Have You Seen Any of These?

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Humpback Whale by Powell River, Lund and into Desolation Sound

At least one Humpback Whale is in the Powell River to Lund and Desolation Sound area still. We had been hoping to receive further reports, but most have been vague second hand sightings with only one video clip of the whale being submitted, although at least one other clip and photos were to have come in to us. No Orca sightings to report this time, but we do have a few Pacific White Sided Dolphins and Dall's Porpoise in the inlets.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
Have you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?
Call 1-877-323-9776 or Emailyour report.
Every sighting report is valuable!
HUMPBACK WHALE(S?)


Nov 25 (Received Email):
For about the last week there has been a Humpback Whale hanging around Lund Harbour. Apparently blocked The Water Taxi from entering the harbour, as it was having a scratch on the cement float, a couple of days ago. I of course just miss it every time.
Rick Thaddeus, Savary Island

Nov 19:
10:30 pm: For the last several days I have been hearing whales passing by quite close to the shore at around this time of night. They would probably be about 50 or 75 yards off shore, and it seems to me that there are maybe two of them. Hard to tell because they don't come up and breathe at the same time. I am just north of Powell River and the whales are traveling in a north to south direction.
Gillian Andrews, Powell River.

Nov 17:
1:30 pm: I'm sure you've heard of the Humpback whale hanging out and feeding by Lund, but here's my experience today. Breaching and tail lobbing was about 1:30 pm just outside Lund Harbour. I have video of paddling near the whale but it's from an extreme wide angle POV camera I was wearing so it's not great. No good back of tail shots. I actually saw the whale breaching and tail lobbing just outside the Lund Harbour as I was getting my kayak ready on the beach! He headed out further when I was on the water and went down to the tip of Savary Island and beyond. A couple of hours later I saw him again and got to paddle parallel with him coming up a few times about 30-40- meters away!
PS: Apparently people in Lund heard the whale breathing for a few nights before they saw him in the daytime on Sunday, so he's been hanging around feeding. He makes long, deep dives.
Terry Brown, Thrilled in Powell River. (via email)


Nov 17:
Just off Lund we saw a Humpback Whale breach, and doing numerous tail lobs. It was back and forth for quite a while. We managed to get some video clips and photos before we continued on our way. (Video was shown, but being on a small screen, it was impossible to identify the individual whale - SM).
Frank, visiting boat at Westview Harbour

Nov 16:
My family witnessed an incredible sighting over many hours of a Humpback whale from our property on the tip of Sevilla Island BC just off from Lund. The whale could be heard from about 5:00 am and we watched it in the Lund Harbour and just off from our property on the southwestern point of Sevilla island about 100 feet away. The whale stayed most of the day. We saw the back and stubby dorsal fin and extremely long flipper held high out of the water and of course lots of blowing. We feel extremely lucky to have seen this beautiful creature just off from our home.
Ann Gardner-Vigh, Sevilla Island.(via email).

Nov 14/15:
We saw a Humpback whale while kayaking on the 14th and 15th of November southeast of Cortes Island. May be the same one reported around Lund on the 11th? This one was just cruising around between Twin Island, Hernando Island and the Copeland Islands area on both afternoons. Last saw it heading around the north tip of Malaspina Peninsula towards Mink Island. Sorry didn't get any decent photos.
The first time I saw it, it surfaced about 20 meters in front of the kayak and I was too surprised to get the camera out in time! After that it was too far away each time.
Ben & Katie (Via email )

PACIFIC WHITE SIDED DOLPHINS

Nov 11:
Approximately 50 Pacific White Sided Dolphins spent some time bow riding with us as we transitted Cordero Channel.
Frank, visiting boat at Westview Harbour

DALL'S PORPOISE

Nov 11 or 12:
Approximately 30 Dall's Porpoise were playfully bow riding with us passing Shoal Bay.
Frank, visiting boat at Westview Harbour

LINKS


Some Orca more commonly seen in California have been spending time in the Salish Sea. Federal Fisheries believe that our thriving seal population may be the draw!


Some possible reasons for the massive die off of Sea stars on our coasts:

Have you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?
1-877-323-9776 or Email your report.
Every sighting report is valuable!
We are the non-profit Wild Ocean Whale Society
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Friday, November 14, 2014

Cetacean Sightings Update to November 14, 2014

Few reports have come in since our last report. This leaves huge gaps in knowing where the whales, dolphins and porpoise are. Or where they went to. It is a big ocean out there and we rely mostly on your land based reports. We track and monitor all year round and land based sightings reports during the cooler, non-boating months is ever more crucial to establishing where these animals go. They are out there, so keep your eyes open and remember to call or email your sightings in. The information we'd like is: date, time, number, species, location, direction of travel, and any other bit of information about what they were doing. But even if you don't have all the information, we'd love to hear about it, as quite often we can piece together bits of information, if we hear about it. Photos too can be helpful in identification, but if you're on a boat, please use caution and follow the whale watching guidelines.
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

November 13:
1:18 pm One Orca (presumed Transient Bigg's) popped up, or should I say it was just diving in the Brown's Bay, Discovery Passage, fishing pier web camera when I did a quick scan. Once again, (see also November 10 report below) a lucky view.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC

Although tough to see clearly in the saved web cam photo grab,
the white spot farthest to the left is the saddle patch of the Orca

Zoomed in cropped version

November 11:
9:57 am A number of Orca (presumed Transient Bigg's) off the red can buoy by Cape Mudge.
10:30 am There's between 10-12 Orca. It looks like they're headed in the direction of Marina Island now. Can see their blows really well.
12:30 pm Guess the Orca changed their minds. The 12 or so Orca are now headed to Shelter Point, below Campbell River.
Elvis, Eagle Eye Adventures

November 10:
1:28 pm 4 Transient Bigg's Killer Whales by Kelsey Bay were throwing around a seal then played with it for about 45 minutes, but did not eat it. There was one very large one and a couple of calves. Perhaps they were showing the little ones how to hunt. After asking for some more details, we were told they did continue South; see next report below.
Gordon Briggs, Sayward.

November 10:
4 pm An Orca was just surfacing in the Brown's Bay fishing pier web camera as I wondered where the Orca above had gone. It was pure luck that by chance I looked at the photo style web camera right at that time. See the link below to access the camera which has been posted by North Island Communication.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC

November 8:
10:18 am 2 Orca northbound Malaspina Strait, 1/4 mi off Anderson Bay, breached 4 times on way by tug then disappeared.
Bruce Simonar, Powell River

Orca surfacing center frame,
Brown's Bay saved web cam photo grab

Zoomed in cropped version
 
HUMPBACK WHALES

November 10:
1 pm A large Humpback whale was also feeding, about 2 km in the rear of the pod of 500 plus Dophins (suspect white sided). Was a spectacular sight never seen this before from the air in 30 plus years on the coast.
Murray J Welte, Ladysmith BC

November 11:
There's been a Humpback Whale back and forth in the Lund area over the past couple of days.
Raphael & Nancy Merkosky, Lund

PACIFIC WHITE SIDED DOLPHINS

November 10:
1 pm Flying past the southern tip of Texada today around 1300 hrs saw a group of 500 plus Dophins (suspect white sided ) feeding and transiting. In the rear of the pod by about 2 km a large Humpback whale also feeding. Was a spectacular sight never seen this before from the air in 30 plus years on the coast.
Murray J Welte, Ladysmith BC

DALL'S PORPOISE

November 8:
Number of Dall's Porpoise in Blind Channel for the past few days. (no times, numbers or direction given)
Fabien Minfray, Eagle Eye Adventures

LINKS

Norwegian men record close encounter with group of Humpback Whales:
A group of Norwegian men were trolling the fjords near Troms county, Norway, trying to spot feeding humpback whales when they got a much closer look than they had bargained for!

Web cameras set up at Brown's Bay, Discovery Passage by North Island Communications:
These two cameras show photos that automatically update every few minutes:

Caught on video; a Beluga whale birth:


Have you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?
1-877-323-9776 or Email your report.
Every sighting report is valuable!
We are the non-profit Wild Ocean Whale Society
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Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Southern Resident Orca, Pacific White Sided Dolphins, Humpback Whales and Dall's Porpoise

Southern Resident Killer Whales and Pacific White Sided Dolphins put on a show around the Powell River area. It's nice to see them return. With all the rough weather we've been having, sightings have been few and far between. November 1st was incredibly calm and sunny making it a serious treat to see the ever so active Southern Resident Orca and playful Pacific White Sided Dolphins. Most of the Humpback Whales appear to have headed or are heading South, but suspect we still have some more that may hang around this year. Dall's Porpoise and some great links in the news bring up the end the of this current update to noon, November 4th.
Susan MacKay & Lynne Cracknell, 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!

SOUTHERN RESIDENT KILLER WHALES





Southern Resident Orca off Savary Island
November 1, 2014 – 5 photos
Gordie Coles, Savary Island / Lund

Nov 1:
11:26 am: About 20 Orca between Savary Island and Harwood Island. They came around Mace Point right underneath our place and it was wonderful to be able to see them even without binoculars. They're angling towards Vivian Island rather than Powell River.
Doug Smith, Savary Island

Nov 1:
11:30 am Just out from the dock looking for the PWS Dolphins with friend and one of our non-profit members, Judy Brant when we received a call that there were Orca angling towards Vivian Island. As we headed that way, we found the Dolphins and decided to stay with them a while since they were being so wonderfully playful. Judy managed to get some incredibly great video with her iPad. See the LINKS below.
12:20 pm: We left the Pacific White Sided Dolphins foraging still by Powell River to see who these Orca might be. From the brief look through binoculars, I could tell immediately from the open saddle patches that they were definitely Southern Resident Killer Whales. Heading towards Comox, spread across the Strait.
12:40 pm: Southern Resident Killer Whales are on a mission. They are center Strait now passing the Comox ferry. Lots of breaching. Even at a distance we could see all their blows and when one breached, for sure another would. And me with no camera!
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins B.C.

Oct 31:
3:47 pm: Just received a message from a friend that there were northbound Killer Whales in the Cape Mudge (Quadra Island) area at noon. And Gary Sutton from Vancouver texted me just now to say he thought J pod was up our way. Might head out on to the water to have a scan.
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions.

UNIDENTIFIED RESIDENT KILLER WHALES

Oct 29:
12:44 pm: Killer whales coming by the wharf at Kelsey Bay right now and putting on quite a show! There are four of them, westing. We have been watching them feeding on Chum Salmon right at the river mouth.
Gordon Briggs, Sayward.


HUMPBACK WHALES

Oct 29:
11:35 am: Three Humpback whales southbound at Whiskey Point, Quadra Island.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours.


PACIFIC WHITE SIDED DOLPHINS

Bow Riding Pacific White Sided Dolphins
October 31, 2014
Marie O'Shaughnessy, Orca Magic

Nov 1:
10:30 am: 80-100 Pacific White Sided Dolphins in between Powell River and the top of Texada Island, foraging back and forth.
11:26 am Just out from the dock looking for the PWS Dolphins with friend and one of our non-profit members, Judy Brant when we received a call that there were Orca angling towards Vivian Island. As we headed that way, we found the Dolphins and decided to stay with them a while since they were being so wonderfully playful. Judy managed to get some incredibly great video with her iPad. See the LINKS below.
12:20 pm: We left the Pacific White Sided Dolphins foraging still by Powell River.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins B.C.

November 1:
around 10:45 am a rough count of 75 Pacific White Sided Dolphins approximately 1/2 distance between Westview, Powell River and Blubber Bay, Texada. They're moving generally upcoast - swinging over toward Vancouver Island, will pass the Island side of Harwood Island.
Sherri Wretham, Powell River

Nov 1:
1:00 pm: Large group of Pacific White Sided Dolphins doing a couple of donuts by Willingdon Beach, then headed south towards Grief Point, Powell River.
Bob Nichols, Powell River.

Oct 31:
8:10 am. group of 60 - 100 dolphins travelling towards Black Point, Powell River. They were about 200 yards out from shore by the Whalen Road area. They were followed about 15 minutes later by a really small group of 4-6 much closer in to shore - 30 yards approx.
Liz Kennedy, Powell River

October 31:
9:30 am: 15 or so Pacific White Sided Dolphins southbound by Myrtle Rocks, Powell River. Just nicely rolling along.
Jim Southern, Powell River.

Oct 31:
Oct 31 was my last sighting of 5-6 Pacific White Sided Dolphins bow riding the Coho Ferry as it was nearing the Victoria Harbour. We have seen as few as one keeping company with an L pod whale, and as many as a 100 plus this year. We have had several encounters with these charismatic marine mammals over the past three months. Best sightings ever for the south Salish Sea. Totally awesome for us as we never ever saw them three-four years ago. Certainly changes going on in the waters around Vancouver Island that dictate a greater number of sightings this year.
Marie O'Shaughnessy, Orca Magic


DALL'S PORPOISE

Nov 1:
3:55pm: Scanned for a bit hoping to see the Southern Resident Orca and saw 8-10 Dall's Porpoise off Willow Point Reef, near Campbell River, milling about.
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions

LINKS

November 1: Pacific White Sided Dolphins in the calm waters off Powell River come to bow ride. The reflections of the clouds and even birds flying above make this quite magical.

Chester the young False Killer Whale at the aquarium playing in the rain:

I haven't sent any dolphin and whale reports this year, because we haven't been privileged in Sechelt and Narrows Inlet to spot them. But we might have different travelling schedules. Not sure if you're interested in stellar sea lions, but Soren and I have never seen this many of them in Narrows Inlet in over 20 years of commuting to our cabin. Yesterday, October 29, everywhere we looked there were gulls flocking to another sea lion feeding area. Obviously after the chum and a good sign.
I filmed this video from our dock. Soren edited and posted it to YouTube. Thank you for all your hard work and all the best, Joan Bech, Roberts Creek (Thanks Joan, video clip clearly shows how sea lions tear their food apart - SM)

Have you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?
1-877-323-9776 or Email your report.
Every sighting report is valuable!
We are the non-profit Wild Ocean Whale Society


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