Killer Whales are all over the place!
The viral video of the Northern Resident (fish eating) Killer Whales,
the A42's rubbing on a beach were easily identified by Susan MacKay
as soon as the higher resolution clip was posted last Wednesday. See
the clips below. It's some of the best rubbing of Orca on a beach
that's available. Those very lucky workers got a once in a lifetime
show. The Southern Resident (fish eating) Killer Whales of J-Pod,
from the satellite tagged J27, have moved to the west coast of
Vancouver Island, while we appear to have both Transient Bigg's (meat
eating) Killer Whales and Northern Resident Orca in the Georgia
Strait. Without enough information, we can't confirm some of the
sightings and have posted them into the Unidentified Orca column. Few
other species reports have come in, but all reports that have come in
to date are below.
In the meantime, there is much
excitement going on with a gathering of fundraising draw donations,
further info to follow; a web camera fundraising event, “Burger and
Beer (or wine) Night” coming up March 10th at the
Savoury Bight Restaurant in Powell River, and other, to be posted
soon, information about events, presentations and programs. Some of
the 'behind the scenes' workings have caused delays in more timely
postings of these sightings, but you are totally up to date now. We'd
love to hear what you think of the revised Sightings Report look.
Susan
MacKay & Lynne Cracknell, Whales
and Dolphins BC
Have
you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?
Every
sighting report is valuable!
NORTHERN
RESIDENT KILLER WHALES
Northern Resident Orca A66 (Surf) born 1996
Frame grabbed from video clip below for identification purposes
Jan
29:
These
videos of the Northern Resident pod A42's has gone viral and have
been on the news a lot over the last few days, but even if you have
already seen them they are well worth a second watch! It is some of
the best footage anywhere showing Orca rubbing on beaches, a regular
event, but seldom captured this close from shore. They do prefer
pebbles to rub on, but frequent a few other locations with sand and
infrequently rub on rocky bluffs. The big male, A66 (Surf) stops
beautifully in front of the videographer allowing for an easily
confirmed identification of the family pod. When the first lower
resolution video clip was posted, we thought it was the younger
members of the pod, but could only confirm the whole once we spotted
A66 clearly in the higher resolution clip. This was taken while the
workers were on one of the 'Discovery Islands' between Powell River
and Campbell River. - Susan MacKay
First
video is 4:20 minutes:
Second
video clip is 1:39 minutes when the whales returned:
UNIDENTIFIED
KILLER WHALES
Feb
3:
11:37
am: Report of 6 – 7 Orca somewhere in the fog between Powell River
on the Sunshine Coast and Campbell River on Vancouver Island.
(from
radio)
Feb
3:
2:47
pm: 3 Orca spotted by Atrevida Reef, just below Dinner Rock and Lund,
moving southbound towards Powell River on the Sunshine Coast.
3:00
pm:
There
is one big male, one female, and one calf for sure.
Kim
Lisberg, Powell River
Feb
3:
3:42
pm: Pod of two Killer Whales just passed towards Harwood Island,
coming from the direction of Lund in the Strait of Georgia. Another
friend of mine posted on Facebook that they seemed to head towards
Westview, Powell River after Harwood Island.
Wendy
Galligos, Powell River.
Feb
3:
3:50
pm: Searching for the Orca from Kim's report above, I finally saw the
Orca doing long dives, and then cutting across from Atrevida Reef
towards Mystery Reef on the south side of Savary Island.
4
pm: There is at least one by Atrevida Reef and two by Harwood Island
Spit. With the split and long (10 minutes or more) dives, it's very
difficult to keep track of them.
Susan
MacKay, Whales and Dolphins B.C.
Feb
2:
1:02
pm: Report of a pod of Orca southbound into Georgia Strait between
Point Atkinson and Passage Island.
Philine
Scholz-Mayty.
Feb
1:
4:30
pm: Orca just off Lund, in the Strait of Georgia, there are 8 – 10
of them, or more, moving slowly southbound towards Dinner Rock, North
of Powell River.
(from
radio)
Jan
31:
2:25
pm: 3+ Orca travelling in a tight group northbound in front of Powell
River! I'm on my way! Although I went to search for them for
identification purposes, they just vanished. Trying the hydrophone a
number of times, I could only hear distant boats. Not a peep or
another sighting of the whales.
Susan
MacKay, Whales and Dolphins B.C.
Spyhopping
Orca off Cape Mudge Lighthouse
January
30, 2015
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Jan
30:
1:50
pm: 6 or so Orca mid channel in Discovery Passage out from the Cape
Mudge Lighthouse on Quadra island. A couple of them were headed north
west, but another is southbound, so they may be hunting.
3:30
pm: Orca mid channel Discovery Passage slowly northbound in front of
the Anchor Inn, Campbell River.
Elvis,
Eagle Eye Adventures.
Jan
30:
2:52
pm: 4-5 Orca foraging near the Campbell River shoreline on Vancouver
Island, near the beach side coffee shop, adjacent to Cape Mudge on
Quadra Island.
Tara
Bladon, Campbell River.
Jan
30:
3:30
pm: Orca mid channel Discovery Passage slowly northbound in front of
the Anchor Inn, Campbell River.
3:46
pm: One big fin. Far away. By Quathiaski Cove, closer to Quadra
Island. Four Orca total, I think. Leaving the scene.
Garry
Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours.
Jan
28:
9:13
am: 6-8 Orca off Cape Mudge Village on Quadra Island southbound in
Discovery Channel towards the red can buoy off Cape Mudge. Two big
males.
(rec'd
on 29th): At the time that I called in the report
yesterday regarding the 6 – 8 Orca off Cape Mudge on Quadra Island,
I heard that there was also another group off Rebecca Spit, on Quadra
Island, by the scallop farm.
Elvis,
Eagle Eye Adventures.
Jan
28:
5:03
pm: 6 plus Orca on the north side of Savary Island. Seen from the
water taxi between Savary Island and Lund. (Call was dropped so
not sure if they were headed up through the Copeland Islands or
towards Baker Passage - SM) Midge called back; sounded like they
might be southbound.
Midge
Dalsin, Powell River
Jan
27:
11:30
am: A pod of 5 orca heading south on Jervis Inlet at Ball Point
between Hornby Island and the mainland. Maybe you can see some
marking to identify them. They were moving quite fast and this is the
only pic I got. (We only received this lower resolution photo and
no further information on location - SM)
Bonnie
Kent.
Orca
in Georgia Strait
January
27, 2015
Bonnie
Kent
HARBOUR
PORPOISE
Jan
31:
2:25
pm: Out in front of Powell River searching for some Orca who have
disappeared. Sighted two Harbour Porpoise, southbound.
Susan
MacKay, Whales and Dolphins B.C.
LINKS:
Most astonishing video ever of Humpback
Whales joining in with human surfers!
And a final piece of good news, as the
Government of Ontario vote against the acquisition or breeding of
Orca in captivity.
Have
you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?
Every
sighting report is valuable!
We
are the non-profit Wild Ocean Whale Society