Orca, Gray Whales and Pacific White Sided Dolphins - Lots of Sea Lions Too.

Whale and Dolphin activity appears to be up everywhere. With the proliferation of food, both the fish and meat eaters have plenty to chose from.

We are busy working on doing a few updates and found that we had glitch with our toll free, which we believe is now fixed. We are still waiting to hear about the maps promised us of all the sightings. There will be more information in the next report.

People have been asking about all the Sea Lion activity in our waters. They are busy feeding on the abundant herring in the area and use co-operative efforts to feed on them. When they have nice full bellies, they quite frequently hang about in what we call rafts and cool off by holding their flippers in the air or play. Sometimes we receive reports of Orca when it's actually Sea Lion flippers. When the water is calm, they have a great ability to fool us, so keep your eyes open and remember to give us a call!

Susan MacKay & Lynne Cracknell, 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?

Pacific White Sided Dolphins

Powell River, March 23, 2014

Susan MacKay, SG Images

UNIDENTIFIED KILLER WHALES

March 25:

12:20 pm: Orca off the Hump, just off the Cape Mudge Lighthouse on Quadra Island, hunting Seals.

From Radio.

March 23:

12:50 pm: Seven plus Orca (one male) foraging at the Hump, near the Cape Mudge Lighthouse, Quadra Island.

(Original report from Fisherman)

Jack Springer, Campbell River Whale Watching.

March 23:

5:20 pm: There are Orca being very playful in front of the ferry. Campbell River. They are southbound.

Jack Springer, Campbell River Whale Watching.

March 22:

9:45 am: Three Orca southbound off Westview towards Grief Point, Powell River, tight to the shore from my sister and granddaughter, Nyla.

Judy Brant, Powell River

March 22:

10 am 3 Orca moving pretty quickly towards Grief Point. There were no big dorsals (males) and they were tight to shore. There's lots of sea lion activity and they didn't seem too concerned, but they were even tighter to shore.

Liz Douglas, Powell River

PACIFIC WHITE SIDED DOLPHINS

Pacific White Sided Dolphins

Powell River, March 23, 2014

Susan MacKay, SG Images

March 24:

6:45 pm: There are around 200 PWS dolphins foraging around between Texada Island and Rebecca Rocks.

Steve Grover.Powell River.

March 24:

7:30 pm: By the way, the Dolphins are still out there! They are heading back towards Texada now.

Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC

March 23:

2:52 pm 3 to 5 Porpoise or Dolphins – smaller than Orca for sure, feeding just off the anchored sailboat by the sea walk.

Shirley Randall, Powell River

March 23:

2:55 pm 5 smaller animals (turned out to be PWS Dolphins) angling back and forth towards the viewpoint.

Liz Douglas, Powell River

March 23:

3:20 pm: PWS Dolphins reported in Powell River. Going to check.

3:40 pm: Initial report had 3 - 5 which I stopped to look for and saw from the viewpoint. Found 30 plus coming quickly from below VanAnda, Texada. They flew by making a bee line North-West towards Vivian Rocks. Waiting a bit to see if there are any more coming around Grief Point or if they're being chased by Orca.

4:00 pm: Another 20 or so between Vananda and Grief Point, moving slow.

5:20 pm: Never got close enough to either group for a really good photo – thank goodness for telephoto lenses. The first group were moving fast and I lost track of them, the second group turned back down Malaspina, foraging. I went back to the harbour!

Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC

Pacific White Sided Dolphins

Powell River, March 23, 2014

Susan MacKay, SG Images

GRAY WHALES

March 21:

12:30 – 2:00 pm: Gray whales farther off the coast today, about 1/2 to 2 miles from the lighthouse past Mara Rock. (That's about 5 miles out of Ucluelet, on the West Coast.) Lots of Grays going by, but not in such a hurry, so many tails up as they dived. It was great here today, also, frost first thing this morning, but wonderful sunshine all day again. Very calm waters out there in the open, maybe one meter swells but very far apart. And no wind really. A non typical Spring day in Ukee!

Don McBain, North Vancouver visiting Ucluelet

March 20:

12:30 – 2:00 pm: About half a dozen Gray whales east and west of Mara Rock, travelling west on the northern migration. They were motoring so all we could see was blows, of course, heads, and a couple of backs.

Don McBain. North Vancouver visiting Ucluelet.

Pacific White Sided Dolphins

Powell River, March 23, 2014

Susan MacKay, SG Images

LINKS IN THE NEWS:

Thanks to Michael Stewart who sent us this next video, a graphic encounter between excited boaters, exhausted sea lions, and hunting Orca – all off the coast of Prince Rupert a few days ago.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php

Another link to the same event, this time from the Telegraph newspaper in the U.K!

?v=10152001039285547http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/10719399/Family-capture-rare-close-up-footage-of-killer-whale-hunt.html#disqus_thread

Some great overhead footage courtesy of the CTV News helicopter showing a large pod of Pacific White Sided Dolphins chasing herring in the Strait of Georgia on March 21st.

http://bc.ctvnews.ca/video?clipid=311641

Pacific White Sided Dolphins

Powell River, March 23, 2014

Susan MacKay, SG Images

Have you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?

Call 1-877-323-9776 or Email your report.

Every sighting report is valuable!

We are the non-profit Wild Ocean Whale Society

A few Sightings Reports and Links in the News

Brief and distant appearance of some Orca are the main report. It's been quite a while since the reports have been so few and far between. Where are they? This report is up to and includes March 6, 2014 with a few photos taken earlier.

The herring have started to spawn, based on the radio chatter and sea lions are around, mostly closer to Vancouver Island, but some have popped up along the mainland shore. This would indicate that there are fish for the Resident Orca as well as the meat sought by the Transient Bigg's Orca. It's a bit early for us to see any of the larger whales such as Grey's or Humpback, but there is word of them either having overwintered or starting to show up just across the US border. Rumour also of some of the Northern Resident Orca showing up in the Blackfish Sound area, then heading back out to the West. The Pacific White Sided Dolphins appear to have scattered somewhere since the last reports of Orca chasing and following them. Some Harbour Porpoise were seen in larger numbers than these shy animals usually travel in.

Keep your eyes open and please remember to call or email the sighting in. A few reports below are after the fact, which is better than not at all.

Although reports are slow, there are many things in the works in the background and I apologize for not having the time to keep everyone informed and post more updates. The automatic email feed has still been an issue and taken far too much time to try to sort, so for now, to ensure subscribers receive the post, it will be sent out manually again. Apologies if you receive it twice, but it would mean that it's finally fixed!

Finally, there are a number of very interesting Links in the News below and for those of you in Powell River, since the article appears to have been missed on line, the Peak newspaper photo of NRKW A42, Sonora's calf A103, Albion was from 2014 not 2013 as was printed. Thanks to all who asked about it.

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?

NRKWs A8/42's Powell River

January, 2014

Susan MacKay, SG Images

Whale, Dolphin and Porpoise Sightings

(in date order this report)

March 3:

4:00 pm: There are some Orca in front of Campbell River, southbound. At least 4 of them.

Jen Furst, Campbell River Whale Watching.

March 3:

4:00 pm: 4 Orca southbound in front of Campbell River.

Aaron Webber, Campbell River Whale Watching.

February 27:

3:17 pm: There are some Orca in Menzies Bay/ Seymour Narrows. Can't tell how many there are, I'm on land.

4:29 pm: There are 4 whales at least, didn't see them when I went back...will be back in a couple of minutes and try to get a direction but they were milling last time I saw them.

5:00 pm: Okay – got 'em! They are still in Seymour Narrows milling. And I'm going with northbound – looks like they just went through the Narrows. Yes, northbound.

Leif Nordman, Campbell River Whale Watching.

February 19 (rec'd February 28):

Around 10:30 am 5 Orca off the West side of Texada, between Comox and Texada. The ferry Captain pointed them out, but they were quite a ways off – just blows. Someone had said they were sending the report in to us (Sherri is on the board of Wild Ocean Whale Society WOWs), which is the only reason I didn't call you myself. I even know better – rather get the report ten times or more than not at all!

Sherri Wretham, Powell River

February 17 (rec'd February 21):

Some nice sightings of cetaceans Monday morning off Roberts Creek Pier on the Sunshine Coast. 6 – 8 Orca, suspect transients, out about one mile, and the largest pod of Harbour Porpoises I have ever seen close to shore. 20 plus. Coincidence? Nice treat. I stand-up Paddle Board all year long and have seen Harbour Porpoise more than ever this year. But today February 21 from the Pier is the largest group (Porpoise) I have ever seen.

Geordie Harrower, Roberts Creek.

A66, Surf of the NRKWs A8/42's Powell River

January, 2014

Susan MacKay, SG Images

Links in the News

Captain Dave Anderson of Capt. Dave's Dolphin and Whale Safari in Dana Point, California, at great personal risk, has recently filmed and edited a 5-minute video that contains some of the most beautiful, jaw-dropping, footage ever taken with a drone from the air of a huge mega-pod of thousands of common dolphins stampeding off Dana Point, California, three gray whales migrating together down the coast off San Clemente, California, and heartwarming close-ups hovering over a newborn Humpback whale calf snuggling and playing with its mom as an escort whale stands guard nearby, filmed recently in Maui.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bo_f8mV5khg&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Drones have helped capture some of the Internet's most incredible videos, but we think this one might go down as the sweetest. (This is part of the above fuller featured clip)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/19/baby-humpback-whale-maui_n_4819247.html

Humpback Whale- Powell River

Nov 2013

Susan MacKay, SG Images

This next short piece of footage shows an interaction between a blue whale and killer whales—where it looks as though the orcas took a nip out of their much bigger relative! The video was filmed off the coast of Monterey, California, by Monterey Bay Whale Watch. They mentioned that it is rare to see Blue Whales in the Californian waters in March, as they usually arrive in the late spring or early summer. http://www.livescience.com/43879-killer-whales-attack-blue-whale-video.html

Whales win big in Federal court

http://www.sierraclub.bc.ca/our-work/mining-energy/spotlights/big-win-for-species-at-risk

Dozens of fossilized whales, seals and other marine animals have been discovered piled up in an ancient tidal flat in northern Chile.

http://news.discovery.com/animals/whales-dolphins/fossils-reveal-first-evidence-of-mass-marine-die-offs-140226.htm

Toronto lawyer Clayton Ruby has provided the Federal Government with a legal opinion following the outcries of the public for Canada to stop serving as a trans shipment destination for the trade in endangered whale meat between Iceland and Japan. http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Ottawa+pressured+stop+transhipments+whale+meat/9570277//story.html

Rescuers cut hundreds of feet of fishing line from emaciated whale off Hawaii.

http://news.discovery.com/animals/whales-dolphins/video-shows-humpback-whale-rescued-from-fishing-net.htm

Humpback Whale

Sept. 2013

Susan MacKay, SG Images

Have you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?

Call 1-877-323-9776 or Email your report.

Every sighting report is valuable!

We are the non-profit Wild Ocean Whale Society

Southern Resident Orca in Powell River

The following are photos of some of the Southern Resident Orca in front of Powell River, BC. It's interesting that these whales take a trip up this way at least once per year in the winter months. Last year, J-Pod showed up just before Christmas, in the sunshine and gave some wonderful breaches. It's not often they come up this far so it will be interesting to see what happens. Keep your eyes open everyone – there are whales and dolphins out there!

Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC

J27 in front of Powell River, BC

January 11, 2012

photo taken off video clip by Susan MacKay, SG Images

Southern Resident Female Orca (ID ?) in front of Powell River, BC

January 11, 2012

photo taken off video clip by Susan MacKay, SG Images

J26 or is it L79 ? in front of Powell River, BC

January 11, 2012

photo taken off video clip by Susan MacKay, SG Images

The Marine Mammal Response Network sent me a link to a video regarding Sea Lion entanglements that is very interesting and worth watching.  

Entanglement of Steller Sea Lions in Marine Debris: Identifying Causes and Finding Solutions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dy2kepJvOM&feature=youtu.be 

Please help prevent entanglements. A reminder that if you spot a marine mammal or sea turtle (we've had a few in BC recently) in distress, injured or dead, please call the hotline at: 1-800-465-4336 immediately.

Dolphins, Humpback Whale Sightings

Another Catch-up Sightings Report. Dolphins, Dolphins, and more Dolphins have been the main focus around the Powell River and surrounding areas. The Orca are all elsewhere, or at least no reports have come through from any local source. Humpback Whales should be around as they pass through and down the coast on their way to their mating grounds, but there's only a couple of reported sightings.

Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC

Pacific White Sided Dolphins

Pacific White Sided Dolphins

Powell River, November 3, 2011

Photo: Steve Grover, Powell River

November 7:

I believe this pod of dolphins (on November 3^rd by Powell River) is the same pod that was seen near Horseshoe Bay last Tuesday, November 1^st all around Howe Sound.

Patricia, Sechelt

November 5:

5:50 pm 6 to 8 Pacific White Sided Dolphins headed South-West towards Texada. The odd ripple on the water caught my eye as I was preparing to head out the door. Of course I stopped to look through binoculars!

Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC

November 4:

8:30 am No time to watch closely to confirm any numbers, but it looks like there are some Dolphins between Rebecca Rocks and Texada. SM

November 3:

3:14 pm 100+ Pacific White Sided Dolphins between Harwood Island and Sliammon on the Mainland side leaping and foraging. The call came in from my neighbour Steve Grover (photos included) and since they were coming our way, off we went to check them out. Didn't take long to get out there and they co-operated by coming straight for us at their fast foraging splashing speed. There must have been a split around Harwood Island since there wound up being around 300+ Dolphins heading towards us and the Comox ferry which was coming in to Powell River. Their leaps and antics are wonderful! Another smile for the day. Throughout the next few hours, they came together and spread apart (huge spread) a couple of times, but all within sight of Powell River while some always stayed close to the skiff. We left them around 6 pm starting to group up towards Atrevida Reef, just North of Sliammon. My underwater camera showed scales from the fish they were munching on. There were also two Steller Sea Lions porpoising and playing while foraging with them.

Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC

Pacific White Sided Dolphins

Powell River, November 3, 2011

Photo: Steve Grover, Powell River

November 1:

1:30 pm A few Dolphins in front of Westview, Powell River. (It's surprising how 100+ can be considered a few!) These ones were spread out, but there was a much larger group between Texada Island and Rebecca Rocks around 3 pm that these ones joined up with.

Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC

October 31:

10:20 am 150+ Pacific White Sided Dolphins headed into Gowland Harbour, across from Campbell River. They were chasing feed. Left the Dolphins foraging in Menzies Bay at 11:15 am.

Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys

October 30:

9 am Around 600 Pacific White Sided Dolphins inbound towards Powell River between Harwood Island and Rebecca Rocks. Some turned and went out towards the West side of Texada. Around 300 of them continued in towards Powell River and stayed for most of the day. Unfortunately work came before Dolphins today.

Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC

October 29:

8:30 am I'm hearing tugs and tows talk on the radio barely within radio range talking about the Dolphins “jumping all over the place”. Unfortunately, they couldn't hear me and I never heard exactly where they were. SM

Humpback Whales

November 3:

8:40 am Two large blows by Rebecca Rocks – close to Dolphins, but heading away from them. Again, no time to watch for long, so never saw any tail flukes. SM

Two Humpback Whales

By Chatham Point October 24, 2011

Photo: Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys

Identification note: I am almost certain that these are BCX1251 aka "Orion" and BCX1258 Crescent. From Jackie at Marine Education and Research Society

October 29:

5 pm Another couple of tugs with tows talking on the radio about at least one Humpback Whale by Chatham Point, the bottom of Johnstone Strait.

Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC

A friend of ours who lives on Amour road said he saw a mother humpback and calf on Tuesday (October 24^th) before he left for work heading south.

Michael, Powell River

Dalls, White Sided Dolphins and Humpack Whale

To start I'd like to mention that I did test the link from yesterday to the nautical charts from NOAA and they only work for US waters. The rest are as blotchy and blocky as they've always been, I do not know if downloading it would interfere with the actual CHS charts for Canadian waters, so I would not recommend it for anyone using their computer for charting our Canadian waters. I put it on a system that is not used for actual chart work.

As for today, there were Dalls Porpoises, Pacific White Sided Dolphins and a Humpback. The Orca have departed again. These whales over the past while have been in the area for a couple of days and then disappeared for a couple of days only to reappear. There are whales around, but they are very good at hiding for a couple of days at a time.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC

May 31:
5:45 pm A radio call from the ferry, Powell River Queen, to Aaron of Campbell River Whale Watching gave a heads up of a Humpback Whale mid-channel between April Point and Painter's Lodge. The whale was headed Northward.

May 31:
Hi Susan. I had 2 harbour porpoise by Elk Bay at 415 pm. Other than that just the Lags (short for Lagenhorynchus obliquidens the Latin name for Pacific White Sided Dolphins - SM). And 150 sea lions at Mitlenatch and a few were Californians. Cheers. Garry (Aaron counted around a dozen California Sea Lions - when you have that many, it's a bunch - SM)

May 31:
2:45 pm During one of my scans I spotted 5 or 6 Dalls Porpoises looking like they were foraging just off Westview, Powell River heading towards the mill area. About and hour or two later saw what I believe were the same Dalls off the N. end of Texada slowly heading into Georgia Strait.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC

May 31:
2:15 pm Call came in from Garry, Aboriginal Journeys about Approx. 20 or so Pacific White Sided Dolphins at the N. end of Mitlenatch Island. They were slowly zig zagging in a foraging / feeding pattern.

May 31:
11 am First overheard on the radio from unknown sources that there were very playful Dalls Porpoises just by Hole in the Wall. A little later, heard Fog Horn Jeff, Painter's Lodge saying that there was a large group of Dalls that were there and putting on a lovely show.

In other Reports:
Thanks to Jared Towers for assistance with the IDs on yesterday's Transient Orca - a few more nicks than what we have in out photo ID books. SM:
From his photos I recognize T124A2 and T124C. The juvenile may be T124A3 and the other animal with the nick may be T124C again. T124C's dorsal fin has a bit of a bend so s/he can look a bit different depending on the angle.  Jared

Two more photos taken May 30th by Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys

Above Photos of Transient Orca May 30th from Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys

And from Farther South:

May 31

Wildlife galore today!  We departed Friday Harbor with a northbound heading up into the waters of Canada, with a few gray harbor porpoises traveling with us and a silver harbor seal peering at us from the ocean. Off in the distance, we spotted five vessels off Saltspring Island, Canada.  They appeared to be observing some transient killer whales.  As our boat--the Sea Lion--got closer, we were able to identify a large male orca with a hooked or oddly notched dorsal fin.  He was later identified as T87.  Other vessels identified his companions as "the T90s," which would be T90 and a calf from 2005, T90B.  We did notice a calf with the group of five and thought that because of its small size it may be a calf younger than T90B. 

The pod continued to zigzag around the boats and, at times, under the boats appearing on the other side of us after four to five minute down times. Word from another vessel told us that close by there was a dead harbor seal with Bald Eagles foraging on its carcass.  Off we went!  Not too far from the live safe warming seals, we found the dead one.  At least four eagles were spotted in the trees and one bald eagle was at the carcass ripping shreds of meat off it!  No dead sea creature is wasted out here. Along our final approach to Friday Harbor, we saw two more harbor porpoises and even in the harbor by our slip we saw another harbor seal.  Yup, another piece of potential transient orca food, but this one safely swimming about the harbor, foraging for its own meal.  

Serena, Naturalist, San Juan Safaris, San Juan Island, WA

Submitted by: Susan Berta and Howard Garrett, Orca Network 

May 31

We  stumbled on Transient orcas today to the south of Saltspring Island and then followed them into the Saanich Inlet, just off of Piers Island.  They were somewhat elusive and kept all the boats guessing.

Bill Freedman Submitted by: Susan Berta and Howard Garrett, Orca Network