Wind Blown and Marooned Once Again

Greetings from the islands of Farallon. I’m currently sitting at a desk in the PRBO (Point Reyes Bird Observatory) house on Southeast Farallon Island. The window behind the computer screen in front of me provides a view of Little Lighthouse Hill and Maintop Peak on West End. The weathered granite rocks, draped in the lush green leaves and small yellow flowers of a plant in the sunflower family called Farallon Weed, are littered with the contrasting bright white dots of Western Gulls evenly dispersed throughout the landscape. The males are establishing nest boundaries, and are beginning to battle over land rights. Common Murres in the tens of thousands, dressed in black and white tuxedos, huddle together in dense aggregations along the upper slopes of Maintop and the surrounding peaks. Occasionally a Peregrine Falcon swoops down from one of these high perches to investigate a Pigeon Guillemot drifting at sea; a sea which is currently plagued with sharp windblown white caps, tipping a plume of spray over an eight foot swell rolling in from the northwest. 

We arrived at the East Landing on SEFI on March 17^th, after a three hour crossing from below the main span of the Golden Gate Bridge, on a twenty something foot long retired lobster boat named Sari Ann.  Thus far the weather has been warm (warm being a relative term) with dense high stratus clouds. Today is the first completely clear day, although the temperatures are down due to the strong northwesterly blowing. My first few days have been everything I’ve come to expect from a remote field camp and its crew of volunteers; common living spaces, water rationing, the stress of cooking for large groups of fussy eaters, the awkwardness of meeting new people, and the excitement of experiencing something new.  Along with a few unexpected luxuries, such as a warm shower, reliable phone and internet, and a bed to sleep in. 

 Still early for breeding seabirds, however we have discovered an Ashy Storm Petrel in the walls of the carpentry shop (Carp Shop), and a Cassin’s Auklet with an egg in one of the artificial burrows; so most of the days have consisted of shorebird counts, Burrowing Owl roost checks, song bird sighting, and Elephant Seal re-sighting. There are a few terraces on SEFI where Elephant Seals hull out and pup. This time of year the bulls have finished their breeding, with a few still lounging around in the sun; the females have already weaned their pups and are back out at sea foraging in the depths beyond. Most hanging around are the weaned pups (termed weaners), adult females (termed cows), and immatures which haul out this time of year to molt. We go around and note the position and number of colored tags on their hind flippers; pink being from this site, with varies colors from San Miguel, Ano Nuevo, and other islands and beaches along the California Coast.

I’m hoping the weather stays clear tonight, with the new moon and lack of clouds overhead, there could potentially be good conditions for stargazing atop Lighthouse Hill. It’s been clear enough to see all the way to Bodega Head (40+ miles away) with amazing views of the Golden Gate and the city. I’m sure the clear conditions won’t last, so I should go out and enjoy them.

First I must check on the chicken enchiladas in the oven, people are beginning to linger in the kitchen. 

Photos: PRBO House with West End in the background from midway up Lighthouse Hill. East Landing. Bull Northern Elephant Seal with female in foreground. Venus above Jupiter setting over West End from atop Lighthouse Hill, white streaks are Western Gulls illuminated by the SEFI light.