Tag Archives: glaucous-winged-gull

Wild Goose Chase

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Last night’s north easterlies created a bit of a symphony: percussion on soffits accompanied by back door whistling its multifarious tunes. Morning started with the call of Canada Geese arriving, southerly winds (10 – 15 knots) and rainy skies. By late morning the wind direction had changed to west and the sky eventually cleared to a mix of sun and cloud by late afternoon. The gentle to moderate westerly is forecast to continue tomorrow bringing a 30% chance of showers. The barometer has been rising all day, so things are looking up.

‘Sports’ fishers were seen passing and fishing in the distance today and there were no sightings of whale watchers in the Ecological Reserve.

I went out to clear off the geese first thing and saw a pair mating in the water. That inspired me to ramp up daily goose patrols. No sign of nests yet, but there are a few pairs that are hormonally persistent. The large number of Bald Eagles is potentially helping keep the geese nervous. I saw an adult eagle flying with some sort of large bird, hanging from its talons but could not tell if it was a goose or a cormorant. The gulls seem to be setting up their territories, even though it still seems quite early for anything very serious. Pigeon Guillemots, Glaucous-winged gulls, and Black Oystercatchers are all in breeding plumage, as are many of the three species of cormorant.

Chunk actually moved today, leaving his dead, stink zone for fresh flowers and a sloped recline on the other side of the paths. I also saw him open one eye as I walked past, a small feat of energetic response. He really is wiped out from all of his male activities.

A California Sea Lion, which is equally lethargic, is hauled out beside the derrick and he looks quite emaciated with backbones and ribs showing. The rest of Sea Lions that remain look healthy and haul out tightly together in two spots, a small group just down to the northwest of the Science House and a larger group on the South Islets. There are a few branded animals but I haven’t been able to get photos yet. A male Steller’s 76Y (left side) and a couple of rump branded Columbian California Sea Lions. 76Y was branded at St. George Reef in northern California, just south of Oregon, in 2002 as a pup. 443Y is just going into its third year and was branded at Rogue Reef in southern Oregon, just north of the California border, in 2013.

 

There were no visitors and chores were routine.

 

 

 

Blue Sky Grey Sky

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It was a blue-sky day at Race Rocks for most of the day, as the wind switched from west to northeast and then finally greyed over. The wind started light in the morning and rose to 36 knots NE, by late afternoon. The barometer climbed out its early morning hole of 993 hPA and dove back in as night fell. As I post the log it is falling past 989. The forecast is calling for the wind to drop and switch to southwest 15 to 25 knots Sunday afternoon and to light Sunday evening.

Four whale watching vessels were observed in the Protected Area today. They seemed to be travelling out to the west probably in search of migrating Gray Whales. They were a little more cautious on the south side, a trend, which tends towards sustainability.

The “sporty” halibut fleet was out fishing today. They anchor for the slackest part of the tide, spaced out like a beads on a necklace around the Ecological Reserve. Not all of them know about (or they choose to ignore) the ‘no go’ and ‘go slow’ limits of the Protected Area .

The reasons for speed limits in the Protected Area are the high density of marine mammals and birds and the location’s inherent dangers. Going slow protects the wildlife from boat strikes and reduces disturbance if boats stay far enough away. The no go areas also extend that protection to human life. I am not sure how many people have died in the waters around Race Rocks, but if it were a road intersection, it would have one of those high crash scene signs, combined with a wildlife crossing sign. I look forward to the day when boaters know and respect the rules. The quickest way for that to happen is by word of mouth and peer pressure. So if you boat in the area, please feel free to give others a friendly ‘reminder’ about the rules You might save their life. For the professional mariners, it is a very important part of being professional.

Chunk, the only remaining Northern Elephant Seal continues to slumber in the same spot. He has completely fried the vegetation where he is stretched out and seems to have lost a lot of mass since I saw him last fall. I guess he has been fairly engrossed with breeding, killing pups and fighting with other males. It must soon be time for him to head off and bulk up in the depths. He has massive “stretch marks” from slimming down to what looks like about 50% of his portly, fall physique.

There were a dozen Bald Eagles here today and the cormorants roosted on Great Race so it was possible to see the subtleties of the neon blue under the Brandt’s Cormorants’ chins and their whiskery white feathers.

The numbers of Canada Geese have risen rapidly, going from six, the day I arrived, to twenty by this afternoon. Canada Geese are protected under the Migratory Bird Regulations, however, they can wreck havoc on a tiny islet like Great Race, which is also used by other species that cannot easily, (unlike Canada Geese), nest elsewhere successfully. Like some people, they are loud, pushy and tend towards aggression, not making the best neighbours for nesting Black Oystercatchers, Pigeon Guillemots and Glaucous-winged Gulls. Although the status of all three of these nesting species, is ‘Least Concern’ as listed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), we are hoping to keep them that way and discourage geese from staying (under strict permit from Environment Canada).

Other than wild goose chases, chores were routine today including camera and computer care.

Back on the Rock: March 2– 4th

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Wednesday morning, while tide, wave height and current speed were just right; we slipped a crew change through a narrow window between two gales. As we waved goodbye, and I turned to get moved in, the barometer started to drop again.

After four and half months away, it was good to be back on Great Race with its familiar views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. As an averred naturalist, I couldn’t help notice that North Rock was bristling like a military brush cut, with 350 – 400 cormorants. All three species Pelagic, Double-crested and Brandt’s, were ‘drying out’ on this strategic roost after foraging in the sea. An adult Bald Eagle swooped in and the cormorants en masse, hit the water. The tidal ebb started to clear them out to sea, pulled by moon and pushed hard by rainwater rising in the Salish Sea. The cormorants dispersed and the counting moment was over; some flew, some dove and others disappeared into the gloom, as more rain squalls swept in.

Concentrating on moving in and checking all systems in order, counts were put on hold for Thursday’s census. Chunk, the big, pup-killing, male Elephant Seal was lying where he had apparently been, on and off, for a week. He was a little too close to the path for comfort, which meant that coming and going to the energy building involved tip-toeing by, while keeping a look-out for his eyes to open and being ready to run, if necessary. Of course it is never necessary but absence makes the fear forget.

Riley left things fairly ship shape and I knew that everything was going to be fine when the old Lister generator roared to life. In the evening, the wind gradually rose to 36 knots, ESE, a speed and direction that makes the back door of the house whistle a weird, three-toned tune, but it didn’t keep me from a deep sleep.

Seawater sampling came early and the morning weather was fairly wet and windy. The sun broke out with rainbows in the afternoon and the wind dropped to less than 10 knots. As the sun sets now, the forecast is calling for light winds, a chance of showers Friday morning with rain again by afternoon.

Once established that it was a beautiful afternoon, three small whale-watching boats came out to watch the sea lions on South Rocks. It always makes me a little nervous to see them with their human cargo in close to the south reefs and the sea lions. Their insurance companies probably wouldn’t be too keen on that sight either.

Today was census day and there were interesting differences in the timings of comings and goings of different species. Today, the Pigeon Guillemots were here at first light and numbers kept increasing until about noon. They were all gone by late afternoon. The Black Oystercatchers were together in a squawky flock early in the morning and then dispersed. The sea lions hauled out mostly in the morning but additional individuals hauled throughout the day. The cormorants started roosting late morning and were mostly back in the water by late afternoon. The Harbour Seals hauled out in the late afternoon. There were few gulls in the morning, but by mid-day some were pairing up and looking like they might already be standing near their nest sites. By late afternoon there were over 200 gulls roosting on the island but they were gone by the time I came back from shutting down the generator at 21:00. The Killdeer, as usual arrived after dark.

The diverse temporal use of the Ecological Reserve by different species would be missed in a standard count where the observer passed through during a set amount of time. By having an Eco-Gaurdian here throughout the day, a much more thorough accounting of the different species use of the Protected Area is possible.

Here are the results of the animal census:

2016 03-Mar
River Otter 1
Northern Elephant Seal 1
Harbour Seal 72
Northern Sea Lion (Steller’s) 36
California Sea Lion 41
Canada Goose 6
Harlequin Duck 16
Surf Scoter 11
Common Merganser 1
Brandt’s Cormorant 50
Double-crested Cormorant 150
Pelagic Cormorant 100
Cormorant 50
Bald Eagle (juvenile) 9
Bald Eagle (adult) 2
Killdeer 2
Black Oystercatcher 24
Black Turnstone 23
Surfbird 1
Mew Gull 2
Glaucous-winged Gull (+hybrids) 214
Pigeon Guillemot 147
Northwestern Crow 2
Fox Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 1

Friday’s weather was windy and wet. There was a lull early, as it switched for a short time to southwest but then turned back with a vengeance to strong northeast and big seas. The forecast is for a switching back and forth from southeast veering to southwest and back. It is blowing north 24 knots as I post this Friday evening, but is supposed to come down to light variable in the morning, rising againSaturday afternoon.

One whale watching vessel used the Ecological Reserve today and like yesterday’s boats, it too ventured into the danger zone of breaking reefs on the south side. The ebb was so large at the time that there were standing waves and a huge overfall along the string of rocks, islets and shallows. After a few tippy moments, they got out of there and I was glad they were all safe and sound.

I fought entropy today doing a few minor cleanups, making kindling and moving propane tanks around (downhill and empty). The usual chores also kept me busy. I tried to figure out what is going on with the camera, which has not yet fully cooperating. Now that I am through the technical barriers and able to post the blog I will be doing so daily and hope to post photos soon.

 

Sleepy sea lion

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Weather

Light cloud cover this morning and mostly sunny in the afternoon. Wind was variable – light in the early morning picking up towards the afternoon to as high as 16kts @ 17:00. Barometer was up a little to ~1012hPA. Forecast is for winds steadying between 10-15kts, and a chance of showers this evening and Sunday.

Boats in the reserve

15 Pleasure vessels, one of which was fishing in the reserve. After failed attempts to make contact on VHF16, DFO will be notified. There were also 3 tour boats and trawler activity around the reserve.

Ecological happenings

  • New Californian Sea Lion tag sighted (C733) – no photo yet
  • Two gulls spotted with broken wings
  • Harbour seal hanging out close to RR docks

No visitors today.

New Eco-guardians.

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Sea lions visit Pearson College Divers Photo by Jasper Rea.

Sea lions visit Pearson College Divers Photo by Jasper Rea.

It was a beautiful day at Race Rocks, with light southeast winds and a mostly clear sky. The barometer fell a little today to ~1013hPA and the forecast for tomorrow is for sunny skies. There is a strong wind warning in effect for overnight with diminishing southeast winds Friday. Rain is forecast for Saturday.

Only four whale-watching vessels were noted in the protected area today and three pleasure craft passed through going slowly. The people on one of those vessels, the Kaos were observed feeding rockfish to sea lions in the Ecological Reserve. It is illegal to feed wildlife and if it happens they will be reported.

Today was animal census day and here are the results.

Animal Census

Steller Sea Lion 321

California Sea Lion 637

Harbour Seal 77

Northern Elephant Seal 9

Sea Otter 0

Humpback Whale (1 observed within one mile of ER southeast of

Great Race)

Canada Goose 23

Harlequin Duck 5

Surf Scoters 11 (flying through to east)

Common Murre 5

Rhinoceros Auklet 4

Double-crested Cormorant 73

Brandt’s Cormorants 25

Pelagic Cormorant 9

Unidentified Cormorants 20

Bald Eagle 1 adult

Black Oystercatcher 11

Black Turnstone 7

Kildeer 2

Glaucous-winged Gull 248

California Gull 3

Thayer’s Gulls 707

Herring Gull 0

Ring-billed Gull 1

Western Gull 2

Heerman’s Gull 14

Mew Gull 0

Unidentified gulls 53

Total gull count 1028

Common Raven 2

Red-winged Blackbird 7 (during count week)

Savannah Sparrow 12

Song Sparrow 2

American Goldfinch 1

American Pipet 1

Don and Nina, the new eco-guardians in-training arrived today. They worked hard all day, after getting up very early to catch the morning slack and are progressing really well in learning some of the idiosyncrasies of Race Rocks operations.

Steaming Up the Strait?

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After an overcast and partially foggy start to the day, the sky cleared in the early afternoon. Winds were less than 10 knots all day from the west-southwest turning to east in the evening. The barometer rose slowly all day and reached ~ 2022h PA. The forecast is for light winds becoming easterly 10 to 15 knots early Wednesday morning. It is expected to clear in the morning and be nice on Thursday.

Only four whale watching vessels were observed in the protected area today. They all treated the protected area with respect and drove slowly and carefully. Several pleasure craft went through, one at high speed, right through the area where there were 50 to 100 sea lions in the water. The other sports fishers were much more careful.

A couple of miles to the south of Great Race, a Canadian sub was observed heading out to sea and then a few minutes later, literally steaming back to shore.

I had the opportunity to work with one of Catrin Brown’s first year biology students today. They have just finished studying ecology, so came well armed with vocabulary and concepts and were keen to soak up knowledge gained firsthand on this little biological hot-spot.

We saw evidence of food chains and food webs everywhere from Canada Geese grazing on the grass, to evidence of predation on gulls and predation by gulls. We observed the thick climax kelp forest that rings the islands and reefs and saw evidence of intertidal grazers like chitons and phytoplankton feeders like clams and mussels. We didn’t spot the sea otter that is usually here but had plenty of other marine mammals and evidence of their dining and moulting habits in the form of fish bones, fish otoliths and hair, fur and pelage (from the spring moult of the Northern Elephant Seals).

We talked about the trophic level of different types of Killer Whales and the need for protection of critical habitat for recovering species at risk. The southern Resident Killer whales are of course highly endangered and are really dependent on strong Chinook Salmon runs while Biggs Killer Whales feed one trophic level up and eat marine mammals like seals and sea lions that in turn eat salmon.

We talked about the timing of births, mating, nursing and parental care in different species and about different symbioses including parasitism ( nice worms present in seal poop) and mutualism. We talked about phenology and seasons being dominated by different types of fish and about migrations.

We even touched on the great detritivore and decomposition loops. The carbon sink that is mediated by the microbial pump that transfers carbon to deep sediments. It was an ecologist’s kind of an afternoon, a living show and tell, a time for discovery and questioning which will hopefully on reflection, lead to some deep learning.

Chores were routine and it is great to have company.

Plastic No No Band

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Thanksgiving Monday was a wet day dominated by light north-northeast winds in the morning and a moderate westerly in the afternoon. Wind speed was 10 or less knots until it turned to west. By early evening it had risen to 15 – 20 knots. The barometer fell early and has been climbing since late morning boding better weather tomorrow. The wind is forecast to drop after midnight and switch to light easterlies for Tuesday. Forecasters expect a mix of sun and cloud with fog patches dissipating in the morning. A brighter day expected.

Seven whale watching vessels visited in the morning and none in the afternoon and the three pleasure craft that passed through were also in the morning.

On wet days, it seems as if the sea lions spend more time in the water although there are pockets of Californians (on the cairns, for example) that stayed put, hauled out all day. The rock-climbers also stayed where they were (up by the heli-pad), some for a couple of days. I did see one “new” (to me) brand today, California Sea Lion ‘U755’ from the Columbia River area. There was also a “necklaced Stellers Sea Lion on the rocks by the energy building today. That rock is quite popular with Stellers which surprising due to its proximity to the activity.

Six young Northern Elephant Seals were ‘hanging out’, tussling in the water by the jetty all day today.

Salmon continue to pass through, as observed in sea lion kills throughout the area. The Glaucous-winged Gulls and Thayers Gulls continue to scavenge at the surface during the kills and in the mixed species feeding flocks where diving birds force forage fish balls up to the surface. Humpback Whales continue to forage adjacent to the protected area. The Humpback out by Rosedale Reef today is an extremely large one (probably a female). It spends very little time at the surface with dive times averaging greater than 10 minutes

California Sea Lion with brand U755. The U is also a C and indicates the animal was branded as a weaner near the Columbia River.

California Sea Lion with brand U755. The U is also a C and indicates the animal was branded as a weaner near the Columbia River.

and sometimes only one or two blows. They are tremendously high, straight blows.

More and more Double Crested Cormorants arrive daily raising the total number of cormorants using the protected area to forage and roost. The adult Bald Eagle returns each morning and worries the gulls and cormorants.
Chores are routine and it is really great to have company.

Twofold Foggy: Friday – Saturday

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Friday started with fog again and light southeast winds, from 5 to 10 knots. By late morning there were glimmers of clearing and by mid-day the sun was shining. The wind stayed calm and it stayed fairly clear, with clouds rolling by as the wind turned to west, in the late afternoon. By evening it was still and the sky mostly clear but that must have changed as the was fresh rainwater in the morning. The barometer bottomed out Friday morning at 1007 hPA before rising briefly. It started to drop again mid-day falling until mid-Saturday. The gale warning for Saturday, came true after another very foggy morning and light easterly winds. The turn to westerly was rapid, the fog was blown off and ominous clouds with a black line on the water to the west, foretold of what was to come. It blew up fast, reaching 40 knots and then settled back down to the up and down of 20 – 35 knots. There is gale warning is still in effect and the wind is forecast to lighten overnight, then become easterly 5 to 15 near noon Sunday. (I am collecting rainwater for laundry, bonus.)

Only two whale watching vessels were observed in the protected area Friday. Two sports fishing vessels also passed through. Saturday was a little busier with five whale watching vessels noted in reserve but there were no pleasure craft, they were probably seeking shelter. It is quite possible that I missed traffic both days due to thick fog reducing visibility.

Thursday was too foggy to do the animal census so it is cobbled together from the brief time slots when visibility permitted on Friday. It is interesting to note that the gull population plummeted after the arrival of the first Bald Eagle to be seen here, since I arrived at the end of August. Not sure if that is coincidental or not.

I only noticed the eagle because of the hundreds and hundreds of gulls moving en masse, from North Rock over to Great Race. When I peeked through the spotting scope, all the cormorants were in the water, the gulls were gone and there sat an adult Bald Eagle. Only the Harbour Seals seemed to ignore its presence.

There was no sign of the eagle today and the gull numbers are perhaps even lower. Glaucous-winged juveniles and adults continue to mill around summer territories. Some young ones are still practising picking things up, flying up and dropping them. Most of the adults are fully into their alternate plumage now. Their faces recovering from the physical aspects of feeding young.

The sea lions are spending more time in the water now that their favourite haul-out spots are worse than pig pens. Some of them have turned to rock climbing and I saw the first scouts up on the heli-pad today.

Animal Census

Steller Sea Lion 317

California Sea Lion 428

Harbour Seal             156

Northern Elephant Seal 6

Sea Otter 1

Southern Resident Killer Whale ( observed within one mile of ER during count week, (Race Passage, east, west and south of RR)

Biggs Killer Whale (Transients) ( during count week Race Passage & southwest)

Humpback Whale 2 (1 observed within ER west side during count week)

Minke Whale 1 ( observed within one mile of ER during count week just east of North Rock)

Canada Goose 4

Harlequin Duck 7

Surf Scoters 73 (flying through to east)

Double-crested Cormorant 35

Brandt’s Cormorants 29

Pelagic Cormorant 9

Bald Eagle 1 adult

Black Oystercatcher 23

Black Turnstone 6

Kildeer 2

Glaucous-winged Gull 258

California Gull 41

Thayer’s Gulls 874

Herring Gull 0

Ring-billed Gull 0

Western Gull 2

Heerman’s Gull 20

Mew Gull 18

Unidentified gulls 361

Total gull count 1574

Common Raven 2

Savannah Sparrow 19

Fox Sparrow 1

Junco 1

Golden-crown Kinglet 1

American Pipet 1

 

Starting the countdown on my last week on the rock for this shift. I may be back for a bit at the end of October, if extra training is needed for the new folks.

Drizzle, Fog and Steaming Sea Lions

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It was a wet, drizzly, foggy day at Race Rocks but very calm. For most of the morning, the wind varied little from  east northeast at less than 5 knots. It only picked up to 10 – 15 knots as it swung around to north northeast in the evening. The forecast for Thursday is similar and while winds are expected to rise to 25- 35 knots southeast on Friday. Periods of rain, cloud and showers are on the horizon in spite of the barometer rising (overall trend) since late Monday.

It was a quiet day on the vessel observation front and only three whale watching vessels were noted in reserve. One ‘sports’ fishing vessel came through at very low speed, well positioned away from the animals.

There was some cetacean activity noted during the day as visibility increased to over 5 nautical miles. This included two Humpback Whales feeding near Rosedale Reef just outside reserve to the south, a Minke Whale just east of North Rock and Dall’s Porpoise to the southwest.

On Great Race, the Sea Lions were steaming today as air temperature hovered around 12 degrees C. and the cooling rain was evaporated off. Part of their haul-out at this time of year is a physiological need to warm their skin during the moulting process, thus the tidy rows of animals pressed against each other and the piling on top of each other to share their body heat. Some California Sea Lions have taken to rock climbing these last few days. They are well established above the boathouse now and at the base of the cliff under camera 5, so the logical (to them) extension was to move further up and there were three of them up by the helicopter pad today. I suspect that they will really like the heli-pad, if they make it that far.

There were six Northern Elephant Seals hanging out in the water around the jetty today.

Adult Glaucous-winged Gulls and this years young, continue to frequent their nesting territories much to my surprise. I have seen them chase off Thayers Gulls. The “visiting” gulls roost in peripheral areas away from the nest sites. A family of four Canada Geese continue to make the island their home.

Chores were as usual and there were no visitors.

Sun-Monday Log: Double Billing Blog

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Two more, lovely, sunny days squeezed in with the barometer down at ~ 1010 hPA and dropping. Light southeast wind today and yesterday will switch to variable and east on Thursday and the forecast looks like a change towards showers and southeasters towards the end of the week.

Ten visits by whale-watching vessels were observed in the Ecological Reserve each of the two days being reported. A handful of pleasure craft came through as well and everyone except the same guys who are always in a hurry and one boatful of lucky fishermen, were well behaved. The fishermen were lucky as they must have lost power and were swept over the little reef by Turbine Rock. One was ready with a paddle and the youngest one got the kicker going which got them out of there (eventually). That was exciting, especially for them. Eight kayaks came through the reserve yesterday. The paddlers at the front came through without disturbing any of the animals hauled out. The weakest paddler came by on her own, last. The tide pushed her a bit too close the Middle Rock and the sea lions stampeded. Sometimes it doesn’t take much.

Humpback Whales are feeding close if not in the reserve just about every day now. The individual spotted by the Marine Science students is feeding downstream just to the west of Middle Channel, during ebbing currents. I am curious if it goes down and just orients itself into the flow and filters away. There is a lot of food in the area and large multi-species feeding flocks driven by diving birds such as Common Murres and all three species of cormorants. The gulls, and there are a lot of them, roost on Race Rocks and then rush out to the feeding frenzies which I am assume are either small schooling fish like herring, sand lance or anchovies and/or large zooplankton like krill. These crustaceans are also known as Euphasiids and they look a bit like tiny shrimp with really big eyes. Those are the same sort of treats that Humpback whales like to feed on with their baleen and they use their really big fore flippers that are white on the underside, to herd krill and forage fish.

I have come to realize that the Glaucous-winged Gulls are still sitting around on the territories. Something I didn’t notice or understand last year until the spring shift and then I thought that they had just come back from somewhere. The juveniles that were raised here are mostly out foraging but also sometimes ‘hang-out’ where they were raised and also do a fait bit of begging from their parents. This week a lot of them have been practicing picking objects in their bills, flying with them and dropping them. Not sure if they are working on their aim but have noticed rocks, chunks of wood and bark and clumps of vegetation on the walkways. Yesterday morning I found a rock on the roof of the energy building and when I looked around saw the damage done to one of the solar panels.

Other birds seem a lot more refined. It is so nice to see the Harlequin Ducks back again, they are a favourite of mine. More and more Surf Scoters are flying through from west to east and it seems that fall is in the air.

 

Chores were routine both days and there were no visitors.