Tag Archives: glaucous-winged-gull

Have seen 8 seal pups,

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Monday, July 08, 2002
Good Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max. 16.0 C Min. 10.8 C  Reset 12.5 C  Rain 3.9 mm
MARINE LIFE: A cool and breezy start to the day, remnants of a very active weather system that roared in about 12:20 a.m. The rain was very heavy for about 25 mins, almost 4 mm, at least it cleaned the roofs somewhat and the air is much fresher. I watched very carefully for the gulls bringing food to the chicks and it’s not too encouraging- no abundance of silvery fresh fish so far. A few nests are empty of chicks and eggs -I suspect the otter. Have seen 8 seal pups,the females tend to stay fairly close to shore for the first week or so then when not hauled out to sleep and nurse the pups, they spend a lot of time in the kelp beds. The female is still with the dead pup and tonight as it floated in the rising tide she pushed it along with her in the water by the boat dock. Earlier this morning I went down to see and she was hauled out about 1metre from the pup, as I approached closer she moved up to the pup, patted it a couple of times with her front flipper then nuzzled it’s face with her nose.While she was doing this she periodically looked up at me with those big, sad, dark eyes.I’m sure even seals feel loss and grieve, It affects me at any rate. The Orca were through the reserve on their way east.Saw about 7 pass by between Gr. Race and North Rocks. They moved along at a fair pace but saw some breaching and tail slapping. The tour boats were quite spread out and except for the 2 boats that were in the reserve ahead of the whales none followed them through.
HUMAN INTERACTION: there were 17 tour boats and 3 pleasure craft through the reserve today.
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:23 PM

Good MorningWEATHER: Sky Cloudy  Vis. 15 Miles  Wind West 30 Knots Sea 4 Foot Moderate

posted by Carol or Mike S at 5:13 AM

The Pigeon Guillemots are busy feeding young

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Friday, July 05, 2002 Good Evening

TEMPERATURE: Max 16.0 C Min. 8.9 C Reset 14.7 C
MARINE LIFE: The Pigeon Guillemots are busy feeding young while the gulls take turns nest sitting with eggs hatching everyday now. There have been ‘fish’ balls off and on all day mostly just outside the M.P.A. boundaries so far a good supply of food for the birds and their young. Only one bald eagle came into the area this evening but was driven off towards Whirl Bay before it could get close to Gr. Race, the gulls are hyper vigilant now that they have young and are on high alert to any threats. The gulls around our house are used to us coming and going but the others will dive at us to warn us away and happily use us as targets so it’s hat season and not just to keep the out the uv rays! At night there is a lot of banging and clatter on the roof from the 35-40 gulls that spend the night up there. It is hard to believe there are just birds up there from all the noise. Did not hear the birds screeching last night so I guess the otter isn’t coming around every night.
HUMAN INTERACTION: There were 23 ecotour boats and 9 pleasure craft through today; we made a return trip to Pedder Bay in the station boat and enjoyed another great sunset on a calm sea.
posted by Carol or Mike S at 11:05 PM
Good Morning
WEATHER: Sky Clear  Vis. 15 Miles  Wind West 6 Knots  Sea Rippled
posted by Carol or Mike S at 5:27 AM

Several gulls nests have chicks since yesterday

Posted on by
Wednesday, July 03, 2002
Good Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max 14.0 C  Min 9.9 C  Reset 12.0 C  Rain tr
MARINE LIFE: Don’t mind the clouds and cool temperatures but really the constant westerly tends to wear on the nerves, the birds don’t seem to mind it – they just tuck their bills under a wing and nap. Several gulls nests have chicks since yesterday, watched, from the front porch, the first chick hatch from the group of nests closest to the house. It’s a fairly slow process, first a tiny, dark beak breaks through the egg and over a couple of hours the chick pushes it’s way out. The adult is on and off the nest checking the progress and when finally the chick is free of the egg the shell is taken about 3 m away and discarded.In an hour or so the chick is dry with yellowy-brown down-totally unlike the adult.The Oyster Catcher chicks on the other hand look very much like the adults except for bill colour and slightly lighter plumage. The Gulls are usually 2-3 years before they take on all the characteristics of the adults.The dark cloud lurking over this wonderful new life arrives between 1and 2 a.m. creating havoc, devouring some eggs and crushing others, some chicks are crushed and some eaten all the while the adult gulls are in the air screeching piteously diving at the intruder to no avail- the otter is on the hunt again! Haven’t seen the otter for several weeks, not even any signs of it like scat in the usual places- was really hoping it had moved on, maybe to Bentinck Island.Some resident Orcas were in the reserve this afternoon moving quite slowly along the south side of Gr. Race they did a lot of tail slapping,rolling and fishing in the kelp.There was the usual flotilla of whale watcher boats which for the most part abided by the guidelines – however after the Orcas had moved east away from the reserve at about 15:30, 2 ecotour boats went by too fast with respect to the no -wake policy and 3 others were too close to shore just west of the dock where there were feeding Pigeon Guillemots. 1 ecotour operator stopped in the kelp just off the northwest bluffs of Gr Race and pulled kelp into the boat for the passengers.Since this is a protected area such activities are not within the guidelines.
HUMAN INTERACTION: there were 5 pleasure craft through the reserve and 23 ecotour boats.
posted by Carol or Mike S at 7:07 PM
Good Morning
WEATHER: Sky Part Cloudy  Vis 15 Miles  Wind West 25 Gust 30 knots  Sea 3 – 4 Foot Moderate
posted by Carol or Mike S at 5:25 AM

A pod of 6 to 8 Orcas moved towards Victoria

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Sunday, June 09, 2002 Good Evening

TEMPERATURE: A beautiful day, Max. 14.2C  Min. 9C  11.5C
MARINE LIFE: Today’s animal pace was quite busy. Some of the Gulls are still collecting for their nests, while others are already incubating 2 or 3 eggs. The goslings are becoming very independent, frequenting the waters with their parents and exploring the little mysteries of Race Rocks. Some fly-overs by the resident Bald Eagle this morning, however it didn’t stay very long. A pod of 6 to 8 Orcas moved towards Victoria late this afternoon, one pair had a calf with them. The Sea Lion that has frequented the docks for the last couple of days did not return today, perhaps a sign of improving health.
HUMAN IMPACT: A total of 12 ecotourism vessels in and around the reserve today. Three fishing vessels on the reserves boarder for several hours. A group of canoes and kayaks paddled around the island today, unfortunately disregarding the 100m restrictions about approaching the seals. The group’s close proximity scared the seals into the water. We often have problems with kayakers. They think they are being so environmentally responsible but in this reserve they scare more marine mammals into the water than many other user groups. At approximately 10am a Victoria Coast Guard Auxillary boat, ( rigid hull inflatable, similar to the whale watchers vessels, sped straight through the reserve at excessive speed. They came within 20m. of the divers off the docks, the two groups of divers complaining of wake, despite a dive flag being in place and the no wake policy within the MPA.
posted by at 8:52 PM
Good Morning:
WEATHER: Sky Clear  Vis. 8 miles Wind 8 Knots from West Sea 1 Foot Chop
posted by at 5:43 AM

Eagles harassing gulls in early morning

Posted on by
Friday, June 07, 2002
TEMPERATURE: Max. 11.8 C  Min. 7.4 C Reset 9.8
MARINE LIFE: Some interesting bird life today. What we believe was an Arctic Tern hovered for a few minutes over the Gull colony late this afternoon. We also spotted a pair of Cormorants (probably Pelagic) on the cliff behind the heli-pad, perhaps the pair are checking out what used to be a common nesting site. The Gulls were frightened during the four visits by the Bald Eagles today, however some of the nesting pairs with two or more eggs refused to lift off from their nests. Indeed the eagles were quite a harassment early morning, with two landing within the middle of the nesting sites, only 15m from the house. One Sea Lion appeared on the boat ramp this morning, perhaps with some sort of eye problem.
HUMAN IMPACT: Hyaku and Second Nature docked early this morning, spending nearly two hours docked. The divers made some underwater repairs to the conduit, just off the docks. No eco-tourism or other boat activity within the reserve.
posted by at 11:02 PM
WEATHER UPDATE: Large Storm Front Moving North West South of Race Rocks
posted by at 10:11 AM

the whales look even more beautiful in the straits without an entourage of power boats.

Posted on by
Wednesday, June 05, 2002
Good Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max. 12.4 C  Min. 9.8 C  Reset 11.1
MARINE LIFE: We have been gifted over the last few days with many Orca visits. Again, early this morning, a large pod of 9 or 10 Orcas moved past south Race Rocks. It was nice to see them without the whale watching boats for once, the whales look even more beautiful in the straits without an entourage of power boats. We have sited several Gull eggs over the last couple of days, hopefully we get some chics soon. The Bald Eagle was back again this afternoon, sending the Gulls up in a cloud of wings and deafening squawks It appears that the eagle only attempts to make a surprise kill and if unsuccessful leaves the harrassement of the other birds quickly.
Human Impact: The whale watching boats appeared quickly after the Orca sitings, probably from radio information of their presence. There was a total of 12 whale watching boats today, the majority arriving between 9am-11am. One fishing vessel was filmed during our live web cast speeding well within the reserve. The name and number of the boat was taken for further action. Second Nature was docked from 9am-Midday, it provided support for the live webcast to World Wildlife Fund Canada. The divers again entered the water around the docks, spending just over half an hour in the water.
posted by at 9:39 PM
Good Morning
WEATHER: Sky Overcast  Vis. 12miles Wind South East 5knots  Sea 1 foot chop
posted by at 5:19 AM

West Coast Adventure for Women

Posted on by
Tuesday, June 04, 2002
Good Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max. 15.1 C  Min. 9.5 C  Reset 11.7
MARINE LIFE: Two Bald Eagle encounters today, one early this morning and one late this evening. The Gulls are very wary of any such danger to their nests and eggs. It appears we have a Gull nest on the roof of the science centre, the pair appear to be bringing material up to the old chimney, a most unorthodox place. The Crows have taken some more eggs, with a few cracked shells found about the place.
HUMAN IMPACT: Only one eco-tourist boat appeared today and no fishing vessels. The early morning fog that reduced visibility to less than a quarter of mile probably kept the tour boats away. Arriving at 9:30 in Second Nature, a small group of adults attending the week-long course going on at Pearson College (West Coast Adventure for Women) and their instructor Catrin Brown and Garry joined us for our morning webcast. The group stayed to the paths and respected the birds nesting areas.
Zodiac left and returned with supplies just after midday.
posted by at 9:12 PM
Good Morning
WEATHER: Sky Cloudy  Vis. 5 Miles  Wind South West 5 Knots  Sea 1 Foot Chop
posted by at 5:42 AM

Recreational lingcod fishing prohibited in Strait of Juan de Fuca

Posted on by
Saturday, June 01, 2002
Good Morning WEATHER: Sky Cloudy  Vis. 12 Miles  Wind West 11 Knots Rippled
Good Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max. 13.0 C  Min. 8.1 C Reset 10.0
MARINE LIFE: Another beautiful day here, with quite a lot of marine activity. The Glaucous Winged Gulls are actively mating and nesting, being very defensive of their nests. Crows are harassing the Gulls, Oystercatchers and and Pigeon Guillemots, in search of an unattended nest and egg. One of the pairs of Canadian Geese on the Island are nursing their five young Goslings, despite the Goslings rapidly increasing size the Geese continue to be very protective of their youngsters. Divers spotted some large Ling Cod** around the docks, along with a healthy stock of smaller fish.
HUMAN INTERACTION: A lot of fishing activity around the reserve today, around 10 to 12 vesels on the reserve boarder actively fishing. Problems with both vessels motoring too quickly through the reserve and fishermen disregarding the reserve limitations and fishing around West Race rocks. Four eco-tourism vessels moved through the park today.
**Good news for the Ling Cod!! This note was just received from the Sierra Club:
June 1, 2002 Victoria, BC: Despite intense pressure from sports-fishery lobbyists, local Fisheries and Oceans managers have decided that this year’s recreational fishery for lingcod in the Strait of Georgia will not go ahead today as scheduled. In an unprecedented, last-minute move, regional Fisheries and Oceans officials decided late Friday to issue a variation order to the B.C. tidal waters recreational fishery regulations, to prevent the recreational fishery for lingcod from proceeding. In an unprecedented, last-minute move, regional Fisheries and Oceans officials decided late Friday to issue a variation order to the B.C. tidal waters recreational fishery regulations, to prevent the recreational fishery for lingcod from proceeding. The lingcod season, which would have run from today to September 30, would have allowed anglers a daily bag limit of one lingcod, a possession limit of two, and an annual limit of 10.
The commercial harvest of Strait of Georgia lingcod was banned in 1990, after commercial landings had steadily declined to 44 tonnes after a peak catch of 3,300 tonnes in the 1930s. Fisheries and Oceans scientists estimate that only five per cent of the 1950s-era lingcod biomass is left in the Strait of Georgia. Against the advice of federal fisheries scientists, the recreational lingcod fishery was allowed to continue, however, and by 2001 the sports catch was believed to result in an annual harvest of at least 30 tonnes. Friday’s decision to suspend the fishery will prohibit recreational lingcod fishing throughout Johnstone Strait, the entire Strait of Georgia area, and most of Juan de Fuca Strait.
“We believe that the vast majority of anglers will support this decision,” said Terry Glavin, fisheries adviser to the Sierra Club. “While we are encouraged by reports that there may be localized revivals in lingcod stocks, a full closure is the only hope that these precious fish will gain the time they need to recover to their former abundance.”posted by at 5:49 AM

Crows are harassing the Gulls

Posted on by
Friday, May 31, 2002
Good Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max. 13.0 C  Min. 8.1 C  Reset 10.0
MARINE LIFE: Another beautiful day here, with quite a lot of marine activity. The Glaucous Winged Gulls are actively mating and nesting, being very defensive of their nests. Crows are harassing the Gulls, Oystercatchers and and Pigeon Guillemots, in search of an unattended nest and egg. One of the pairs of Canadian Geese on the Island are nursing their five young Goslings, despite the Goslings rapidly increasing size the Geese continue to be very protective of their youngsters. Divers spotted some large Ling Cod around the docks, along with a healthy stock of smaller fish.
HUMAN INTERACTION: A lot of fishing activity around the reserve today, around 10 to 12 vessels on the reserve border actively fishing. Problems with both vessels motoring too quickly through the reserve and fishermen disregarding the reserve limitations and fishing around West Race Rocks. Four eco-tourism vessels moved through the park today.
posted by Carol or Mike S at 7:33 PM
Good Morning
WEATHER: Sky Part Cloudy  Vis. 15 Miles  Wind West 9 Knots Sea Rippled
posted by Carol or Mike S at 5:51 AM

International Boundary Survey Measurements.

Posted on by
Saturday, May 18, 2002
Good Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max. 13.3 C Min 7.1 C Reset 11.9 C  Rain 0.4 mm
MARINE LIFE: 2 mature and 3 juvenile Bald Eagles today.The gulls were busy as usual keeping the eagles away from the ‘big’ island. The goslings enjoyed the pond this morning and needed more than a little ‘encouragement’ to move on by the adults! The other pair of geese spend some time with the ‘family’ but no sign of any more goslings.Counted 15 gull nests but so far no eggs.
HUMAN INTERACTION: 1 Dive boat this morning which returned for 2nd dive in the afternoon.There were 5 ecotour boats and 7 pleasure craft through the reserve today.  Station boat to Pedder Bay and back.We had three visitors from Washington State, David,Tim and Mike for the day long task of gathering the annual International Boundary Survey Measurements.
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:08 PM
Good Morning
WEATHER: Sky Cloudy  Vis 15 Miles Wind South West 7 Knots  Sea Rippled
posted by Carol or Mike S at 5:47 AM