Tag Archives: pigeon guillemot

Foggy day for an Animal Census

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The first foggy day in a couple weeks today!

With 6 new solar panels installed along with replacements to wiring that had corroded with the salty air this week, it seems the fog is barely affected our power supply which is amazing!

A couple DND blasts at Noon through the fog made even fewer animals around the reserve today.

 

Birds

  • Harlequin duck                                  5
  • Bald eagle adult                                2 
  • Glaucous winged Gulls                  527   
  • Cormorants                                      31
  • Pigeon Guillemots                             176
  • Oyster catcher                                    10
    • Oyster catcher eggs                   7   (3 in two nests and 1 in a third)
  • Savannah Sparrow                              1
  • Canada Goose                                     14
  • Barn Swallow                                       1
  • Crow                                                     3

Mammals

  • Steller sea lion                             10
  • Harbour seal                                 63
  • California sea lion                        17
  • Elephant seal sub adult male      2
  • Elephant seal adult female          2
  • Elephant seal pups                      3

 

Visitors:

  • Race Rocks Challenge participants
  • 3 contractors installing and maintaining solar panels
  • 44 Marine Science students visited to write their exam
  • 4 Pearson College Second year students came for a visit before the school year ends.

Facility Work: 

  • Fixed Compost
  • Taped off Oyster Catcher nests and made map 
  • Cleaned house
  • Filled water in batteries
  • Emptied and cleaned composting toilet
  • Cleaned windows and solar panels
  • Mopped basement
  • Organized and cleaned tool drawers
  • Fixed and rebuilt sections of Electric fence
  • Cleaned lighthouse

 

** 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?

Animal Census with a couple quick Terns

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Birds

  • Harlequin duck                                  5
  • Bald eagle adult                                2 
  • Bald eagle juvenile                           1
  • Ruddy Turnstone                              1
  • Glaucous winged Gulls                     685 
  • Cormorants                                        72
  • Pigeon Guillemots                             327
  • Oyster catcher                                    10
  • Savannah Sparrow                              6
  • Canada Goose                                     14
  • Raven                                                   2
  • Caspian Tern                                       2
  • Barn Swallow                                       2

Mammals

  • Steller sea lion                             16
  • Harbour seal                                 79
  • California sea lion                        32
  • Elephant seal sub adult male      2
  • Elephant seal adult female          3
  • Elephant seal pups                      3

Visitors:

  • Mollie – future Ecoguardian 

Facility Work: 

  • Chopped and stacked remaining fire wood
  • Deep Cleaning of Kitchen and sorting through house hold items
  • 3 coats Stained Kitchen table
  • Sharpened Axe
  • Mounted 2 large Elephant Seal winter coat sheds for future visitors and students to touch and see. 
  • Set up Hose system from Science house up to solar panels so we no longer have to haul a 5 gallon bucket up a ladder
  • Cleaned solar panels
  • Addled Canada Goose Eggs and mapped out nests
  • Cleaned windows

 

** 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?

Return of the Pigeon Guillemots

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Ecological Notes:

  • 3 Female Elephant Seals
  • 3 Elephant Seal pups. Pup #1 moved over the raised path and is associating with mom #1 again
  • Still no big Male Elephant Seals present, but I thought I may have heard one during the night, south of the reserve.
  • Heard the light peeps and coos I haven’t heard in at least a couple months…… a group of Pigeon Guillemots in the water off the end of the pier.

Shifting from winter plumage to summer plumage

Can’t take too many pictures of Black Turnstones

Visitors:

  • Diesel fuel delivery

Facility Work:

  • Battery system electrolyte top up
  • Battery system equalization charge
  • Desalinator has been working as expected
  • Checked oil, and ran up the gasoline backup generator, and both pressure washers
  • Firewood collecting and splitting
  • Month end records and reporting

Noted Vessel Traffic:

  • A group of vessels doing manoeuvres west of the reserve. Then more noted between the reserve and Victoria when we went in for fuel.

Weather Events:

  • Tuesday, January 31:
    • Sky: Overcast with some lower clouds
    • Wind: NNE to ENE 10-15 kts
    • Sea: calm and rippled
    • Temperature Low 2oC, High 6oC
  • Wednesday, February 01:
    • Sky:High overcast with sunny breaks
    • Wind: ENE 10-20 kts
    • Sea:  some SE swells early until the tide changed, then light chop
    • Temperature Low  2oC, High  7oC
  • Thursday, February 02:
    • Sky: High overcast with sunny breaks, lower clouds to the south on the Olympic Peninsula side
    • Wind: NE/NNE  10_15kts, veering to ENE in the afternoon
    • Sea:  light chop
    • Temperature Low  3oC, High  7oC

 

** 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?

August 2 and 3

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Tomorrow is a shift changeover and my last day on the Island. Ann Nightingale is coming to be the Ecoguardian. I have enjoyed my stay here for the past five weeks. The near constant west wind provided excellent air conditioning. I learned to live harmoniously with the nesting gulls and chicks. The marine mammals (elephant seals, sea otter, humpback whales, orcas, and Steller sea lions) provided me with plenty of entertainment. I fixed more things on the island than broke. Another successful Ecoguardian shift.

Ecological Notes:

  • The large male elephant seal spent the whole day today on the land, most of the time nestled against the north side of the Guest House.
  • The population of Steller sea lions has doubled in past week. The stench of sea lion poop is also growing down wind of Middle Rocks. There are even a few California sea lions showing up on the main island.
  • In the morning yesterday, myself and the two visitors took the station boat out for a trip to the closest land to the north. I enjoyed seeing a closer view of Bentinck Island, Rocky Point, Church Rock and Swordfish Island. There were many harbour seals hauled out on the rocks and little jumping fish along the way.
  • See the photo gallery below for the ecological happenings from the past two days.

Weekly Census observed on Wednesday, August 3:

  • Elephant seals: 3 (1 adult male, two juvenile females)
  • Steller sea lions: 95
  • California sea lions: 3
  • Harbour seals: 146
  • Bald eagles: 2 adults
  • Brown pelican: 1
  • Canada geese: 2
  • Cormorants: 5
  • Glaucous-winged gulls: 232
  • Glaucous-winged gull chicks: approximately 200 (They are hard to count due to their hiding in plants and rocks. Some chicks have died and new chicks have been born recently.)
  • Gulls (uncertain of species): 331 (around outer islands and congregating on the south end of Great Race Rocks)
  • Black oystercatchers: 8 adults (no chicks seen today)
  • Harlequin duck: 1 female
  • Pigeon guillemots: 132
  • Surfbirds: 12
  • Black turnstones: 148

Weather:

  • Yesterday (August 2):
    • Sky: Partly cloudy
    • Wind: W 11-28 kts
    • Sea: up to 1′ chop
    • Temperature Low 12 oC, High 15 oC
  • Today (August 3):
    • Sky: Overcast until mid morning, then partly cloudy
    • Wind: W 15-34 kts
    • Sea: up to 3′ moderate
    • Temperature Low 12 oC, High 15 oC

Visitors:

  • Abi and Jeremias, the two volunteers
  • 9 visitors from Pearson College in the afternoon of August 2

Facility Work:

  • Scrubbed and squeegeed solar panels, poured cement to fix a broken section of sidewalk, routine tidying and checking infrastructure around the island. 

DND Blasting:

  • Just before 13:00, there was one large blast from the DND lands at Rocky Point.

Vessel Traffic:

  • Many Canadian and American ecotour boats have been nearby and heading through the waters of the ecological reserve.

Here are photo highlights from the past two days. Click on the photos for larger views and captions.

July 31 and August 1

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Ecological Notes:

  • The four elephant seals have been busy near the boat ramp with lots of movement to and from the water.
  • This morning, I saw four brown pelicans off the south side of the island.
  • See the photo gallery below for the ecological happenings from the past two days.

Weather:

  • Yesterday (July 31):
    • Sky: Clear, fog in evening
    • Wind: W 3-30 kts
    • Sea: Rippled in morning, then up to 2′ chop
    • Temperature Low 12 oC, High 18 oC
  • Today (August 1):
    • Sky: Fog overnight, then partly cloudy at 07:30
    • Wind: W 18-35 kts
    • Sea: up to 3′ moderate
    • Temperature Low 12 oC, High 21 oC

Visitors:

  • Abi and Jeremias, the two volunteers

Facility Work:

  • Scrubbed and squeegeed solar panels, routine tidying and checking infrastructure around the island.
  • Month end stats:
    • Water used: 1,843 L (average of 59.4 L/day)
    • Diesel used: 168 L
    • Generator hours: 28.3 (average of 0.91 hours/day)
    • Visitors: six people visited

DND Blasting:

  • At sunset this evening, there was one large blast that shook the island from the DND lands at Rocky Point.

Vessel Traffic:

  • Many Canadian and American ecotour boats have been nearby and heading through the waters of the ecological reserve.

Here are photo highlights from the past two days. Click on the photos for larger views and captions.

July 27 and 28 – Weekly Census

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Ecological Notes:

  • I counted 40 Steller sea lions hauled out on Middle Rocks, the highest number so far this month.
  • About 200 black turnstones, ruddy turnstones, and surfbirds have been hunkering down in the east bay in the strong west winds for the past two afternoons and evenings.
  • See the photo gallery below for the ecological happenings from the past two days.

Weather:

  • Yesterday (July 27):
    • Sky: Fog at 07:40 until late morning, partly cloudy until fog at 17:00 onwards
    • Wind: W 9-29 kts
    • Sea: Rippled in morning, then up to 2′ chop
    • Temperature Low 13 oC, High 21 oC
  • Today (July 28):
    • Sky: Fog overnight until late morning, partly cloudy until fog rolled in at 16:00
    • Wind: W 18-32 kts
    • Sea: Rippled in morning, up to 3′ moderate in afternoon
    • Temperature Low 12 oC, High 14 oC

Weekly Census (observed on July 27):

  • Elephant Seal: 3
  • Steller/Northern sea lions: 40 on Middle Rock
  • Harbour seals: 132
  • Bald eagles: 2 (1 juvenile and 1 adult)
  • Canada geese: 6
  • Black oystercatchers: 21 (18 adults, 3 chicks)
  • Cormorants: 6
  • Glaucous-winged gulls nesting on the main island: 189
  • Glaucous-winged gull chicks: approximately 200 (It is hard to get an exact number due to their camouflage)
  • Gulls not nesting (some glaucous-winged and some other species) on the south end of the main island and outer islands: 156
  • Pigeon guillemots: 182
  • Surfbirds: 16
  • Black turnstones: 192
  • Ruddy turnstones: 6

Visitors:

  • No visitors

Facility Work:

  • Scrubbed and squeegeed solar panels, routine tidying and checking infrastructure around the island.

Vessel Traffic:

  • Many Canadian and American ecotour boats have been nearby and heading through the waters of the ecological reserve.

Here are photo highlights from the past two days. Click on the photos for larger views and captions.

July 21 and 22

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Ecological Notes:

  • A pod of humpbacks is still spending time to the southwest of the island. I spotted several last evening from the kitchen window while I was doing dinner dishes.
  • There are now two female elephant seals near the boat ramp. They are similar size. The one who I first spotted today, has a bit lighter fur and more scars on her back, as compared to the other who has been around on and off for a few days.
  • I have seen about 50 dead gull chicks around the island. There could be more in the areas I can not see. A few of the chicks have been ripped apart by a bird. I am not sure if it was an eagle or gull. Most of the dead chicks do not have any obvious signs of death, they are just lying in the grass near nests.
  • See the photo gallery below for more ecological happenings from the past two days.

Weather:

  • Yesterday (July 21):
    • Sky: Fog overnight until mid-morning, partly cloudy for the rest of the day
    • Wind: W 19-32 kts
    • Sea: up to 2′ chop, low westerly swell
    • Temperature Low 11 oC, High 14 oC
  • Today (July 22):
    • Sky: Partly Cloudy
    • Wind: W 13-33 kts
    • Sea: up to 3′ moderate
    • Temperature Low 12 oC, High 15 oC

Visitors:

  • No visitors

Facility Work:

  • Cleaning solar panels, routine tidying and checking infrastructure around the island.

Vessel Traffic:

  • Many Canadian and American ecotour boats have been nearby and heading through the waters of the ecological reserve.

Here are photo highlights from the past two days. Click on the photos for larger views and captions.

July 19 and 20 – Weekly Census

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Ecological Notes:

  • An elephant seal swam up to the boat ramp at some point yesterday late afternoon or evening. When I went to do the seawater sample at 19:30, I spotted her sleeping at the water’s edge. As far as I can tell, she has been there ever since.
  • See the photo gallery below for more ecological happenings from the past two days.

Weekly Census recorded on Wednesday, July 20:

It was not an ideal day to record the census, as it was quite foggy. Although, I had a window of less fog at around noon, when I could see all the islets that comprise Race Rocks and the water in between, so I was able to count the species from the lantern room of the lighthouse. I counted other species throughout the day as I walked around.

  • Elephant Seal: 1
  • Steller/Northern sea lions: 15
  • Harbour seals: 125
  • Bald eagles: 2 (1 juvenile and 1 adult)
  • Canada geese: 9 (5 adults, 4 goslings)
  • Black oystercatchers: 11 (8 adults, 3 chicks)
  • Cormorants: 5
  • Glaucous-winged gulls nesting on the main island: 229
  • Glaucous-winged gull chicks: approximately 250 (It is hard to get an exact number due to their camouflage in the grass and hiding under their parents) 
  • Gulls not nesting (some glaucous-winged and some other species) on the south end of the main island and outer islands: 96
  • Pigeon guillemots: 163
  • Black turnstones: 2
  • Western sandpiper: 3
  • Fox sparrow: 1

Weather:

  • Yesterday (July 19):
    • Sky: Partly cloudy, fog in evening
    • Wind: W 3-29 kts
    • Sea: rippled, then up to 1′ chop in afternoon and evening
    • Temperature Low 11oC, High 15oC
  • Today (July 20):
    • Sky: Fog overnight, a mixture of partly cloudy and fog throughout the day and into the evening
    • Wind: W 12-30 kts
    • Sea: rippled, then up 2′ chop in afternoon and evening
    • Temperature Low 11oC, High 14oC

Visitors:

  • 2 visitors from Pearson College to deliver supplies. 

Facility Work:

  • Scrubbed and squeegeed solar panels, routine tidying and checking infrastructure around the island.

Vessel Traffic:

  • Many Canadian and American ecotour boats have been nearby and heading through the waters of the ecological reserve.

Here are photo highlights from the past two days. Click on the photos for larger views and captions.

July 13 and 14 – Weekly Census

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Ecological Notes:

  • The sea lion population is growing. For the past few days there have been 18 Steller sea lions hauled out on Middle Rocks. That is up from four sea lions one week ago. One of the sea lions has a brand. It appears to say 620R, although the researcher I contacted in Oregon mentioned it is what they call a bad brand and he was unable to determine the brand from the photos I sent. I will keep a look out for the sea lion and see if I can get a better view. The researcher will check his records to see if he can identify the sea lion and be able to record the resighting.
  • The super moon on Wednesday night rose in the southeast at 10:00pm. It was a big bright orange orb that looked more like the rising sun, than the moon.
  • Today’s extremely low tide of -0.2m or -0.7′ was at 10:13am. The overnight high tide at 00:55am was 3.0m or 9.8′. It is apparently the lowest tide in a decade. I was fascinated to see the extended edge of the water all around the many islands. I looked at the exposed intertidal zone from a distance and up on the jetty, so as not to disturb the many delicate species.
  • See the photo gallery below for more ecological happenings from the past two days.

Weekly Census Results from July 13:

  • Steller/Northern sea lions: 18
  • Sea otter: 1
  • Harbour seals: 133
  • Bald eagles: 2 (1 juvenile and 1 adult)
  • Canada geese: 9 (5 adults, 4 goslings)
  • Black oystercatchers: 11 (8 adults, 3 chicks)
  • Cormorant: 4
  • Glaucous-winged gulls nesting on the main island: 247
  • Glaucous-winged gull chicks: approximately 200 (it is hard to get an exact number due to their camouflage in the grass and hiding under their parents)
  • Gulls not nesting (some glaucous-winged and some other species) on the south end of the main island and outer islands: 96
  • Pigeon guillemots: 142
  • Black turnstones: 2
  • Western sandpiper: 2

Weather:

  • Yesterday (July 13):
    • Sky: Part Cloudy
    • Wind: W 12-32 kts
    • Sea: rippled, then up to 3′ waves in afternoon and evening
    • Temperature Low 12oC, High 16oC
  • Today (July 14):
    • Sky: Part Cloudy
    • Wind: W 15-27 kts
    • Sea: rippled, then up to 2′ chop in afternoon
    • Temperature Low 11oC, High 13oC

Visitors:

  • No visitors

Facility Work:

  • Scrubbed and squeegeed solar panels, routine tidying and checking infrastructure around the island.

Vessel Traffic:

  • Many Canadian and American ecotour boats have been nearby and heading through the waters of the ecological reserve.

Here are photo highlights from the past two days. Click on the photos for larger views and captions.

July 9 and 10

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Ecological Notes:

  • On Saturday afternoon, a southern resident orca pod went through Race Passage, just north of the ecological reserve. Someone was warning boats over the VHF radio to reduce their speed, as they were “in the path of endangered southern resident killer whales.” All boats appeared to oblige. For a while, the very large pod was spread out from the Bentinck Island, at the west side of the mouth of Pedder Bay to well past William Head to the east, at least 4km or 2NM. I watched the pod for a while through binoculars and saw an orca fully breach out of the water. I did not get a photo of the breach, but it was spectacular. Then the pod travelled south to the east of Race Rocks, based on the group of ecotour boats I could see watching the pod from a safe distance.
  • The gull chicks are still popping out, with many nests having one to three chicks. There are still some gulls tending to eggs.
  • See the photo gallery below for more ecological happenings from the past two days.

Weather:

  • Yesterday (July 9):
    • Sky: Overcast, then cloudy throughout rest of day
    • Wind: W 15-30 kts
    • Sea: rippled, 1′ chop in evening
    • Temperature Low 13oC, High 16oC
  • Today (July 10):
    • Sky: Part cloudy
    • Wind: W 3-24 kts
    • Sea: rippled, 1′ chop in afternoon
    • Temperature Low 14oC, High 17oC

Visitors:

  • No visitors.

Facility Work:

  • Scrubbed and squeegeed solar panels, topped up water in battery bank, routine tidying and checking infrastructure around the island.

Vessel Traffic:

  • Many Canadian and American ecotour boats have been nearby and heading through the waters of the ecological reserve.

Here are photo highlights from the past two days. Click on the photos for larger views and captions.