Mitlenatch Island continues to be an oasis in the middle of Georgia Strait. In our 2017 season highlights we hear from dozens of visitors who shared the island and its environs with a burrowing owl and many humpback whales, making a comeback following near extinction of the west coast.
The island has become a magnet for organized tours by naturalist groups as well as commercial eco tourism. When 12 people step off a boat and are then joined by eight other visitors dropping in, Mitlenatch suddenly feels very crowded, increasing the importance of our visitor guidelines. But it is their interest in Mitlenatch that will also help preserve what many of us feel is a little corner of paradise. This year a small archeology study delved into the indigenous use of Mitlenatch Island uncovering a midden on NW Bay along with three burial cairns. The area where we pull up the dinghy on Camp Bay was also identified as an indigenous canoe run. Many of you asked for some recognition of indigenous involvement on Mitlenatch through signage and other material. This is a very timely request as we enter a period of reconciliation with indigenous peoples.
Despite sunny weather, early April temperatures dropped to 1 degree. Fawn lilies were opening by the trail to Well Bay. Gale force winds blew for most of the week with whitecaps coming right into Camp Bay. Two young friends from Cortes Island joined the volunteers for the last two days which stretched out to three days when the change over was postponed due to weather. Some tracks in the mud on the trail between Camp Bay and NW Bay caused some excitement until it became clear that they were from otters not wolves. The otter that had likely made itself at home in the winter thumped over the kitchen roof one morning.
A naturalist habitat
A MIST volunteer and six Vancouver Island University students from the resource management training program arrived with two kayaks. The highlights of their birding were sightings of long tailed duck, ruddy turnstones, rock sandpiper and western sandpiper. The students notice how island time feels so different – minutes stretch into hours. They also expressed appreciation for the chance to put their academic training into action in the field.
Next on shore were three volunteers who hosted 12 members of the Comox Valley Naturalists who toured the island. After a couple of stormy nights, good weather brought out some warblers – black-throated grey, Townsend’s, Audubon’s and orange-crowned. The team called the Marine Mammal Hotline to report tour boats coming up too close to the sea lions. Later, the large Coast Guard vessel, a medium sized Coast Guard boat, and a zodiac appeared. The zodiac approached boaters to remind them to stay back from the sea lions.
Volunteers enjoyed three humpbacks with their morning coffee in front of F Island and Camp Bay for three days running. Two dead seals on the inside of F Island attracted the group of seven ravens and an eagle. A Virginia rail came down the kitchen path for a visit before heading into the grass near the gray water dump and later a VIRA chick was spotted by the outhouse. Smokey skies made the weather hot and muggy with temperatures reaching 33 degrees. The nearby islands disappeared into the smoke and the moon is blood red.
Humpbacks traveling between Savary and Mitlenatch Islands visited volunteers over a few days. While paddling around the island close to the rocks, a volunteer was able see lots of leather sea stars and about 20 healthy looking purple ones. On NW Bay there are five dead gulls, 1 dead seal and 1 dead otter.
