bannernewblack    

Orca Network 

Whale Sighting Report  

In This Issue
Photo of the Day
J pod
Transients/Bigg's killer whales
Humpbacks
Find a wide range of books related to orcas at the Orca Network Amazon store.
Orca Network recommends:
The Lost Whale, by Michael Parfit and Suzanne Chisolm  
An intensely personal story...but this person is a young orca.  

Lost Whale book...ver scaled  

 To learn more about orcas: 

Orcas in Our Midst, volume 3, by Howard Garrett

Orcas in Our Midst,

Vol. 3: Residents and Transients, How Did That Happen?

Click here  

to order YOUR copy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The bestseller about orcas in captivity.

Death at SeaWorld, by David Kirby 

   DeathatSeaWorld


Quick Links

Orca Network Facebook Page

Sightings page with Map & Archives
 

Click here

to learn about L pod

orca Lolita/Tokitae,

captured in Penn Cove,

Whidbey Island, WA

in 1970, somehow surviving in a small tank at the Miami Seaquarium ever since.

Tokitae looking up at us from her tank in Miami, FL in the late 1990s 

Sign up for our 

Whale Sighting  

or Free Lolita

Email Lists


Click Here to Join

June 15, 2014

We are watching and visiting the whales in their home~

Please observe, love and respect them from a distance.

Having trouble viewing this Sightings Report? Archived Reports can be found HERE.
It's been all J pod and Transients/Bigg's whales lately, and a humpback, and this report is filled with intriguing observations, some amazing photos and a sweet video. We are grateful for the incredible photos and personal accounts of moments with whales.
For the record, an amendment to the last report is called for. J pod was likely not around in the Salish Sea for the entire ten days straight at that point, since we had no reports from June 6th, so they must have been somewhere west of Sooke from the afternoon of the 5th to the morning of the 7th. J pod has missed a few days in the past week too, but they were in Haro Strait Sunday, so it's a pretty good streak anyway.

Good news arrived June 10. Remember A73 Springer? She was the two year-old orphan orca from the Northern Resident Community who wandered into Puget Sound in January 2002 and found a good salmon fishing hole off Vashon Island, and stayed five months until she was transported to a seapen in northern BC, where she met up with her family within hours. She's back, with her baby, doing just fine.
Springer with her year-old calf.
PHOTO: Cetacean Research Program/DFO
While working on a collaborative study to assess humpback whale body condition and dive behaviour in relation to forage fish and krill schools, Christie of MERS and several others including, Erin Rechsteiner and Ruth Joy of Hakai Beach Institute, Christophe Guinet of Centre national de la recherche scientifique and Lance Barrett-Lennard of the Vancouver Aquarium came across the A11 and A34 matrilines of northern resident killer whales yesterday. Springer (A73) and her calf from last year were both present and appeared to be doing well.
Marine Education & Research Society
Photo of the Day
We got surprised by T124A3 who popped up close to us at one point and it has a pretty cool saddle patch (like a type B antarctic killer whale, almost extending to the eye patch). Here is a shot of that close pass.
Photo by Gary Sutton, June 2014.
J pod
June 15
3:32 pm - Hearing lots loud and clear on the San Juan Island mic!
Nicole Soulodre

June 15
3:20 started faint calls on OrcaSound...getting louder now 3:27
2:03 - started hearing J pod on Lime Kiln.
Alisa Lemire Brooks

June 13
8:15 - I heard Js on OS.
Gayle Swigart

June 13
8:28 pm - Whales headed toward Lime Kiln from the north.
James Mead Maya

June 13
Ken Balcomb reports J pod was along the west side of San Juan Island today doing the West Side shuffle, and later was spread out from about Snug Harbor to Turn Point, and later heading up Swanson Channel toward Active Pass.

So Happy to spend some time with J-Pod today. Lovely whales, lovely people on the boat!!!! Happy Friday the 13th. Lucky to get this nice picture in lumpy seas today.
Photo by Alison Engle, June 13, 2014.

A J pod breach on the west side of San Juan Island.
Photo by Jill Hein, June 13, 2014.

J41 Eclipse pushing VERY hard against a strong flood tide while trying to get out of Cattle Pass (of course she, mom, and the J16's had to go white water rafting while the getting was good).
Photo by Katie Jones, June 13, 2014.

June 13
8:34pm - Echolocations on OS hydrophones. Jim Maya said whales heading toward Lime Kiln from the north.
Vickie Doyle

June 13
7:15 pm - Ken Balcomb reports J pod was spread out for miles along the west side of San Juan Island and up Haro Strait today, doing the West Side shuffle, and later some were heading up Swanson Channel toward Active Pass.

J Pod on the west side of San Juan Island.
Photo by Dianne Dee Iverson, June 12, 2014.

One of the J16 members, presumably J16 or J36, coming to say "hello." These whales stay with their family for their entire life and show unwavering loyalty to one another.
Photo by Heather MacIntyre, June 11, 2014.

J26.
Photo by Heather MacIntyre, June 11, 2014.

Tonight was amazing. The whales were incredible, the water was flat, and there were only a couple other boats out there to experience it with. I got to spend some quality time with my favorite J Pod family as well, the J16s. What a rush, enjoy the pictures.
Photo by Heather MacIntyre, June 11, 2014.

June 11
It's been a great year so far with T's but it was nice to be reunited with, at least a few, residents today. The J22's and J32 were split from the rest of J pod and were hanging out near Sand Heads in the Strait of Georgia. Lots of fishing and zig zagging around but J32 "Rhapsody" was the star of the show today. Spyhops, breaches, tail slaps and pec slaps. They were quite spread but she was having a great time.
Gary Sutton, Wild Whales Vancouver
A look around in Georgia Strait.
Photo by Gary Sutton, Wild Whales Vancouver, June 11, 2014.

Basking in Georgia Strait.
Photo by Gary Sutton, Wild Whales Vancouver, June 11, 2014.

June 11
J-pod went up and down San Juan Island throughout the day, and we had a surprise visit from Split Fin, one of our well known humpbacks!
Prince of Whale Whale Watching

June 11
WA State Ferries reports ten orcas in Rosario Strait this morning at 7 am, heading south.

June 10
Amazing and quiet evening on the water last night. We were the only boat out there for almost all of our trip, it was so peaceful. We shared the evening with the J16s, T086A's, and the T137's. For me, there is just something about killer whales, a profound evidence of culture and compassion, something that's beyond my ability to scientifically quantify... So I just enjoy it. With Legacy Charters.
Heather MacIntyre

Killer whales stay with their family for their entire life, or at least part of their family in the case of transients. They are loyal and continually show unwavering compassion, loyalty, cooperation, and love. I realize I'm anthropomorphising them a bit here; however, I feel this is indisputable. Meet J26, better known as Mike (born in 1991), and J36- Alki (born 1999). This family is very close. Ever since Alki was born, she and Mike have been inseparable and are always viewed traveling side by side.
Photo by Heather MacIntyre, June 10, 2014.

June 10
2:30pm - J-pod (at least a part of them) were northbound past Turn Point. J19 and J41 were closer to shore while the J14s were further off.
Sara Hysong-Shimazu
Near Stuart Island.
Photo by Sara Hysong-Shimazu, June 10, 2014.

Today could really just have been an episode in "The Shachi Show." She breached five times in a row at one point and was having a grand old time playing in the kelp.
Photo by Sara Hysong-Shimazu, June 10, 2014.

June 10
Feels like I have barely seen Residents this year! It's been all about the T's so far. Got to spend a nice day today with the J22's and J32, though. They were just slowly cruising along and J32 was being her playful self. Here is a shot of some of her showboating!
Gary Sutton
Photo by Gary Sutton, June 10, 2014.

Photo by Gary Sutton, June 10, 2014.

June 10
3:57pm - 3:40 echolocation and faint calls on Lime Kiln.
Connie Bickerton

June 10
12:06pm - J pod calls and echolocation on the Lime Kiln hydrophone.
Melisa Pinnow

June 9
Transients AND J pod Southern Residents... We came across Transient orca (T65's) in Peavine Pass at around 1:00 pm, intent on making a kill. Lots of action before they cruised off along the shoreline. Later "Mystic Sea" was welcomed on the return to Anacortes by members of J pod, well-spread out and seemingly on a mission, including Onyx (L87), with Granny in the glare zone traveling nearby. Two different and distinctive encounters on the same glorious day. It doesn't get much better than that!
Sandra Pollard (SSAMN)

Southern Resident Killer Whales: Loving Family Reunion (HD)
Southern Resident Killer Whales:
Loving Family Reunion (HD).

Video by Meg McDonald, June 3, 2014.

Ocean Sun L25 front left, Polaris J28 in back, Calypso L94 right, and Star J46 in the middle pass San Juan Island's West Side Preserve.
Photo by Meg McDonald, June 3, 2014.

Solstice L89 surfaces next to San Juan Island's West Side Preserve. I still can't believe his brother Skana L79 is gone.
Photo by Meg McDonald, June 3, 2014.

Granny J2 dives close to shore at San Juan Island's West Side Preserve.
Photo by Meg McDonald, June 3, 2014.

Princess Angeline J17 and Alki J36 swim close to the west shore of San Juan Island.
Photo by Meg McDonald, June 3, 2014.
Ocean Sun L25 and Calypso L94 power past the shores of San Juan Island, ready to welcome home Lolita.
Photo by Meg McDonald, June 3, 2014.

Transients/Bigg's killer whales
June 15
7:21 pm - Breaching orcas off Georgina Point Lighthouse in Active Pass  pod of 6-7 including one large male heading towards Tswawassen.
7:18 pm - Heading East towards Georgia Strait. 6 orcas, one big male? leading the pod.
Sheila Hawkins

June 15
Residents on OrcaSound right now at 6:05. Heard a few T calls on OrcaSound at 4:57, and before that at about 4:25 on Lime Kiln was what sounded like one individual repeating a call and moving quickly past, also a T, I think.
Gayle Swigart

June 14
Another beauty out there! We had the T124A's near Zero rock heading north today. This is such a fun group with the two youngsters, T124A5 and T124A2A always playing around. We got surprised by T124A3 who popped up close to us at one point and it has a pretty cool saddle patch (like a type B antarctic killer whale, almost extending to the eye patch).
See Photo of the Day for a shot of that close pass.
Gary Sutton, Wild Whales Vancouver
T124A2 surfacing.
Photo by Gary Sutton, June 15, 2014.

June 14
Two females heading ESE. In comparing one whale's marking it appears to have been two from the T49B. The coordinates were: 49 degrees 45" 37N by 124 degrees 56' 54W. That is right by Seal Bay Provincial Park, Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
Janet Russell

June 12
A really wonderful encounter with the T124As. Very social, and just about the most adorable calves I have ever watched. T124A5 and T124A2A, both almost the same age, were SUPER playful with each other. It looks like they were having a tail slapping competition at one point, as they furiously slapped their floppy flukes on the water in tandem. They were like little pieces of popcorn bouncing around and breaching out of the water, doing child-like back breaches that would turn into wiggly fluke kicks in the air, cartwheels over top of each other, side twists ... just being hyper kids! Their playful energy seemed to rub off on older sibling T124A4 who joined them in the breach fest. It has been a privilege to encounter so many Bigg's killer whales this season so far. I can't imagine the number of times we must bomb past these guys on our way to see the resident whales. The photos do not do it justice, but it does give you an idea of how much they were breaching!
Tasli Shaw
Breaching!
Photo by Tasli Shaw, June 12, 2014.
T124A with a FRESH notch in her tail! Still bleeding!
Photo by Tasli Shaw, June 12, 2014.

Chasing!
Photo by Tasli Shaw, June 12, 2014.

The babies having a tail slap war! T124A5 in the front and T124A2a in the back.
Photo by Tasli Shaw, June 12, 2014.

T124A4 ... check out the FRESH scrapes and tears from a harbour seal no doubt ...
Photo by Tasli Shaw, June 12, 2014.

Action! T124A2 with her first offspring T124A2a and T124A4 coming at them.
Photo by Tasli Shaw, June 12, 2014.

June 10
Amazing and quiet evening on the water last night. We were the only boat out there for almost all of our trip, it was so peaceful. We shared the evening with the J16s, T086A's, and the T137's. For me, there is just something about killer whales, a profound evidence of culture and compassion, something that's beyond my ability to scientifically quantify... So I just enjoy it. With Legacy Charters.

June 10
More T65As love! Got out with these guys tonight and witnessed one of the most amazing predation events in my 10 years of doing this. The photos don't do it justice, but notice the harbor porpoise lodged in the whale's mouth in the 2 close up shots.
Ivan Reiff
Photo by Ivan Reiff, June 10, 2014.

Photo by Ivan Reiff, June 10, 2014.

Photo by Ivan Reiff, June 10, 2014.

Beautiful day out on the water! Out with both transient and resident orca. Both were less than 400m from each other! Jpod and the T065As north at Pender Island. Wasn't a fan of how large vessels move through the area and around whales. T065A and T065A5 with large vessel in the background.
Photo by Josh McInnes, June 10, 2014.

June 10
Killer whales in Plumper Sound! My first time seeing them in there. And who else but the T65As, our "resident transients". We watched what appeared to be a classroom situation, with a very unlucky harbour seal being the lesson. Mom and baby sat off to the side while the other three kids took multiple passes at the seal. Many powerful lunges and even a sideways karate chop. The finishing blow sent the harbour seal flying in the air. Lesson over, time for recess.
Tasli Shaw
Babyteeth.
Photo by Tasli Shaw, June 10, 2014.

Photo by Tasli Shaw, June 10, 2014.

Three Muskateers.
Photo by Tasli Shaw, June 10, 2014.

Photo by Tasli Shaw, June 10, 2014.

June 10
Well our "resident Biggs", T65A's, were kicking ass again today!! Only the second time I've seen whales in Plumper Sound and they were just hammering a seal! Amazing to see the power these animals can display and really cool to see T65A cruising in circles with T65A5 around the other whales hunting the seal. A live demonstration of how it is done! Got spoiled with getting to see the T137's on the way home too in Boundary Pass. They were the polar opposite of the T65A's.....being super mellow in a beautiful resting line. They were only swimming hard enough to not be pushed up by the flood and were not moving anywhere. Gorgeous day out there.
Gary Sutton, Wild Whales Vancouver
Photo by Gary Sutton, June 10, 2014.

Photo by Gary Sutton, June 10, 2014.

June 9
Orca sighting now in front of razor point Pender island. 3 orcas playing. 6 boats. In 9 years never seen them here.
Shirley Wilson

Members of the T65A's off of Point Doughty, Orcas Island. It was a gorgeous evening trip aboard the Western Explorer and we were with the T65A's for almost an hour.
Photo by Chris Teren, June 9, 2014.

June 9
Wonderful day with the whales! First of all transients (T65's) in Peavine Pass, then later a surprise greeting from J pod on our return to Anacortes, including Onyx and (probably) Granny - right in the glare zone - well spread out and traveling at speed.
Sandy Pollard
The Three Musketeers (Transient orca T65's) in Peavine Pass.
Photo by Sandra Pollard, June 9, 2014.

June 8
Hi - we were headed to Desolation Sound, from Gorge Harbor (north end of Georgia Strait) on Sunday, June 8th, and encountered a small pod of Orcas on the west side of Hernando Island, about 9:30 am.  Two very large males, some females, and we think, a youngster!  First time we've ever seen a pod of Orcas way up here; such a delight!  Apparently, this pod of about 7 cruised through Pender Harbour a couple of weeks ago!
Katie Bunnell
Humpbacks

It appears we may have a new Humpback. This whale seen Saturday in San Juan Channel is not in the catalog.
Photo by James Gresham, June 14, 2014.

Photo by James Gresham, June 14, 2014.

ABOUT ORCA NETWORK  
Orca Network is a 501 c3 nonprofit organization, dedicated to raising awareness about the whales of the Pacific Northwest, and the importance of providing them healthy and safe habitats.

Orca Network's Whale Sighting Network involves citizens in helping researchers track the movement of whales, and encourages people to observe whales from their homes, businesses, ferries, and beaches.
Whale reports are sent in to our Sighting Network and emailed out to researchers, agencies, and citizens on our network, and posted on our website (MAP of sightings also on website). Whale reports and observations are sent in by a variety of sources, and Orca Network does not guarantee the accuracy of any report or whale identification.

 

TO REPORT WHALES, CALL: 1-866-ORCANET (1-866-672-2638), email [email protected], or post sightings on our Orca Network Facebook page.

 

*BE WHALE WISE! BOATERS - NEW FEDERAL REGULATIONS IN EFFECT AS OF MAY 16, 2011:

 "The new rules prohibit vessels from approaching any killer whale closer than 200 yards and forbid vessels from intercepting a whale or positioning the vessel in its path. This doubles the current approach distance of 100 yards. The rules go into effect May 16 and apply to all types of boats, including motor boats, sail boats and kayaks, in Washington"

 

For more information on the new Federal Regulations, visit the NOAA Fisheries website

 

 
To report harassment of whales in US waters
, call NOAA Enforcement: 1-800-853-1964;

In Canadian waters, call DFO's Observe Record and Report (ORR) Violations Hotline: 1-800- 465-4336

Report the boat name &/or a description of the boat, & get photos if at all possible.