Rapid growth

Spring Times

Weather 

"Indian seaweed"/ Nori almost ready

Acrosiphonia -- green ropes -- growth

Storm in early April -- WWW links to satellite imagery etc to follow/ predict timing of systems

Dulse at peak growth stage 

Seldom seen Protomonostroma -- and again 2 weeks later; green swarmers clue

"Drought" in Rupert area??

 Kornmannia epiphyte on phyllospadix; similar on Halosaccion nice pictures-- same spp???

 Sea lions visit on way  to rookeries -- contrast our attitudes from vermin to 'important'-- Sea Otter rebuffed by seal pups; then accepted on the local haul out 

 Global Warming -- Spruce budworm in AK & ozone hole over Arctic------

Arctic melting & higher sea levels

PERIWINKLES in    SPRING ==>   

Cold's legacy 

Greens ready to 'bloom'

Different 'Sides' in late winter 

Comparing from one year to another 

Winter cold damages/ kills coralline algae 

Upper tidal pools just 'cooking' with new growth -- perhaps an un-named species?

West side exposed to heavy swells -- here follow changes from storm damage over several years 

This M. parksii area will soon be in full growth but just now at its nadir -- thus useful for comparisons

More detailed photos of Winter kill on this page

Another upper intertidal green which looks similar to Ulva linza might also be un-named species -- growth spurt soon

Sunny south side has distinctive communities all year long -- or that is the working hypothesis 

Another area that will soon 'bloom' (perhaps) but now most of last years coverage gone-- will it soon return? stay tuned 

Wave exposed shores damaged less

Ulothrix first appearance -- all one species?? Here is page where several local spp from culture shown 

Periwinkle colony 'moves' to sunny southern exposure in winter 

And the Nucella snails 'decide' better reproduce or die out 

Rockfish In Trouble? RCAs may be the answer

Species at Risk (SARA) consultations in PR at same time as Rockfish 'dialogues'

Nature

and

Environment

Overview of recent TPL intertidal pages with links 

North Coast Crabs = big $$ for area

Clan Meetings: Eagles; also  Nucella snails (take census & 'decide' not to breed this year); unlike Pisaster seastars who do so copiously 

How does your algae grow: Mazzella parksii turns green. Why? Or it gets bleached by Sun Why? ---- others: Palmaria at peak; Porphyra (Indian Seaweed) harvested; Halosaccion just starting to 'bulb out'; Gloiopeltis (other to come soon)

Spring Bird migrants in Hecate: w emphasis on Turnstones Plovers Peeps, etc all in one page;  Dowitchers,  Red Knot (they might be changing migration behavior), Least sandpiper and  sparrows (Dunlin, Ruddy etc  to come)

Strong NW winds (associated with clear weather) bring upwelling in Hecate and plankton blooms-- Check out the buoys too

Here is a humorous look at  Sandpiper (WMF 931K)

I

Idea here is that the juvenile limpet (as at a-left) has seen the substrate and is choosing what color to make its shell --- changing new growth from juvenile brown to mottled look to go with the granite
 

Here is a series of projects to monitor growth and how change over season starting with just settled ones (1mm) : 

Methods 1; Scoured area useful as all new/ recently arrived; Bay site 3; 
Here looking if juvenile Limpets 1 or 2 species; Site 3 with new spat fall of barnacles and hypothesis; 
Gully site has large protected vertical rock--- ideas is to study variation of limpets ascribed to tidal height; Here is variation in lower Gully site (larger limpets)

Spring plankton bloom in Hecate 

Here is exploration --- attempts to follow regeneration of an upper intertidal site -- work in progress see 1st page 2nd page 3rd page 4th page 

And watching alders leaf in PR

Winter Porphyra (nori) has come and gone already

Perwinkles? where are they in late winter? Heartland  

Spring bloom means urchin roe and commercial divers 

Birds at TPL

Black Turnstone
Ruddy Turnstone
Surf bird
Rock sandpiper
'Plovers'
Tattlers
Whimbrels
Oystercatcher
Harlequins
Scoters
Cormorants
November visits

In an exposed mussel bed (2)

Pigeon Guillemots

Various 'fly-bys' and works in Progress 

Orcas
Humpbacks

Red Tide seen off  Lucy Island in early August

The BioToxin program monitors algal blooms -- preparing for shellfish aquaculture 

Chatham Sound Marine Plan--- a look at the system and how it works along with its "values" salmon, old mine sites and fossils for now

Late summer in Hecate (TPL Island)

Orcas (transients?) marauding/ hunting along beaches -- while 'brave' sea watches
Young Peregrine (endangered) falcon eyes nesting seabirds 
Glaucous winged gulls have chicks by late July 

Flatfish assemblages in Hecate

Visual Intro to flatfish using bird guide approach

Hecate: shallow and deep vs QC Sound

HECATE

UBC researchers bring model of Hecate to PR

Unique Reefs in Hecate

Glass sponge reefs similar to 60 Million years ago

Close up of sponge genus 

PR's Harbour

Using a 'Biophysical' fish farm perspective explore complex system of basins and channels. Recycled journalism questioning 'Dilution as Solution' for PR sewage. With links to other articles this site 

Foreshore Planning 

NEW

Important first steps towards mapping harbour-- physical type shorelines and associated intertidal plants, animals 
Sensitivity map too

Beauty of Invasive Weed?

So colourful, but it can take over if given a chance. Why? Its many showy flowers help. It even slaps bees.

New Section on the resources of Hecate Straits emphasizing the groundfish for now

Dogfish just get no respect. Look at potential and as an "icon"

(Tomorrow)

Summer Solstice
Plankton bloom over 

(Tomorrow)

Flowers at season peak.

Humorous look at "eagles and ravens" discussing lunch. Video link too

Toxic NEWT

Rupert Seasons

Earlier Botany essays

North Coast Flowers   June Wild Flowers-- photo essays (text web searches for interesting related botany to follow later in season)
Goats Beard---- elderberry ---- Mountain Ash ----Cow Parsnip (most elaborate so far) Delicate scented Maiantheum and retiring Fringe Cup beauty  

Spring flowers (earlier) -- Main page--- best one so far

Winter Birds of Prince Rupert area--- Main page---- Feb. 2000 visual guide--American Coot  and Black Turnstones at Triple Island and look at confusing local seagulls

EXPLORATIONS

"New Media" using the internet to look at our environs

1st of series on 'semi-exposed' shores in eastern Hecate straits (Triple Island) -- a video of seals -
Experimental video ----Hermit Crab wrestling match-- Plus intro to Pagurid biology ----NEW Nov 00

 NEW Hays Creek Trail--explores using GPS/ photos as frame for trail guides . Plus August 2000 walk with video clip experiment.

Hays Creek Estuary-- Birds/ clams/ instability plant carpeted over by plants
Includes: Vaucheria-- algal skin over mudflat; and higher resolution views: count the blades
Mya soft shelled clam (burrowing in Hays Creek mud)--

Nature walks in Prince Rupert area --- series -- Hays Creek June 98

NorthCoast

WEATHER 

  NEW and Gaudy update for Hourly Marine Weathers on WWW 

What is behind this summer's weather on north coast--- article finds lunar cycles or jet stream "predict" 

Dry Year? Look at the big picture and see Rupert "drought" NEW

Getting timely info on NorthCoast Weather is now possible -- see fall 99 in our series -- including an example for putting it all on your desktop using a spreadsheet and graphics

The Mighty Pacific-- battle between Pacific high and Aleutian low and La Nina anyone? (this is an last years version of "predict your own weather" and most material not repeated in 99 article-- provides more of an overview.) 

More Predicting OCTOBER Weather and La Nina-- older article