Have You Seen Any of These?

Saturday, November 30, 2013

Few Local Cetacean Sightings, but Great Links in the News including a Humpback close encounter

Transient Bigg's and Southern Resident Orca have been popping up in numbers along the Washington state / BC border. Humpback Whales too have been working their way South and West. Only a few local Sightings reports, including a number of Harbour Porpoise, and many interesting Links in the News.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC

Call 1-877-323-9776 or Email your report.
Every sighting report is valuable
Have you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?

Humpback Whale known as 'Windy'
stopping by to say hello
Jim Maya, November 25, 2013

TRANSIENT BIGG'S KILLER WHALES

November 24:
10:05 am: Two Killer Whales have been seen off White Island, just outside Trail Bay, north of Sechelt.
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions

Humpback Whale known as 'Windy'
Close up mug shot
Jim Maya, November 25, 2013

HUMPBACK WHALES

November 23:
8:20 am: Humpback whale off Qualicum Beach. There's more than one whale. I can hear the really big blows. I heard blows first while I was walking the dog. Lots of seals and sea lions around. Didn't see a dorsal fin but saw some pectoral flipper slaps and there are at least 2 blows looking towards Lasquetti island. The direction of travel is SW towards Ballenas Island.
Don Chatt, Qualicum Beach.


HARBOUR PORPOISE

Harbour Porpoise
November 24, 2013
Geordie Harrower, Roberts Creek

November 29: (rec'd 30th)
I was out again yesterday (20th) and I saw 4 different pods of Porpoise! There were up 4-12 in each pod.
Geordie Harrower, Roberts Creek.

November 24:
I was on my board about 2 km out front of Roberts Creek in the Salish Sea on Sunday and had the pleasure of about 12 – 15 Harbour Porpoises circle around me for about 45 minutes. Last 2 times I have seen 2 or 3 from a distance, as they are usually very shy. It was a very special experience! I saw some more even further out. Nice to see the numbers!
Geordie Harrower, Roberts Creek.

Harbour Porpoise
November 24, 2013
Geordie Harrower, Roberts Creek


LINKS IN THE NEWS

An amazing encounter for all aboard Jim Maya's whale watching vessel. The boat had stopped at a good distance to watch the young Humpback known as 'Windy' when she decided to come over for a close visit; for about an hour! The video clip is around 10 minutes of some very special moments on Nov. 25th, thanks to Jeanne Hyde for the clip:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQBxGQKYqkE
Here is an edited link to the same story. Recently there have been an increasing number of close encounters with juvenile Humpbacks; the whale watching industry refers to these events as “muggings!”

SeaWorld is consistently in the news. The Canadian group Barenaked Ladies has made a stand by cancelling a concert there too after seeing the movie Blackfish. Two links:
1.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tracy-reiman/a-mothers-plea-for-the-or_b_4311042.html?utm_hp_ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false#sb=22990b=facebook
2.
http://us.cnn.com/2013/11/27/showbiz/bare-naked-ladies-seaworld-blackfish/index.html?sr=sharebar_facebook
People may not realize that gases build up in decomposing bodies (whale or otherwise). At the start of a necropsy of a beached animal, the chances of bursting that bubble is inevitable:http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/sunnews/world/archives/2013/11/20131127-101419.html

Humpback Whale known as 'Windy'
Close up mug shot
Jim Maya, November 25, 2013

Have you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?
Call 1-877-323-9776 or Email your report.
Every sighting report is valuable!

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