup! With further scanning with the camera, I found 3 other nursing pairs.

    Female Steller nursing a pup!

  • I have been doing water-based tours of the area for nearly 20 years and  had noticed there were a lot more small sealions than I had ever seen here at Race Rocks. 

Facility Work:

  • Although shoveling the snow was futile, I’ve managed to cut tracks now so that I don’t have to wander too much to get from location to location!
  • With too much snow on the paths from the drifts, resorted to moving fuel old school in fuel cans.

  • Water is still frozen, but checked the heat tapes to make sure they were still working

Weather Events:

  • Thursday December 22:
    • Sky: Overcast with occasional flurries and freezing rain
    • Wind: N/NE winds 20-30 Knt
    • Sea: 1 meter swells
    • Temperature Low -8 oC, High -3 oC
  • Friday December 23:
    • Overcast 
    • Wind: ENE  to N mid-day 30knts, then back to ENE 10-15knots in the evening
    • Sea:  1 – 2 meter waves
    • Temperature Low  -1oC, High  3oC
    • Some snow melting
  • Tower weather electronics are still down, so wind numbers are estimates.

 

 

** All wildlife photos taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail! **

 

Weather – Current:

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

 

Weather – Past:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/station.php?

Guess what? lots of snow

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Ecological Notes:

  • Very large, pregnant Elephant seal moving around on the main island. At one point I thought she was in labor, but then she calmed back down

She got here before the snow

Flicking snow up onto her back

Her packed down trails are the best to walk on

  • many Sealions have left in the bad weather, not sure if they will be back
  • Still seeing occasional Humpback Whales around the reserve

Visitors:

  • Last week had visitors for Royal Roads
  •  Seafront coordinator to deliver fuel, joined him on a quick trip into the Victoria Fuel dock

Facility Work:

  • Installed new, high efficient  heater in the Desalinator Bunker

NOT the grey one!

  • Serviced the chainsaw and put on new chain, bucked up available firewood
  • Continuous repairs to the electric fence system
  • Weekly battery maintenance, 
  • Checked heat tape on exposed waterlines, was working but eventually failed, no water to the main house now

Noted Vessel Traffic:

  • A group of sailboat did a run around the reserve

Ecoguardian  Notes:

  • Great care taken to navigate around in the high snow drifts, it all changes hourly, and shoveling is futile, other than to keep doorways passable

Weather Events:

Blustery Day

  • Primarily N/NE winds for the last week, overcast with lots of snow
  • Monday / Tuesday December 19/20:
    • Sky: Overcast with snow flurries
    • Wind: N/NE winds 20-30 Knt
    • Sea: 1 meter swells
    • Temperature Low -8 oC, High -3 oC
  • Wednesday December 21:
    • Overcast with a mix of sunny periods, clear skies after dark
    • Wind:N/NE 20-30knts
    • Sea:  1 – 2 meter waves
    • Temperature Low  -8oC, High  -6oC
    • Very cold windchill
  • Tower weather electronics are still down, so wind numbers are estimates.

 

Weather – Current:

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

 

Weather – Past:

http://www.victoriaweather.ca/station.php?