Mystery at South Rock in 2018

South Rock with Polly Island in distance. Boot Rock to the right of South Rock Only a corner of Middle Rock (Double Rock) showing

South Rock at minus tide

nest site left of BLOY and below flat brown rock

Skyline of top of South Rock with nest area in center

2018 BLOY nesting at Road's End is a puzzle.

Who are the two birds, apparently paired but that never bob in greeting, as is customary, nor copulate, that hang out on Middle Rock for hours, then fly off to the south... somewhere.

Are the pair that nested on South Rock, over the west side, still with chicks or eggs (on July 3) and, if so, why do they never appear in the usual guard position anymore? Is one of the Middle Rock mystery pair really one of the South Rock pair that has been lured away?

Is the 3rd BLOY that appeared one week on South Rock one of the Middle Rock birds? Is that the one that was chased off by the South Rock pair plus one of the North Rock birds?

Is there some hanky panky going on? Is one of the Middle Rock birds one that used to nest there but may have lost its mate last year and got into a knock down into the ocean fight with one of the South Rock pair last year?

So many questions without answers. What follows are details from my notes. Some may hold clues to the answers... or not.

The trouble all seemed to start in June of 2017. On June 6, two BLOY called from rock next to and southeast of South Nest Rock. They flew to Polly Island and were met when almost there by a third BLOY who attacked. A fight and screaming and flying around took place with all landing on the NE spit of island. Two of them fought face to face. Eventually one flew to the South end of the island and the other two flew back to Boot Rock north of South Rock. The third flew to North-facing Little Boot Rock and one of the pair flew up and fought. Finally the pair stayed on their rock with the single on Boot Rock. Who the constituents were of "the pair", I have no way of knowing since I can't tell them apart.

The war was far from over. Five minutes later the South Rock birds flew back to the rock I had seen them on first, then called and flew to South Rock. Shortly thereafter they flew back to the island separately and joined together. That's when the battle really began. An air battle ensued between three BLOY with two crashing into the ocean, then all taking off and flying to nest rocks. Two flew around South Rock, landed on South Rock, one flew to foraging rock SW, took a bath, preened and flew back to island, the apparent loser of the battle. The other two stayed together on Middle Rock, preening. So did one of the South Rock pair lose the battle and retreat to the island? Had the pair already split up before I witnessed the big fight?

About 50 minutes later (give or take half an hour), at 1 p.m., a BLOY flew from Middle Rock to guard area on South Rock, stood for about fifteen minutes, then disappeared into nest area. The other BLOY stayed on Middle Rock. Is one BLOY double dipping?

Middle Rock in foreground

BLOY on Middle Rock, South end

Fast forward to 6/13/17, my next visit to the South Rock Soap Opera. At 11:50 one BLOY called and flew from the direction of Polly Island and landed on West side of South Rock (nest side). At 12:10 p.m. 2 BLOY flew and called from the SW side of South Rock over South foraging rocks and landed out of sight. That's the last I saw of them. I left at 1 p.m.

On 6/21, I again visited and saw no BLOY near South Rock the entire hour and fifteen minutes I waited. (Meanwhile on each visit the North Rock pair were being proper parents and not giving me grief... although they did end up losing their chicks.)

6/27/17: at 11 a.m., 2 BLOY flew into S Rock west side. At 11:15 one walked to usual guard position, other to West side where chicks may have been. At 11:30, lots of screaming, 4 BLOY in air, 2 in aerial battle. One flew North out of sight. I lost track of other 3. Guard BLOY never left its post. at 11:50 the BLOY in guard area pecked at something on ground, then walked out of sight. I could not see if it was food.

usual guard position

7/12/17 At 11:05, one BLOY walked up from SW side to usual guard location. At 11:12 it walked down out of sight into suspected nest location. . At 11:50 I spotted one BLOY on rock North of South Nest Rock, just resting in a spot where it could see the South Rock nest area, I think. Just before noon it seemed to be gathering food and flew to North side of nest rock and into North side of nest/chick probable site. Was pecking at dry part of rock... must be very small somethings there.

BLOY directly above suspected nest location behind foreground rock

7/17/17 No BLOY seen on arrival at 11:30.  At 12:50 a BLOY called, landed on guard area and walked into crevasse of suspected nest area and disappeared. Did not reappear by the time I left at 1.

7/20/17 At 11 AM, BLOY appeared on guard position and flew to Polly Island. I think behind it. At 1:10 one flew and landed on guard post, did not go down to feed, stood guard. Maybe they renested?? Still there when I left at 11:40.

7/25/17 Arrived 11:50 a.m. BLOY foraging on Boot Rock North of Nest Rock, did not take food to nest rock, foraged and took a bath in tiny crevasse, preened. At 12:10 flew to guard position on nest rock, preened, in a couple minutes walked over West edge into apparent nest area. If the other one flew out, I didn't see it go. At 12:20 one walked up from W side to guard position then down out of sight to suspected nest area. At 12:45 one landed on West side... could just see it... walked around S end of guard rock and into suspected nest area, a probable Incubation Exchange.

8/1/17 Arrived 11:40. BLOY flew from South to Middle Rock, then to North foraging rock. Foraged for ten minutes, then preened. I'm wondering if at least one of the BLOY nesting on South Rock is a Middle Rock bird having taken over from the North rock female or male.

On 8/8 and 8/14 two BLOY were seen foraging together on a foraging rock to the south... never returned to the nest rock. Presume they lost their eggs/chicks.

That brings us to 2018 nest season and total confusion. Again, the North Rock birds are behaving themselves. South Rock... not so much.

May 11, 2018... pair foraged together then flew south out of sight, so not nesting

5/17/18... BLOY in usual look-out position, nesting presumed



5/23/18... Incubation Exchange IE) witnessed on South Rock (although I can't see the nest area... one flew in as one came up out of suspected nest area and flew off... new arrival went down into nest area)

6/1/18... another probable IE

6/11/18... the confusion begins again... At 11:50 both BLOY off nest in guard position. A 3rd BLOY flew in, bobbing, a pair flew off... no idea if one of the original pair. Soon lots of agitated calls but I could not see birds. More screaming half an hour later. Two birds flew in from North. Confusion as second bird flew in and a fight ensued with one chasing the other all over headed south. One flew back from the south and headed north. Possibly that was a north rock bird chasing off an intruder? North rock bird landed, greeted the other and they went to their nest area.

6/19/18... South Rock BLOY in guard post. Walked down to apparent nest area.  May have been an IE at 11:20. No 3rd BLOY causing trouble this week.

6/25/18... Now it really gets confusing. One BLOY hanging out on Middle Rock, in area where Middle Rock pair used to hang out. Later a second bird joined it and they scratched as though thinking about nesting in an area where the Middle Rock pair had once nested (unsuccessfully). Later one moved to south end of Middle Rock and rested while other stayed in old nest area. Later one of Middle Rock birds called and flew in circle behind South Rock and back to Middle Rock foraging area, foraged, then went back to resting BLOY on Middle Rock. They did not bob or copulate but hung out together. Half hour later one called and flew in big circle past South rock and back to Middle Rock. Five minutes later one called and flew South past South Rock and kept going. Not sure where other Middle Rock Bloy went but shortly one appeared in guard position on South Rock. Fifteen minutes later screams and 4 BLOY flying North. I think 2 came from South Rock. One flew in from North and joined chase South... Maybe same interloper as 2 weeks ago?? At 2 p.m., one back in guard position on South rock.

7/3/18... Two BLOY together on Middle Rock, in old nest area and in old resting areas on south side of Middle Rock. I heard a BLOY calling possibly from behind South Rock. Eventually Middle Rock pair flew south. One curved back around but I lost it. Never saw any BLOY fly into South Rock or in guard position. Have no idea if they were foraging (it was low tide) out of my sight and feeding chicks or if they have lost chicks or if they are the pair on Middle Rock or what. Total mystery.

Middle Rock (Double Rock) on right, South Rock just visible on left, Polly Island in background

Middle Rock with Back or Black Rock behind. In some previous years, BLOY nested on back of Middle Rock with guard BLOY stationed on Back Rock

Two BLOY in old nest area on front of Middle Rock, scratching as though preparing to nest, but did not

Same two BLOY having moved to south end of Middle Rock in customary rest area where resting BLOY sometimes fly back to South Rock

To be continued...

As of July 9, 2018, I believe the mystery is solved... with clues from Elise Elliot-Smith, the USGS biologist who started this BLOY monitoring project. She told me that research in Alaska showed that those pairs that were in tight proximity and spent time arguing about territory had the poorest nesting success, spending too much time off the nest. I think that is what has happened to the South Rock pair. Today they took off, screaming, with the Middle Rock pair also taking off, all four flying north and not returning while I was there. Elise also suggested that if one of the Middle Rock birds is a newby, as I suspect, it might not be ready to nest this year. They often fool around for a year or two before getting serious about nesting. We'll see if they return next year and actually nest. And if the South Rock pair stop worrying about them and tend to their own business. Here's hoping.

Update May 2019: so far, so good. One pair nesting at South Rock, usual spot out of sight. One pair nesting on east face of Middle Rock where they acted like they would nest last year; one egg this year as of May 7, neither pair paying attention to the other pair. As of June 19, Middle Rock pair hatched 3 chicks from their east face nest. South Rock pair apparently lost their first clutch and apparently nested again. Guard BLOY belligerently chasing Pigeon Guillemots away and dramatically chasing a crow all over the sky. So they have not learned much. The Middle Rock pair have ignored all the hysteria at South Rock,keeping their chicks fed and hidden.