Tuesday, July 16, 2002
Good Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max. 15.9 �C �� Min. 10.0 �C �� Reset 13.7 �C
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:18 PM
TEMPERATURE: Max. 15.9 �C �� Min. 10.0 �C �� Reset 13.7 �C
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:18 PM
Good Morning
WEATHER: Sky Overcast Vis. 15 Miles Wind West 23 Knots Sea 2 – 3 Foot Chop
posted by Carol or Mike S at 5:05 AM
WEATHER: Sky Overcast Vis. 15 Miles Wind West 23 Knots Sea 2 – 3 Foot Chop
posted by Carol or Mike S at 5:05 AM
Monday, 2July 15,2002 Good Evening
TEMPERATURE: Max. 15.0 C Min. 9.9 C Reset 13.1 C
MARINE LIFE: Still the main activity centres around adult birds feeding chicks. The gulls announce their arrival and the chicks run from their hideing spots. Getting the food entails somewhat of a ritual, the adult nods it’s head a few times,then pecks at the ground a few times while the chicks gather around and finally the food is regurgitated but the chicks have to be fast because as they are attempting to pick at the food with their bills the adult is also snatching up the goodies.The first time I watched this feeding process I thought the adult was just plain mean to dump the food ,then gobble it up again as the chicks are trying to eat but I see the purpose of the exercise is to teach the chicks to be quick. It would seem the chicks that learn the fastest, grow the fastest! Survival of the fittest.There were three harbour seal pups born on the rocks along the north shore of Gr.Race today.At about 17:00 there was a lot of gull squawking and most of them were diving at an eagle sitting just at the waters edge on the northeast tip of Gr. Race. The gulls kept up a constant barrage on the eagle which ducked and put up it’s wings for protection. The eagle was trapped head first in a crevice , unable to take flight. The assault from above by the gulls continued for about 10 minutes before the eagle managed to manoeuver around enough to take off but even then with the gulls diving at it’s head it could not really fly and was forced down again but this time out of our sight. All but 3 or 4 gulls settled back down but not seeing the eagle fly away I was curious to see what happened so carefully -with sou’wester firmly in place, and not to keep the rain off- I moved slowly along the rocks to have look. The eagle was busy eating the placenta left from one of the seal births earlier in the day.I backed off quickly and left the poor bird to eat in peace which it did and then flew off towards Bentinck Island about 20 minutes later.
HUMAN INTERACTION: There were 3 pleasure craft in the reserve today.
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:09 PM
MARINE LIFE: Still the main activity centres around adult birds feeding chicks. The gulls announce their arrival and the chicks run from their hideing spots. Getting the food entails somewhat of a ritual, the adult nods it’s head a few times,then pecks at the ground a few times while the chicks gather around and finally the food is regurgitated but the chicks have to be fast because as they are attempting to pick at the food with their bills the adult is also snatching up the goodies.The first time I watched this feeding process I thought the adult was just plain mean to dump the food ,then gobble it up again as the chicks are trying to eat but I see the purpose of the exercise is to teach the chicks to be quick. It would seem the chicks that learn the fastest, grow the fastest! Survival of the fittest.There were three harbour seal pups born on the rocks along the north shore of Gr.Race today.At about 17:00 there was a lot of gull squawking and most of them were diving at an eagle sitting just at the waters edge on the northeast tip of Gr. Race. The gulls kept up a constant barrage on the eagle which ducked and put up it’s wings for protection. The eagle was trapped head first in a crevice , unable to take flight. The assault from above by the gulls continued for about 10 minutes before the eagle managed to manoeuver around enough to take off but even then with the gulls diving at it’s head it could not really fly and was forced down again but this time out of our sight. All but 3 or 4 gulls settled back down but not seeing the eagle fly away I was curious to see what happened so carefully -with sou’wester firmly in place, and not to keep the rain off- I moved slowly along the rocks to have look. The eagle was busy eating the placenta left from one of the seal births earlier in the day.I backed off quickly and left the poor bird to eat in peace which it did and then flew off towards Bentinck Island about 20 minutes later.
HUMAN INTERACTION: There were 3 pleasure craft in the reserve today.
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:09 PM