Whales! (and census)

Posted on by

Weather: 

  • Visibility: Very clear, 15 miles
  • Wind: 15-25 knots
  • Sky: Mostly clear, some clouds
  • Water: Choppy, white caps

Boats/Visitors: 

  • Today a contractor visited to fix our internet/ phone cable in the main residence. At the same time Corey, two BC Parks rangers, and a former employee of Pearson College visited too.
  • On Sunday we had a group from the Pacific Paddling Symposium (hosted at Pearson) visit in the afternoon. A group was meant to come in the morning but the conditions were not such that they were able to land (too foggy and windy).
  • Also on Sunday we noticed a boat fishing within the reserve. They became very aggressive when asked to leave. Luckily, we were able to report them to DFO with photos taken by a nearby vessel.

Ecological:

  • On Sunday afternoon we were visited by three orcas in the kelp bed near north rock! They stayed for about half an hour after we noticed them. A fishing boat also noticed them and sped towards them, stopping within 10m of the orcas. They subsequently were chased out of the reserve and towards Victoria.
  • The goslings continue to grow, and even the small ones are starting to get their adult tail feathers. The older goslings are starting to look just like their parents!
  • The two younger moulting elephant seals are still here, as well as the two older males.
  • There are fewer sea lions now than we were seeing before.
  • We noticed today that there are more Turkish Marsh Gladiolus growing near the compost boxes on the NE side of the main residence.
  • The seagulls are really starting to lay eggs now, we are seeing more and more each day. They haven’t become any more aggressive than before, but there are more of them.
  • The goose nest near the guest house is now empty and the geese are no longer there. Previously there were 4 eggs and the geese were very aggressive. It appears that the seagulls that had been lurking broke the eggs.
  • We spotted an oyster catcher nest near the crane shed, which makes 4 nests that we have discovered so far.
  • We have been seeing a few eagles each day hanging around the seagulls.

Census:

  • 9 sea lions
  • 4 elephant seals, 3 male, 1 female
  • Roughly 200 seagulls
  • 2 families of geese with 6 goslings per
  • 2 additional geese
  • About 20 pigeon guillemots
  • 8 oyster catchers