Weekly Census

The Pearson students helped out by counting areas of the North, East and Western corners this morning. Sea lion numbers reconfirmed later in the day as many of the mammals flushed during the morning returned to haul out.

Mammals

Steller Sea Lion: 318

California Sea Lion: 223

Harbour seal: 9

Birds

Seagull: 267

Cormorant: 396

Oster catcher: 7

Surfbird: 12

Turnstone: 22

Bald eagle: 3 (1 juvenile)

Canada goose: 15

The young female elephant seal was back this morning, out on the end of the jetty. Unfortunately the camera battery was charging, and she was bullied off by a set of California sea lions before I could get a photo. I opened the fence near the ramp, but she doesn’t seem to know to come up. Another first sighting for me this morning was a flash of a river otter scampering out from the woodpile near the crane shed!

Later in the afternoon, I did manage to get some clear photos of a Lapland longspur in winter/non-breeding plumage, and a junco. It’s fascinating to see the variety of smaller birds coming to forage in the absence of the nesting gulls. And the longspur sure came a long way! Breed in the artic tundra, their habitat range stretches all the way to the Gulf of Mexico’s northern coast.

Facility Notes

• Checked student house condition to prepare for tomorrow’s group
• Continued removal of hardware from old fenceposts
• Cleared booklice from pantry storage

Weather

Overcast, calm seas. Windspeeds from 1 to 15 knots. Temperatures between 9-11°C.

Vessel Traffic

Ecotourism: 3

Facility Notes

Greg, Richard and Mike were back in the morning to work on the backup gas generator and help me refill the diesel tidy tank for the main. The Coast Guard had to delay their arrival due to the fog, so I got set up with the concrete drill for finishing up the replacement of the jetty fence and they headed back to the college in the meantime.

Just as I finished attaching the last gate, the Coast Guard arrived. Good thing the boat shed stands between the jetty and the helipad. Before this afternoon it was thickly layered in sea lion excrement and fur; now the pad is pretty clear! The surrounding area, less so.

They came to take the old foghorn for repairs and prepare the ancient yellow diesel tank next to the energy building for removal later in the month (chop a big ol’ hole in its side). While they worked, Richard and Jeff came by again to support the operation. I finished up the gathering and stacking of the cinderblocks as the Coast Guard airlifted the foghorn and sealed the hole in the tank with a tarp to keep the inside relatively clear until their return.

Weather

Foggy morning, overcast. Windspeeds under 13 knots. Temperature around 8°C.

Vessel Traffic

ecotourism: 1 filled with very enthusiastic schoolchildren

I was introduced to an icon of the Race Rocks community today when Greg and Richard came by for a supply and maintenance run. His name is Pugface (or ol’ Smushyface), and he’s been around for a long time- that might explain his generally unphased demeanour even when sleeping right next to the busy jetty walkway. So much of the magic of this place immediately clear; be it in the rush of pacific wind, steaming breath of marine mammals, expansive views or fog so thick, as Jeff says, “you might as well be on the moon.” Other aspects of the rocks’ magic take a slower burn, like tuning your ears to an orchestra of living and mechanical notes, or learning to recognize familiar faces and habits of the creatures here. Pugface certainly makes this one part easier! I hope he sticks around for awhile.

Facility Notes

• Secured fire pump line along jetty
• Ran desalinator in the afternoon/evening when the generator started up
• Collected more wooden fenceposts and cinderblocks from perimeter

Vessels Observed

Ecotourism: 1

Weather

Overcast, calm. Winds around 2.5-7.5 knots. Temperatures from 9 to 10°C.

Sunset Reflections

Perhaps I’ve been relying too heavily on the word ‘magic’ to describe the rocks recently. While searching for an alternative today, I spent some time reflecting on wonder. According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, here’s one definition for the word:

rapt attention or astonishment at something awesomely mysterious or new to one’s experience

“Rapt attention.” To be so completely adsorbed by one thing, made entirely unidirectional for just a moment is quite wonderful, isn’t it?  Yet placing your attention takes some intention too. It’s useful to stretch your brain across the day’s infinity of thoughts and plans just to keep up. But it can be exhausting. The experience of wonder, therefore, means to me a moment apart from the usual chaos of the mind. Not only an encounter with something mysterious or new, but choosing to stop and really take it in. To observe, listen, find novelty in a familiar scene.

This rambling post-script is essentially to express the wonder of these rocks and protected areas like it. More so than just the sights and sounds of a sea-soaked sunset, this place holds space to fully lose yourself in them. I want you to fall in love with its wonder as I and so many have, even without ever stepping ashore.

Back on August 12^th, I noticed a newly hatched chick on the ledge just across from the boat shed. By this time, most of the chicks on the island had lost their down and started to fledge (grow flight feathers). Sometimes when a gull pair lose their chicks early in the season, they’ll have another go! It appeared to be the case. Now that most of the nesting sites are empty, it was very cute to see the late arrival now flying, but still reliant for feeding. The video below shows the chick pecking at the red dot (known as a ‘gonyspot’) on the end of the parent’s bill- this action typically triggers a reflex in the parent to regurgitate food for the chick. But not always immediately! As you can see, the chick must be pretty persistent to keep receiving food at this point.

No sign of the elephant seals yet, but I’ll leave you with a photo of a California Sea Lion enjoying the sunny afternoon next to the crane.

Facility Notes

• Ran RO pump when generator came on this morning
• Checked generator fuel levels
• Started collection and removal of hardware from wooden posts of the old perimeter fence

Marine Traffic

Not many out on the water today. I heard several blasts from DND exercises throughout the afternoon, only one of which led to a major flush (returning to the water) of the lions.

Weather

Sunny, beautiful clear skies. Winds 6-17 knots. Temperatures around 8 °C.

I’m back on the Rocks again! This morning Greg dropped me off and picked up Nick, who had just spent a lovely Halloween with the visiting students over the weekend. It’s always wonderful to spend some time going about the island with other Ecoguardians, sharing tips and procedural updates before getting back into life in this magical place.

I was immediately amazed by how peaceful this season is compared with the seagull-fueled chaos of August. The grass has grown back lush and green (thanks no doubt to the full tonne of guano received over the summer), and the gull-warding brooms are tucked away for now.

Sadly, it seems like a fair number of the sea lions are also keeping a distance. Perhaps the installation of the new perimeter fence- and its significantly increased efficacy have scared them off for a wee bit. The outer rocks are still covered in Steller lions, but the mudflat of the Northeast corner is remarkably empty.

The diesel generator is back in business and running on automatic, so luckily, I won’t have to face the constant awareness of battery levels that Kendra managed last month! We’re still waiting on parts for the solar and battery transition, but I’m looking forward to the installation of a whole new energy generation and storage system. Busy days ahead!

It’s hard to believe how fast this month has gone and that I am already leaving!

As always, it’s been an incredible October filled with sea lions, rescue work, whales galore, and many new creatures.

There has been lots of facility work happening and so many great improvements being made, it’s so fun to be a part of and watch things grow.

I’m unable to upload photos at the moments but until then here are some of my very favourites from the last month, and I will see you next time!