With the Northern Resident (fish
eating) Killer Whales known as A8's (also as A42's now) back and
forth by Powell River, the reports once again started to flow in.
Thank you! Keep your eyes open, and remember to call your sighting in
please. Without your reports, we cannot be guaranteed to piece the
puzzle of species, numbers and their movements together.
The Southern Resident (fish eating)
satellite tagged Orca stayed on the West side of Texada Island for a
while and finally headed back down into Puget Sound.
Transient Bigg's (meat eating) Killer
Whales have done their disappearing act, though fewer boats on the
water means fewer eyes and reports too.
A few Humpback Whales have been
reported over-wintering on the North Coast somewhere around Prince
Rupert.
Pacific White Sided Dolphins reported
still down between West Vancouver to Nanaimo.
No Porpoise reports this time again.
Note: A42's calf's number A103 has
yet to be 'officially' confirmed to Whales and Dolphins BC by Dept.
Of Fisheries as the number. We have held out using this number
waiting to receive confirmation after numerous requests. It is the
number that is openly being used by other researchers. Although we
have not received a confirming response, we must now assume that it
is A42's calf's official number, and we will use it. We also have
been requesting that the calf be named either “Albion” or
“Myrtle” based on the location of birth by Powell River December
2012 and/or sex. Again, there has been no response to these requests
and since the sex is still undetermined (lack of photo to confirm
sex), we would like to start using the name “Albion”. What do you
all think?
Susan
MacKay, Whales
and Dolphins BC
Every
sighting report is valuable
Have
you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?
NRKW Calf A103 born
Dec. 2012 with Mom A42
January 15, 2014 Powell
River
Susan MacKay, SG Images
Northern
Resident Killer Whales
January 16:
4:07 pm A8's / A42's are Southbound by
Grief Point, Powell River.
Geoff Dunstan, Texada Water Taxi
(Stubbs Island Whale Watching)
Note: The A8 / A42's keep travelling
between Albion Point and up to the Harwood Island / Atrevida Reef
area recently, but seem to enjoy foraging by the Powell River mill
and off Willingdon Beach. There are many good viewpoints to see them
from shore. Remember to call and/or email your sighting in. Susan
MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
January 15:
10:54 am 6 Orca just passed my house
Northbound towards Powell River proper. It's the same group as
yesterday. They aren't stopping just moving steadily.
Jim Southern, Powell River
January 15:
11:30 am Same pod of 4 Orca seen in
same place as yesterday. One very large, two medium and one baby seen
between Myrtle Rocks and Van Anda, heading towards Grief Point, just
behind the Texada ferry. Some rolling and a tail slap.
Holly Roy, Pebble Beach, Powell
River
NRKW A79 Tail Slap
January 15, 2014 Powell
River
Susan MacKay, SG Images
January 15:
11:30 am. 5 Orcas in front of Myrtle
Rock. They have been here for an hour feeding. Now moving towards
Westview.
Diane Dunn, Powell River
January 15:
12:19 pm The Orca A8/A42's are just
North of Grief Point now.
Geord Dunstan, Texada Water Taxi
(Stubbs Island Whale Watching)
January 15:
12:30 pm (or so) Picked up the A8/A42's
with a bit of help from Geord as the water taxi came into the
harbour. They had made it to just out in front of Powell River's
South Harbour. They would group up and they separate, but continued
towards Willingdon Beach and the mill doing relatively long dives. I
dropped the hydrophone a number of times again, but other than a
brief bit of echolocation, they were not chatty. The noise from the
ferry terminal construction and mill made it hard to listen for too
long.
1:40 pm Left the Orca grouped up and
angling towards Harwood Island spit. They sometimes like to rub on
the sandy beach there.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
January 14: (1 pm Call came in)
From 9 am till around 12:30 pm, 5 Orca
back and forth by the Powell River mill and Harwood Island. They
appeared to be feeding / foraging while we were fishing. There was
one really small one with another larger calf and one big male.
Clyde Burton, Powell River
January 14:
1 pm While speaking with Clyde on the
phone I spotted A66 (Surf's) big dorsal fin heading back towards the
mill, so grabbed gear and headed out.
By 1:30 pm Found the A8/A42's still
close to the Powell River mill and slowly heading South. I was aiming
for a couple of photos without disturbing them while heading back
towards the harbour. Just past the entrance to the harbour at 2:44 pm
I received a call from Caroline that there was at least one Orca
behind the boat and closer to the ferry dock. With flat calm waters,
the blows would echo off the shore and sometimes sound like there was
another whale. The ferry dock construction noise also added to the
sounds. The call was appreciated. Once stopped, the whale, A79 was
finally spotted and passed quite a distance off. Could see Mom, A42
and her calf, A103 with A66 heading at a steady pace towards Grief
Point with A79 and A88 following. A28 has been very difficult to
spot, but with a not as clear photo quality as I would have liked, I
have conclusively identified her as being with the family pod.
Additionally, with confirmation of 6 Orca in the pod, the numbers are
correct for A28 to be there. She has just been very shy.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
NRKW A66
January 15, 2014 Powell
River
Susan MacKay, SG Images
January 14:
2:32 pm Just spotted some Orca out in
front of the Powell River ferry dock.
Elizabeth Tenhoeve, Powell River
January 14:
3:32 pm Some Orca just rounded Grief
Point Southbound. Saw 3 or 4 of them.
John and Joan Treen, Powell River
January 14:
4 pm Three possibly four Orca seen
between Myrtle Rocks and Van Anda on Texada Island. One very large,
one or two medium and one baby. They seemed to be feeding as they
were milling around in circles for about fifteen minutes, coming
quite far out of the water. Suddenly they just vanished, although I
kept watching, I could not see which direction they took. Maybe
scared off by the passing tug boat.
Holly Roy, Pebble Beach, Powell
River
January 14:
5:10 pm. Orca heading east between
Myrtle Pt & Black (Albion) Pt. At least four, ...one large
dorsal...too dark for much identification or even numbering. Could
hear them better than seeing them. They were in fairly close.
Perk of Perseas Dive, Powell River
Perk of Perseas Dive, Powell River
January 14:
5:12 pm I spotted 3 Orca heading south
just now...I live at the bottom of Whalen Road...1 big one & 2
smaller ones.
Myrna, Powell River
NRKW A8's / A42's
January 15, 2014 Powell
River
Susan MacKay, SG Images
Southern
Resident Killer Whales
January 14:
NOAA satellite tagged Southern Resident
Orca had stayed around the West side of Texada Island to Sentry Shoal
since January 7th and have now headed out by Puget Sound.
Here's the link to the maps and updates:
http://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/research/divisions/cb/ecosystem/marinemammal/satellite_tagging/blog2014.cfm
Humpback
Whales
January 14:
Was supposed to get on the water
tomorrow January 15th) to check out some overwintering Humpbacks, but
it’s blowing 40 knots, so I think we are postponing until next
week. Looking forward to exploring the area.
Caitlin Birdsall, Vancouver Aquarium
(Prince Rupert satellite office)
Pacific
White Sided Dolphins
On Monday, January 13, the 3 o'clock
ferry going from Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay encountered a large
pod of dolphins heading north across the ferry's path. They seemed to
be in a long line, and most were still to the south of the ferry,
with just a few having crossed the path where the ferry was about to
go.
Regrettably, I didn't note the time or have GPS access, but perhaps the ferry's log would show that info. I think the ship was the Queen of Coquitlam, and that it was the second officer who announced the sighting to the passengers. This occurred more or less in the middle of the Strait, but perhaps the log will have the coordinates.
Just one thing worried me: I know that dolphins are very smart - but, since they were crossing the ferry's path, could any of them have been injured? I saw one leap out of the water very close to the bow of the ship, at a 90 degree angle to the ship's direction of travel, heading toward the ship. I wasn't able to see what happened after that, but I hope that the bow wave carried the dolphin back alongside the ship.
Suzanne Gregory
Regrettably, I didn't note the time or have GPS access, but perhaps the ferry's log would show that info. I think the ship was the Queen of Coquitlam, and that it was the second officer who announced the sighting to the passengers. This occurred more or less in the middle of the Strait, but perhaps the log will have the coordinates.
Just one thing worried me: I know that dolphins are very smart - but, since they were crossing the ferry's path, could any of them have been injured? I saw one leap out of the water very close to the bow of the ship, at a 90 degree angle to the ship's direction of travel, heading toward the ship. I wasn't able to see what happened after that, but I hope that the bow wave carried the dolphin back alongside the ship.
Suzanne Gregory
Reply: As for the worry of
them being struck; these dolphins love to play in the bow and stern
wake of boats, taking huge leaps. They can travel at over 25 knots
and although they occasionally have a misjudgement, the majority of
strikes on these speedy, extremely intelligent animals are when a
vessel makes a sudden change of course. This is more likely to happen
with small speed boats and operators who are unaware of the perils
the Dolphins put themselves in. There have been reports of
overenthusiastic bow riding Dolphins actually landing on a cruise
ship deck....oops. The Dolphin, I heard about, was released without
apparent major injury, though I'm sure it was bruised from hard
landing.
I have had them wake ride on either
side of the outboard motor of my skiff as I travelled maintaining a
straight line and speed. I finally slowed down very, very
slowly to prevent hurting them during their play before I could
change direction.
I hope this is both helpful and
informative to boaters. I do not travel into the group of Dolphins,
they come to me. This is a very important point since most
injuries happen when people 'think' they are fast enough to get out
of the way. They are not, and sometimes get so caught up in play,
they get careless....relate it to a child playing hard.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
NRKW Calf A103 born
Dec. 2012 with Mom A42
January 15, 2014 Powell
River
Susan MacKay, SG Images
Have
you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?
Every
sighting report is valuable!
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are the non-profit Wild Ocean Whale Society