Transient Orca every second day!
Humpback Whale sightings report. Pacific White Sided Dolphins
spreading out a bit, but still have large numbers grouped together in
a few areas. A possible Minke Whale sighting, and Harbour Porpoise
sightings round out this report. Minke Whales don't frequent our area
very often – or at least aren't noticed much. Spotting them is a
bit more difficult when they're on the move. They usually are up for
only a quick couple of breaths then down for around 10 minutes only
to pop up quite a distance from where they were. On occasion, people
mistake them for a lone Dolphin if they see only the curved dorsal
without seeing the size of the animal. Transient, meat eating, Orca
are known to hunt them. There is ongoing research to better
understand these Minke Whales, the smallest of the baleen whales.
Transient Orca – Transient
Killer Whales are being renamed to Bigg's Killer Whales. It has
been noted that since some of these whales have set areas of
preferred travel similar to areas of Resident Orca, it actually was a
misnomer to call them 'Transients'. Even we have, what I have been
calling our 'Resident Transients' travelling their preferred area
from the bottom of Johnstone Strait to the Sechelt – Nanaimo line
across Georgia Strait. They have been here throughout the late autumn
till now. The name Bigg's was decided upon by based on
recommendations proposed by the global killer whale research
community (Ford 2011) to honour the late Dr. Michael Bigg, pioneering
killer whale research scientist.
Susan MacKay, Whales
and Dolphins BC
Bigg's
(Transient) Orca
Transient T020 in Full
Breach
June 21, 2012
Garry Henkel,
Aboriginal Journeys
June 21:
Hey Susan, We saw a pod of 5-7 orcas
traveling up Discovery Passage tonight! They were heading North
cruising past the Cape Mudge Lighthouse at 9:20pm, sticking
close to the Quadra shoreline. Cheers!! :)
Tara Bladon, Campbell River
June 21:
9:51 am Only one Orca spotted
Southbound in Discovery Passage fighting the tide in
mid-channel by Walcan / Copper Bluffs. Good 6 ft. Dorsal.
Dick – Radio
June 21:
10:19 am Some Orca, including T20
(big male) and T21 (female) plus some others slowly working
South. By 11:30 am they had only made it to April Point. At
11:57 am About 15 PWS Dolphins popped up right by the Transients –
they're rushing away and into Quathiaski Cove.
2:36 pm Leaving the Orca about 4
miles North of Mitlenatch and about 2.8 miles off Vancouver Island.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys
June 21:
10:39 am 2 large male Orca
dorsals and possibly a couple of others, but 2 big dorsals for sure,
off the South-West shoals of Savary Island. They're angling
towards Mitlenatch Island slowly.
Dee Ingraham, Savary Island
June 20:
Anyone from Comox, South of Comox,
or Texada willing to fill in this blank?? These Orca, we know were
heading South in Georgia Strait, as they've been doing every second
day, but without reports, we don't know how far they're going before
turning back.
Susan MacKay, Whales
and Dolphins BC
Transients T020 and
T021
June 20, 2012
Garry Henkel,
Aboriginal Journeys
June 19:
7:20 am 6 to 7 Orca in front of
Campbell River heading North.
Jack Springer, Hurricane Jack
Adventures
June 19:
9:20 am Found 12 Bigg's (Transient)
Orca tight to the Quadra side of Discovery Passage by Separation
Head. They seem to be just doing donuts – possibly hunting.
Left them around 10 am.
Scotty, Painter's Lodge
June 19:
10:20 am The Orca turned South.
Jack Springer, Hurricane Jack
Adventures
June 19:
1:50 pm The 12 + Transient Orca
still heading South by Cape Mudge.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys
Humpback
Whale
June 20:
4:30 pm Humpback report from
boater – second hand – by Ripple Point.
Nick Templeman, Eagle Eye Adventures
June 19:
10:30 am One Humpback Whale
heading North-West by Chatham Point tight by the light
fighting tide which is running about 4 knots.
Scotty, Painter's Lodge
June 18:
7 pm Humpback Whale just hanging
out in Brown's Bay. Just got word this morning (19th)
from fishing guide.
Scotty, Painter's Lodge
Minke
Whale (unconfirmed)
June 20:
We were boating north of Harwood
at 2 today. My husband and grandson saw what we believe was a
Minke. I haven't heard of you reporting any of these???? (see
info at start of this post - SM)
Michael Stewart, Powell River
Pacific
White Sided Dolphins
Pacific White Sided
Dolphin
June 20, 2012
Garry Henkel,
Aboriginal Journeys
June 21:
9:20 am About 12 PWS Dolphins in
Discovery Passage heading North.
Radio
June 21:
11:57 am About 15 PWS Dolphins
popped up right by the Transients (Orca) – they're rushing away
and into Quathiaski Cove.
3:37 pm 100 or so PWS Dolphins by
Beazley Pass – feeding on herring :)
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys
June 20:
10:38 am Sounds like PWS Dolphins
all spread out by Sonora Island and Hall Point. No direction or
numbers.
3:56 pm 200 to 300 Dolphins in Calm
Channel, closer to Stuart Island now.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys
June 20:
8 pm About 20 PWS Dolphins at
the red can buoy off Cape Mudge schooling up herring. Saw them
while fishing. They stayed circling the hump.
Scotty, Painter's Lodge
June 19:
10 am Found 4 PWS Dolphins
milling about, no direction just balling up herring by Raza Point.
Scotty, Painter's Lodge
June 19:
4:30 pm About 200 Pacific White
Sided Dolphins feeding by Lawrence Pt. In Bute Inlet.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys
Harbour
Porpoise
June 17:
about 1700 hrs, I saw about 4 to 5
groups of harbor porpoise immediately on the north side of Manson
passage. There seemed to be 2 or 3 in each group.
Ron Johnston, Savary Island
Ron Johnston, Savary Island