30 March 2008, Orca Network reports:
Orca Network received a call from Harry Olund at 1:40 pm, reporting 5 orcas off Yaquina Head, Newport, OR possibly feeding on a gray whale.
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Mark Malleson called at 12:10 pm to report a few Transients had been sighted from shore, milling off Constance Bank. At 1:05 pm they were westbound off Victoria, heading toward Race Rocks, & had been ID'd as T20 & T21.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
25 March 2008, Orca Network reports:
Transients westbound along southern coast of Vancouver Island, B.C. I first spotted the T20's from shore at 12:30 p.m. just 1.5 nautical miles south of Beacon Hill west bound. I picked them up at 2:40 p.m. one half nautical mile south of Becher Bay slowly traveling against the flood current in a large ground swell. I left them at 3:41 p.m. at 48° 19.1 N, 123° 43.1 W (.75 nm south of Secretary Island).
Mark Malleson
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Transient orcas T20 and T21 off Victoria near noon, carried on west. Going west from Sooke about 1700.
Ron Bates, MMRG, Victoria B.C.
Transients westbound along southern coast of Vancouver Island, B.C. I first spotted the T20's from shore at 12:30 p.m. just 1.5 nautical miles south of Beacon Hill west bound. I picked them up at 2:40 p.m. one half nautical mile south of Becher Bay slowly traveling against the flood current in a large ground swell. I left them at 3:41 p.m. at 48° 19.1 N, 123° 43.1 W (.75 nm south of Secretary Island).
Mark Malleson
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Transient orcas T20 and T21 off Victoria near noon, carried on west. Going west from Sooke about 1700.
Ron Bates, MMRG, Victoria B.C.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
23 March 2008, Orca Network Reports:
Transients sighted from Gonzales lookout, Vancouver Island, B.C. In the morning I spotted KW's from Gonzales lookout, which turned out to be the T20's with the group of females and juveniles (T49A's, 36A and A1) from the previous two encounters.
Malleson
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Orcas south of Trial Island inbound. Mark Malleson picked them up about noon.
Later: Seems now they are transients, T20's and ??. "Mallard" left them going North at Halibut Island just before 1700. And still later: It seems we had 9-10 T's off Victoria and on up North into Haro St. T20, T21, T49's T36's and a few more.
Ron Bates, MMRG, Victoria B.C.
Transients sighted from Gonzales lookout, Vancouver Island, B.C. In the morning I spotted KW's from Gonzales lookout, which turned out to be the T20's with the group of females and juveniles (T49A's, 36A and A1) from the previous two encounters.
Malleson
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Orcas south of Trial Island inbound. Mark Malleson picked them up about noon.
Later: Seems now they are transients, T20's and ??. "Mallard" left them going North at Halibut Island just before 1700. And still later: It seems we had 9-10 T's off Victoria and on up North into Haro St. T20, T21, T49's T36's and a few more.
Ron Bates, MMRG, Victoria B.C.
Friday, March 21, 2008
21 March 2008, Orca Network reports:
Transients encountered off Pedder Bay towards Race Rocks. I spotted the T49A's and T36A with 36A1 in Pedder Bay at 1:30 p.m. They were feeding on something fairly significant as there were a lot of gulls picking up scraps as they were frollicking around. There were a few squeaks and whistles heard at the surface. They were slowly west bound but doubled back to the east when they got into Race Passage and were last seen milling east of Race Rocks.
Mark Malleson
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John Ford relayed a report from Graeme Ellis of approx. 9 Transient orcas off Nanaimo at about 7 pm
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I just got a call at 4:45 pm from Captain Ivan who heard on the radio that a group of Transient Orcas were spotted East of Race Rocks.
John Boyd, San Juan Island
Transients encountered off Pedder Bay towards Race Rocks. I spotted the T49A's and T36A with 36A1 in Pedder Bay at 1:30 p.m. They were feeding on something fairly significant as there were a lot of gulls picking up scraps as they were frollicking around. There were a few squeaks and whistles heard at the surface. They were slowly west bound but doubled back to the east when they got into Race Passage and were last seen milling east of Race Rocks.
Mark Malleson
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John Ford relayed a report from Graeme Ellis of approx. 9 Transient orcas off Nanaimo at about 7 pm
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I just got a call at 4:45 pm from Captain Ivan who heard on the radio that a group of Transient Orcas were spotted East of Race Rocks.
John Boyd, San Juan Island
Thursday, March 20, 2008
20 March 2008, Orca Network reports:
Transients observed hunting a Sea Lion off Parry Bay. The T10's were first picked up east bound in Race Passage at 11:30 a.m.. The T49A's with T36A and T36A1 appeared to the south-west of Constance working on a steller at 2:00 p.m. The T10's joined them and at approximately 2:50 p.m. they killed a steller sea lion in Parry Bay (between William Head and Albert Head). At 7:00 p.m. I watched them from shore swim past Clover Point for south Trial Island.
Mark Malleson
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The whales (Transient orcas) were T10's, T49,s and a few more; on the 21st the T49's and not sure who else.
Ron Bates, MMRG, Victoria B.C.
Transients observed hunting a Sea Lion off Parry Bay. The T10's were first picked up east bound in Race Passage at 11:30 a.m.. The T49A's with T36A and T36A1 appeared to the south-west of Constance working on a steller at 2:00 p.m. The T10's joined them and at approximately 2:50 p.m. they killed a steller sea lion in Parry Bay (between William Head and Albert Head). At 7:00 p.m. I watched them from shore swim past Clover Point for south Trial Island.
Mark Malleson
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The whales (Transient orcas) were T10's, T49,s and a few more; on the 21st the T49's and not sure who else.
Ron Bates, MMRG, Victoria B.C.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Monday, March 17, 2008
17 March 2008, Orcalab reports:
No orcas present.
Just a bit more news on yesterday's transients. Jackie Hinderling saw 5 transients in Beaver Cove later that same afternoon. Unfortunately, they were being harassed by a boat. I guess some people don't realise how little it takes to disturb these whales. On the northern resident front: DFO has encountered a large group (several pods) further north. This will certainly help this year's survey!
Helena
17 Mar 2008 15:20:10 PST
No orcas present.
Just a bit more news on yesterday's transients. Jackie Hinderling saw 5 transients in Beaver Cove later that same afternoon. Unfortunately, they were being harassed by a boat. I guess some people don't realise how little it takes to disturb these whales. On the northern resident front: DFO has encountered a large group (several pods) further north. This will certainly help this year's survey!
Helena
17 Mar 2008 15:20:10 PST
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Friday, March 07, 2008
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
No calls but orcas nearby
4 March 2008, Orcalab reports
Bill and Wendy have seen a group of 4-5 transients off of the east end of Pearse Islands in Johnstone Strait. This west of Hanson Island. The two females, one male, one juvenile and a possible sprouter, may have done a kill, and then headed off to Stubbs Island. Pictures have been sent to the DFO.
Helena
04 Mar 2008 12:18:55 PST
No calls but orcas nearby
A group of 7 transients have been in Blackney Pass for the last hour. They surrounded a seal which then disappeared. This may have been a kill. By dark they were still in Blackney, a little further south, milling opposite a group of young sea lions. The group consisted of females, juveniles and one young calf.
Helena
04 Mar 2008 18:59:49 PST
4 March 2008, Orcalab reports
Bill and Wendy have seen a group of 4-5 transients off of the east end of Pearse Islands in Johnstone Strait. This west of Hanson Island. The two females, one male, one juvenile and a possible sprouter, may have done a kill, and then headed off to Stubbs Island. Pictures have been sent to the DFO.
Helena
04 Mar 2008 12:18:55 PST
No calls but orcas nearby
A group of 7 transients have been in Blackney Pass for the last hour. They surrounded a seal which then disappeared. This may have been a kill. By dark they were still in Blackney, a little further south, milling opposite a group of young sea lions. The group consisted of females, juveniles and one young calf.
Helena
04 Mar 2008 18:59:49 PST
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
19 February 2008, Orcalab reports:
No calls but orcas nearby
We just had 4 transients pass by headed north through Blackney Pass. It looked to us like the T18s. They have not made any calls but T19B (the young male) made a lovely spyhop before moving on.
Helena
19 Feb 2008 13:46:47 PST
Superb sounds!!
We're listening to the T18s in Blackfish Sound, after they passed silently through Blackney Pass, heading north. Lovely sounds & no boat noise!
Helena
19 Feb 2008 14:50:36 PST
No calls but orcas nearby
We just had 4 transients pass by headed north through Blackney Pass. It looked to us like the T18s. They have not made any calls but T19B (the young male) made a lovely spyhop before moving on.
Helena
19 Feb 2008 13:46:47 PST
Superb sounds!!
We're listening to the T18s in Blackfish Sound, after they passed silently through Blackney Pass, heading north. Lovely sounds & no boat noise!
Helena
19 Feb 2008 14:50:36 PST
Sunday, February 10, 2008
10 February 2008, Orcalab reports:
Superb sounds!!
The transients are in Johnstone Strait not too far from the Robson Bight area!
Helena
10 Feb 2008 12:51:04 PST
No calls but orcas nearby
The transient calls seem to have ended for the moment. The tide is flooding and this may have encouraged them to head east. But we will see. They managed to be heard a few times over the boat noise (which is also gone now too).
Helena
10 Feb 2008 14:36:56 PST
No calls but orcas nearby
A group of seven transients were seen off the Pearse Islands by Bill and Wendy so , if the same group (probably) as heard earlier, they went off to the west and not east. Bill and Wendy thought they possibly made a kill off Weynton Island. They continued west toward Sointula.
Helena
10 Feb 2008 15:59:51 PST
Superb sounds!!
The transients are in Johnstone Strait not too far from the Robson Bight area!
Helena
10 Feb 2008 12:51:04 PST
No calls but orcas nearby
The transient calls seem to have ended for the moment. The tide is flooding and this may have encouraged them to head east. But we will see. They managed to be heard a few times over the boat noise (which is also gone now too).
Helena
10 Feb 2008 14:36:56 PST
No calls but orcas nearby
A group of seven transients were seen off the Pearse Islands by Bill and Wendy so , if the same group (probably) as heard earlier, they went off to the west and not east. Bill and Wendy thought they possibly made a kill off Weynton Island. They continued west toward Sointula.
Helena
10 Feb 2008 15:59:51 PST
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Sunday, January 27, 2008
27 January 2008, Orcalab reports:
No calls but orcas nearby
There is a group of 8 transients around today. They were first sighted by the MacKays off Bold Head headed to Stubbs Island. They must have then gone through Weynton Pass as they were next seen in Beaver Cove by Jackie Hinderling. They are now moving off to the west toward Alert Bay.
Helena
27 Jan 2008 15:17:01 PST
No calls but orcas nearby
There is a group of 8 transients around today. They were first sighted by the MacKays off Bold Head headed to Stubbs Island. They must have then gone through Weynton Pass as they were next seen in Beaver Cove by Jackie Hinderling. They are now moving off to the west toward Alert Bay.
Helena
27 Jan 2008 15:17:01 PST
Monday, January 21, 2008
21 January 2008, Orca Network reports:
We had a frustratingly late call of [orcas] that were heading up past Maple Bay in the morning, but we did not get the report until about three o'clock. We managed to race down and get a few quick id's before dark, but that's all. It was a group of transients including T124's, T124A's and T090's, 9 in total.
Graeme Ellis, DFO, Canada
We had a frustratingly late call of [orcas] that were heading up past Maple Bay in the morning, but we did not get the report until about three o'clock. We managed to race down and get a few quick id's before dark, but that's all. It was a group of transients including T124's, T124A's and T090's, 9 in total.
Graeme Ellis, DFO, Canada
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
16 january 2008, Orca Network reports:
I work in the 3131 Western Ave building, and I just spent about 10 minutes watching a pod of Orcas playing in Elliott Bay. I was using a telescope, but I'm not a whale expert so I can't offer much more information than the fact that there were about 6 orcas, and it appeared that there were about four larger fins (adults?) and about two smaller fins (juveniles?). They are still out there (it's currently 10:01 A.M.), between the downtown waterfront and West Seattle (currently closer to the downtown side). It looks like they're playing and feeding. I'm so excited because I've been working in this building for a year and a half, and this is my first sighting! This made my day. Thanks very much for your great work,
Deb Hardy, Seattle
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Amy Carey of Vashon Island relayed some additional reports she received of the Transient pod as they headed south this afternoon. They were observed going south past Pt. Robinson, east Maury Island, in the early afternoon; from 3:30 - 4 pm they were off Gold Beach in the Maury Island Preserve heading south, but another report soon afterward had them heading north.
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Orca Network received a call from John Fortin at 3:25 pm, reporting a male & female orca off Double Bluff, west Whidbey Island, heading north.
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We jumped in the car & headed over to Bush Pt. after receiving the above report, and we found the orcas at 4:07 pm off the entrance to Hood Canal. They unfortunately stayed on the other side of Admiralty Inlet so we didn't get any close looks, but we were able to shoot some video. There were 4 orcas - 2 adult males, 1 sprouter & a female. They continued NW in Admiralty Inlet, closer to the other side. We left them at 4:40 pm, just south of Ft. Flagler, swimming in a line not far offshore. The entire time we watched them, we also were watching small groups of Harbor Porpoise all across the Inlet - the orcas must have been well fed because we didn't witness any of the porpoise becoming dinner!
Susan Berta & Howard Garrett, Orca Network, Whidbey Island
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Orca Network sent stills from the video we took to see if anyone could ID any of these whales (though it was from a LONG distance away!) - here's what Dave Ellifrit has to say: I will go out on a limb here and say that the one bull does indeed have all the looks of T87. Mallard had him and T88 over a week ago with the T124's and T90's so I would not doubt that that group could be bopping around (& as noted above, T124 was ID'd in Jeff Hogan's shot of the T's off Alki). I'll go out on an even bigger (smaller?) limb and say that the other big bull looks like T93. That's about the best I can do. Good catch and send them up here! Cheers,
Dave Ellifrit, Center for Whale Research, San Juan Island
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I just wanted to let you know that I am watching orcas in Elliot Bay from my office window, 10:00am. I have never seen them this far into Elliot Bay. They are on the west side of Elliot bay, southwest of the Ferry Route, closer to the Alki side, down where there are some cargo ships moored out in the bay. It's now 10:38 am and it looks like they have moved south and west around the point at Alki. There was a helicopter very high above them for a little while so I'm guessing it might have been one of the news stations.
Heather Hudson, Seattle
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A pod of Orca passed Alki point heading south at app. 10:30 this morning. Don't know which pod but I would estimate 10-15 individuals, without an obvious adult male. They were travelling quickly, with long periods (and distance) underwater. I first saw them 10 minutes earlier passing SW close to Alki Beach, appearing to be coming from Eliiot Bay.
Kevin Schafer, Seattle
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Jeff Hogan of Killer Whale Tales in Seattle called at 11:05 am to report seeing the pod of orcas just south of Alki Pt, south of Elliott Bay, Seattle. He saw ~9 orcas, no males present, & identified them as Transient orcas. He called again at 11:30 am to report they had just disappeared - when he saw them they weren't traveling in any direction - he did get some photos so we hopefully will have some ID's on them soon.
I work in the 3131 Western Ave building, and I just spent about 10 minutes watching a pod of Orcas playing in Elliott Bay. I was using a telescope, but I'm not a whale expert so I can't offer much more information than the fact that there were about 6 orcas, and it appeared that there were about four larger fins (adults?) and about two smaller fins (juveniles?). They are still out there (it's currently 10:01 A.M.), between the downtown waterfront and West Seattle (currently closer to the downtown side). It looks like they're playing and feeding. I'm so excited because I've been working in this building for a year and a half, and this is my first sighting! This made my day. Thanks very much for your great work,
Deb Hardy, Seattle
*
Amy Carey of Vashon Island relayed some additional reports she received of the Transient pod as they headed south this afternoon. They were observed going south past Pt. Robinson, east Maury Island, in the early afternoon; from 3:30 - 4 pm they were off Gold Beach in the Maury Island Preserve heading south, but another report soon afterward had them heading north.
*
Orca Network received a call from John Fortin at 3:25 pm, reporting a male & female orca off Double Bluff, west Whidbey Island, heading north.
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We jumped in the car & headed over to Bush Pt. after receiving the above report, and we found the orcas at 4:07 pm off the entrance to Hood Canal. They unfortunately stayed on the other side of Admiralty Inlet so we didn't get any close looks, but we were able to shoot some video. There were 4 orcas - 2 adult males, 1 sprouter & a female. They continued NW in Admiralty Inlet, closer to the other side. We left them at 4:40 pm, just south of Ft. Flagler, swimming in a line not far offshore. The entire time we watched them, we also were watching small groups of Harbor Porpoise all across the Inlet - the orcas must have been well fed because we didn't witness any of the porpoise becoming dinner!
Susan Berta & Howard Garrett, Orca Network, Whidbey Island
*
Orca Network sent stills from the video we took to see if anyone could ID any of these whales (though it was from a LONG distance away!) - here's what Dave Ellifrit has to say: I will go out on a limb here and say that the one bull does indeed have all the looks of T87. Mallard had him and T88 over a week ago with the T124's and T90's so I would not doubt that that group could be bopping around (& as noted above, T124 was ID'd in Jeff Hogan's shot of the T's off Alki). I'll go out on an even bigger (smaller?) limb and say that the other big bull looks like T93. That's about the best I can do. Good catch and send them up here! Cheers,
Dave Ellifrit, Center for Whale Research, San Juan Island
*
I just wanted to let you know that I am watching orcas in Elliot Bay from my office window, 10:00am. I have never seen them this far into Elliot Bay. They are on the west side of Elliot bay, southwest of the Ferry Route, closer to the Alki side, down where there are some cargo ships moored out in the bay. It's now 10:38 am and it looks like they have moved south and west around the point at Alki. There was a helicopter very high above them for a little while so I'm guessing it might have been one of the news stations.
Heather Hudson, Seattle
*
A pod of Orca passed Alki point heading south at app. 10:30 this morning. Don't know which pod but I would estimate 10-15 individuals, without an obvious adult male. They were travelling quickly, with long periods (and distance) underwater. I first saw them 10 minutes earlier passing SW close to Alki Beach, appearing to be coming from Eliiot Bay.
Kevin Schafer, Seattle
*
Jeff Hogan of Killer Whale Tales in Seattle called at 11:05 am to report seeing the pod of orcas just south of Alki Pt, south of Elliott Bay, Seattle. He saw ~9 orcas, no males present, & identified them as Transient orcas. He called again at 11:30 am to report they had just disappeared - when he saw them they weren't traveling in any direction - he did get some photos so we hopefully will have some ID's on them soon.
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