Wildlife Census

It’s been a BEAUTIFUL spring!

We had a Pearson Graduate come out to visit Race Rocks and hear all about the shenanigans the students got up to 20 years ago. That was GREAT! Thank you so much for visiting Professor J!

We had the female Elephant Seal from ‘Middle Rocks’ move over to Race Rocks to take up residency in the front yard, bellowing up a storm. She sat on the boat ramp at night and bellowed all night long, and we were greeted with a second female Elephant Seal in the morning! Pretty interesting to think they might call each other into safe haul-outs.

A new female joined for a few days of intense napping.

Our resident female loves snugglin’ flowers.

We also got that Transient pod of Orca visiting again (likely T041) hunting around South Seal Rocks and Middle Rocks, followed by some playing in the rapids of Middle Channel. While we didn’t see exactly what they caught, there was a bunch of blood to looks like they were successful.

 

Cruising close to the rocks looking for a tasty sea lion.

I do find it funny the Sea Lions get in the water when the Orca approach. Clearly they are more agile than I give them credit.

Spring is sprung, the gulls are getting ready to nest and the geese are in the heat of battle for the ultimate nesting areas.

Mammals:

  • Stellar Sea lions: 25
  • California Sea lion: 75
  • Harbour Seal: 10
  • Northern Elephant Seal: 2
  • Transient Orca: 5 T041

Birds

  • Gulls: 165
  • Cormorants: 157
  • Eagle: 2 Adult, 2 Juvenile
  • Turnstones: 16
  • Canada Geese: 5 – 2 breeding pairs
  • Oystercatcher: 10
  • Pigeon Guillemots: 44