Couple of Orca Sightings - Countdown to the Draw

Reports: There are a couple below, but it sounds like a few Northern Resident Orca are at the top of Johnstone Strait, including that new calf, and the Southern Residents are truly South. The sightings reports below are therefore assumed to be Transient or Bigg's, Killer Whales. Personally, I've seen what I could have sworn, but not confirmed, a couple of large Humpback Whale size blows pass through the area. But without confirmation, they are not included.

A reminder that EVERY sightings report is important. Comments regularly come in to the effect that “you must have heard” and I find myself quite often replying “No, no-one passed the information on till you just mentioned it”. Please pass those Sightings Reports on to us so they can be included. They are ALL important.

Draw / Donations: The countdown is on to the draw date of March 16, 2013. Beazley the cat is still checking out the box and a heavy book has now been placed on top to avoid his pulling names before the draw date. Much has been happening behind the scenes working towards the goals of Whales and Dolphins BC (check out the information on the Support - Enter to Win Pages as well as the Questions and Answers page for an update). With only 24 hours in a day, it just doesn't seem enough! A huge thanks to those that have donated to support and help things happen, and good luck to you in the draw.

Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC

Beazley, determined to find HIS name in the box.

He can't be left behind, he's the official boat cat!

Orca – Killer Whales

(most likely Transient (Bigg's)

February 25:

9:50 am At least 2 Orca are angling towards Major Rock from Baker Pass (between Hernando and Cortez Islands).

Cam M.

February 18:

3:15 pm 3 Orca off Quathiaski Cove. Reported by my daughter on the ferry to Campbell River. I'm heading down to April Point to see if I can spot them....nothing seen. Spoke to one of the ferry workers who said they were Northbound.

Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys

Sorry no whale photos today – just Beazley looking for names to pull from the box.

The Countdown is on:

Support – Enter to Win

Whales and Dolphins BC needs your support through sightings information, volunteering, and financial contributions to ensure continued growth and web presence. To assist with fund raising, there will be a Random Draw for a 4 day, 3 night Cruise for Two! Every $5 worth of Donation enters your name for the draw. Support and you could win this cruise! Draw date: March 16, 2013

For those not wanting to use PayPal secure credit card services, please contact me to make other arrangements – thank you.

Thanks to those who have contributed already – Good Luck!

Northern Resident Orca and Pacific White Sided Dolphins

Northern Resident Killer Whales make an appearance around the Savary Island / Lund area and some Pacific White Sided Dolphins are starting to show up. The herring should be starting to run pretty soon, so expect a bit more activity.

Also a couple of Links in the News below.

Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC

Resident Orca A66 and ? having a snooze on the surface

February 15, 2013 Savary Island behind

Gordie Coles

Northern Resident Killer Whales

February 15:

8:45 am 9 or 10 Orca just off Mace Point, Savary Island headed towards the Copeland Islands. They'd split up into two groups and then joint back up again. Definitely 2 big dorsals and a couple of calves. I watched a while and waited for the whales to go hunting for seals. The seals didn't seem too bothered by them – no climbing higher on the rocks. Left them shortly after 11 am as they continued somewhere towards Cortez Island or into Desolation Sound.

Gordie Coles, Savary Island / Lund

(These Orca look like the 5 NRKW's A8's with the calf born by Albion Pt. / Myrtle Rocks area of Powell River in December, 2012 and I believe the others are the I11's, but photos aren't clear enough for me to confirm. They were all seen together near the Robson Bight area of Johnstone Strait on Feb. 13^th. - SM)

Resident Orca calf in front of Lund

February 15, 2013

Gordie Coles

Pacific White Sided Dolphins

February 15:

Around 200 Pacific White Sided Dolphins were seen off Nanaimo. The report was spotted on Facebook, so no further details, unfortunately.

SM

February 7: (rec'd late)

8:30 am approx. 4 – 5 PWS Dolphins were riding along with the ferry heading towards Comox from Powell River. They were just off the West side of Texada.

Gary Primrose, England / Savary Island

(A sightings report from that same ferry trip had at least two Orca....they were off the other side of the ferry. - SM)

Resident Orca by Copeland Islands

February 15, 2013

Gordie Coles

Unidentified Species

February 16:

Around 12 pm Saw a number blows off Hernando Island heading towards Cortez. They were quite a ways off. Orca? Dolphins?

Cam M.

Links in the News

Genetic study pursues elusive goal: How many humpbacks existed before whaling?

http://www.sciencecodex.com/genetic_study_pursues_elusive_goal_how_many_humpbacks_existed_before_whaling-106821

Killer whale birth in San Diego: Killer whale calf born at SeaWorld San Diego

Read more: http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/national/killer-whale-birth-in-san-diego-killer-whale-calf-born-at-seaworld-san-diego#ixzz2LDPH6Eoa

Whales' early mating ritual finds eager audience

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/whales-479057-whale-anderson.html

'Super mega-pod' of dolphins spotted off San Diego coast

http://news.ca.msn.com/top-stories/super-mega-pod-of-dolphins-spotted-off-san-diego-coast

The Countdown is on:

Support – Enter to Win

Whales and Dolphins BC needs your support through sightings information, volunteering, and financial contributions to ensure continued growth and web presence. To assist with fund raising, there will be a Random Draw for a 4 day, 3 night Cruise for Two! Every $5 worth of Donation enters your name for the draw. Support and you could win this cruise! Draw date: March 16, 2013

For those not wanting to use PayPal secure credit card services, please contact me to make other arrangements – thank you.

Thanks to those who have contributed already – Good Luck!

Orca, Minke or Humpback and A8's Update

Some unidentified Orca reports and a possible Minke (or Humpback) sighting as well as an update on the A8's with the new calf. Some other Transients (Bigg's) Orca including T02C's were reportedly at the top of Johnstone Strait too.

Delayed report due to too much going on – apologies to all - my reason for needing volunteers!

Another unusual sighting today, February 11: Submarine surfacing and descending as it passed by Powell River heading Northward! Wonder what the whales and dolphins think of it?

Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC

Minke? Or Humpback Whale

Feb 9:

1 pm Possible Minke? We sighted a single whale breaching just off the Fisherman's Wharf breakwater. From the silhouette and your web site, I think it’s a Minke. It was travelling north.

Dave Ostler, Campbell River Harbour Authority

Northern Resident Killer Whales

Feb 8:

Around 10 am The A8's including A42 with her new calf was spotted at the top of Johnstone Strait. Looks like they were joining up with the A5's and I11's. ID's of A42 and her calf, born around Powell River's Myrtle Rocks and Albion Point were identified by Jim Borrowman, Orcella Expeditions

Orca Unknown

(probably Transient – Bigg's)

Feb 7:

8:58 am Whales spotted on Comox ferry. Well not actually on the ferry, but close by. Heading to you (Powell River). They're about half way. Hard to tell how many – I only saw two. They passed quickly.

Gordie Coles, Lund / Savary Island

Feb 6:

10:33 am Northbound Killer Whale's in front of Harbour right now. I'll see if I can see them from the Spit if I can get there in time – Campbell River.

Nick Templeman, Campbell River Bear and Whale Watching

Humpback Whales, Banderas Bay Mexico - photo: Michael Stewart, Powell River

 

 

 

Humpback Whales and Orca

Feb 6:

Sorry the picture isn't great but we saw this mother and calf this morning in Banderas Bay very close to shore, as you can see. Guide thought Mother might be in shallow water to teach the calf to swim. Later we saw another pair and then 4 female Orcas approaching them. This was further south along the coast of the same bay.
Michael Stewart, Powell River from Mexico

Southern Resident Orca

Feb 1: (missed report)

4:30 pm Heard L Pod is off Nanaimo somewhere earlier today headed NW.

Nick Templeman, Campbell River Bear and Whale Watching

Beazley keeps checking for names to draw!

One determined cat!

Support – Enter to Win

Whales and Dolphins BC needs your support through sightings information, volunteering, and financial contributions to ensure continued growth and web presence. To assist with fund raising, there will be a Random Draw for a 4 day, 3 night Cruise for Two! Every $5 worth of Donation enters your name for the draw. Support and you could win this cruise! Draw date: March 16, 2013

For those not wanting to use PayPal secure credit card services, please contact me to make other arrangements – thank you.

Thanks to those who have contributed already – Good Luck!

Few Orca Reports, News Links and Volunteers

Sightings reports are few and far between everywhere, but there are a couple of Orca reports below as well as a Links in the News. A few specific requests for Volunteers farther down. Keep your eyes open, there are whales and dolphins out there, between the whitecaps somewhere.

Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC

Resident Orca A42

Powell River – January 2013

Susan MacKay, SG Images

Orca – Killer Whales

(probably Transient, Bigg's)

February 4:

11.50am Just seen 4 orcas, 1 very large, heading out of the Howe Sound hugging Keats Island. They were heading out of Howe Sound, hugging Keats and on the other side of Gibsons Marina, would have been awesome to be on Skyline drive. We are on Marine Drive, Gibsons. .....my view ends just before they reach open water, couldn't tell!!! (What direction they went - SM)

Katie Hopson, Gibsons

January 31:

3:40 pm Killer whales spotted off the south tip of Hardwood Island. Possibly 3. The whales were north bound. There was a small boat behind them. Our neighbor said it was two small ones and a large one. I only saw the large one.
Leigha Stewart, Powell River

Links in the News

A new exhibit at the Telus World of Science hopes to show the public the importance of preserving the migration routes of the Gray whale. John Daly reports. From Global News:

http://www.globaltvbc.com/grey+whales+arrive+in+false+creek+for+new+exhibit/6442801037/story.html

Whale vomit perfume anyone?

From Jacquie Nevinger: Whale Vomit? Really?

http://www.pawnation.com/2013/01/31/briton-finds-rare-whale-vomit-worth-68-000/?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000058?test=latestnews

Why do the whales vomit? Prob for the same reasons an owl does?

(That's a really good question.... Being that it's probably from a Sperm whale I assume it's as you said Jacquie - getting rid of all the bones etc. they pick up from their food. I'll never look at a bottle of perfume the same way! - SM)

Jacquie did a bit did a bit of research and forwarded some more info:

http://www.press.uchicago.edu/books/excerpt/2012/kemp_floating.html

Volunteers ?

Any Volunteers willing to help out with a few computer related items?

1. keeping Facebook updated in a timely manner
2. willing to show me how to post items via text messaging.
3. Any other Reports / Facebook / Twitter tricks to make it easier to update and keep items posted.
4. Also in need of a Volunteer to help fix the main web site links so that they make sense “pretty permalinks” rather than the cryptic ones in place.

Is your name at the bottom of the box?

Support – Enter to Win

Whales and Dolphins BC needs your support through sightings information, volunteering, and financial contributions to ensure continued growth and web presence. To assist with fund raising, there will be a Random Draw for a 4 day, 3 night Cruise for Two! Every $5 worth of Donation enters your name for the draw. Support and you could win this cruise! Draw date: March 16, 2013

For those not wanting to use PayPal secure credit card services, please contact me to make other arrangements – thank you.

Thanks to those who have contributed already – Good Luck!