Huge numbers of Transient Orca in the
upper Georgia Strait from the Nanaimo / Sechelt line to the start of
Johnstone Strait. Separate groups including T02's, T101's, T10's and
T124's appear to be meeting up to hunt and socialize. Great Photo
Contributions Below. They have been spending hours staying in
relatively small areas at a time rather than moving larger distances.
Pacific White Sided Dolphins are also around in the hundreds with
some appearing to flee areas where the Orca might be. With all this
Orca activity, only one Humpback Whale was spotted.
Susan MacKay, Whales
and Dolphins
Transient
Orca – Killer Whales
Transient Orca
May 19, 2012
Nick Templeman, Eagle
Eye Adventures
May 20:
11:25 am Orca reported in
Discovery Passage south of the pier at Campbell River heading
North.
Radio
May 20:
Sounds like some Orca going past
Campbell River now.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys
May 20:
12 pm 5 + Transients including
T10 and T10B still Northbound heading towards Steep Island in
the Narrows.
Aaron, Campbell River Whale Watching
May 20:
12:30 pm Group of Transient Orca
heading up into Bute Inlet, by Fawn Bluff.
Fisherman over radio
Were not found by any of the tours
after this report.
May 20:
2:56 pm T10 / 10B / 10C / 26 / 26A
turned and are now Southbound in front of Walcan (Discovery
Passage – Campbell River) We are leaving the scene.
Nick Templeman, Eagle Eye Adventures
May 19:
9 am Call from Ross Campbell
"Columbia III" 8 Transients @ Sarah Point.
Coming from the East and Headed West/North. He is leaving as they are
milling about right at Sarah Point so not sure if they will head West
for Lewis Channel later or not! Great sighting!!
Nick Templeman, Eagle Eye Adventures
May 19:
10:40 am Orca between Copeland
Islands and Hernando Island angling towards Savary Island.
Sharkey
May 19:
1:45 pm 2 groups of 6-8 Transient
Orca in each between Major Rock off Lund and Keefer Rock
off Hernando Island. Stayed with them till 4:15 pm still
between Twin Islands and Savary Island.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys
Transient Orca
May 19, 2012
Nick Templeman, Eagle
Eye Adventures
May 19:
From about 2:30 pm till around 5 pm:
Yeah I had 4 females and a juvenile first that I photographed. Then
moved back for the Sealion killers and that was the T101/102 gang
with big T102 and the T002C's....cool to see the new calf from
last year involved in the kill....and T002C2 my fav scoliosis girl in
there tail slapping and right on the Sealion. ****First 5 in our
encounter were the T124A gang. They were all part of the sea
lion kill with T02C's and T101/102 gang
It was a tad crazy....big T102 tail
lobbing the Sealion....all sorts of breaches and action....circling
the prey....it was intense.
This summary came in by email with
Nick's photo contributions:
Hi Susan, Here are 3 pics from
our amazing sealion attack yesterday (19th). From what I can see it
was the T-124 Gang, T-101/102 Gang and the T-002C gang with last
years new calf. Plus others maybe. The attack started at approx
1500hrs and continued for over 2 hrs. It was amazing to see the
teamwork that was put in by the Orcas. They would circle around the
lion each taking turns either breaching on top of it, taillobbing it,
hitting it with their noses, or tail slapping it. Some would go alone
and some would go together with even the young T-002C3 calf getting
inot it as well. An interesting thing i saw was that about 5 minutes
in a juvenile male breached and as he did we could see he was shall
we say "excited"~ Soon after he was not part of the hunt
anymore and seemed to stand sentry or was banished from the hunt for
his excitement. He stayed approx 1/4 mile away during the whole hunt
and only came back to the gang after the official kill. It was really
interesting to see this behaviour. T-002C2 with the scoliosis was
involved in the hunt as well. It seemed to be a training exercise for
these young ones as well as they would go in with adults each time.
In the end they finally took the
Sealion down and started moving it about the gang underwater. I
believe after we left my partner Jos even got pictures of a Bald
Eagle picking up pieces! I have been waiting 14 years of my career to
witness a sealion kill and it was well worth the wait! I have
witnessed Dalls Porpoise, Harbour Porpoise kills, and numerous
Harbour Seal kills(Even had a Seal climb on the pod of my Zodiac once
years ago after being tossed around by T's for 10 minutes!!) This
kill though was so amazing to be a witness to. Thanks Susan take
care!
Nick Templeman, Eagle Eye Adventures
May 19:
4 pm Around 20 Transient Orca
including T10's were at the bottom of Lesquetti Island.
Got information from Simon in Cowichan Bay.
Nick Templeman, Eagle Eye Adventures
May 19:
5:30 pm At least 14+ Orca that
have been just off Cortez Bay for about an hour. There were a
couple of kills.
Kurt
May 18:
Susan, I saw a pod of about six
orcas going NW along the Iron mine (Lund) at 5:20 pm
today. One jumped clear of the water 3 times.
Ron Johnston
Transient Orca
May 19, 2012
Nick Templeman, Eagle
Eye Adventures
Pacific
White Sided Dolphins
May 20:
Morning: Quite a few Pacific White
Sided Dolphins by Chatham Point and off Okisollo Channel.
Radio Transmission
May 20:
3:20 pm 40+ Pacific White Sided
Dolphins were at Kanish Bay, and another 15 – 20 at
the mouth of Okisollo Channel at 5:40 pm (all Discovery Passage
just above Campbell River). No direction, just foraging.
Nick Templeman, Eagle Eye Adventures
May 19:
10 am About 70 Dolphins Deepwater
bay feeding. Lots of life today :)
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys
May 19:
3:30 pm 30+ Pacific White Sided
Dolphins moving quickly down Malaspina Strait and along
South-East side of Harwood Island, Powell River.
Steve Grover, Powell River
These Dolphins came rushing into
the area then suddenly stopped, almost as if to catch their breath,
then carried on. This was right during the time the Orca were on the
big sea lion kill, which usually means the Orca get loud and the
sound would carry for miles underwater. This possibly caused their
flight down the strait.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
Humpback
Whale
May 19:
9:30 am Humpback Whale in Seymour
Narrows.
Ed, Oak Bay Hurricane
May 19:
10 am One lone Humpback Whale in
Seymour Narrows milling. Dolphins Deepwater bay feeding. Lots of
life today :) 10:40 am Humpback is Southbound at Race Point
now.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys
Harbour
Porpoise
May 19:
2 pm A couple of Harbour Porpoise by
Copper Bluffs (Campbell River)
Jen & Aaron, Campbell River
Whale Watching
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Harbour
Porpoise couple of Harbour Porpoise by
Copper Bluffs (Campbell River)
Jen & Aaron, Campbell River
Whale Watching