A California sea lion decided to haul out this morning on the NE corner of Great Race. Slash has not been sighted yet today on Middle Rock. Bertha and 4252 have not been seen on Great Race for a few days. The seagulls are hatching! Pam B. reports a chick up near the helicopter pad, and a nest beside the winch pad hatched yesterday with two healthy chicks. Pam thinks that the chick near the helicopter pad is several days old. The three black oystercatcher chicks are still being fed down on the rocks beside the jetty. They’ve grown considerably in the last number of days. There are at least two other families on the NE corner of Great Race, as I’ve seen at least two pairs of parents who act quite distressed when I get near.
Tag Archives: glaucous-winged-gull
Glaucous-winged Gull nesting census
230 glaucous-winged gulls were counted on the island today, which puts us at around 115 nests, down from 150 last year at this time.’, ‘adam’, ’12:09:54 ,
California Sea lions return
The seagull chicks are growing. I haven’t seen any new chicks in the last week or two, which leads me to believe that everyone has now hatched. None of the young have started to fly yet (as far as I have seen), but many of the chicks appear now to at least realise that the protrusions from their bodies may someday put them in the air. It is quite entertaining to watch the chicks hop up and down and flap their wings before falling on their heads! I haven’t seen our family of young geese now for a week or so. I suspect that they have outgrown the island and moved off. This week though we did have two stopovers from geese flocks. The first flock consisted of seven individuals while the second had twelve. Each flock landed for a few hours then left.Slash, as always, is still lazing around in the sun on the island. We did have Beatrice return a few weeks ago, but she only stayed for a day or two. I haven’t seen any more elephant seals these days. Four or five California sea lions have returned to the reserve. Several are currently hauled out on Middle Rock, and several more are hauled out on the northeast corner of Great Race Rock. Unfortunately, they appear to be quite the attraction for whale watching tourists.Many pigeon guillemots are still present across the island, as well as a number of black oystercatchers that can often be seen out on the jetty at night when I do the water sampling.Life underwater is also flourishing, as expected. Yesterday I did two dives off the north side of the island and saw the normal plethora of creatures. Many of my fellow divers also spotted a wolf eel lurking in the upper reef. I unfortunately, missed it.Pam has also reported seeing an otter skulking around too. I’ve been on and off the island in the last week quite a bit, so I guess I must have missed it. -Adam- ’21:27:09′,
Pam and Dennis Visit the Ecological Reserve
‘Garry took Pam and Dennis Birley out to the Island today. Pam does the monthly photo diary from camera 5 from her home iin Leicester England .
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- Pam Birley at Race Rocks 2008
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- Dennis Birley
Pam took the following images when she was out on the island and on the boat. See her gallery here.
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- RR from the back side of BentinckIsalnd
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- Mike greets us at the docks
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- Arrival at the docks from Camera 5
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- Pam looking at sealions, Dennis is texting
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- Mike and garry
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- Pam on south shore
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- Heermans gulls along with others
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- back fro the hunt
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- Sealion
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- Glaucous-winged Gulls
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- Canada geese
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- Pam would like to sit on this bench
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- and watch the harbour seal and gulls
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- Calendula naturalized on the island
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- Re-Necked Phalarope
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- Cyanea in the water
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- Transient Orca
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- Orca
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- Rhinocerous Auklet
Hatching Glaucous-winged gulls
The gulls are hatching now at Race Rocks. G.Fletcher photo
Helicopter Landing Kills Gulls
Human disruption in a seabird nesting colony at certain times of the year can have disastrous consequences for young birds. The territorial instinct is so strong that young birds leaving the envelope of their nesting territory get attacked by other adults of nearby territories. This incident was precipitated when a Canadian Coast Guard helicopter made an unscheduled landing at the island in August 2003. Normally they do not come to the island in the sensitive period, this time a mistake was made!
Fall weather
TEMPERATURE: Max. 17.0 ºC »» Min. 9.1 ºC »» Reset 15.7 ºC
MARINE LIFE: The sealions seem to enjoy the near fall sunshine as much as we do, many of them with their bellies up, soaking in the warmth.The nesting gulls are all but gone, the odd juvenile returns to search the old nest area for a free meal maybe but finding only a few feathers to peck at soon flies back out to sea.We are not too sad that the ‘bird’ season is pretty much over- spent the day scrubbing and washing down the porches – will take a few roaring northeasters to really clean things up! The sunsets are fantastic (check out camera # 1in the evening) and with the clear skies, the moon light is so bright, have to close the blind to sleep!
HUMAN INTERACTION:There were 7 pleasure craft, 6 kayakers( too close to North Rks.- scared about 20 sealions into the water),13 Ecotour boats,2 dive charter boats and 1 Fish charter boat-SeaStar- which we contacted via VHF to advise that they were approaching too close and disturbing wildlife ( sealions into the water and cormorants took flight)
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:03 PM
Whales and sealions
TEMPERATURE: Max. 14.1 ºC »» Min. 9.6 ºC »» Reset 14.0 ºC
MARINE LIFE: The chatter on the marine radio reported sightings of some Minke whales and also a Humpback but not unfortunately close to us. We did see several Orca a mile or so beyond the MPA boundries.This morning we counted 172 California, 9 Northern Sea lions hauled out on West, Middle and North Rocks. The group hauled out at the dock and along the north shoreline of Gr. Race still numbers 13-15 California and 2 Northern.Most of the day they spend sleeping but through the night get quite vocal. Most of the young gulls have stopped returning to the nest areas and are usually chased off by the adults.
HUMAN INTERACTION: There were 37 Ecotour boats, 2 Charter dive boats and 7 pleasure craft through the reserve today.Station boat to Pedder Bay and back this morning.
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:27 PM
Several chicks have been blown into unfriendly territory
Thursday, August 08, 2002
Good Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max. 15.9 C Min. 10.8 C Reset 13.9 C
MARINE LIFE: The gull chicks are growing rapidly, a lot of wing flapping, unfortunately getting airbourne has it’s risks.Several chicks have been blown into unfriendly territory ie- a neighbouring nest, been attacked and have died. Most of the wounds were around the head and neck. The chicks still unable to fly in any organized way, run but in a panic just get farther from the safety of their nesting area. The adults treat a chick from a neighbouring nest as they would any other threat to the safety of their own young, they chase and peck at it and of course the squawking attracts other gulls and so there is the helpless chick set upon by 20 or so adult gulls. Fortunately most of the time the chick is able to get to neutral territory and by trial and error make it’s way back to the relative safety of it’s own nesting area.Six of the geese were back this morning, one of the adults was missing – we know the missing one is an adult because the five young are still making the ‘peeping’ sounds and do not show the ‘threat’ behavior of neck waving and hissing. Just before 20:00 they flew off towards Pedder Bay, wonder what happened to the ‘missing’ goose? There was another group of California sealions in the area last night just after 2 a.m. – sounded like a larger group, maybe 15 or so judging from the barking
which woke me up but this morning counted only 6 floating about in the kelp.
HUMAN INTERACTION: There were 23 Ecotour boats and 4 pleasure craft in the reserve today.
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:40 PM
TEMPERATURE: Max. 15.9 C Min. 10.8 C Reset 13.9 C
MARINE LIFE: The gull chicks are growing rapidly, a lot of wing flapping, unfortunately getting airbourne has it’s risks.Several chicks have been blown into unfriendly territory ie- a neighbouring nest, been attacked and have died. Most of the wounds were around the head and neck. The chicks still unable to fly in any organized way, run but in a panic just get farther from the safety of their nesting area. The adults treat a chick from a neighbouring nest as they would any other threat to the safety of their own young, they chase and peck at it and of course the squawking attracts other gulls and so there is the helpless chick set upon by 20 or so adult gulls. Fortunately most of the time the chick is able to get to neutral territory and by trial and error make it’s way back to the relative safety of it’s own nesting area.Six of the geese were back this morning, one of the adults was missing – we know the missing one is an adult because the five young are still making the ‘peeping’ sounds and do not show the ‘threat’ behavior of neck waving and hissing. Just before 20:00 they flew off towards Pedder Bay, wonder what happened to the ‘missing’ goose? There was another group of California sealions in the area last night just after 2 a.m. – sounded like a larger group, maybe 15 or so judging from the barking
which woke me up but this morning counted only 6 floating about in the kelp.
HUMAN INTERACTION: There were 23 Ecotour boats and 4 pleasure craft in the reserve today.
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:40 PM
some young get very aggressive, pecking at the parent’s bill and face to be fed
Saturday, August 17, 2002
Good Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max. 20.3 C Min. 8.3 C Reset 13.5C
MARINE LIFE: The young gulls are quite skilled now in their flying so there are few incidents of fights because of landing in other gull territory.Most seem to be feeding themselves although there are still some young that get very aggressive, pecking at the parent’s bill and face to be fed.The parents swing their heads, walk away and if the harassment continues fly away.Nice to see a healthy generation of young gulls this year about 120 fully fledged so far.
HUMAN INTERACTION:There were 25 Ecotour boats, 3 pleasure craft,the 3M boat,1 dive boat in the reserve and Second Nature made 2 trips today.
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:07 PM
TEMPERATURE: Max. 20.3 C Min. 8.3 C Reset 13.5C
MARINE LIFE: The young gulls are quite skilled now in their flying so there are few incidents of fights because of landing in other gull territory.Most seem to be feeding themselves although there are still some young that get very aggressive, pecking at the parent’s bill and face to be fed.The parents swing their heads, walk away and if the harassment continues fly away.Nice to see a healthy generation of young gulls this year about 120 fully fledged so far.
HUMAN INTERACTION:There were 25 Ecotour boats, 3 pleasure craft,the 3M boat,1 dive boat in the reserve and Second Nature made 2 trips today.
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:07 PM
Good Morning
WEATHER: Sky Obscured Vis 0 Miles Fog Wind West 13 Knots Sea 1 Foot Chop
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:21 AM
WEATHER: Sky Obscured Vis 0 Miles Fog Wind West 13 Knots Sea 1 Foot Chop
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:21 AM
Friday, August 16, 2002