Tag Archives: Pacific Wren

Holiday Storm

Posted on by

Best Wishes to you if you celebrate anything special this time of year!

Ecological Notes:

  • Still no Elephant Seals hauling out.
  • 1 yearling(?) came ashore for a couple days. When if first arrived it spent half a day moving around the central area, “calling” loudly (perhaps checking for others to haul out with?)

“You can’t see me here”

  • The Sea Otter – “Ollie” – was reported to be just off Helicopter rock by a photographer out on one of the EcoTourism boats. It’s nice to get updates on this animal, as his teeth are failing, and he is relatively old for a Sea Otter

    “Ollie” the sea Otter Photo submitted by Clint William

  • After dropping to very low numbers, there seems to be another surge of both Steller and California Sea Lions to the haul outs
  • There have been 2 or 3 small wrens in the flower beds, with help from Ann Nightingale, we believe these to be Pacific Wrens … too fast for me to get my own photo ….

photo by Mason Maron

Visitors:

  • 2 contractors from Viriidian Energy came and serviced the generator and upgraded the control system with an Auto Start/Stop system
  • Park Warden Garry Fletcher visited, and in addition to gaining an overview of the park and facilities, spent time with the Eco-Guardian providing interesting stories and history around the facility

Facility Work:

  • Spent some time analyzing and making adjustments to the new control system for the generator system
  • Initial setting on the Auto system proved to be problematic in that they resulted in very extended runs times(up to twice as long = twice the fuel burn and fuel transport!) Discussed with the programmer and they remotely adjusted the unit  to more appropriate times. Also, found out how to properly override the system for a manual run,  to ensure once a week full charges can still be done.
  • Will re-visit with the technician after the holidays
  • After help to secure some more logs … ongoing bucking and splitting to build up firewood stocks for the winter.
  • Did full maintenance on the chainsaw
  • Now running both the old, and the new Seawater data units, to give both readings to adjust  older incorrect readings

  • Proof on Concept: As the damp wood produces less heat in the woodstove, I decided to try to curtain off some areas, such as the front doorway and the kitchen. Using found materials , the main curtain is very thin, and does not cover the top very well, but it still produces a very noticeable temperature difference on either side

Noted Vessel Traffic:

  • Ongoing Eco-Tourism vessels in the park
  • Several private vessels visiting, no noted infractions

Weather Events:

Ongoing winter weather, unseasonably warm, winds direction shifting daily, very little rain

  • Monday, December 25::
    • Sky: Dense, High overcast, very light sprinkles threatening rain, but none occurred
    • Wind: ENE 5-15 kts during the day, rising to nighttime winds gusting to 35 kts
    • Sea:1 meter swells from the East
    • Temperature Low 8.5oC, High 11oC
  • Tuesday, December 26:
    • Sky: Bright overcast sky
    • Wind: ENE, calm in the morning, expected to rise to 25kts during the day and up to 45kts by evening
    • Sea: Large rolling swells from the east
    • Temperature Low 9oC, High 11.5oC

 

 

** 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?

Troglodytes Return to the Rock

Posted on by

The mostly overcast sky of early morning gave way to sunshine and clear skies for a beautiful transition day from summer to fall. The wind didn’t do much all day. The barometer rose to over 1016 hPa continuing yesterday’s rise but has now faltered and is starting to drop again. Forecasters are calling for winds to continue from the west tomorrow and then switch to east with increasing cloudiness, showers and dropping temperatures as the week progresses.

There were Humpback Whales just south and then east of Race Rocks most of the day. Some of the whale watching fleet visited them and the Ecological Reserve. A total of 15 visits were observed by commercial operators today and there may have been more mid-day when I went ashore briefly. By evening, there were four Humpbacks in the same area.

Ecologically, a change of season continues to be in the air. Flocks of Surf Scoters are passing through Race Rocks heading east. Cormorants are amassing in roosting areas on North Rocks, South Islands and Great Race and all three species are using the reserve to roost. More gulls arrive daily and huge multi-species feeding flocks are forming in conjunction with forage fish being driven up by diving birds like cormorants, Rhinoceros Auklets and Common Murres. These two species of alcids are often diving just outside Race Rocks but this morning on slack tide I saw a string of Common Murres in reserve, on the water. The adult males still have chicks with them.

There are also multi-species gull feeding flocks associated with sea lions’ salmon kills as observed earlier in the season. This morning I watched a California Sea Lion thrash what looked like a coho at the surface and then swallow it, head first, using a little air-born, porpoise-like action to get the tail down the gullet.

The bull kelp seems to still be growing and the beds are much more extensive than I remember them being this time last year. There is always lots of inter-annual variability in kelp cover as many factors affect its productivity and biomass including seawater temperature and salinity, light levels, nutrients like nitrogen, storm action and of course grazing. In the reserve, sea urchins and abalone are important grazers of kelp and they are also on the top of the menu when it comes to favorite food items for Sea Otters.

On land, Dark Eyed Juncos are flitting about with Fox Sparrows and Savannah Sparrows. There is a also a visitor back, that I haven’t seen here since last year. A small, but powerful presence in the form of one of my favourite little birds, a Pacific Wren has taken up cave-like residence in the old stone wall under the tower and can be seen going from cave to cave in the wall.

Other than the constantly changing and incredible natural scene outside, work was routine and there were no visitors today.