Have You Seen Any of These?

Friday, October 28, 2011

Powell River Dolphins, Humpback Whales, Breaching

A few Orca and breaching Humpback Whale (photos below), and lots and lots (1000) of Pacific White Sided Dolphins...they're back! (photo below) And what a wonderful sight to see.

There may still be a problem with the email feed to subscribers. The Sightings Blog updates have not gone out over the past few updates. The problem started when Google did an update. Hopefully it will be rectified soon.

'Whale Encounters'
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 7 pm I will be speaking as part of the Lecture Series, open to the public, at the Powell River campus of the Vancouver Island University.
This multimedia presentation of photos, video and audio, will delve into cetacean identification, species interactions and behaviours with other marine species, their food, and humans. Listen to their “talk” as they socialize, echo-locate and forage for food.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC

Transient Orca

October 25:

2:30 pm 4 Orcas by Campbell River ferry terminal. Heading North. I never saw them but a friend did and the ferry announced.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys


Humpback Whales

Big Humpback Breach!
By Chatham Point October 24, 2011
Photo: Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys

October 24:

2:30 pm 2 Humpback Whales were slowly headed North-West by Chatham Point. There were some great tail lobs and huge breach (photo below). Also had a couple of Dall's Porpoise, but they didn't stay around.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys

Humpback Tail Lob
By Chatham Point October 24, 2011
Photo: Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys

Pacific White Sided Dolphins

October 28:

Throughout the day there were spread out groups of Pacific White Sided Dolphins in front of Powell River. I spotted them at various times, and in between lumpy seas by: Harwood Island, Rebecca Rocks, Blubber Bay, Texada, and close to the Powell River shore. Even from here I could see some of the huge leaps as they chased fish.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC

October 27:

9:30 am Having spotted a couple of hundred Pacific White Sided Dolphins out in front of Powell River, I knew I had to get out on the water. I was out with them from around 10:45 am till 3:30 pm. Even the sun couldn't help but smile through the clouds as the Lags took great leaps and played between the bursts of speed as they chased food. I saw a couple of salmon leap, and they were in pursuit. When I first saw them, there were around 200, some peeled off somewhere and then some joined up by the top of Texada for one huge speed foraging manoeuvre. It's tough to keep track of where they all got to, but I do believe that the whole group of around 1000 or so Dolphins were spread out in smaller groups from the Van. Isl. Side of Rebecca Rocks around Harwood (a few came in with a boat from Savary Island direction) to Grief Point / VanAnda way. By the time I left them, there were around 100 of them and from home, I could still see them till it got too dark. What a great day! A few of the photos will be shown at my presentation Nov. 1st.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC


Pacific White Sided Dolphin
This guy Breached around 13 times in a row
Powell River October 27, 2011
Photo Greg and Janice McLaughlin from their boat


October 26:

5:45 pm Around 30 Lags (PWS Dolphins) with 4 Sea Lions porpoising along with them headed South by Grief Point, Powell River.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC

October 24:

2 pm The call came in: Well over 100 Pacific White Sided Dolphins were all around and in between a tug and log boom. They stayed with the slow moving tow all the way from outside Grant's Reef and along the Harwood Shore heading towards the Mainland. We've been watching them for a couple of hours from Savary Island.
John and Joan Treen, Savary Island

4 pm As the tug and tow rounded Harwood Island, by Atrevida Reef, my neighbour, Steve Grover called to let me know he'd spotted them. Approximately 5-600 Dolphins were back and forth, with a few leaps along the way, around the tug and tow and spread out from Sliammon to Harwood. They headed towards Vivian Island then turned back towards Westview then off to Sliammon and back again. At one point, the very large group of around 1000 Dolphins were together directly in front of Powell River for a bit of foraging. By the time it dusk rolled around, some had split off to somewhere while others stayed out in center strait between Harwood and Atrevida Reef.



October 23:

Hi Susan:) Hope all is well in Powell River for you. Spent last week going up to Bella Coola on the tug & barge. Thought I would see lots of whales around buy really only a couple of HB's (Humpbacks) past Lizard Point and about 40 Lags (Pacific White Sided Dolphins) in Blackfish. Coming in yesterday through Seymour Narrows, that huge group of Lags was spread between Maud Island & Race Point. Estimate 1000+. They were visible from a couple of miles away with the squalling behavior & all the gulls overhead! They have been here now for a couple of weeks, cycling between Seymour & Nodales Ch. My guess is herring or pilchard they're munching on. Take care!
Nick Templeman, Eagle Eye Adventures



Thursday, October 20, 2011

Sightings Transients, Humpbacks and Dolphins

Transient Orca, Pacific White Sided Dolphins and Humpback Whales. Lots of activity out there! Thanks to Ivan on the Western Explorer for good eyes and reporting on his way back South.

'Whale Encounters'
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 7 pm I will be speaking as part of the Lecture Series, open to the public, at the Powell River campus of the Vancouver Island University.
This multimedia presentation of photos, video and audio, will delve into cetacean identification, species interactions and behaviours with other marine species, their food, and humans. Listen to their “talk” as they socialize, echo-locate and forage for food.

Note Email Subscribers: There was a problem with sending the previous update titled “1000 Dolphins, Humpbacks and.....” to your inbox, but it is posted on the Sightings Blog. If it is not below today's report, please click on this link to see it: http://whalesanddolphinsofbc.blogspot.com/2011/10/1000-dolphins-humpbacks-and-other.html

Transient Orca

October 20:

1:39 pm The T002C's (4 Transients) were a nice surprise by Welcome Bay on the West side of Texada Island. They were just travelling around 4 to 5 knots. By 2:20 pm they were across from Maple Bay about 1/2 mile off the Texada shore still heading Northward. We did not see them take any seals, but there were a couple of nice breaches.
Ivan, Western Explorer

5 pm I'm thrilled to finally be able to report a sighting myself! The 4 Transient Orca appeared just off of Rebecca Rocks in front of Powell River, nicely grouped, doing a few longer dives. They were slowly headed North-West.

Humpback Whales

October 20:

10 am 4 Humpback Whales by Rock Bay – Brown's Bay, just above Campbell River. No specific direction – possibly doing some feeding.
Ivan, Western Explorer

Pacific White Sided Dolphins

October 20:

11 am 500+ Pacific White Sided Dolphins spread out over quite an area by Plumper Bay, Campbell River. No specific direction – possibly doing some feeding.
Ivan, Western Explorer

3:10 pm A dozen Pacific White Sided Dolphins were spotted by Lesquetti Island after leaving the Transients. (Radio receiption was very broken, so no direction heard – SM)
Ivan, Western Explorer

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

1000 Dolphins, Humpbacks and Other Sightings

Few days of catch up. Hundreds to a thousand Pacific White Sided Dolphins have been active from Marina / Cortez Island into the various channels and inlets. Humpback Whales are slowly working their way down the coast taking time to munch on some food along along the way. A few Transient Orca have been sighted locally, but as of today's post, they have been up around the top end of Johnstone Strait. It seems like the Whales and Dolphins sightings along the Sunshine Coast and Powell River are slower or later, isn't everything, this year.

'Whale Encounters'
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 7 pm I will be speaking as part of the Lecture Series, open to the public, at the Powell River campus of the Vancouver Island University.
This multimedia presentation of photos, video and audio, will delve into cetacean identification, species interactions and behaviours with other marine species, their food, and humans. Listen to their “talk” as they socialize, echo-locate and forage for food.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC

Transient Killer Whales

October 15:

8:45 – 9 am 3 Transient Orca 1 big male and two females by Copper Bluff, Campbell River, possibly Northbound.
Elvis


11:40 am Orca – could only confirm 1 whale, but looks like a large female heading South down Malaspina Strait, by Grief Point, Powell River.
John Treen, Powell River

October 11:

3:20 pm 3 Transients look like all females by Separation Head, Discovery Passage Southbound. Went as far as Ripple Rock, right in the Narrows then turned back North. At 4:15 pm they were at Brown's Bay slowly headed North-West.
Scholar Holler

8 pm Possibly T20 and T21 Northbound right in Seymour Narrows.

Humpback Whales

October 19:

10 am 2 Humpback Whales by Chatham Point in a North-West direction. Looked like a Mom and calf.
Ivan, Western Explorer

2 pm 2 Humpback Whales by Chatham Point back and forth, possibly feeding. These are both large whales, doesn't look like a Mom and calf.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys

October 17:

3:45 pm 2 Humpback Whales just off Cape Mudge. No Direction.
Ivan, Western Explorer

October 15:

9:45 am Humpback mid-strait by Painter's Lodge, Campbell River, Discovery Passage heading South.
Commercial Fisherman

Hi Susan thanks for the call this morning. We got some fluke shots of the HB (Humpback) I will send on and I will send a couple of the mob of Lags squalling across the water it was awesome! (Photos not received – SM) The HB was all docile doing the odd fluke him then poof he full breached 40ft from us!! So close all our Jaws were hanging on the ground and no one got a pic! What a way to end the season!
Nick Templeman, Eagle Eye Adventures

October 14:

12 pm 5 to 600 Lags foraging by and into Deep Water Bay, Discovery Passage.
Great day. Had all the lags at Separation Head, Deepwater Bay on the way in. Couldn't take the time to look for the HB (Humpback) anywhere though as we were headed for a Grizzly. Great viewing at Orford with 7 different Griz. Cold though, made it home just as the sun was setting :) tugboat trip next week to Bella Coola, hoping to see lots on that trip!
Nick Templeman, Eagle Eye Adventures

Fin or Humpback Whales

October 14:

9:30 am Possibly 3 Fin or Humpback Whales in Okisollo Channel by Howe Island.
Fisherman Report

Pacific White Sided Dolphins

October 19:

11:15 am 800 to 1000 Pacific White Sided Dolphins were spread out then grouped up in Nodales Channel by Thurston Bay.
Ivan, Western Explorer

October 17:

2:20 pm 50 or so Pacific White Sided Dolphins at the South end of Marina Reef (by Cortez Island).
Ivan, Western Explorer

4 pm 400-500 Lags by Chatham Point, milling about.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys

October 16:

9:40 am 300 or so Dolphins by Cinque Islands, Discovery Passage headed North by Okisollo Channel. By 3 pm they were by Rock Bay, they hadn't moved too far, based on a report from a fisherman friend.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys

October 15:

1 pm Around 600 Pacific White Sided Dolphins in Seymour Narrows to Brown's Bay, Northbound.
Nick Templeman & Garry Henkel

October 14:

9:15 am Around 500 Dolphins Southbound by Deep Water Bay, Discovery Passage.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys

October 13:

10:50 am Hundreds and Hundreds of Pacific White Sided Dolphins Southbound by Kelsey Bay – from Fishing friend. At 12:50 pm Jen, CRWW figured there were more like 1000 Dolphins Eastbound by Camp Point, Johnstone Strait.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys

Dall's Porpoise

October 14:

End of day report: Great Grizzly tour. 9 Grizzlies up at Orford River. Saw 6 Dall's Porpoise in Bute Inlet, foraging.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys

October 12:

11:30 am Some Dall's Porpoise by Fawn Bluff.
AJ

Probable Dall's Porpoise

October 14:

8:45 am Radio call announced 10 Orca at Brown's Bay headed North-West. Garry headed that way and found 10 Dall's Porpoise at Brown's Bay soon after the radio call came in.
This is something that happens ocassionally due to the black and white markings of the Dall's. They can look like mini-Killer Whales. - SM

Southern Vancouver Island and Puget Sound Reports
submitted by: Susan Berta and Howard Garrett, Orca Network, Whidbey Isl., WA


October 16
Big surprise today! (Southern Residents) J pod with the K7s and L87 came south through Trincomali Channel today at approximately 13:00. They were in a very relaxed and social mood, displaying a range of behavior from spyhopping (three at once!), breaching, porpoising, logging, sharking, cartwheeling, "blowing raspberries", and even some mating/sexual play going on. At one point, the J4s, J7s, most of the J9s, and K7s came together in what I can only call an "orca soup" or orca dog pile, as they stopped swimming and simply rolled over each other, all the while vocalizing which could be heard above the water. Speaking of which, the hydrophones revealed VERY chatty whales! LOTS of amazing and near constant vocalizing. Incredible day, I will never forget it. Tasli Shaw

October 15
I was out on the water and a group of 11 transients were found out west of Sooke and 4 transients who turned out to be the T18s off Victoria water front. When we arrived the transients could not be Identified. Later that night with the help of Ron Bates the transients were transients from California. Final Identification on the California transient killer whales: The male was CA 166 and the main female with the black spot on the saddle patch is CA 172. They have only been seen in BC waters a couple of times and also only seen in California waters a couple of times. Final IDs: Josh McInnes, Ron Bates and Alisa Schulman


October 15
No news for the last couple of days regarding the Southern Resident Orcas but we had 2 groups of Transient Orcas off Victoria. In the morning 7 Transients were spotted south of Race Rocks heading west. In the afternoon 4 Transients were first spotted on one of the local web camera's near Cook St and when boats arrived scene they id the T's as the T18's. We also had one report of a Humpback Whale at the top end of Haro Strait! The day before there were at least 8 Humpback Whales sighted off Victoria and one off San Juan Island:) Andrew Lees

October 18
We have at least 6 humpbacks off Victoria today :) Andrew Lees


October 17
A Minke Whale has been in Discovery Bay, near Cape George, (west of Port Townsend on the Olympic Peninsula) for several days. It seems to be going after the herring balls which also attract seals and lots of gulls and loons. Richard Isherwood, Port Townsend WA

October 14
Thursday Kath and I saw 30-40 Lags (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens) off Java Rocks (near Saturna and South Pender Islands BC). Brad Armstrong

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Sightings Orca, Dolphins, Humpback, Porpoise

Sightings of Pacific White Sided Dolphins, Transient Killer Whales, Humpback Whales and Dall's Porpoise.

'Whale Encounters'
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 7 pm I will be speaking as part of the Lecture Series, open to the public, at the Powell River campus of the Vancouver Island University.
This multimedia presentation will delve into cetacean identification, species interactions and behaviours with other marine species, including their food, and humans. Listen to their “talk” as they socialize, echo-locate and forage for food.

Transient Orca

October 9:

5 pm Three Transient Orca by Brown's Bay, above Campbell River Northbound. No Identifications.
3 pm T20 and T21 were Northbound in Seymour Narrows.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys

October 7:

2 pm Transients First spotted at Penn Islands, Sutil Channel, T002's with the newborn calf were left still headed South by Hill Island.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys

T002C and New Calf
September 28, 2011
Nick Templeman, Eagle Eye Adventures

October 5:

5 pm 3 Orca – 2 males by Chatham Point. By 6 pm the second group of another 3 Transients was spotted by Separation Head, Discovery Passage. They were spread out by Brown's Bay with one group headed in a North-West direction while the other group was Southbound. One big male had a floppy dorsal.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys

3 pm Pod of Orca by the red light (assumed by Cape Mudge Radio caller just announced the report– SM) Soon after, around 8 to 10 Transients were spotted by AJ by McMullen Point.

Humpback Whales

October 9:

4 pm Humpback was cruising around by Granite Point, Kanish Bay.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys

October 8:

10:45 am Humpback Whale, possibly the one known as 'Arial', was back and forth by Kanish Bay.
Nick Templeman, Eagle Eye Adventures

October 7:

5:40 pm Left Humpback at Kanish Bay headed Southbound.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys

October 6:

10:30 am Spotted Humpback by Kanish Bay, but gave us the slip and no flukes. (for ID purposes). 60+ Sealions at Jimmy Judd Island, Yuculta Rapids, and another 150+ Sealions at Mitlenatch Island. 3 nice Black Bears completes our tally for the day....no Orca.
Nick Templeman, Eagle Eye Adventures

Pacific White Sided Dolphins

October 9:

4 pm 12 or so Pacific White Sided Dolphins were between Savary Island closer to the end of Harwood Island with their noses pointed towards Sliammon and Powell River. (I watched for them, but never did see any closer to Powell River – SM)
Joan Treen, Savary Island

October 5:

8:30 am Around 15 Dolphins Northbound by Duncan Bay, Campbell River.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys

Dall's Porpoise

October 5:

3:15 pm 6 Dall's Porpoise were foraging by Henrietta Point, Bute Inlet.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys

Puget Sound Reports
submitted by:
Susan Berta and Howard Garrett, Orca Network, Whidbey Island, WA
Orca

October 4
1:15 pm - SRKWs (no pod ID yet) travelling south fast just snuck up on Beam Reach students while they were measuring water properties at Turn Point. Whales are traveling south and southeast. Beam Reach students were with resident orcas from 12:47 pm slightly north of Turn Point to 2:30 pm, just south of Turn Point.
Beam Reach

October 3
~15-20 orcas right off the Tsawwassen ferry terminal (south of Vancouver BC) this morning as the Spirit of Vancouver Island came into dock at 9:30 a.m. Very spread out but one male (with two others -- female and juvenile?) was very close in between the ferry dock and the DeltaPort container shipping terminal. Seemed mostly to be females / juveniles. What a great way to start the week.
Melissa T Anderson

October 3
Our Desolation Sound guided flotilla spotted 6-7 Orcas in Malaspina Strait (northeast Georgia Strait) at approximately 1145 on 10-3-11. The whales were never close enough for us to get a good ID photo, but there appeared to be at least one large male in the group. They were first sighted near McRae Islet off of Stillwater Bay (49 44.235 N, 124 18.638 W). Somewhere between there and Cockburn Point, the Orcas dove. We lost sight of them and the next time we could account for them they had crossed the strait and were closer over to the Texada Island side.
Emmelina Mojica

October 2
It's getting to that time of year. The lighting is getting a bit softer, the temperatures are dropping.  But the wildlife still abounds!  And they are busy feeding! Our first stop on our trip today was Speiden Island, where 4 Steller Sea Lions were busy eating salmon--tossing them about at the surface while the gulls tried to snatch a piece when they could.  Then a harbor seal was seen near Sentinel Rock eating the last bits of an octopus!  The Dall's porpoises were busy feeding on fish and dashing about and then diving deep.  Soon it was time to go visit the orcas, and we were lucky enough to see L2 Grace, L5 Tanya, L78 Gaia, L54 Ino, L100 Indigo, L108 Coho, L117 (un-named until next year), and of course my favorite L88 Wavewalker! L88 set about doing some serious fishing near Kellett Bluff while another whale spyhopped nearby.  The water was flat calm, and the blows as whales foraged echoed over the water.  Meanwhile, under water the orca symphony was in full swing as the whales talked amongst themselves.  It was a very amazing day.
John Boyd (JB), SSAMN Marine Naturalist, Western Explorer

Humpbacks

October 5
Pretty sure what I saw this afternoon, was a pod of humpback whales southbound in Swanson Channel.  There was several boats with them, not the usual whale watching boats though, but definitely watching them. Let me know if anyone else did.
Elizabeth - Pender Island

October 5 
2:24 PM - It looked like 2 gray whales just went by beddis rock, Pender island, heading towards Trincomali. Just wondering if anybody else saw them?
Shelley

October 3
A bit cooler with sun trying to break through clouds, fairly calm water with a less than 2' ebbing tide made for a pleasant sighting of a Humpback Whale! First spotted off of San Juan Island Hannah Heights at about 1:15pm, heading across Haro Strait at 2:05pm. The whale seemed to be foraging, zigzagging back and forth, near shore then more toward Hein Bank and Canada. Also saw Dall's Porpoise, perhaps socializing with the Humpback? Nice to see more Humpbacks visiting the Salish Sea!
Caroline Armon. OnBoard Tours

October 2 
We were out on Sunday the 2nd looking for whales and we came upon one, maybe two humpbacks, 1.8nm east of Seabird Point on Discovery Island (east of Victoria) traveling slowly southwest. Wonderful experience out in the fog.
Keith Provan, AScT

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Transient Orca by Savary Isl. 'KC' the Humpback Whale and Dall's

Transient Orca by Savary Island and Dall's Porpoise in our upper Georgia Strait. 'KC' the Humpback Whale in the lower Johnstone Strait and Discovery Passage area. Dolphins are mostly in the upper Johnstone Strait area.
Stormy weather and very few people out on the water, or even being able to see much from shore, over the past few days has meant fewer sightings. Northern Resident Orca have not made an appearance for quite a while now. It is a big ocean and if they have gone above Vancouver Island, there are even fewer people watching for them in the storms that have been passing through. They are out there though so keep looking!

T-055A2
October 2, 2011
Photo: Nick Templeman, Eagle Eye Adventures

Transient Orca

October 4:

9:30 am A couple of Orca were breaching in front of (North side) Savary Island. Murray was working on the front row and asked if I had spotted the whales. At 11:20 am The Orca went around Mace Point, Savary Island looking like they were headed towards Powell River.
Gordie Coles, Savary Island

3:10 pm Some Orca were in front of Campbell River headed West. Unknown who or how many.
Nick Templeman, Eagle Eye Adventures

October 2:

T-55s found them coming out of Chancellor channel at bottom of Wellboure. They passed within 200meters of a HB..(Humpback - SM)<> and are now headed for the Sealions haulout on Helmken Island.
3:40 pm Just left them headed west after doing a circuit of Helmken island and taking a couple of Harbour seals
Nick

T-055B
October 2, 2011
Photo: Nick Templeman, Eagle Eye Adventures

These are some pics of our encounter with the T055's and "KC" the HB...at least I think that's who it is! We found KC with some help from a fellow boater who gave us a call as we were headed up past Vansittart Pt. We found him on the Vancouver Island shoreline......right in the kelp bed! We spent some time keeping him company as he was sort of snoozing on the surface a lot and and there was quite a few seine vessels headed for the opening. From there we did a loop of Hardwicke Isl. searching for the T's. We didn't think we were going to find the only 4 orcas in the entire Johnstone Strait! As we slowed down to check the bear beaches in Wellboure Channel I caught speedy movement in the distance! It turned out to be the juvenile travelling at 15+ knots to catch up to the 3 dorsal fins in the distance! There were cheers on the boat when we found them! as they slipped slowly out of Chancellor Ch. we ran almost directly back into KC who was entering Chancellor........we held our breath as they passed each other within 150 meters. There were some scared looking Sealions on Helmken Island as they did a full sweep down one side, taking I think one harbour seal on the way. They actually went right into Billy Goat Bay it was very cool! It was a chilly but fantastic day on the zodiac!!
Nick Templeman, Eagle Eye Adventures

October 1:

2 pm Very broken radio transmission that sounded like Orca were close to Phillips Arm.

At 14:30 a single male orca was at Beachy Head inbound. A Prince of Whales boat arrived moments later and probably got a ID. At 16:08 I saw the orca again, at Race Rocks. All these whales were observed from the Beachy Head lookout in East Sooke Park. Vincenz Eberl
Group of 5 transients played their way along the Victoria waterfront yesterday afternoon, including several spectacular breaches. Val Shore submitted by
Susan Berta and Howard Garrett, Orca Network, Whidbey Island, WA

Humpback Whales

'KC' Tail Flukes
October 2, 2011
Photo: Nick Templeman, Eagle Eye Adventures

October 2:

See Nick's report on 'KC' short for 'Kelp Creature' close to the Transients under the Transient Orca report.

October 1:

From 11:45 to 16:40 at least 4 humpbacks were hanging out about 2 miles south of Race Rocks. I did not see any humpbacks breach in this time period. At about 16:30 one of them was occasionally putting its pectoral fin into the air but not slapping it down. Vincenz Eberl submitted by
Susan Berta and Howard Garrett, Orca Network, Whidbey Island, WA

2:50 pm Very broken radio transmission about a Humpback Whale Southbound, but couldn't hear where.

Pacific White Sided Dolphins

September 27:

60 Dolphins by McMillen Point Southbound at 10 am (my apologies – missed posting this previously - SM)
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys

Dall's Porpoise

October 2:

9 am Couple of active Dall's Porpoise by Greensey Bay, Campbell River
Fog Horn Jeff

October 1:

10:15 am Group of very active Dall's Porpoise by Turn Island, across from Chatham Point.
Joel, Tenacious 3

Southern Resident Orca Reports
submitted by
Susan Berta and Howard Garrett, Orca Network, Whidbey Island, WA

Orca action abounded in Admiralty Inlet today and yesterday, and along San Juan Island and points between. While Js and Ks and some Ls were making their way up Whidbey Island Sunday morning from Bush Point to Admiralty Head to Partridge Point, the L2s were shuffling along the west side of San Juan Island, joined in mid-day by the L12s, in from Race Rocks, south of Victoria.

October 2
Just before 6pm this evening, Sunday 10/2, sitting in my house I heard the beautiful whoosh sound of their breathing, loud enough through the closed double-pane windows that I knew they had to be very close to shore. As I was getting up to get my camera, I heard a thunderous splash. And just as I opened my door to begin taking photos, one of the whales, which I lovingly call our "floating pandas," bolted up into the air completely out of the water, in a full sideways-oriented second breach right in front of me, as if to say hello (it's fun to artificially personalize these things!). The whole pod spent about 15 minutes foraging at Eagle Point before heading northwest. There was at least one youngster with them. Whales were here at Eagle Point several times on Thursday and Friday (9/29 and 30), and were also at Lime Kiln at sunset on Friday evening, between 6:30 and 7:30pm. It's always a joy to be close to these creatures, and as the season wanes, I feel a particular good fortune to have what is one of the last encounters for many months
Alex Shapiro, Eagle Point, San Juan Island

October 1
From 4:45pm until sunset there were 9 L pod whales along the west side of San Juan Island. Two had gone a good distance north past Lime Kiln lighthouse. Gaia L-78 and Grace L-2. Wave Walker L-88, Ino L-54 and 10 month old L-117 didn't quite make it to the light when they turned back sown island. Tanya L-5 and Coho L-108 were spotted as L-54 and L-117 were coming back south. About a mile to the south were Nyssa L-84 and Indigo L-100. During my listening time, one call I heard sounded like a K pod call, but no K pod whales were present.
Jeanne Hyde, San Juan Island