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L120's chin. Photo by David Ellifrit, Center for Whale Research.

2 pm - The Center for Whale Research reports a group of Transients near Trial Island, off Victoria.

Transient killer whales were just a few miles off Trial Island, hunting, spy hopping, fast swimming, and the juveniles' porpoising! The group was identified as the T060's. The mother, T060, and her four kids, T060C, D, E, and F. They are easily identifiable because of a nick on T060C's fin.
Jennifer Dickson, Prince of Whale Whale Watch

9:30 - My neighbor saw them go by with the clipper, just north of Cama Beach, Camano Island, heading north up Saratoga Passage! I missed them...
Desi Tracy

We saw them on the VC3! Heading North from Omanac Head, Camano Island @ 9:19. It was the T65As!
Justine Buckmaster

8 AM - Four orcas in Saratoga Passage this morning from Whidbey Shores, near East Point and Fox Spit, about six miles north of Langley. Christie Schaffer saw them circling the same spot for about 20 minutes, then they were gone, direction unknown.

The T046Bs were found northeast of Port Angeles, WA late this morning. The whales were milling about in the same area for several hours and made at least one kill. The youngsters were very playful and a lucky gull escaped a potential tail slap from one of them but did get drenched in the process. Photo by Sara Hysong-Shimazu.

The whales were last seen traveling west. Photo by Sara Hysong-Shimazu.

Mugged by T046B2. Photo by Connie Bickerton.

T046B's 30 min out from Port Angeles at Hein Bank. Photo by Connie Bickerton.

Transient killer whales reported off of Dungeness spit on the Olympic peninsula, and they got a spectacular show. They spotted these guys right after a kill, which is the best time to see transients. They're more active, and seem to be more relaxed as they come out of hunting mode. Torin thinks they got something big because there was a large oil slick at the surface.
Jennifer Dickson, Prince of Whales Whale Watch

6:44am - Orca calls starting to come through on Lime kiln.
Selena Rhodes Scofield

6:43am - I can hear them off lime kiln right now, lots of boat noise too, but good clear calls as well.
Aubree Mae Renfro

6:41am - sounds like Transients on LK.
Alisa Lemire Brooks

Out west we found a large group of transients! What followed was one of the most spectacular transient displays I've ever witnessed. We had a record breaking FIVE BREACHES out of one whale! Any time a whale breaches, we consider ourselves lucky to witness it, but when a transient does it, we thank the whale gods! And 5 times in a row? That's just unheard of!
Jennifer Dickson, Prince of Whales Whale Watch

A large group of transients, made up of the T060s, T036, T036B, T036B1, and the T109s were seen west of Secretary Island near Sooke, BC. The whales appeared to be foraging before pushing off shore and becoming very surface active with many breaches reported.
Sara Hysong-Shimazu

We traveled into Canadian water to see the 3 transient orcas. I believe it was White Rock in the back if I recall correctly. I think there was a seal-hunt going on, several shots seemed to show whale with someone in the its mouth but most of them were too blurry to see clearly.
May Cheng

A Transient hunting seals near White Rock, BC. Photo by May Cheng.

Photo by May Cheng.

An orca surfacing above water with piece of flesh in its mouth. Photo by May Cheng.

Photo by May Cheng.

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 info@orcanetwork.org, 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.