Tag Archives: elephant seal

Business as usual

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Male sealion soaking up the winter sun

Ecological Happenings

  • A brighter sunnier day after the winds and overcast skies of the last few days.
  • Business as usual after the high winds with animals back on the rocks.
  • One of the Bull Eseals moved up to the lighthouse today while the other remained near the path intersection.

 Marine Vessels

  • 2 pleasure boats in the reserve (plus 2 fishing just outside the reserve).
  • 1 commercial boat (spill clean-up) posing as a pleasure craft came in for a look.
  • 1 whale watching boat.
  • Coastguard helicopter flew overhead using the lighthouse as a way-point along with one private helicopter.
  • Vessels noted to be respecting the speed limit, but not all the proximity, with both the whale watching boat and commercial boat coming too close.

 Maintenance

  • More driftwood moved up the boat ramp to dry.
  • Camera 2 system checks, power and network cycling. This camera continues to give us problems……..
  • Energy monitoring and investigations started, looking at the system, power use, generation and storage on the island.
  • Minor internal works (fire alarms, fan, doors).
  • Door to boat house adjusted to run better on tracks.
To shore!

To shore!

Solar fins at the ready

Solar fins at the ready

Ponderings

Ponderings

Immature cormorant preening

Immature cormorant preening

Cormorants

Cormorants

Commercial pleasure

Commercial pleasure

Sunset

Sunset

A Stormy Census

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Ecological Happenings

  • A Stormy day on the Rock with Gale force winds and large swell running.
  • Sea lions rode out the winds in the ocean swells, rafting together in large moving masses or surfing in groups.
  • The two Bull Eseals stayed on the island.

Marine Vessels

  • Navy vessel on manoeuvres outside the reserve.
  • Accompanying Navy helicopters flying out from the ship over the reserve at night.

Maintenance

  • Some driftwood cleared from the boat launch ramp after the winds dropped.
  • Camera 2 re-set. Further investigation needed to resolve the network problem.

Other

  • Number of animals in the reserve was affected by the storm (and maybe the counting too due to conditions!).

Census Count

Sea Lion 135
Harbour Seal 4
Elephant Seal 2
Cormorant 37
Gull 212
Sparrows 2
Surfbirds 3
Oyster Catcher 10
Black Turnstone 28
Raven 2
Spotted during the week
Bald Eagle (Adult/Immature) 2/8
Sparrows 5
Surfbirds 12
Oyster Catcher 18
Black Turnstone 12
Harlequin Duck 18
Canadian Geese 3
Bufflehead 1
Whales (Humpback) 2
Thayer's gulls hunkered down

Thayer’s gulls hunkered down

Surfs Up

Surfs Up

Catching a wave

Catching a wave

Jetty

No Landings today!

 

Elephant seal hiding from the storm

Elephant seal hiding from the storm

Black oystercatchers

Black oystercatchers

December Dawn

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December Dawn

December Dawn

Ecological Happenings

  • Adult and immature Bald Eagles around the reserve and using the derrick as a lookout.
  • Building winds and overcast skies.
  • Two Bull Eseals came up onto the main Island today.
  • Winds building. Blustery and overcast.

Marine Vessels

  • Coastguard helicopter passed overhead.

Maintenance

  • More familiarisation and settling in.
  • New pressure gauge fitted to the brine pump on the De-sal unit.
  • Fid made for splicing new lines onto the Whaler.
Elephant seal guarding the energy centre

Elephant seal guarding the energy centre

Elephant Seal Snoozing

Elephant Seal Snoozing

What do you mean I’m not camouflaged?

What do you mean I’m not camouflaged?

Buzzzz Off

Buzzzz Off

Buffeted Bald Eagle

Buffeted Bald Eagle

Bull E-seal Heads to the Main Island

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Ecological Happenings

  • The bull Elephant Seal that’s been hanging out at middle rocks made its way up the main island today.
  • Male Bufflehead spotted today.
  • Great weather and water conditions today.

Marine Vessels

  • Three tour boats.
  • Four pleasure vessels  – one of which was travelling very fast within the reserve.
  • 2 helicopters just outside of the reserve.

Maintenance

  • Finalizing the boat works and cleaning it out. Boat was tested and works well.

Other

  • 2 visitors today (friends of the eco-guardians).

DSC_4560 DSC_4562 DSC_4566

 

 

Bull elephant seal arrives

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Ecological Happenings

  • Big bull elephant seal now in area.

Marine Vessels

  • Two tour boats today.
  • Navy vessel still in area.

Maintenance

  • Boat maintenance complete.
  • Another round of logs blocking the boat ramp were removed.

Bull Elephant Seal

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Ecological Happenings

  • Today a older bull Elephant Seal was noticed on middle rocks. He is accompanied by two much smaller looking Elephant Seals. We have lost track of the others who haven’t been seen since last week’s storm.
  • Canada Geese, have also not been seen since the storm.

Marine Vessels

  • One tour boat today.
  • Navy vessel and helicopter, beyond the reserve.

Maintenance

  • Removed the last of the electric fence – the aesthetics on the island have improved!
  • Boat maintenance. The wires connecting the battery to the engine were corroded. An interim solution has been put in place, until a new part is ordered.

Other

  • We are on the prowl for an eco-guardian to step in for 3 weeks. If you are interested please contact Chris Blondeau at Pearson College.
  • As the current eco-guardians, we are wrapping up for the end of our shift on Nov 30th.

 

1% for the Planet Donor Visits

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Ecological Happenings

  • 6 winter plumaged Pigeon Guillemots spotted today.
  • Most of the Sea Lions were not around the island late this afternoon. The rocks around the island are bare!
  • Two of the Elephant Seals are back hanging out at Middle Rocks.
  • Weather turned today, with light fog and rain.

Visitors

A 1% for the planet donor was given a tour of the island today by Chris Blondeau. There were a total of 5 visitors.

No marine vessels today

Pigeon Guillemot

Pigeon Guillemot in winter plumage

 

Elephant seal behaviour

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I received this email from the ecoguardian about interesting elephant seal beahviour:

A few weeks ago we saw a E-seal pup from Ano Nuevo (see the pictures attached). When it encountered some difficulty in getting off our docks, one of the larger E-seals was behaving very motherly. It was quite panicked and monitoring the pup closely swimming from one side of the dock to the other, reaching up to see it. In the photo I’ve attached you can see her peering up to see the pup, which she was doing over and over again. I have since seen these two around together in the water as well.

The research says that mothers are only with pups for 4 weeks – so I’m intrigued by this behaviour as this pup must be about 9 months old or so…maybe some mothers stay around for longer? Or there is other behaviour that I’m not aware of……

Visit from a Predator

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Ecological Happenings

  • Barred Owl in the reserve today. Its’ prey were found (one small bird near the lighthouse and a gull near the student house). Gulls and smaller birds were much fewer today.
  • Juvenile elephant seal and accompanying adult seal returned today.
  • South Seal Rocks is particularly crowded with the Stellers that have moved from other surrounding rocks.
  • California Sea lion brand 8456 spotted

Marine Vessels

  • Two tour boats
  • One pleasure vessel
  • 10 Canoers
  • A helicopter flying in good range of RR

Maintenance

  • Continuing to experience challenges with the water system. Next steps are to check the pumps and piping.
  • Boat maintenance and clean out.

No visitors today.