T74, T73s

Transient T74
Pt. Wilson,
Pt. Townsend, WA
Dec. 18, 2009
Photo by Frank White

Dec. 18
Orca Network received a call from Jim Whicker, reporting 7 orcas, including 1 male, a little north of Port Townsend, near the buoy 300 - 500' from shore (48 7.180684 N, -122 44.507595W) from 11:10 - 11:30 am Dec. 18.
This was the Transient group with T74 (see photo) and friends.

A few more details on the Transients and Steller sea lions in Admiralty Inlet Dec. 18th:

Transient orcas
(T73- female w/notch in fin, w/T73C?)
Pt. Wilson
Dec. 18
Photo by Robert Whitney

Dec. 18
When the orca first appeared, surfacing less than 200 feet from where Frank and I were at Point Wilson. The two females moved swiftly and silently to the north where the remainder of the other orca were, three males and one female quickly grouped up with the two females. What it looked like to me was a team effort to drive any seals or sea- lions that were near the point towards the four orca who were waiting in the direction of where any pinniped might flee. It was interesting to see the close team work of the seven orca.
Robert Whitney, Port Townsend

Dec. 18
Over at Ft. Casey (Whidbey Island) the Steller sea lions started bunching up about the time we got there at 1220 or so. At first there were only 2, then 3 or 4, but slowly more appeared until there were 13 or 14 (see above photo of the day) . As the group grew it got more agitated and started swimming back and forth along the beach, spyhopping and growling all in one direction and then in another direction. At one point they freaked completely when they saw a little black and white cocker spaniel on a leash a couple hundred yards away. It seemed like a delayed response to those killer whales rounding Pt. Wilson. We don't know if there was another case of a sea lion becoming lunch for the orcas, or the sea lions just heard the transients and got spooked. There were a couple of others around that didn't join the tight bunches, or hadn't yet when we left. The reactions seemed to be building the whole two hours that we were there so I don't know how long it went on.
Howard Garrett, Orca Network, Whidbey Island

From the excellent photos taken by Robert Whitney and Frank White from shore at Pt. Wilson, some ID's of these Transients have been made - the male has been confirmed as T74 (very distinctive dorsal fin!); likely IDs are T73 with1 notch in fin, possibly w/T73C?, and T73A1, and possibly T73A - but we are waiting for confirmation on these possible IDs.
Orca Network