Dec 24th

Have had some really nice weather out here since the storm. Pelicans are still stopping in and flying through the reserve, mostly in pairs or singles.  Bald Eagles have been quite active in the mornings hunting.

 

On top of the crane, the eagle had just finished eating what looked like some part of a seagull.  In this picture the eagle’s nictitating membrane is covering the eye.  According to Baldeagleinfo.com, “every three or four seconds, the nictitating membrane slides across the eye from front to back, wiping dirt and dust from the cornea. Because the membrane is translucent, the eagle can see even while it is over the eye.”

A few nights ago Zeke got some fresh wounds on his back from Misery, it was not as bad as the the last time.  Him and Misery have been on the main island for several days now. I have not been seeing as many female elephant seals since the storm.  

On Dec 19 there were 15 Green Winged Teals in a pool on the NE side of the island.  This  is the first recorded sighting of this bird in the reserve.

 

 

There has also been a Mallard duck in the reserve for over a week.  Pam Birley first sighted it around Dec 18th, it was also the first recorded sighting of this bird in the reserve.

 

 

 

Yesterday after sunset a lone adult orca passed through the reserve going over Rosedale Reef.

 

Anas platyrhynchos: Mallard Duck–The Race Rocks Taxonomy

pbdec15mallards

Pam Birley from England took this first set of images of mallard ducks at Race Rocks with the remote camera today. Over on Vancouver Island it is a very common duck but has never been recorded out here before.

This is the first image taken of this species at Race Rocks. Pam said in her e-mail “Not too exciting but never seen them before at RR.  A group of 6 Mallards in a rock pool along the NE shore.  Seemed to be one breeding male and I believe the others were all female.  Light very poor but have enhanced the pics as best I could.”.

 

 

 

Domain: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Aves
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Genus: Anas
Species platyrhynchos
Common Name: Mallard Duck

Return to the Race Rocks Taxonomy

This file is provided as part of a collaborative effort by the students, faculty, staff and volunteers of Lester B. Pearson College and website viewers on our remote cameras on the internet. 15 Dec. 2012–Pam Birley

BC Parks out

Friday, May 10, 2002
Good Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max. 11.9 C Min. 6.1 C Reset 10.5 C
MARINE LIFE: 2 mature Bald Eagles -kept away from Gr. Race by the ever vigilant gulls and Oyster Catchers.Have found 6 Oyster Catcher nests with eggs. This morning there was a lone female Mallard in the garden but did not stay long -flew over towards Bentinck Island.Garry reports that there are 10 or more Elephant Seals on Middle Rock, mostly females.About 10:40 a small group of Transient Orca came into the reserve from the west. Looked like 5 plus 1 calf.They are very stealthy and did not spend much time on the surface so cannot be positive in indentification.The whales did not seem to be hunting or in any hurry and spent about 45 minutes in the small bay area off the east side of Gr. Race.There was only one boat in the area but as the whales moved east, there were quite a number of tour boats reporting the whales and even a kill of a porpoise.
HUMAN INTERACTION: 2 ectour boats,1 pleasure craft. The Second Nature in with Garry and Don from Parks B.C. –
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:39 PM
Good Morning
WEATHER: Sky Clear  Vis. 15 Miles  Wind West 9 Knots  Sea Rippled
posted by Carol or Mike S at 5:55 AM