Tag Archives: nesting

Cameras are back up

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Weather

  • Visibility: 15 Miles
  • Wind: 0-5 SE
  • Sky: Partly Cloudy
  • Water: Flat

Boats/Visitors

  • Had a few visitors this morning

Maintenance

  • as many of you noticed the cameras were down, that is because there was an issue without the router on Saturday, we just got replacement parts today and everything should be up running this also includes my internet which means I can post on this blog again

Ecological

  • A lot of elephant seals lately, there are 7 females and 4 males, this includes the pup
  • The males are very small, no big noses yet, they must be 2 or 3 years old, one of them has a green tag D018
  • the female pup left two days ago but the male pup is still here, he will probably leave any day now
  • only one of the females has been molting so far, the other 6 will probably start soon
  • I have counted 6 goose nests so far, I haven’t been able to addle them because I do need someone to help me fend off the geese while one takes the eggs. We do this is a population control method and have a permit to addle goose eggs

Storming

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Final exam/assignments the past week have kept me very busy, so here is  an update on the current elephant seals

Weather

  • Visibility: 15 Miles
  • Wind: 20-35 SE
  • Sky: Overcast
  • Water: Waves 1-2 metres

Boats/Visitors

  • No boats out there today

Ecological

  • There are 3 mature females, one young male and the pups are still here. I have not seen any molting yet, the females will be going through that soon
  • There are 3 goose nests that I’ve seen, I attempted to addle the eggs but there was no getting past those geese which seem extra vicious this year
  • Still about 100 sea lions, mix of california and stellar, mostly california
  • Theres usually nearly 50 or 60 harbour seals out on the rocks, not today due to the storm

Still on land

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Weather

  • Visibility: 15 Miles
  • Wind: 0-15 SE
  • Sky: Overcast
  • Water: Flat

Boats/Visitors

  • Some ecotours out today

Maintenance

  • The desal quit on me a couple of times last night so I’m trying for a longer run tonight

Ecological

  • The pups still have not gone into the water, haven’t even gone near the jetty, they are both still beside the main house, they have been chewing on the grass a bit
  • the pigeon guillemots are back, looks to be a couple hundred of them
  • still around 100 sea lions, and about 50 harbour seals all together on the surrounding rocks
  • there are about 16 geese which I’m sure are starting to look for good nesting spots, there is also an increase in seagulls, I can tell from how noisy they are

Last Day

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Weather

  • Visibility: 15 Miles
  • Wind: 15-35 NW
  • Sky: Partly Cloudy
  • Water: Waves 1-2 metres

Boats/Visitors

  • not much boat traffic today

Ecological

  • About 9 elephant seals still around, 2 males, 7 female
  • looks like there are more seagull eggs around
  • unfortunately the oyster catcher eggs haven’t hatched yet, I was hoping they would before I leave tomorrow for the summer

I have had an amazing time at Race Rocks, my shift is over tomorrow and Aziz will be here, I’m sure he will do a great job this summer.

Another Elephant

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Weather

  • Visibility: 15 Miles
  • Wind: 15-35 NW
  • Sky: Partly Cloudy
  • Water: Waves 1-2 metres

Boats/Visitors

  • a few ecotours went by today

Ecological

  • About 9 elephant seals, 2 males now, one larger one showed up today and about 7 females
  • tried to get a photo of the seagull nest with eggs in it but the seagull was not having it and I could not get the photo

Sunday

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Weather

  • Visibility: 15 Miles
  • Wind: 10-30 NW
  • Sky: Partly Cloudy
  • Water: Waves under a metre

Boats/Visitors

  • a few ecotours went by today, the weather was so nice, hardly any wind in the early afternoon but the wind has come up to 30 now
  • Guy came by with a group that were visiting the college for a symposium

Ecological

  • saw the first seagull eggs today, the gulls are starting to get more protective of their nests
  • about 9 elephant seals around today and hardly any sea lions

Census

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Weather

  • Visibility: 15 Miles
  • Wind: 20-35 NW
  • Sky: Partly Cloudy
  • Water: Waves 1-2 metres

Boats/Visitors

  • not much boat traffic today, its been pretty windy

Ecological

  • less elephant seals
  • also less sea lions

Census

  • stellar sea lions – 11
  • california sea lions – 15
  • elephant seals – 7 female, 1 male
  • gulls – 180
  • pigeon guillemots – 98
  • oyster catchers – 14
  • geese – 16
  • eagles – 2

Thursday

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Weather

  • Visibility: 10-15 Miles
  • Wind: 20-30 NW
  • Sky: Partly Cloudy
  • Water: Waves 1-2 metres

Boats/Visitors

  • a few ecotours went by today
  • Guy and Dan came by this morning, Dan to work on the internet and Guy and I got a few chores done

Ecological

  • Not many sea lions around today, there seems to be less and less each week
  • a bit windy today the elephant seals stayed around the front yard and there new favourite spot by the shed that operates the crane
  • looks like there are more seagull nests around, will probably be seeing eggs very soon

Wednesday

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Weather

  • Visibility: 0-15 Miles
  • Wind: 20-35 NW
  • Sky: Partly Cloudy and Foggy
  • Water: Waves 0-1 metre

Boats/Visitors

  • a few ecotours went by today but not many, due to the wind and fog

Ecological

  • a dozen elephant seals around today, not a lot of sea lions
  • I think all the goose eggs have been successfully addled, I have not seen any goslings around
  • And no seagulls eggs yet but the nests are pretty clear and they will probably start laying eggs soon

Friday

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Weather

  • Visibility: 15 Miles
  • Wind: 15-25 NW
  • Sky: Partly Cloudy
  • Water: Calm

Boats/Visitors

  • a few ecotours went by today
  • Guy came by today with a few others

Ecological

  • about 10 elephants all together, most female, one is a young male that is sticking around
  • I think the geese are done nesting now, I hope they are
  • The gulls are starting to build their nests but I don’t expect them to really start nesting for another few weeks