Have You Seen Any of These?

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Transient Bigg's Killer Whales, Humpback Whale, Pacific White Sided Dolphins and Harbour Porpoise

And poof, they disappeared - again! This report covers: Transient Bigg's Orca in large, super pod numbers (for them), made an appearance in the San Juan's together and a few others trailing the rest of the group disappearing in the wind driven waves; a lone Humpback in the upper Strait, who also seems to have disappeared; a few Pacific White Sided Dolphins who hid beneath a large swarm of seagulls feeding on presumed balls of herring; and a few Harbour Porpoise, who always disappear since they are usually very shy. It's been an appearing / disappearing sort of few days. It's hard to imagine these very large animals just disappearing, but as I always say, “It's a big ocean out there.”
Links in the News below reports.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC

Have you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?
Call 1-877-323-9776 or Email your report.
Every sighting report is valuable!


Transient Bigg's Killer Whales

Transient Bigg's Orca
May 2, 2013
Marie O'Shaughnessy, Prince of Whales. Victoria BC

May 9:
Sounds like the big group of Orca we had here, went South. T63 'Chainsaw', T101's, T123's T02C's, and others were in the San Juan's.
Mellisa Pinnow relay through Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys

May 8:
9:35 am 5 to 6 Orca tight up against Rebecca Rocks, in front of Powell River. It looked like they took a seal off the rocks and were in feeding mode. I quickly headed out to see about some identification photos, but being down on the water with a lumpy sea and wind, I couldn't locate them.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC

May 7:
4:30 pm 3 to 5 Orca Southbound past Kelsey Bay, Johnstone Strait.
Anonymous

May 6/7:
Yesterday (May 6) I found T020 & T021 northbound off Porlier Pass, Galiano Island. Today (May 7) there is a group of 7 Transients in the same place. I know T020 & T021 are there plus 5 others, it sounds like the T124A's to me..."
Simon Piddock, Ocean EcoVentures Whale Watching

May 5: (rec'd May 8)
around 10:00 am 3 to 4 adults and 2 small calves (1 tiny) into west Blind Bay, (Nelson Island, entrance to Jervis Inlet) frolicked for half hour and left north toward Powell River.
Becky

Humpback Whale
May 6, 2013
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys

Humpback Whale

May 6:
1:32 pm Small Humpback Whale headed South close to Plumper Bay by Campbell River. Last spotted close to Deepwater Water, still in Discovery Passage.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys

Pacific White Sided Dolphins

May 8:
12:30 pm 12 Pacific White Sided Dolphins were being quite playful from Hall Point to Phillips Arm.
Jack Springer, Campbell River Whale Watching

May 8:
Day: 50 or so PWS Dolphins were in Bute Inlet by Clipper Point. Second hand report.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys

May 7: (late report)
Early afternoon, around 20 or so Pacific White Sided Dolphins were feeding with a huge bunch of gulls just off the Powell River Mill.
Prawn vessel, Laura Jan, Powell River

Harbour Porpoise

May 9:
10:25 am Harbour Porpoise spotted between April Point and Quathiaski Cove headed South in Discovery Passage.
Radio

May 5:
am a couple of Harbour Porpoise cruised by us fishing off Harwood Island.
Mike Filewich, Powell River

Humpback Whale
May 6, 2013
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys

Links in the News

Orca vs Sperm Whales:

Hawaiian Fishermen want humpback whales off endangered list.

ICELAND plans to resume its disputed commercial fin whale hunt in June with a quota of at least 154 whales.


Have you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise? Call 1-877-323-9776 or Email your report. Every sighting report is valuable!

The official governing society of Whales and Dolphins BC is Wild Ocean Whale Society (WOW)