Tag Archives: pigeon guillemot

Last week of May’s Photos

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Big Steller - Little Steller

Big Steller – Little Steller

These are some of the more interesting photos the last week. I was able to lend a hand to the International Boundary Commission  technician who set up a GPS unit on the top of the tower in order to accurately determine the location of the US/Canada border.. to with in 4 decimal places! Why? Because we can!

Pigeon Guillemots

Pigeon Guillemots

 

The Guillemots are starting to nest along with the Glaucous-winged Gulls

Pinky in the Flowers

Pinky in the Flowers

 

 

 

 

 

This little female found a nice spot to spend a few days….

Sunset Gull

Sunset Gull

Swiftsure-Driftsure

Swiftsure-Driftsure

 

 

 

 

 

Stunning sunset…

 

 

 

 

 

A parade of sailing vessels…

Rambunctous Youth

Rambunctous Youth

 

 

 

 

 

Lots of jousting from these young males

Rambunctous Youth

Rambunctous Youth

Back for Spring

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It is good to be back on Race Rocks after a winter on the road in Mexico. It seems I am not the only one returning as the Pigeon Guillemots have been returning over the last few days as well. I am planning a special entry focused on them in the next week so stay tuned!

Surfbird (Aphriza Virgata) in breeding plummage

Surfbird (Aphriza Virgata) in breeding plummage

These birds usually eat invertebrates so this picture of one eating Sea Lettuce (ulva lactuca) a bit unusual.

These birds usually eat invertebrates so this picture of one eating Sea Lettuce (Ulva lactuca) is a bit unusual.

For now I think a census of the last few days is in order:

Steller (Northern) Sea Lions: 30

Harbour Seals: 100

Elephant Seals: 10

Orca: 6

River Otter: 1

Mergansers: 2

Pigeon: 1

Cormorants: 40

Glaucous-winged Gulls: 200

Pigeon Guillemots: 60

Northwestern Crow: 2

Raven: 2

Rufous Hummingbird: 1

Black Oyster Catchers: 20

Bald Eagle: 10

Harlequin Ducks: 10

Black Turnstones: 30

Sanderlings: 4

Song Sparrow: 6

Canada Geese: 14

Surfbirds: 40

 

Wildlife

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eagles

Bertha left the main island the night of the 16 and I have not seen her since.  She was on the island and mating with Misery for just over a week.  Zeke stayed around for the first few days and was very interested in the new arrival and activity but after being chased off by Misery a few times he left, I have not seen him in about a week.  Misery seems to still be looking for her sometimes.  He has been on the main island every day since Bertha arrived and seems to go off the island most nights.

The Pigeon Guillemots are becoming more frequent with a recent count of over 200, they stay mostly just offshore or in the intertidal zone and make their shrill calls.  A couple pairs of Black Brant Geese have also been showing up just offshore of the main rock.  Most days there are over half a dozen bald eagles in the reserve perched on the crane, the generator exhaust pipe, camera 5, on rocks, on the smaller islands, gliding in the air on the west winds, or chasing each other around.

Census, Monday Feb 18, 2013 Continue reading →

Animal Census First Sea Otter at Race Rocks

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Sea Otter in race ROcks Kelp Beds, photo by Adam Bird

Sea Otter in Race Rocks Kelp Beds, photo by Adam Bird on June 10/2012

Things have been fairly quite lately regarding birds and mammals here, though one of the eco-tour boats reported seeing a Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris) in a kelp bed on Monday! The percussive blasts from Rocky Point military testing range scared off most of the Sea Lions last Thursday and only a few have returned in the last couple days. A large pod of orca passed through and near the reserve on Tuesday. Thanks to Suna, Doris and Ishmael for the census.

Elephant Seals: about 10
Steller Sea Lions: 2
California Sea Lions: 2
Harbour Seals: 204
Glaucous-winged Gull: 246
Surfbirds: 18
Pigeon Guillemots: 108
Canada Goose: 13
Bald Eagle: 3
Black Oystercatcher: 12
Northwestern Crow: 1
Raven: 1
Sparrow: 4
Sea Otter: 1
Caspian Terns: 6
Herring Gulls: 20

Busy whale-watching season

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The weather has settled after a couple of blustery days and the sun is shining. Erik and I are refuelling the station which involves transporting about 6,000 litters of diesel fuel from Pedder Bay Marina to the island. We should be completed this afternoon. Hopefully this will last about one year, but that depends on conserving energy/electricity wherever possible.

Seven Pearson students spent last weekend here and we may get another group this coming weekend, however that depends on getting a new part for our desalinator. Without water it is challenging to host our guests, and I may have to ration our dwindling supply for a few weeks until the new part arrives. I counted just under 20 whale-watching vessels in the preserve last week, averaging 2 a day with 4 or 5 on the weekends. I will monitor the numbers more closely as tourist season arrives. DND continues to explode ordinance on Bentinck Island, much to the annoyance of every living thing in the reserve. The percussive shock waves rattle the windows and seem very incongruous with the spirit and intention of this place. I can’t quite understand why they won’t perform their exercises in an inland location where the noise and pollution can be better contained. I believe they are violating federal guidelines and hope they will take measures to ameliorate the effects of their mandate.

 Dunlin

Hundreds of pigeon guillemots are banding the seashore around Great Race and they add a colourful and busy presence to the island. Three scruffy young female elephant seals are busy moulting their pelage. Little scraps of old skin and fur are littering the island, adding to the biological detritus that makes up the bulk of the soil layer along with guano, shell and decayed plant material. A few California Sea Lions are in the area along with the Stellar and Northerns.

 Stellar Sea Lion

 We have a new camera now with a good telephoto lens so I hope to edu-tain you with beautiful pictures of magnificent animals…. stay tuned!

Animal Census Apr 18, 2012

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Stellar Sea Lion – 20

Elephant Seal – 12

Harbour Seal – 200

Glaucous-winged Gull – 200

Brandt’s Cormorant – 250

Pelagic Cormorant – 10

Black Turnstones – 30 w/ 2 juveniles

Surfbirds – 10

Raven – 4

Crow – 1

Dunlin – 2

Sparrows – 6

Pigeon Guillemots – 150

Harlequin Ducks – 100

Canada Goose – 20

Bald Eagle (adult) – 4 (juvenile) 8

Black Oyster-catcher – 40

34 people have visited in the least 2 weeks

Bertha comes back!

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A big sleek elephant seal arrived yesterday and proceeded to block the boat ramp until I shooed her away and was able to launch. At some point she rolled over and I saw the big scar on her belly! Bertha had returned, but was looking sleek and fully recovered from the challenges of giving birth and feeding her newborn 3 months earlier. Neither Squall nor Bertha paid much attention to one another, but I haven’t mastered the nuances of e-seal communication techniques so I may have missed something!

photos 1-3 credit Helene Cyr

A little tickle with the paddle after cajoling and pleading  had no effect…

There are plenty of pigeon guillemots around to cheer up my day! I love their bright red/orange feet and the way they splash into the water when they settle down.

Moulting Time

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There are about 8-10 young and mostly moulting elephant seals in the reserve at this time. Between four and six have been lounging on the pier creating obstacles for the group of 10  students that spent the weekend here. The grumpy infected girl at the end of the dock made all of us clamber around the outside of the rail to get to and from the boat. Today I thought she looked a bit better. There appears to be an object imbedded in her lower palate; perhaps a barb or spine from a fish she was hunting. I hope it works it’s way out in time. Presumably elephant seals are pretty durable creatures… we will keep a close eye on her recuperation.

The students did a great job of weeding the scotch thistles from around the tower.

There are plenty of Pigeon Guillemots and Black Oystercatcher pairs on the island, with a few Harlequin ducks and Rhinoceros Auklets just offshore. The Harbour Seals should start giving birth soon. There is a large pregnant female on the foreshore near the engine room.

3 rental boats entered the reserve and broke all the rules for respectable human decorum here. I called the marina and they quickly responded by phoning the renters to warn them of their infractions. I was happy to see them promptly exit the reserve and head off towards the military ballistics range.

Bird and Mammal Count

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At least 8 orcas passed by Race Rocks Sunday morning

For Sunday March 25:

Black Oyster Catcher (Haematopus bachmani): 7 pairs

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis): 3

Surfbirds (Aphriza virgata): 100+

Cormorants (Phalacrocorax penicilatu, P. pelagicus, and/or P.auritas): 200+

Gulls (mostly Larus glaucescens): 230+

Pigeon Guillemots (Cepphus columba): 30+

Harlequin Ducks (Histrionicus histrionicus): 5

Harbour Seals (Phoca vitulina) : 30+ S islands

Northern Sea Lions (Eumetopisa jubatus): 14 S islands, 1 Middle Rocks

Elephant Seals (Mirounga angustirostris): 3 Middle Rocks, 1 Great Race

Orcas (Orcinus orca): 8 in the morning going E between S Islands and Rosedale Reef Buoy