Appearing / disappearing Transient
Bigg's Orca on the hunt. They have been doing such long dives that
finding them after a dive can be difficult. They seem to pop up where
neither people scanning the water, nor their prey, expect. They've
been hunting Pacific White Sided Dolphins, seals, sea lions and
Harbour Porpoise. No word if they've noticed the Dall's Porpoise
around yet, but a great spotting report with photos below.
Something noteworthy is that the Bigg's
Killer Whales appear to have a revised method for attacking their
prey lately. The past number of sightings have had the Transient's
doing long dives, then come up underneath their prey to grab and take
them underwater rather than flinging them up or a full frontal
surface attack. It's not just one family group hunting in this
revised manner now....interesting.
Susan
MacKay, Whales
and Dolphins BC
Every
sighting report is valuable!
Have
you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?
Transient Bigg's Orca
on the hunt by Dent Rapids
April 19, 2014
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Transient
Bigg's Killer Whales
April 19:
1:41 pm 6 or so Orca by Dent Rapids
looking like they're on the hunt.
3:30 pm (approx) Left Orca by Lawrence
Point Bute Inlet heading into theinlet. T101 and T102 for sure. There
were 10 or more whales in total.
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
April 18:
Around 11:30 am (rec'd 5:25 pm) Orca
spotted at a distance from the Comox to Powell River ferry. No
directions or numbers.
Kate Groves, Campbell River
April 17:
2 pm 2 Orca Southbound tight to shore
by Grief Point.
John Treen, Powell River
April 17:
1.:41 pm Two Orca Southbound, foot of
Penticton Ave, (Powell River) moving slowly....looks like a female
and a youngster........
Grant Rainsley, Powell River
Transient Bigg's Orca
by Copeland Islands (Savary Isl. in background)
April 13, 2014
Julie Leon
April 15:
8:15 am April 15th 3-4 orca passing
Grief Point, heading slowly towards Westview, Powell River.
Joanne Brough, Powell River
April 15:
8:20 am 6 – 7 Orca Northbound by
Powell River Grief Point. There's 2 larger dorsals.
9:15 am Went down to the viewpoint to
take a better look. One male has quite a white saddle patch while the
second big male's looked almost a bit orange in colour. They stopped
between viewpoint and Harwood Island – possibly on food?
John Treen, Powell River
April 15:
8:34 am My neighbour says there’s 3
whales 500 yards off shore heading North at the bottom of Oliver
Street. Have a great day,
Shirley Randall, Powell River
April 15:
8:25 am 4 – 5 Orca including 1 large
dorsal Northbound by Penticton Ave. Powell River.
Grant Rainsley, Powell River
April 15:
10:19 am Transient Bigg's Orca still
milling in front of Powell River on a kill. They're half way between
the Westview ferry terminal and Harwood Isl. 5 Orca surfaced at once
plus there's two larger (male) dorsals together but a bit farther off
from the rest. Looks like the T02C's (T02C2 has scoliosis of the
spine which has left her with a progressive and distinctive deformity
of the spine).
Susan
MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
Transient Bigg's Orca
by Dent Islands
T02C2's distinctive and
deformed dorsal
April 19, 2014
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
April 15:
11:30 am Last time I saw the Orca, they
were still in the same spot. Lost track after that.
Judy Brant, Powell River
April 15:
11:38 am Report of Orca killing a Sea
Lion in Seymour Narrows an hour ago from a friend. No numbers.
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
April 15:
12:48 pm Orcas are just passing the
mill (Campbell River) Southbound from a friend.
Aaron Webber, Campbell River Whale
Watching
April 15:
1:05 pm The Orca are now in front of
the Coast Marina Campbell River. They're mid-channel and still
Southbound.
Lee, Adventure Quest
April 15:
1:43 pm 4 - 6 Transient Bigg's Orca at
Shelter Point, south of Campbell River.
There's also a group of Pacific White
Sided Dolphins by Shelter Point – haven't seen the Orca for a bit
(10 min). Look like the same Orca I had yesterday.
Wow, they came up from underneath and
took a Dolphin! Unbelievable! Wasn't expecting that ambush.
2:48 pm Left the Orca 2 miles off
Mitlenatch Island. They're the T023's.
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
April 15:
2:45 pm The 4 – 6 Orca are between
Salmon Point and Mitlenatch Island. A bit SW of Mitlenatch.
Around 3:40 – 3:45 pm Had a brief
glimpse of maybe 4 Orca close to Mitlenatch. Not sure who or what
direction. They were on the South side of the island possibly
foraging when we left.
Geoff Dunstan, Discovery Marine
Safaris
April 15:
Around 3 pm I think the Orca split up.
I only saw 1 or maybe 2 in heavy seas above Mitlenatch.
Jack Springer, Campbell River Whale
Watching
April 14:
1:30 pm (rec'd later) Had 2 groups of
Orca up towards Toba Inlet one group was all small fins (females) 6
in that one.
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
April 13:
No time given in email: We also had a
pod of whales pass us on April 13 as we were heading north at the
Copelands (across from Lund and Bliss Landing). I am attaching a few
pictures of those as well.
Julie Leon
Pacific
White Sided Dolphins
Pacific White Sided
Dolphins Shelter Point
April 15, 2014
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
April 19:
11:14 am Around 20 or so Pacific White
Sided Dolphins off Gowland Harbour, across from Campbell River
between the spit and Copper Bluffs.
Radio: Steve on fishboat
April 19:
1:30 pm 15 PWS Dolphins between Aran
Rapids and Lawrence Point, Bute Inlet.
Elvis, Eagle Eye Adventures
April 15:
1:40 pm 10 or so Pacific White Sided
Dolphins off Shelter Point – the Transient Bigg's Orca have done a
long dive – around 10 minutes. We stopped well off the Dolphins and
they cruised past our bow then stopped briefly. Suddenly they
exploded out of the water when the the Orca ambushed and grabbed one.
It looked almost like they let it go since they (the Orca) just
continued on their way. No obvious evidence of a kill.
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Dall's
Porpoise
April 14:
No time given in email: Wasn’t sure
if we have Dall’s Porpoise around here or not and I am wondering if
that is what we saw yesterday, April 14. We were staying at Attwood
Bay in Homfray Channel (Desolation Sound) when the porpoise came in.
They stayed in the bay for several hours. Our estimate is that there
were about 20 porpoise. I clearly saw a large white patch on the
lower flanks and the dorsal fins were white tipped with a black base.
Their “bottoms” appeared a bit chunky when they dove. I am
attaching some pictures for you – sorry it is the best we could get
but maybe you could confirm for us that it was Dall’s that we saw.
(Definitely Dall's and great photos too! - SM)
Julie Leon
Dall's Porpoise in
Homfray Channel
April 14, 2014
Julie Leon
Harbour
Porpoise
April 14:
9:29 am 2 Harbour Porpoise by Twin
Islands
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Links
in the News
A very nice compilation of people
helping animals...not only Cetaceans, but there are a couple of
segments of course.
Friend and neighbour, Judy came over to
video the Hummingbird evening feeding frenzy on my deck. It may start
slow, but the Hummers arrived in numbers as they do every evening. I
know many readers enjoy the information I've posted over the years on
my Hummingbirds, so thought I'd post the link to this clip.
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
