20 July 2007, Cetaceanlab reports:
The next morning it happened all over again except with a different group of transients. They also hunted down a Dall’s then sharing this meal for a short period of time. It was what happened later that was interesting. They had initially come from the south and traveled north in Whale Channel to Camp Island, this is when they made the kill. After they turned back south and traveled to a local sea lion rock. On the rock there were about 30 young sea lions, females and a few old males. The transients came very close to the rock, circling it 3 times. The sea lions at first were slightly calm but by the second time the orcas were circling they began to panic and soon the frenzy began and they all, except the males, began to jump off the rock into the water. We thought for sure there was to be another kill but these sea lions then joined into a very tight group close to the rock. The transients then traveled on but it was inspiring to watch the technique they used, similar to a pack of wolves, causing panic among their prey.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
19 July 2007, Cetaceanlab reports:
We were with a couple of humpback whale trying to get an ID photo when Cara from KPL called to report one lone female orca. She said the whale was traveling close to the Campania shoreline heading north. We happened to be just north of that location so decided to just sit and wait with the hydrophone in the water. Not even twenty minutes had passed and there was a blow, followed by another. There were 2 females close to the boat, followed by another female and her 2 calves. We were just wondering if these were transients when the leading females did a dive, next thing they were leaping through the air around our boat in pursuit of a Dall’s porpoise. They made the kill very quickly; the two females only fed for a moment and then left the rest for the female and her calves. For the next 40 minutes we watched in wonder as this mother would actually hold onto this meal with her mouth and the two calves would follow her to feed. At one point they had all disappeared for over 5 minutes. Then the mother appeared right under our boat and surfaced just a few feet away, then again, this time with the older calf right at her side, totally taking a look at us in our boat. I can honestly say my throat was so tight I could not speak. I really was not sure how to interpret this encounter except to say the feeling within me to have a transient orca choose to come so close with her calf is to feel complete for that moment.
We were with a couple of humpback whale trying to get an ID photo when Cara from KPL called to report one lone female orca. She said the whale was traveling close to the Campania shoreline heading north. We happened to be just north of that location so decided to just sit and wait with the hydrophone in the water. Not even twenty minutes had passed and there was a blow, followed by another. There were 2 females close to the boat, followed by another female and her 2 calves. We were just wondering if these were transients when the leading females did a dive, next thing they were leaping through the air around our boat in pursuit of a Dall’s porpoise. They made the kill very quickly; the two females only fed for a moment and then left the rest for the female and her calves. For the next 40 minutes we watched in wonder as this mother would actually hold onto this meal with her mouth and the two calves would follow her to feed. At one point they had all disappeared for over 5 minutes. Then the mother appeared right under our boat and surfaced just a few feet away, then again, this time with the older calf right at her side, totally taking a look at us in our boat. I can honestly say my throat was so tight I could not speak. I really was not sure how to interpret this encounter except to say the feeling within me to have a transient orca choose to come so close with her calf is to feel complete for that moment.
Saturday, July 14, 2007
14 July 2007, Orcalab reports
No orcas present.
The 5 year Springer Reunion is in progress in Telegraph Cove and there are a lot of fingers crossed that she and her family and friends will come back from eastern Johnstone Strait by this afternoon. All was quiet over night (except boat noise, of course) and so we believe they are still east. Yesterday, T14 went through the area generating some excitment.
Helena
14 Jul 2007 09:03:51 PDT
No orcas present.
The 5 year Springer Reunion is in progress in Telegraph Cove and there are a lot of fingers crossed that she and her family and friends will come back from eastern Johnstone Strait by this afternoon. All was quiet over night (except boat noise, of course) and so we believe they are still east. Yesterday, T14 went through the area generating some excitment.
Helena
14 Jul 2007 09:03:51 PDT
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
11 July 2007, Cetacean lab reports:
I had just anchored the boat and canoed back to shore when a report of 6 orcas came over the radio. Hermann decided he would go out in the boat and I would remain here and listen for any calls to come over the hydrophone station. He called within 15 minutes and reported that they were Transient Orcas for sure. They had just taken a long dive and he was patiently waiting for them to surface to take identification pictures. Over 30 minutes later he still had not seen them. I was still at home waiting for any calls when suddenly; looking through our living room window I saw 2 orcas flying through the air in hot pursuit of a Dall’s porpoise. I ran to the radio phone and called Hermann. At this exact same time a different group of transient orcas had surfaced right beside his boat and were also heading in the direction of action bay, better known as Taylor Bight. Looking back we now realize that what they had done is come in as one group then split in to 2 separate groups looking for prey. Once the first group had started the hunt this second group then arrived to share the meal. During the time of this hunt these 2 groups were 2 kilometers apart. The hunt lasted 15 minutes and was extremely dynamic. Then everything calmed right back down, they all came back together and after feeding traveled slowly towards the west.
I had just anchored the boat and canoed back to shore when a report of 6 orcas came over the radio. Hermann decided he would go out in the boat and I would remain here and listen for any calls to come over the hydrophone station. He called within 15 minutes and reported that they were Transient Orcas for sure. They had just taken a long dive and he was patiently waiting for them to surface to take identification pictures. Over 30 minutes later he still had not seen them. I was still at home waiting for any calls when suddenly; looking through our living room window I saw 2 orcas flying through the air in hot pursuit of a Dall’s porpoise. I ran to the radio phone and called Hermann. At this exact same time a different group of transient orcas had surfaced right beside his boat and were also heading in the direction of action bay, better known as Taylor Bight. Looking back we now realize that what they had done is come in as one group then split in to 2 separate groups looking for prey. Once the first group had started the hunt this second group then arrived to share the meal. During the time of this hunt these 2 groups were 2 kilometers apart. The hunt lasted 15 minutes and was extremely dynamic. Then everything calmed right back down, they all came back together and after feeding traveled slowly towards the west.
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