It's True. All of it.

Rumors are to be believed. Rob Rockly and Don Mastwell are heading back out to the Farallones. Rob's trip was cut short by a pesky eyeball infection(?), resulting in some Seriously Missed Birds, but the pain was more obtuse than it could have been.

If rumors suggest that I am already on The Island, those rumors are Lies.

Rumors that I have unfinished business, however, are true. I do have unfinished business. Here you will find business, finished. The final blog of the 2015 season.

First order of business:

107.04	101.1
SCI	SEFI

Alas, it is true. The Stahlian Hordes were able to surge to victory in the great Battle of El Niño. However, a rematch has been ordered and will commence Saturday, 24 September, upon the arrival of Don and Rob on The Island.

Here, now, are your eight missing portraits from 2015. 

[Portait #1 is the new frontispiece of the blog (look up there ^)]

A traditional portrait of a traditional man

This is a Pelagic Cormorant. Contrary to unpopular belief, this is not a snake.

This must be one of the least disappointed bird species that ends up on SEFI, the lovely Rock Wren. Please, friend, inform the Canyon Wrens of our stony bounty.

"Bloody Mary Bloody Mary Bloody Mary" The smaller of these two Elephant Seals (bottom) took a grazing bite from a shark--it was a shallow wound and likely healed right up.

"Hello"

Red-breasted Nuthatches are probably somewhat more disappointed than Rock Wrens. Few things to hatch.

Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarchon couperi)

Zalophus Tango

1 September

  The drought worsens.  Land birds are dwindling, winds are increasing, and minimal reprieve is in sight.  San Clemente Island has pulled into the lead.  We are desperate for reinforcements.

  Here I present a portrait of Zalophus.  They are battling (mock-battle? play?) over sleeping space on the marine terrace.  Bizarre and amusing creatures:

  And one of very few land birds on the island this day was another Least Flycatcher.  This is a difficult bird to see on the mainland but they occur here with alarming frequency.  This is the 4th found by yours truly.  I think my GBRS score must be trickling up.

eBird checklist

SCI:   67
SEFI: 63

Die Brücke Nach Nirgendwo

Thursday, 27th August

Here we have a favorite Zalophus (California sea lion) perch:

Representative Ted Stevens (R-Farallonia) helped secure funding for this bridge

  They fight over it and it's nearly always occupied.  Why do Zalophus like bridging to nowhere? Difficult to say but perhaps it will be easy to say once I finish reading The Natural History and Behavior of the California Sea Lion by Richard S. Peterson and George A. Bartholomew.

Here are some scientists working with a Cassin's Auklet chick:

Boo Curry(L), Cassin's Auklet(M), and Eva Gruber(R) performing the science

  They are weighing him/her to track rate of growth (= are its parents finding enough food?) and placing a leg band to allow tracking of future reproductive success, longevity, etc. Monitoring breeding success and survival by marking birds in this way is fundamental to our understanding of the basic biology and life history of birds--and allows us to track changes that result from changing climate.

  The nesting seabird season is just about to wrap up with only a handful of Alcid nests and Ashy Storm-Petrel nests still being monitored--and we will soon lose Eva Gondwana and gain one Don Mastwell.  A worthy trade?  Too early to tell.

eBird checklist--not too shabby but the drought approacheth...

Battle Score...
SEFI: 63
SCI:   54

Neighbors

Wednesday, 26 August

Yet another tardy-PAD.  Remiss in my duties, as per usual.

  SEFI is currently covered with California sea lions.  They are on the terraces, north and east landing, and sometimes the main path across the island. We avoid disturbing them as we go about our daily tasks (and avoid areas that they have been frequenting--the stench is bold, to say the least) but occasionally our jobs bring us near enough to catch some fun or adorable behaviors.  For example, here is a sea-lion napping atop two elephant seals--and nuzzling continuously (and adorably) until the elephant seal put its flipper over the sea lion (adorably, but not caught on film):

Napmate portrait.

  And here is a portrait of a bird--before the bird drought really set in (it's currently blasting 25-30 knots outside--poor weather for migration.  Good weather for waffles).

Punch a Wilson's Warbler and it'll pop right back up again

The current Island Battle score:  

SEFI 63

SCI 50

26 Aug eBird checklist