tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37384582883779862512024-03-04T22:56:36.309-08:00Farallon Photo a Day: 2011In April 2011, I once again arrived on the Farallon National Wildlife Refuge to start another season of seabird research working with PRBO Conservation Science. In my seventh and perhaps last season, I decided to start a photo a day challenge for myself. The challenge is to share a new and interesting photo for each day I am on the island this year.Annie Schmidthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09460386975180297987noreply@blogger.comBlogger87125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738458288377986251.post-89500338116437290892011-08-04T23:12:00.000-07:002011-08-04T23:12:33.953-07:00Day 87: Finale<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLZPPwxApAg0usaFkWDIYVTe7xwLoUwvhAICFe2ko2Bf-NQ64WDLujafulzFgDUj_VRDYW-Z2SoGvlVD08nJeMCLsUhvZhW7WkeJD4hgrA6gicHe9L_Wv0QdG9u7xidihdO7Uj4AbJQ07C/s1600/IMG_6098.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLZPPwxApAg0usaFkWDIYVTe7xwLoUwvhAICFe2ko2Bf-NQ64WDLujafulzFgDUj_VRDYW-Z2SoGvlVD08nJeMCLsUhvZhW7WkeJD4hgrA6gicHe9L_Wv0QdG9u7xidihdO7Uj4AbJQ07C/s640/IMG_6098.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Well it's that time. Unfortunately, I am done for the season and leaving the island tomorrow. Farallon photo a day will be on permanent hiatus. I know I will be back at some point, but I will not be doing an entire seabird season next year. It's tough to leave knowing that but I know I'm incredibly lucky to have spent the last seven summers out here. I hope you have enjoyed the journey this year. Perhaps I will see you on some future adventure. Thanks for joining me!Annie Schmidthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09460386975180297987noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738458288377986251.post-39568579591334356582011-08-03T23:50:00.000-07:002011-08-04T00:01:49.742-07:00Day 86: Rising Risso's<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje0Eq0bV8KWoWQu070eqLijgSHJR2WHSqm2L37zRxmbrvqFSvKpRacp4qUv-NEoz38X7WNSE0fl9dZu94npAysP5kSNe_HPCTKO92Er1LBnHuOdOvsdFXvgfH-iTuO4tOn5jMJDN6tQRJ2/s1600/IMG_5287.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje0Eq0bV8KWoWQu070eqLijgSHJR2WHSqm2L37zRxmbrvqFSvKpRacp4qUv-NEoz38X7WNSE0fl9dZu94npAysP5kSNe_HPCTKO92Er1LBnHuOdOvsdFXvgfH-iTuO4tOn5jMJDN6tQRJ2/s640/IMG_5287.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"> These are Risso's dolphins, one of the most commonly spotted species around the island. They're the largest dolphin (besides the Orca) and they have tall relatively straight dorsal fins that are similar in shape to an Orca. They often look light gray due to extensive surface scaring. The pod we came across yesterday was about 20 individuals including one mom and very small calf. The calf was stuck to its mom's side like glue.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Annie Schmidthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09460386975180297987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738458288377986251.post-37622804067115475682011-08-02T23:07:00.000-07:002011-08-02T23:07:49.089-07:00Day 85: Lag time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMjWdnpfPMDW2pCBD4Gx4mQBWTCyT-d47Onyn6a-vNk35AyGkhmyOh9qLsuJEMZ4Xqw_HTWWK2o60lfpWRL08PwTUfQqiWsSssHf2Q5lIsRo09dYgx4rzgqsyClsGeZUj-j1LQ4WkB1OKz/s1600/IMG_6106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMjWdnpfPMDW2pCBD4Gx4mQBWTCyT-d47Onyn6a-vNk35AyGkhmyOh9qLsuJEMZ4Xqw_HTWWK2o60lfpWRL08PwTUfQqiWsSssHf2Q5lIsRo09dYgx4rzgqsyClsGeZUj-j1LQ4WkB1OKz/s640/IMG_6106.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Another picture from our boat trip yesterday. These are Pacific White-sided Dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens, Lag for short). These dolphins are easy to see because they are very curious and love to bow ride. They come to the boat and use the waves it creates to play in. We actually had a small group of these dolphins following us for quite a ways yesterday.Annie Schmidthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09460386975180297987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738458288377986251.post-14345353802501015642011-08-01T22:21:00.000-07:002011-08-02T23:15:47.356-07:00Day 84: Whaling<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSVWMXQelJDYhG8DqbGyQQ8tuhKXAeoo4fwc1H-LGGtH9_p90iFmq_hrZbT6C2lrtk_sA-_pVZCv5FZbFZW_6p50bVjCSIbSlL7eb7auxcUMD2qpcZoPeya95YqLvxX80apZnKbjEOVSCo/s1600/IMG_5893.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSVWMXQelJDYhG8DqbGyQQ8tuhKXAeoo4fwc1H-LGGtH9_p90iFmq_hrZbT6C2lrtk_sA-_pVZCv5FZbFZW_6p50bVjCSIbSlL7eb7auxcUMD2qpcZoPeya95YqLvxX80apZnKbjEOVSCo/s640/IMG_5893.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>We had some spectacular weather today and we took advantage of it to get out in the boat and do a little pelagic survey. Just a few miles from the island, we ran into all kinds of amazing wildlife. We had Humpback whales, Risso's dolphins, Pacific white-sided dolphins, Sooty Shearwaters, Northern Fulmars and a single Black-footed Albatross. The waters around the island attract these critters from all over the world. The Shearwaters breed in New Zealand, the Humpbacks are from Mexico and Central America, Albatross breed in Hawaii, and Northern Fulmars come from Alaska and Canada. It's quite an international community.Annie Schmidthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09460386975180297987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738458288377986251.post-1968499264771625022011-08-01T00:46:00.000-07:002011-08-01T00:46:40.157-07:00Day 83: Changes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipCsOXssqnhwNuu0g9FaXUAL3V0yDf1lD-O3fUTNXI3f6RiK-oANjPdah4injdw0W1lMljvSilfjnxW5foxbqGtxXvSiI9GFaMZZxDqLRsCKUe6eFVixTNOLyFdIq15cb1QF0TD-koVUeh/s1600/IMG_4897.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipCsOXssqnhwNuu0g9FaXUAL3V0yDf1lD-O3fUTNXI3f6RiK-oANjPdah4injdw0W1lMljvSilfjnxW5foxbqGtxXvSiI9GFaMZZxDqLRsCKUe6eFVixTNOLyFdIq15cb1QF0TD-koVUeh/s640/IMG_4897.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Seabird season is winding down. Most of our studies are nearly complete, the chicks fledged, the data entered and proofed. So we reluctantly said goodbye to some of our crew yesterday. Three returned to the real world, Greg and Amy (left side) and Katie (green jacket). We had a great time with them this summer and wish them well in their future endeavors. We did add one new crew member, Adam, who will be taking over any seabird studies that are ongoing when the transition to the Fall crew occurs in a few weeks.Annie Schmidthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09460386975180297987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738458288377986251.post-66186412442845854102011-07-30T23:20:00.000-07:002011-07-30T23:20:11.462-07:00Day 82: Puppy Love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyWU2466MhFDvQMLq0c3wtumREHV1-8dUokpBOOY39DJdWKfsUGY7WfyCqokGSESDLESZLS8dzJdZI9nOwYljkjPv1Rrq8MFvNFznmKI3eosBSvf3mDLYj_LomMOwCecmagiSR9Vu4pb9h/s1600/IMG_4738.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyWU2466MhFDvQMLq0c3wtumREHV1-8dUokpBOOY39DJdWKfsUGY7WfyCqokGSESDLESZLS8dzJdZI9nOwYljkjPv1Rrq8MFvNFznmKI3eosBSvf3mDLYj_LomMOwCecmagiSR9Vu4pb9h/s640/IMG_4738.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus) pups are everywhere right now. This little guy was causing quite a ruckus in his pile o'Sea Lion. He was jumping on every other pup he could find and wrestling them into submission. Pretty cute to watch I have to say. We had a recent uptick in Zalophus numbers, their numbers tripled in the last week to just under 10,000. Most of these are adults coming in from colonies. Usually when we have high numbers like this it is because they aren't breeding/ failed breeding elsewhere.Annie Schmidthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09460386975180297987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738458288377986251.post-60021727139209181512011-07-29T22:50:00.000-07:002011-07-29T22:50:44.137-07:00Day 81: Guillemot gang<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiipaFWxxZwU1JhOmSR1FG9cEE5g4OEjbsP_LHNyVFzy2lnm0Lv8FRJOUg39k2QtVSD_vosl31FsChpb-mbvjzylvRGjXUyqALJLnMQq0XqKuVR2rzfbyz4vnqhfZNG02w7VOjPaGwI_mAJ/s1600/IMG_4522.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiipaFWxxZwU1JhOmSR1FG9cEE5g4OEjbsP_LHNyVFzy2lnm0Lv8FRJOUg39k2QtVSD_vosl31FsChpb-mbvjzylvRGjXUyqALJLnMQq0XqKuVR2rzfbyz4vnqhfZNG02w7VOjPaGwI_mAJ/s640/IMG_4522.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Pigeon Guillemots are furiously feeding their chicks right now. Chicks are big, getting ready to fledge, and eating up a storm. PIGU's generally feed small fish that they find close to shore so they feed frequently. This makes them regular targets of gulls trying to steal their fish. You will often see PIGU's sitting on a rock with a fish in their bill, waiting for the gull by their crevice to get distracted so they can sneak in to feed their chick.Annie Schmidthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09460386975180297987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738458288377986251.post-34888765691652746272011-07-28T23:26:00.000-07:002011-07-28T23:26:47.664-07:00Day 80: Guadalupe Version<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1TblmglcFKDdQrFZybAimUHnciTMc7cHT4NndqRREikDL8yy_EaX8zqv6OjAICagRpKBdqPfiRkx2y2bA3r7XF8h1SLz30aLbWhM5HblTR4uDEDRTX5bW7xj6hGaohEAO0Jr5uo659EA8/s1600/IMG_4430.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1TblmglcFKDdQrFZybAimUHnciTMc7cHT4NndqRREikDL8yy_EaX8zqv6OjAICagRpKBdqPfiRkx2y2bA3r7XF8h1SLz30aLbWhM5HblTR4uDEDRTX5bW7xj6hGaohEAO0Jr5uo659EA8/s640/IMG_4430.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>Okay, we're on a roll with our storm-petrels. We netted again last night and caught yet another unusual visitor. This time it's a subspecies of the Leach's Storm-petrel. We catch Leach's here regularly and we know small numbers of them breed here. Leach's are distinguished from Ashy Storm-petrels by their white rump patch, longer wings, and larger head and bill. We were confused by this little one because it had the while rump of a Leach's but its wing was too short and its head, bill and overall size were smaller than an Ashy. After consulting our books we determined that this was in fact an individual from a subspecies of Leach's that breeds on Guadalupe Island in Mexico! This is the first time we have documented this subspecies on the island and the first time it's been seen this far north in California. Not a bad night!Annie Schmidthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09460386975180297987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738458288377986251.post-4925785578400852842011-07-28T02:21:00.000-07:002011-07-29T13:58:20.584-07:00Day 79: Cassin's in a box<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0sKz2BBAc_bbEaMp0BwaPnEFKC0iHkoX7vEsRAW85a4IHjZxWiFFmNWTl62gvUAvJQQOs3z9z608VxKNXu7DFyT-8I8vVo4Ga6B6HJPefle9dgdYGKO6ApQjYN3yV7ahkX0CqI7vBUayL/s1600/IMG_4342.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0sKz2BBAc_bbEaMp0BwaPnEFKC0iHkoX7vEsRAW85a4IHjZxWiFFmNWTl62gvUAvJQQOs3z9z608VxKNXu7DFyT-8I8vVo4Ga6B6HJPefle9dgdYGKO6ApQjYN3yV7ahkX0CqI7vBUayL/s640/IMG_4342.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Cassin's auklets are one of the few species that are still in the midst of breeding right now. We had a very high rate of double brooding this year. After pairs raised one chick they decided it was so much fun they wanted to do it again so they started over. Many of these second broods are now hatching, and young chicks need to be fed. This photo was taken around 10:30pm and this Cassin's probably just came in to feed its chick in the nest box and is now hanging out near the entrance tube. Cassin's are very vocal at night and socialize quite a bit outside their burrow and boxes. Their calls have been described as sounding like crickets on steroids.Annie Schmidthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09460386975180297987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738458288377986251.post-17952419364750537282011-07-26T23:59:00.000-07:002011-07-26T23:59:22.643-07:00Day 78: Fish food<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdG701DAPDKKrC6MFOo_jOjr6rxRxj7zGcdUoJ4eE4QOorkBlK6IaAcAtZ2u4VPB3s5nNbrIDtJ0pLYrKeJGUWeiCNhoTPlpDZjSeGpVhbHQ1j6-GvrzSP2C84BvP_aBhWeZv03bzlxpRx/s1600/IMG_4288.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdG701DAPDKKrC6MFOo_jOjr6rxRxj7zGcdUoJ4eE4QOorkBlK6IaAcAtZ2u4VPB3s5nNbrIDtJ0pLYrKeJGUWeiCNhoTPlpDZjSeGpVhbHQ1j6-GvrzSP2C84BvP_aBhWeZv03bzlxpRx/s640/IMG_4288.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>We had our last night of Rhinoceros Auklet netting tonight. That means we also processed our last fish. Rhinos bring in these fish to feed their chicks and we collect a sample of them to identify, measure and weigh. The species they bring back change every year and, in addition to the Murre and Guillemot diet data, gives us a good idea of what fish are available in the ocean in a given year. This year, Rhino's started out eating a lot of juvenile rockfish, a favorite seabird food, but then switched to Pacific Saury like the one Jen is measuring here. We have also seen a fair amount of squid.Annie Schmidthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09460386975180297987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738458288377986251.post-41932700465179958442011-07-26T11:04:00.000-07:002011-07-26T11:04:16.219-07:00Day 77: Tern around<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioEWsfD7geEKoD5xSENZK8vA7Jo4xapaYiVGvkCkLZGtj2rZnCWJgISep74RA0tyPQ5c-lF_tJ-HkEKvdTyZnPppyvZgKa9OHbNsouVHsFprtMVvC9laYC1_2EcjBoN49ULM79rMmRgxbg/s1600/IMG_4171.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioEWsfD7geEKoD5xSENZK8vA7Jo4xapaYiVGvkCkLZGtj2rZnCWJgISep74RA0tyPQ5c-lF_tJ-HkEKvdTyZnPppyvZgKa9OHbNsouVHsFprtMVvC9laYC1_2EcjBoN49ULM79rMmRgxbg/s640/IMG_4171.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>I somehow missed yesterday's posting so you get two today. We were visited by some Elegant Terns yesterday. There was a small flock of them circling around just east of the island, making a ruckus. We are just now starting to see some more non-breeding species showing up so hopefully that trend continues. Our daily bird list has been woefully thin.Annie Schmidthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09460386975180297987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738458288377986251.post-89092889998953122322011-07-24T21:05:00.000-07:002011-07-29T13:52:27.773-07:00Day 76: Nighttime visitor<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlFxWUZl-nY3znJHFJF6x-0yvsrCk-w9xLTj32QJa5st0RV8Qvl2Qtm1VafqwxPycI5I_lRjNvXMeqYqPwgSzSQyfGbcogBGy9_1ZPLWrl8rO69UOH3wmOwNIJng2Ib0D-JOUvjd0MLWLT/s1600/IMG_3977.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlFxWUZl-nY3znJHFJF6x-0yvsrCk-w9xLTj32QJa5st0RV8Qvl2Qtm1VafqwxPycI5I_lRjNvXMeqYqPwgSzSQyfGbcogBGy9_1ZPLWrl8rO69UOH3wmOwNIJng2Ib0D-JOUvjd0MLWLT/s640/IMG_3977.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>We had this unusual visitor show up in our net last night as we were netting for storm-petrels. Yes it's a storm-petrel but it's a species we've caught only a few times in 40 years, the last time was in 1992. As you bird folks may have guessed, it's a Fork-tailed Storm-petrel! We were super excited to get this guy. These birds typically breed much further north, from Washington to Alaska, but this bird did have bare brood patch. That is something breeding birds develop when they are incubating so perhaps this bird is breeding nearby? Non-breeders can have brood patches too so it's not definitive but it is intriguing.<br />
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7/29/11 Check out our latest Storm-petrel visitor <a href="http://farallonphoto.blogspot.com/2011/07/day-80-guadalupe-version.html">here</a>Annie Schmidthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09460386975180297987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738458288377986251.post-8394081003006134702011-07-23T20:18:00.000-07:002011-07-23T20:18:46.578-07:00Day 75: Gull pack<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfrFa34pOciXtkwZ7mbGqTiWcfqv2vBzaPKShslAmQXK-W5cRGM62-p0OkO3C-QV6_Gn9qUzFcjofH4Y6Kg3scJQGxcUxzIq3SPPdldxNUUo8OjSEOh8EqWOBdRYW2iu-5QqgHH6fRO_HM/s1600/IMG_3541.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfrFa34pOciXtkwZ7mbGqTiWcfqv2vBzaPKShslAmQXK-W5cRGM62-p0OkO3C-QV6_Gn9qUzFcjofH4Y6Kg3scJQGxcUxzIq3SPPdldxNUUo8OjSEOh8EqWOBdRYW2iu-5QqgHH6fRO_HM/s640/IMG_3541.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Most of the gulls are done breeding now. Unfortunately, most of them failed. We have very few chicks on the island right now. Once they've failed, most gulls suddenly revert to the mild mannered birds they usually are. They stop defending their territories and begin to gather in large flocks on the terrace.Annie Schmidthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09460386975180297987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738458288377986251.post-10155912122410162832011-07-22T23:53:00.000-07:002011-07-22T23:53:30.849-07:00Day 74: Greenery<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguOHfbuSdU9KnM1GIliW01hEKFFRn5mR9XbiE8_2ZhzlRFSJFhIcDvZ06xcPNB0zmk8w4tsGQ3-fjj5apckkeQ6HOIeruhIHir_JwWr32aIHDLWJz0e9OAk_yCjtY__t0jdX0yIomHZXkq/s1600/IMG_3412.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguOHfbuSdU9KnM1GIliW01hEKFFRn5mR9XbiE8_2ZhzlRFSJFhIcDvZ06xcPNB0zmk8w4tsGQ3-fjj5apckkeQ6HOIeruhIHir_JwWr32aIHDLWJz0e9OAk_yCjtY__t0jdX0yIomHZXkq/s640/IMG_3412.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>The island is in bloom again. All the late rain we've had means the island is surprisingly green for this time of year. Of course most of the plants currently blooming are not native to the island but the Farallon weed is making another go of it as well.Annie Schmidthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09460386975180297987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738458288377986251.post-53298044619877437392011-07-22T00:03:00.000-07:002011-07-26T11:06:54.307-07:00Day 73: Chickeroo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsmzvFRFuaUu__czJN63A8NtG9wNvbGSUs3A68c0cHW1M01C5ErUntVY7tVMjsI0kRvD35zuq9lAF0AuesbZrKmasmkxPUjtTO4qRs8nleezJtZ313KhzO6GpSmnXGN4pl3fWGhcjpc5Sm/s1600/IMG_3201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsmzvFRFuaUu__czJN63A8NtG9wNvbGSUs3A68c0cHW1M01C5ErUntVY7tVMjsI0kRvD35zuq9lAF0AuesbZrKmasmkxPUjtTO4qRs8nleezJtZ313KhzO6GpSmnXGN4pl3fWGhcjpc5Sm/s640/IMG_3201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Because I just can't get enough of these guys, here's another Murre chick. This one is getting close to fledging but he's still got the spiky hairdo. In the evenings, the bigger chicks get very active, sitting up on rocks, flapping their wings, being generally very cute. And then one day, they or their father, decide it's time to go and they are off into the wide, wide ocean.Annie Schmidthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09460386975180297987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738458288377986251.post-5256806196107911372011-07-20T23:34:00.000-07:002011-07-20T23:34:09.750-07:00Day 72: Tail of a Whale<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ELKPV9XAwLl0ySVb_FizNaZxv1iFNhH2Uj6mK-AOy6HMPhm1wz2pXATHOrZUBn8sziSD7ywRpX3CfQCKrMC7RTIYmTJxoi7O9Jh9FkLGqVR9IFHayw6CarteNpRhFOmW-GKF6sj97qGK/s1600/IMG_2971.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ELKPV9XAwLl0ySVb_FizNaZxv1iFNhH2Uj6mK-AOy6HMPhm1wz2pXATHOrZUBn8sziSD7ywRpX3CfQCKrMC7RTIYmTJxoi7O9Jh9FkLGqVR9IFHayw6CarteNpRhFOmW-GKF6sj97qGK/s640/IMG_2971.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>We've had some gorgeous weather this week. No wind, excellent visibility and the seas were flat. And then there were the whales. We've had fairly low numbers of cetaceans this year but they showed up with a vengeance a couple days ago. We had over a dozen blue whales, 40+ humpback whales, our resident gray whale, and a pod of Risso's dolphin's and northern right whale dolphins. All of these were observed from shore so I don't have any pictures but I do have a picture of us doing what we call "porching." It involves taking advantage of the good weather to hang out on the porch and watch the whales go by. There are worse ways to spend an evening.Annie Schmidthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09460386975180297987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738458288377986251.post-42749429360870513792011-07-19T23:32:00.000-07:002011-07-19T23:41:03.040-07:00Day 71: Name that rock<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_LOuf5mWksirSFtoSxExTKgCrrYnCH305sSJWyjn9pkLEegrfXWblMdmyZfDh3yo7GqWJQSRjsRd24wra8CCLXv-tw_m40NA31JH8a1EWd8SkRy15o4nPaxn3zJXMQPbGikyojbJyww4t/s1600/IMG_2271.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_LOuf5mWksirSFtoSxExTKgCrrYnCH305sSJWyjn9pkLEegrfXWblMdmyZfDh3yo7GqWJQSRjsRd24wra8CCLXv-tw_m40NA31JH8a1EWd8SkRy15o4nPaxn3zJXMQPbGikyojbJyww4t/s1600/IMG_2271.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>This is the view of the island from the West. Virtually every rock, ridge and mound on this island is named. Most were christened by the Coast Guard when they occupied the island but we've added a few of our own. The mound on the far left is Sugarloaf, the middle peak is Lighthouse Hill (the highest point on the island) then Maintop and Great Arch. And all the little peaks have names too. I spend most of my time on Corm Blind Hill, a smaller peak that from this angle blends in with Lighthouse Hill.Annie Schmidthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09460386975180297987noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738458288377986251.post-68804381777329207222011-07-18T23:14:00.000-07:002011-07-18T23:24:41.132-07:00Day 70: Celebrity sighting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLAdvjNzXzfalSCOiQa_z1wZNZWxKJOb4et9oXYatp-oizeqKbhVUNanaQPxS4tB4jJL2pe57dGaAsGWZyYzpLKbSd138jIcqwY_BbivpKE8IXit0QZ6HBdt6VwV655zy9iynhs9lgxqWq/s1600/IMG_2863.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLAdvjNzXzfalSCOiQa_z1wZNZWxKJOb4et9oXYatp-oizeqKbhVUNanaQPxS4tB4jJL2pe57dGaAsGWZyYzpLKbSd138jIcqwY_BbivpKE8IXit0QZ6HBdt6VwV655zy9iynhs9lgxqWq/s640/IMG_2863.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>If there is a celebrity on the island, it's this bird. The <a href="http://losfarallones.blogspot.com/2011/05/tufted-puffins-of-farallons.html">Tufted Puffin</a> is perhaps the one bird that everyone knows and wants to see when they visit. Is it the bright orange bill? The white face? The blond plumes? Whatever the attraction, this bird is attention grabbing. The Farallones are the southern limit of the breeding range for this species, with 100 - 200 nesting birds each year. We've had a few extremely calm days out here so we took the boat out yesterday for some buoy maintenance and to have a look around the island. I got this shot while we were out.Annie Schmidthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09460386975180297987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738458288377986251.post-4373836449498418722011-07-18T00:15:00.000-07:002011-08-06T12:01:22.709-07:00Day 69: Close call<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjII5L8jvRUlCYkaxkSfBC99L1NGFu7zcFyfKKLlIP9qLJ9taRKrZliVwYhgSaVOVLrgAK7zQXEA4b2jbC32cFMO4P03WCQ7kj9GoMVLCQYf7Qo2Sh-ZCu9ILjhFizKysNGUDoqgRd6xFO/s1600/IMG_2719.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjII5L8jvRUlCYkaxkSfBC99L1NGFu7zcFyfKKLlIP9qLJ9taRKrZliVwYhgSaVOVLrgAK7zQXEA4b2jbC32cFMO4P03WCQ7kj9GoMVLCQYf7Qo2Sh-ZCu9ILjhFizKysNGUDoqgRd6xFO/s640/IMG_2719.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Murre chicks are fledging right now. "Fledging" typically refers to when chicks leave the nest or become independent. In the case of murres, chicks leave the colony with their dads and spend up to several months at sea with their parent, being fed and learning how to find food. The unusual part is that they do this before they are fully developed. Chicks are less than half grown and can't yet fly when they are led to sea by their fathers. This makes them vulnerable when they are in the process of fledging. They have to make their way through thousands of murres to the water's edge where they often have to jump off a cliff to make it to the water. It's one of the most amazing events to watch. The male parent solicitously leading its offspring to the edge, jumping in the water and calling to it's chick until it finally works up the courage to jump. Gulls are constantly on the look out for these unprotected chicks so they have to make up their minds quickly. Even in the water they are not out of danger. Although the chicks know instinctively how to dive, gulls still occasionally grab them off the surface. The chick above dove several times before this gull finally nabbed it by a foot. The parent gave chase though and the gull eventually dropped the chick. The reunited pair made their way very quickly away from the island.Annie Schmidthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09460386975180297987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738458288377986251.post-1886374009959507832011-07-16T23:00:00.000-07:002011-07-16T23:00:09.696-07:00Day 68: Patrolling the Bay<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS9SYi6jWGM8Z8j-NQtXViYW5bPV2IcBoQHf-Aaa0ZCWW1uT3U4vge0vl_GRLIRqAjI2bxti4WBPz22oGALy9XVa7SmhY9K_smt0pWK8FvEze1LXZsHdLsHsO_tuX8Q5DcEiBKpP4AdZpr/s1600/IMG_2111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS9SYi6jWGM8Z8j-NQtXViYW5bPV2IcBoQHf-Aaa0ZCWW1uT3U4vge0vl_GRLIRqAjI2bxti4WBPz22oGALy9XVa7SmhY9K_smt0pWK8FvEze1LXZsHdLsHsO_tuX8Q5DcEiBKpP4AdZpr/s640/IMG_2111.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Back on the island! Russ and I arrived back this morning courtesy of Laurie Chaikin on the Charleete II. Laurie and Charleete II (a lovely 45ft catamaran) are part of a group of skippers called the "Farallon Patrol." These skippers volunteer their time and their boats to bring supplies and people to and from the island, an essential service we are eternally grateful for. Laurie wanted to catch the ebb tide early this morning so we loaded our gear last night as stayed on board in Sausalito. It was a beautiful night in the bay and I couldn't resist getting my camera out. This is technically not a photo from the island but a patrol run is part of the Farallon experience so I thought I would include it.Annie Schmidthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09460386975180297987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738458288377986251.post-8333176206127975082011-07-02T00:53:00.000-07:002011-07-02T00:54:20.063-07:00Day 67: They grow up so fast<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpDU130F67ckJPuCqvnK_R-wWxoFnbmV7SLy9a5osOZpOtKIQIfLavl3XqfJPlnqe6hZKG0jba-dm3osJkheLIurVfVaiiWqfAPX1UKloISrEQxRFmFcsSMpc_-oLnQ0mxj6WJDbgvVdaV/s1600/Yosemite+2011_02_28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpDU130F67ckJPuCqvnK_R-wWxoFnbmV7SLy9a5osOZpOtKIQIfLavl3XqfJPlnqe6hZKG0jba-dm3osJkheLIurVfVaiiWqfAPX1UKloISrEQxRFmFcsSMpc_-oLnQ0mxj6WJDbgvVdaV/s640/Yosemite+2011_02_28.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>This is cheating a bit since it's really 6 pictures but they are all showing the same chick. This is a chick from one of our nest boxes. I took a picture of it every time it got weighed (every 5 days) until it fledged just a couple days ago so we could see the progression of its development. First picture is probably 5-7 days old so this chick fledged between 30-35 days old. As you can see, it was looking good, nice fresh feathers and a fantastic cowlick. Most chicks from the first attempts by Cassin's have fledged and a substantial number of those adults are now incubating eggs again, going for a second chick. This double brooding is rare among seabirds and Cassin's can only do it in the southern parts of their range.<br />
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Photo a day (and me) will be taking a two week break starting tomorrow. But never fear, I will return!Annie Schmidthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09460386975180297987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738458288377986251.post-46452497533531089032011-06-30T23:30:00.000-07:002011-06-30T23:30:34.870-07:00Day 66: I love biology<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXJLhPs808NgE-jPnTPBssHF6vlFxnlmrcUp16wwqaXJBLp45x2dSaNXrVp7-1YS-PnUedLduSZgyH6C6VsC34xwRTEtWaoi8b-8O7ZXMWJYG1urDsMm5ebOe-r6jLgFT3mjf3M38Evgsw/s1600/IMG_0127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXJLhPs808NgE-jPnTPBssHF6vlFxnlmrcUp16wwqaXJBLp45x2dSaNXrVp7-1YS-PnUedLduSZgyH6C6VsC34xwRTEtWaoi8b-8O7ZXMWJYG1urDsMm5ebOe-r6jLgFT3mjf3M38Evgsw/s640/IMG_0127.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>No this is not a picture of Russ being swallowed whole by some unseen creature. He's checking what he calls the "I love biology" Rhino Auklet crevice in Rabbit Cave. The cave was carved out of the island eons ago when the sea level was higher. It is now well above the water line and Rhinoceros Auklets love to breed in it. So of course we have to monitor some of the accessible sites. Whether this site is accessible might be debatable. It gets it's name from the fact that you really have to love biology to squeeze your body headfirst down a sloping crevice and crane your neck as far as you can to the side in order to determine if the site is occupied. Today, Russ was able to see that it is in fact occupied by a downy Rhino Auklet chick.Annie Schmidthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09460386975180297987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738458288377986251.post-59859672609640036732011-06-29T23:41:00.000-07:002011-06-29T23:41:24.473-07:00Day 65: Neon sky<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgweI0imBcJYxbYHEjbkEHFCOH8-Rx8vRaU3N4oyP4t9eUGwm8JNIna3v-dqI8UJxmJsXhCenSpf_NwhE67Vb0mG8fj0V4nc1xCHlRxjp8Rbds7jlHkY_Qo7PJEu08Cpd4fmxdbcNggxkPg/s1600/IMG_0023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgweI0imBcJYxbYHEjbkEHFCOH8-Rx8vRaU3N4oyP4t9eUGwm8JNIna3v-dqI8UJxmJsXhCenSpf_NwhE67Vb0mG8fj0V4nc1xCHlRxjp8Rbds7jlHkY_Qo7PJEu08Cpd4fmxdbcNggxkPg/s640/IMG_0023.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>After the storm yesterday, the sunset turned the clouds an unreal shade of pink. Seriously, there is no color editing on this photo. Amazing.Annie Schmidthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09460386975180297987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738458288377986251.post-38068785408135392152011-06-28T21:56:00.000-07:002011-06-28T21:56:04.781-07:00Day 64: Soggy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYEe7r3c8Gj6XIZFRIPVDTB8Cv-_doXwnjA0Z6P5QcVLz5PCtrgInLdaigfDwXnn8KX6GB6dVY26wxQp6WRGUyADtPJQCVURWm1SG4gYUtpyULsJyFMOS5LWvnhP2t_7TvCzqO6YISZMwk/s1600/IMG_9932.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYEe7r3c8Gj6XIZFRIPVDTB8Cv-_doXwnjA0Z6P5QcVLz5PCtrgInLdaigfDwXnn8KX6GB6dVY26wxQp6WRGUyADtPJQCVURWm1SG4gYUtpyULsJyFMOS5LWvnhP2t_7TvCzqO6YISZMwk/s640/IMG_9932.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
More rain today to add to our record rainfall for June. Last time it rained though we didn't have any gull chicks. Today, there were many sad, soggy, gull chicks around the island. Most are too big to be incubated so they just had to suffer through it. And some didn't make it. We saw several chicks that looked like they had died from cold. Gulls are having a terrible year. Very few chicks are surviving and those that are still alive are probably in poor condition. Getting totally soaked was just too much for some.Annie Schmidthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09460386975180297987noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3738458288377986251.post-6409555038197454442011-06-27T23:42:00.000-07:002011-06-27T23:42:06.463-07:00Day 63: "Cruel of Beak and bottomless of maw"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXs3AZHJBX7JWvEotIvFEdvljqTGlcTdH_VclbPxK5g6QMbQikL0owLEPLFCPSzumuAC6Z4-_g8J1hcDTdw9WSHxXS-RBc9LnraD2dVKpVvG-F8dOJfCs3usn4z48sIOmti5JCGu0s5EOZ/s1600/IMG_9836.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXs3AZHJBX7JWvEotIvFEdvljqTGlcTdH_VclbPxK5g6QMbQikL0owLEPLFCPSzumuAC6Z4-_g8J1hcDTdw9WSHxXS-RBc9LnraD2dVKpVvG-F8dOJfCs3usn4z48sIOmti5JCGu0s5EOZ/s640/IMG_9836.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>I found this at the back of the house this morning. The gull didn't even notice me open the door to take this picture because the wing of its victim is blocking its eye. As you can see, it's grisly on the island right now. Lots of death by gull, even more than usual. The naturalist William Leon Dawson described the Western gull, and the destruction they wreak, much better than I can: <br />
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"Much that is good and all that is evil has gathered itself up into the Western Gull. He is rather the handsomest of the blue-mantled <i>Laridae</i>, for the depth of color in the mantle, in sharp contrast with the snowy plumage of back and breast, gives him an appearance of sturdiness and quality which is not easily dispelled by subsequent knowledge of the black heart within. As a scavanger, the Western Gull is impeccable. Wielding the besom of hunger, he and his kind sweep the beaches clean and purge the water-front of all pollution. But a scavanger is not necessarily a good citizen. Call him a ghoul, rather, for the Western Gull is cruel of beak and bottomless of maw. Pity, with him, is a thing unknown; and when one of their own comrades dies, these feathered jackals fall upon him without compunction, a veritable <i>Leichnamveranderungsgebrauchsgesellschaft</i>. If he thus mistreats his own kind, be assured that this gull asks only two questions of any other living thing: First, 'Am I hungry?' (Ans., 'Yes,') Second, 'Can I get away with it?' (Ans., 'I'll try.')"<br />
<ul><li>William Leon Dawson, <i>Birds of California</i>, 1923</li>
</ul>P.S. Bonus points if you can identify the bird going down the gulletAnnie Schmidthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09460386975180297987noreply@blogger.com4