September 6, 2018
Salish Sea, Pacific Northwest
Another autumn has come around, bringing seasonal changes to the Rocks. That means lively. Summer is a quiet time, with mammals and birds off at their breeding sites. Now they’re back to catch up, fatten up, grow a bit, and kick back.
Our most recent jaunt out to the Rocks found the place packed. Not only is it a protected site, a mile from shore, but it’s surrounded by swirling currents, a kelp bed, and a lot of fish.
About half the usual number of Steller SeaLions have returned from their rookery in southern Oregon so far. Well, not exactly. For the first time, a dozen sealions remained here over the summer, skipping the 1000 mile round trip. That included several bulls. But there are quite a few more big bull SeaLions now, which means posturing and bellowing and doing King of the Mountain.
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Mostly, the SeaLions are dozing, hauled out on the rocks during the day. They hunt primarily at night. Even so, there are always a few having convos or playing in the water.
There are also lots of birds.
Hundreds and hundreds of birds!
The grey gulls with orange beaks are Heermann’s, up here from their Baja breeding islands. They are smaller than our resident Glaucous-winged gulls but more aggressive, especially in numbers. By now they have all shifted into winter plumage; their white-headed stage when they first arrive in July is very brief.
The cormorants are Brandt’s, who spend the summer out on the open coast. Our other two cormorant species breed right here in these inland waters. A few of these Brandt’s still have their breeding turquoise throats, like the one on the left with its bill open. That and the buffy cheek patches can be hard to see, but the stubby tail is distinctive.
While the Heermann’s gulls are done breeding, chicks fledged and flown the 1000 miles up here already, a few of our resident Glaucous-wingeds are still nesting, like the one below. The chick is feathered though so it won’t be long.
Altogether, between the sea lions and all the birds, there isn’t much more available resting space on Whale Rocks.
Where did all the Harbor seals go who were hanging out there until now?
To other rocks.
Lots of seals on Mummy Rocks, along with more gulls.
The white seal clan maintains its claim on the favored Long Island south rocks. Not all these seals are white but many are, and it’s very rare seeing a white seal elsewhere. They’ve been here for years.
The “off season” hasn’t quite settled in yet. The many hundreds of ducks, as well as loons and grebes, haven’t come back yet from their northern lakes. They’ll return having completed their exhausting stressful nesting, with nothing more to do besides hunt and fatten up until next spring.
Likely another 50 or so sea lions will be arriving in the next few weeks, same. Somehow they’ll find a place out on the rocks!
What’s up in nature in your area today?
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