Turnstones and Orca

TEMPERATURE: Max. 17.0 ºC »» Min. 9.9 ºC »» Reset 15.9 ºC
MARINE LIFE: several groups of 20 or so Cormorants are spending part of the day on North Rks. and the rocks on the southeast of Gr. Race. There are now about 60 Black Turnstones busy along the shoreline, you can often see them on camera # 3 hopping among the sealions foraging for sand fleas or beach hoppers.Most of the time though they are farther down on the beach where the food supply includes small crabs which they find by ‘turning over pebbles and small stones’ thus the name Turnstone.There was one identified transient Orca, a large bull known as Y1 through the reserve about 10 am. There were 4 or 5 other Orca with him including a calf. These transeints came in from the west between North Rks. and Gr. Race. They spent a while foraging about not far off the dock then circled Gr. Race rather slowly before moving off to the northwest. At about 11:15 heard a report from one of the Ecotour boats that there was a group of residents in the entrance of Pedder Bay, did see some tail slapping and breaching but too far away to identify any individuals.
HUMAN INTERACTION: Second Nature in with supplies this morning. While the Orca were in the reserve 4 boats followed them which is contrary to the guidelines. 3 of the boats were fishing charters ,Beasley, Adams and Island Outfitters. The 4th was an unidentified 5 or 6 metre open Lifetimer.
posted by Carol or Mike S at 6:12 PM