Tag Archives: Steller Sea lion

August 13

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Wildlife Notes:

This morning, I spotted a Steller sea lion on the north side of the island that had a brand 460Y. This sea lion was branded 12 years ago as a pup in July 2013 in Rogue Reef, off the southern coast of Oregon. I have read that sea lions live between 20 to 30 years. I submitted the resighting to the researchers at the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Check out this log post by Anne Stewart from April 2015, when this sea lion was last recorded at Race Rocks.

Facility work:

  • Check and top up the water in the 24 batteries

Vessels:

  •  Ecotourism: 4

Weather:

  • Sky: Partly cloudy
  • Wind: west 19-39 knots
  • Sea: up to 3′ moderate
  • Air temperature: low 11 °C, high 19 °C
  • Seawater temperature at max flood: 11.6 °C

Photos from today:

g*All wildlife photos are taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail.

August 11

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Wildlife Notes:

The sea lions are spreading out more on the main island. So far they are resting on the shoreline rocks and staying off the jetty and paths. If only the gulls would be as open to sharing the space. There are a few gulls that are for some reason getting even more territorial near the intersection of the paths in the centre of the island. Maybe they are getting tired of protecting their chicks for so long. Unlike the eagles that fly over the island and cause panic, I come in peace. I am still holding a broomstick over my head as I walk on the paths, so the gulls have a harder time dive bombing me. Perhaps the broomstick does not show peace to them.

Facility work:

  • Swept the rest of the stairs in the lighthouse. The thick stone walls make it a cool place to be in the afternoon heat.
  • Maintained the electric fence around the jetty to dissuade the California sea lions from taking it over.

Vessels:

  •  Ecotourism: 15
  •  Private: 7 (including 3 sea kayakers)

Weather:

  • Sky: clear
  • Wind: variable 4-15 knots
  • Sea: rippled
  • Air temperature: low 14 °C, high 30 °C (And I thought yesterday’s monthly high of 21 °C was hot!)
  • Seawater temperature at max flood: 11.9 °C

Photos from today:

t*All wildlife photos are taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail.

August 10

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Wildlife Notes:

  • Many of the gull chicks and adult gulls were panting in the middle of the day, due to the high (for Race Rocks standards) heat reaching 21 °C. The low wind and clear sky helped crank the heat.

Facility work:

  • Tidying the top of the lighthouse tower and sweeping the stairs

Vessels:

  •  Ecotourism: 16
  •  Private: 8

Weather:

  • Sky: Clear
  • Wind: variable, predominately from west 1 to 19 knots
  • Sea: rippled
  • Air temperature: low 11 °C, high 21 °C
  • Seawater temperature at max flood: 10.7°C

Photos from today:

*All wildlife photos are taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail.

August 9

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Weekly Census
Observed today in between fog patches.

Mammals:

  • Steller sea lion: 41
  • California sea lion: 35
  • Harbour seal: 105

Birds:

  • Bald eagle: 1
  • Canada goose: 4
  • Cormorant: 37
  • Gull: 495
  • Black oystercatcher: 16 (including 3 chicks)
  • Pigeon guillemot: 112
  • Harlequin duck: 2
  • Surfbird: 34
  • Black turnstone: 68

Facility work:

  • Check and top up battery water
  • Weed whacking paths

Vessels:

  •  Ecotourism: 21

Weather:

  • Sky: fog with occasional patches of visibility up to 2 km
  • Wind: west 12-26  knots
  • Sea: rippled
  • Air temperature: low 12 °C, high 15 °C
  • Seawater temperature at max flood: 10.7°C

Photos from today:

*All wildlife photos are taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail.

August 7

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Wildlife Notes:

  • Orcas and humpback whales were south and east of the ecological reserve throughout the day. I did not get any photos, but enjoyed catching occasional glimpses of them through the binoculars.

Facility work:

  • I replaced the hand winch on the boat cradle. The old winch was getting rusty and the strap was beginning to fray. I also tested all the electronics on the boat and motor while it was tied to the jetty.

Vessels:

  •  Ecotourism: 18
  •  Private: 4

Weather:

  • Sky: Partly cloudy
  • Wind: West 15-30 knots
  • Sea: rippled in morning, up to 2′ chop in afternoon
  • Air temperature: low 13 °C, high 17 °C
  • Seawater temperature at max flood: 11.1°C

Photos from today:

*All wildlife photos are taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail.

August 6

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Wildlife Notes:

  • A scoop of brown pelicans stopped by the ecological reserve this afternoon. They rested and preened on the South Islands before taking off a couple hours later. A group of pelicans can go by many names: brief, fleet, pod, pouch, scoop, and squadron.
  • Many of the gull chicks are practicing their take offs and landings. Some are getting about 30 cm or higher off the ground during their wing strengthening exercises. Soon they will all take flight! Then I can stop walking around with a broom over my head to prevent the gull parents from attacking me.

Facility work:

  • The generator ran automatically this morning when the battery voltage dipped down to 47.8V just before 07:00am. The batteries did not fully charge from solar power yesterday due to the clouds. The generator ran for almost seven hours today, using about 30 L of diesel. The battery state of charge went from 65% to 100%, with only some assistance from solar energy since it was cloudy this morning.
  • Changed the relatively much smaller 12V battery in station boat after charging it for a couple days.

Vessels:

  •  Ecotourism: 17
  •  Private: 3

Weather:

  • Sky: Cloudy this morning, partly cloudy this afternoon, fog patches in the evening
  • Wind: variable early this morning, west 4-30 knots from mid morning onwards
  • Sea: rippled for most of the day, then up to 3′ chop in the evening
  • Air temperature: low 13 °C, high 18 °C
  • Seawater temperature at max flood: 10.7°C

Photos from today:

*All wildlife photos are taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail.

August 5

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Wildlife Notes:

  • A brown pelican flew by the ecological reserve this afternoon, stopping off briefly in the water on the east side, just past the large kelp bed. The pelican did not stay long before flying back through the south channel, which allowed me to snap photos (see below) of the big bird in flight.
  • After five days off looking from afar, I finally was able to see some of this year’s black oystercatcher chicks. Christine’s map of oystercatcher nests from June 1 has helped me find where the oystercatcher pairs are located, but the chicks are either too well camouflaged or are no longer around.
    This afternoon, two chicks and their parents were between the ecoguardian’s house and the edge of the east beach. The chicks are looking more like adults with their orange bills, pink legs, and black feathers. Like other chicks born on Race Rocks, they begin their lives blending into the rocks as grey fluff balls.
  • This afternoon, there was a flock of ecotour boats gathering to the northwest of the ecological reserve. A pod of orcas in Race Passage (directly to the north) were travelling near the shore of Bentinck Island.

Facility work:

  • Top up the water in the batteries
  • General tidying
  • Take measurements for an instrument installation

Vessels:

  •  Ecotourism: 18

Weather:

  • Sky: Cloudy
  • Wind: variable 0-18 knots
  • Sea: rippled
  • Air temperature: low 13 °C, high 16 °C
  • Seawater temperature at max flood: 11.4°C

Photos from today:

*All wildlife photos are taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail.

August 4

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Wildlife Notes:

There were many humpbacks to the south of the ecological reserve again today. They were too far away to get any decent photos even with the 400mm lens.

The population of the California sea lions is increasing by a few each day. I woke up this morning to their barks in the east bay.

Facility work:

  • Clean the 44 solar panels
  • Check the electrical systems on the station boat
  • General tidying around the island’s buildings

Vessels:

  •  Ecotourism: 19
  •  Private: 5

Weather:

  • Sky: Partly cloudy
  • Wind: West 15-26 knots
  • Sea: 2′ to 3′ chop
  • Air temperature: low 12 °C, high 17 °C
  • Seawater temperature at max flood: 11.7°C

Photos from today:

*All wildlife photos are taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail.

August 3

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Wildlife Notes:

There were many humpback whales seen throughout the day to the south of the ecological reserve. They did not come close enough to this rock for any great photos. Although that did not stop me from trying. Many ecotourism boats spent time out there observing and must have got excellent photos from their vantage.

Three California sea lions have landed on the main island. This advanced team marks the beginning of the takeover that will last into the fall and winter, when several hundred of them will sleep, bark, and attempt to occupy any surface. The Californians have not always been the best neighbours at Race Rocks when it comes to the human built infrastructure. So far these three have been respectful and keeping to the perimeter.

A few times today, I saw a very small and fast bird flying around the middle of the tower. I wonder if it is living in the currently malfunctioning foghorn sensor nearby where I caught glimpses of the quick bird. Coast Guard technicians are planning to visit next week to do maintenance on their equipment like the foghorn. I will keep looking out with binoculars for the fast flyer. Hopefully the bird is actually living in the recently installed nesting boxes attached to a post above the ecoguardian’s back porch.

Facility work:

  • Run generator in the evening to top up the batteries after not getting enough solar energy on the mostly cloudy day
  • Clean windows in the lantern room so I can better spy on marine mammals
  • Clean ecoguardian’s house windows so I do not have to look out through guano

Vessels:

  •  Ecotourism: 20
  •  Private: 1

Weather:

  • Sky: Cloudy in morning with some sunny patches in the afternoon and evening
  • Wind: west 16-29 knots
  • Sea: 1′ to 2′ chop
  • Air temperature: low 12 °C, high 16 °C
  • Seawater temperature at max flood: 11.5 °C

Photos from today:

*All wildlife photos are taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail.

August 2

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Wildlife Notes:

  • The loud barks of a few California sea lions echoed across the island this afternoon. Perhaps they are calling out for other pals to stop off here or just being loud California sea lions.

Facility work:

  • Clean windows
  • Tidy boat ramp of weeds and accumulated small pieces of wood
  • Top up water in the 24 batteries in the Energy Building

Vessels:

  • 14 ecotourism boats passed through the reserve today. Many more motored through the channel to the north on their way to see humpback whales and other sites further to the west. 

Weather:

  • Sky: partly cloudy, fog throughout the morning with a distant fog bank to the south persisting into the evening
  • Wind: west 23-35 knots
  • Sea: 2-3′ chop
  • Air temperature: low 11 °C, 16 high  °C
  • Seawater temperature at max flood: 11.3 °C

Photos from today:

*All wildlife photos are taken at the furthest distance possible, and may be cropped to improve detail.