Tag Archives: glaucous-winged-gull

July 17-21 and Weekly Census

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Weather for July 17:
Wind: W 14 to 34 knots
Visibility: <1-15 NM
Sky: Partly Cloudy
Sea: rippled in morning, up to 3′ chop in afternoon
Air temperature: 13-17 C

Weather for July 18:
Wind: W 9 to 25 knots
Visibility: 15 NM
Sky: Partly Cloudy
Sea: rippled in morning, up to 2′ chop in afternoon
Air temperature: 11-14 C

Weather for July 19:
Wind: W 6 to 27 knots
Visibility: 15 NM
Sky: Partly Cloudy
Sea: rippled in morning, up to 1′ chop in afternoon
Air temperature: 12-17 C

Weather for July 20:
Wind: W 21 to 40 knots
Visibility: <1-15 NM
Sky: Foggy in early morning, Partly Cloudy after 10:00
Sea: rippled in morning, up to 4′ chop in afternoon
Air temperature: 12-20 C

Weather for July 21:
Wind: W 19 to 40 knots
Visibility: 5-15 NM
Sky: Partly Cloudy
Sea: rippled in morning, up to 3′ chop in afternoon
Air temperature: 12-14 C

Maintenance:
I did the routine tasks of cleaning the solar panels and house windows, topping up the water in the 24 deep cycle batteries, fixing the electric fence, tidying, testing the salinity and temperature of the seawater, maintaining the freshwater system, and running the desalinator with solar power to produce fresh water.

Visitors:
I drove the Race Rocks station boat to pick up a friend, who came for the night of July 18. Brad had visited Race Rocks before when we both worked for many summers on campus as coordinators for PSYL (Pearson Seminar on Youth Leadership).

Weekly Census observed on July 20:
Steller sea lion: 14
California sea lion: 1
harbour seal: 124
cormorant: 5
black oystercatcher: 24 adults, 2 chicks
pigeon guillemot: 162
glaucous-winged gull: 396 adults, 147 chicks
surfbird: 30
black turnstones: 87
western sandpiper: 4

Photo highlights from the past five days:

 

July 11, 12, 13, and Weekly Census

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Weather for July 11:
Wind: W 11 to 27 knots
Visibility: 15 NM
Sky: Partly Cloudy
Sea: rippled in morning, up to 2′ chop in afternoon
Air temperature: 12-14 C

Weather for July 12:
Wind: W 18 to 35 knots
Visibility: 10 to 15 NM
Sky: Cloudy in morning, partly cloudy in afternoon
Sea: 1’ chop in morning, up to 4′ chop in afternoon
Air temperature: 11-15 C

Weather for July 13:
Wind: W 16 to 33 knots
Visibility: 15 NM
Sky: Partly Cloudy
Sea: rippled in morning, up to 2′ chop in afternoon
Air temperature: 11-15 C

DND Blasting:
There was one DND blast at 14:05 on July 12 at nearby Rocky Point.

Visitors:
Greg and Bruce visited this afternoon to deliver 1,400 L of freshwater and a new first aid kit.

Maintenance:
I did the routine tasks of cleaning the solar panels and house windows, topping up the water in the 24 deep cycle batteries, fixing the electric fence, tidying, and maintaining the freshwater system.

Ecological notes:
There have been a lot of humpback whale activity over the past few days to the west, south, and east of Race Rocks. The whale watching boats have been active in the area. From what I hear on the VHF radio, they have been very pleased with the humpback viewing. I have not seen any whales swim through the ecological reserve.

I heard back about the tagged elephant seal, from the researcher at Año Nuevo Natural Reserve, in California. The juvenile seal, tagged H999 and K646, is a male who was born in January 2022. He was previously observed here and reported to the researchers on April 1, 2023. He has been moulting here for at least the past several weeks. He appears to be almost complete the moulting process, so he might be moving on soon to feed in the deep waters.

Weekly Census observed on July 13:
elephant seal: 1 juvenile (tagged H999, K646)
Steller sea lion: 3
harbour seal: 79
bald eagle: 2 adults, 1 juvenile
raven: 1
cormorant: 7
black oystercatcher: 6 adults, 1 chick (that I could spot today)
pigeon guillemot: 148
glaucous-winged gull: 387 adults, 120 chicks
surfbird: 12
killdeer: 4
western sandpiper: 3
barn swallow: 3

Photo highlights from the past three days:

July 9 and 10

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Weather for July 9:
Wind: W 20-41 knots
Visibility: 15 NM
Sky: Clear
Sea: 1’ chop in morning, up to 3′ chop in afternoon
Air temperature: 10-14 C

Weather for July 10:
Wind: W 14 and 36 knots
Visibility: 15 NM
Sky: Partly Cloudy
Sea: 1’ chop in morning, up to 3′ chop in evening
Air temperature: 11-15 C

The sea lions seem to be making a return. Four male Steller sea lions were gathered on Middle Rock today. One California sea lion was on the end of the jetty this morning.

Here are some photos from the past two days:

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?

The beginning of nesting season

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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.

 

 

 

 

 

August 16 and 17

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The compost rejuvenation project continues with 58 more buckets of aged compost removed from the first chamber to complete stage 1. Stage 2 involves moving the compost from the second chamber over to the first, turning and mixing it in the process.

Several branded sea lions are being seen.  When their histories are obtained, updates will be posted.

It has been very quiet on the water the last two days both mammal and bird-wise.

Ecological Notes:

  • All three elephant seals were seen on August 16 and 17
  • Only passerines seen in the last two days were Brown-headed Cowbird.
  • 26 Brown Pelicans circled Great Race before heading towards Esquimalt at dusk on Wednesday.
  • 2 branded Steller’s sea lions (486Y and 304Y) and 1 branded California sea lion (X759) were seen during census on Wednesday. 304Y was branded at Rogue Reef, Oregon in July 2011, and has been resighted from California to BC.
  • Very quiet on the water over the last two days.
  • See photos below for more ecological sightings.

Census (Wednesday, August 17):

Mammals

  • Elephant seal: 3 (1 adult male, two juvenile females)
  • Steller sea lion: 129 (including branded 304Y and 486Y)
  • California sea lion: 115 (including branded X759)
  • Harbour seal: 131

Birds

  • Black oystercatcher: 9 (8 adults 1 chick )
  • Killdeer 1
  • Black Turnstone: 49
  • Surfbird: 11
  • Common Murre: 2
  • Pigeon Guillemot:60
  • Heermann’s Gull: 2
  • California Gulls: 500
  • Glaucous-winged Gulls: 448 adults 203 chicks (including 1 banded adult)
  • Pelagic Cormorant: 4
  • Brandt’s Cormorants: 19
  • Double-crested Cormorant: 4
  • Brown Pelican: 26
  • Bald Eagle: 1
  • Brown-headed Cowbird: 3

Weather:

  • Yesterday (Tuesday, August 16):
    • Sky: Foggy most of the morning; sunny in the afternoon, with light cloud
    • Wind: W/WSW 15-25 kts
    • Sea: up to 2′ chop
    • Temperature Low 13oC, High 15oC
  • Today (Wednesday, August 17):
    • Sky: Clear and sunny
    • Wind: variable calm to 22 kts
    • Sea: calm to rippled
    • Temperature Low  14oC, High  25oC

Facility Work:

  • Solar panels cleaned daily. Windows washed.
  • Fence east of lighthouse repaired
  • Compost renewal project continues.

Vessel Traffic:

  • Many Canadian ecotour boats have been nearby and heading through the waters of the ecological reserve. Cruise ships are going through daily.
  • Tours from Pearson College continued on Wednesday.

Here are photo highlights from the past two days. Click on the photos for larger views and captions.

Compost chamber emptied and ready to be refilled.

On to the next chamber!

Potatoes were growing in the compost. Unfortunately not fit for human consumption.

Elephant seals

Brown-headed Cowbirds

Fence in need of repair

Glaucous-winged Gulls circling the tower

Gulls have been particularly aggressive with each other this week.

Colour-banded Glaucous-winged Gull

California sea lion

These look as though there might have been scientific equipment attached. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska/marine-mammal-protection/california-sea-lion-research

Adult male and juvenile female elephant seals.

Steller’s sea lions on alert

Possibly scar from previous entanglement. No rope or line was visible.

Pearson College tour.

Branded California sea lion

Branded California sea lion

Brandt’s Cormorant (left) and Pelagic Cormorant (right) demonstrating size and shape differences.

Branded Steller’s sea lion

Brown Pelicans at dusk

Brown Pelicans

Flock of 26 Brown Pelicans