Sea lion frustrations

Much quieter day workwise today.

The sea lions are taking over! They have knocked the fencing down in several places and once again have cleared the fence posts from the jetty. I am conceding defeat! I know Greg and Richard are planning to redo the fence system this week, so the sea lions can claim victory–for now.

During yesterday’s census, I saw a Glaucous-winged Gull with a seriously broken wing. It looked like an old injury given the condition of the wing. I couldn’t relocate it after viewing it from the tower, but today it was near the solar panels. I managed to catch it and will take it to WildARC when I leave on Monday.

The bird of the day remains unidentified. I flushed a small sparrow twice today, but it went too far for me to get a positive identification. I suspect it is a Savannah Sparrow. I am annoyed I didn’t get a better look as there are very few songbirds here.

The entangled sea lion is still present. Fingers crossed for a rescue soon.

Facility work:

  • Clean the solar panels
  • Clean the west and north windows of the Science Building
  • Took hydrometer readings of the batteries in the generator building.

Weather:

  • Sky: clear and sunny all day
  • Wind: variable 0 – 20 knots
  • Sea: rippled
  • Air temperature: low 13 °C, high 27 °C
  • Seawater temperature at max flood: 10.9 °C

Photos from today:

Western Gull, an uncommon species for Race Rocks, although there are a few who are breeding with Glaucous-winged Gulls on site.

One of five Ruddy Turnstones seen today

 

 

Exciting Sightings

Wind: yesterday 0-31 knots from W to E to N, today 10-17 knots from N-NE
Sea State: yesterday rippled, today rippled with chop up to 1 m in morning
Visibility: both days 10-15 NM
Sky: both days clear
Temperature: yesterday 5-7 °C, today 4-6 °C
Atmospheric CO2: 413.85 ppm (recorded by NOAA at Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii)

There were some exciting sightings over the past two days. Just before sunset this evening, a pod of orcas was swimming in the current to the west of the island. There were at least five or six orcas of various ages.

This morning, between 20 to 30 pigeon guillemots were paddling through the Middle Channel, to the north of the main island. Some still have grey-ish heads of their winter plumage.

Yesterday one tour boat, two sailboats and three pleasure crafts passed through the ecological reserve. Today three tour boats travelled by the islands. No visitors were on the island.

The military was doing demolition training for the past two days on Bentinck Island.

See the photos below for sights from the past two days: