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Orca Network 

Whale Sighting Report  

In This Issue
Southern Residents
Transients/Bigg's Whales
Coastal orcas
Grays
Humpbacks
Elephant seals
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

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 

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March 21, 2015

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.

Lovely sounds of J pod vocalizing on OrcaSound hydrophone moves orca lovers across the planet, and moves those on San Juan Island to the water. Center for Whale Research staff found individuals shortly after leaving the bay and despite the pod being extremely spread out managed to account for all members, including the two new calves J50 and J51 who are reportedly looking lively and plump. Gorgeous photos and the entire encounter can be found in CWR Encounter #12.  

The pod continued north coming together to navigate through Active Pass. The close bonds between mothers and their offspring are included in nice photos by others in our sightings report as well as in this beautiful entry San Juan Orcas blog by Melisa Pinnow.  

 

L84's satellite tag continues to submit pings back to NOAA scientists as he (and presumably L Pod) continue roaming  the coasts of WA, OR, CA hopefully finding enough Chinook to eat. The latest has L84 near the California border on the 20th.

A small family of Bigg's Transients circled in a bay where 4 of the Saratoga Grays were feeding making for a few interesting minutes. The Ts eventually moved south while the Grays continued northbound stopping in bays in the northern reaches of Saratoga Passage.     

More sightings of Big Mama the humpback in the San Juans . Humpback sightings in central Puget Sound continue adding to the possibility that, even though Puget Sound still desperately needs our help, prey availability is enough to keep the humpbacks hanging around.    

Wonderful news of the first Elephant seal pup ever witnessed in stranding region that makes up the Cental Puget Sound Marine Mammal Stranding Network. (Island, Skagit & N. Snohomish) 

 

Welcome the Whales Parade and Festival is Saturday April 18th. And 
We still have room for our Sunday, April 19th Fundraiser Whale Watch cruise aboard the Mystic Sea from 3-5pm We will leave from the Langley Marina, Whidbey Island.
You can sign up here. 

Orca Network 

Photo of the Day
March 18
J50 and J16
Photo by Center For Whale Research
Southern Residents
March 20
Orca watchers, here's the latest satellite track of tagged orca L84.
20 March update - As of the last update on the afternoon of the 16th, L84 was nearly to Depoe Bay, Oregon. They have continued to travel south such that by the 18th they were off Coos Bay, rounded Cape Blanco on the evening of the 19th and were about 20 km north of Brookings, Oregon, near the California border about 1200 today.
Northwest Fisheries Science Center 2015 Southern Resident Killer Whale Satellite Tagging


********************

March 18
Got to spend some time with J pod today!! I had never seen resident orcas swim through Active Pass until today and it was crazy! The orcas were very spread out as they headed up Swanson Channel but Shachi J19, Eclipse J41, and J51 were the first to make it to the entrance of the pass. They then waited for the rest of J pod to join them. Last to arrive was Granny J2 and Onyx L87. Granny then breached and tail slapped and everyone swam into the pass together! As they traveled through the pass, many of the orcas tail and pec slapped, inverted tail slapped, spy hopped, and breached. Once they exited Active Pass, the orcas calmed down, spread way out again, and aimed for northern Georgia Strait. What an amazing day!!!
Melisa Pinnow

March 18
Granny J2 and Alki J36 in Active Pass
Photo by Melisa Pinnow

March 18
Eclipse J41 and J51 outside of Active Pass
Photo by Melisa Pinnow

March 18
Mike J26 spy hops in Active Pass
Photo by Melisa Pinnow

March 18
Here are a few images from our time spent with J Pod...both new calves were present and we were lucky enough to watch J16 socializing and playing with her new daughter J50 born in late December. * Please note these images were taken with a 400mm lens and cropped *
Simon Pidcock/Ocean EcoVentures Whale Watching-Cowichan Ba

March 18
J16 and J50 socializing
Photo by Simon Pidcock

March 18
J50 being tossed in the air by mom
Photo by Simon Pidcock

March 18
J50 being tossed in the air by mom
Photo by Simon Pidcock

March 18
The rake marks are looking better and she sure has grown in the last 2.5 months
Photo by Simon Pidcock
 
March 18
J Pod today (pictured J27), Haro Strait. Sun, lively animals, great company, lovely seas. A great day! Random scenes from today. Both new calves were there...
Photo by James Mead May/Maya's Westside Whale Charters

March 18
9:43am -
It's been a good morning. I've been listening over an hour and every time they get faint/quiet for a bit, they come back strong. Also no boat noise.
Debbie, Stewart

9:35am - J pod is on the west side of San Juan Island, vocalizing on Orca Sound hydrophone right now!
Alisa Lemire Brooks
Transients/Bigg's Whales
March 21
Members of the T046's Saturday in Port Susan east of Camano Island
Photo by James Gresham

March 21
2:55pm -  Susan Marie Andersson (LWC docent) just returned to the Center with a group of whale watchers...pod has stalled directly across from Langley and appears to be hunting.

March 21
1:55-2:25pm - Watching from Langley, pod is  pod directly across from Langley very close to Camano.  Stalled and circled for a few minutes then resumed southbound generally heading towards Camano Head. Langley Whale Center (LWC) docents having a good time taking groups of whale lovers down to the waterfront to see the orcas...many their first ever sightings.
Alisa Lemire Brooks

March 21
1:54pm - I see 3 or 4 orcas across from Saratoga woods (Saratoga road NW) on the Camano side.
Kurt Schmidt

March 21
1:30pm - T's ID'd as T46s now southbound near Pebble Beach.
1:00pm -  Mystic Sea reports 5 Transients in Saratoga Passage circling around Elger Bay near the 4 Grays.
Monte Hughes/Mystic Sea Charters

March 21
A great surprise, transients (T046s) off Camano Island
Photo by Bonnie Gretz/Naturalist aboard Mystic Sea 

March 21
Transients (T046s) off Camano Island
Photo by Bonnie Gretz 

March 21
Transients (T046s) off Camano Island
Photo by Bonnie Gretz 

March 21
12:57pm - Orcas meeting up with the Gray's in Saratoga Passage in front of Camano.
Tami Sandygren

12:31pm - Orcas southbound in Saratoga right now at Camano Is State park. Heads up. Video to follow.
Will Murphy

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March 20
5:45pm - A small pod of Orcas spotted off Diamond point headed east. Approximately 400-500 feet off shore. The pod seemed to have 5-6 adults & we think one small one...the wind was blowing pretty good out of the SE. They appeared to be heading into Discovery Bay.
Helen B.

Coastal Orcas
March 15
Killer Whales that were off the Mendonoma Coast March 15
Photo by Eckles
(ID'd as Transients by Dave Ellifrit/Center for Whale Research) 
 

March 15
This is the only photo I received of the Killer Whales that were off the Mendonoma Coast...first spotted by Fish Rocks (off of Anchor Bay), and traveling south. I did hear they spent some time near Cook's Beach (off north Gualala). Lots of CA Sea Lions here and of course Gray Whales passing by. Hope this photo helps. It was taken by Tom Eckles -  he lives to my south and when I caught a glimpse of the Orcas I called him.
Jeanne Jackson
Grays
March 21
8:57pm - Sounds like one gray here at Hidden Beach. Feeding and blowing
Nancy Culp Zaretzke

March 21
6:30pm - Gray... between Woodland beach and Madrona beach, Camano island, mid channel.
Krista Paulino

March 21
5:00pm - Received word from two different neighbors that a gray whale was seen near Polnell Point (on the east side of Whidbey Island and several miles east of Oak Harbor...
Steve Rothboeck

March 21
1:27pm - Island Explorer 3 on scene with gray whales 22, 53, 356, and 383. Also on scene with the T46's southbound from Elger Bay. First time we have ID'd 356 and 383 this year!
Michael P Colahan

March 21
12:03pm  - Mystic Sea called to report those 4 Grays in Saratoga including 22, 49 "Patch", 53 "Little Patch", northbound at Pebble Beach heading towards Elger Bay, Camano Island.

March 21
Gray whale fluke in misty Saratoga Passage
Photo by Bonnie Gretz/Naturalist aboard Mystic Sea

March 21
Gray whale 53 "Little Patch" in Saratoga Passage
Photo by Bonnie Gretz

March 21
Gray whale 22 fluke in Saratoga Passage
Photo by Bonnie Gretz

March 21
11:00am -  4 grays together between Langley and Camano!!
Janine Harles

March 21
10:40am - Gray whale in Saratoga Passage across from downtown Langley very much on Camano side...northbound.
Alisa Lemire Brooks

*********************

March 20
3:15-3:45pm - From Legion Park, Everett watched the gray whale just west of northern end of Jetty Island rolling around feeding, waving those pecs as he forages in the sandy shallows slowly drifting northward.
Alisa Lemire Brooks

March 20
1:29am - Seeing blows straight out from Seawall Park, Langley. Far out, a bit more than mid-channel toward Camano Island
Marie Lincoln

March 20
1:05-1:40pm - from Harborview park, Everett watching one whale directly north of park, this side of channel first heading east, then turned north. By 1:40 was west of Jetty Island heading towards Snohomish River delta.
Alisa Lemire Brooks

March 20
12:00pm - Saw one spout from the noon ferry
Sherry Womack Lien

March 20
12:00pm- Three gray whales spotted today in the Clinton/Mukilteo ferry lanes, first of all Patch #49 with #356 not far behind, and later #22 (our 'mystery' whale until closer examination of photos revealed the truth). Thanks to Madison Roether for her great fluke shots and to the other passengers on Mystic Sea who joined in the fun trying to ID whales from their photos
Reported by Sandra Pollard aboard Mystic Sea.

March 20
11:00am - Saw Patch and one other Gray South of Clinton on west side
of Possession Sound. They were feeding when we left them.
Photo by Janine Harles

March 20
Two Gray whales surface near Clinton Ferry
Photo by Janine Harles

March 20
Gray Whale
Photo by Janine Harles


March 20
9:11am - I'm currently working on the Victoria Clipper 4. The wheelhouse crew just spotted either a Humpback or Gray whale in the traffic lanes south of Bush Point. They also told me that Traffic reported an entangled whale in the same area last night. It took a long dive after it was first spotted so we don't know direction of travel. (If you see an entangled whale please call NOAA Enforcement and Marine Mammal Stranding Hotline: 1-800-853-1964)
Justine Buckmaster

********************

March 19
1:42pm - 6 whales. Only 5 IDs! #s 22, 49, 53, 56 and 723.  I took pics of most of them. Two in one shot for a couple of pictures. It was really cool seeing them sort of move together.
11:43am - Three grays to the east of Hat Island. Southbound.
Cara Hefflinger

March 19
Gray whale surfaces near Hat Island with rostrum and mouth above surface
Photo by Cara Hefflinger


********************

March 18
Just saw two blows from Clinton ferry. Mid channel, about in line with southern tip of Whidbey.
Katie Davis Watkins

March 18
4:50pm - It is now off Picnic Point. Confirmed to be a grey whale.
4:15pm - It seems to be swimming towards Possession Pt.
3:55pm - Possible grey whale spotted by WDFW vessel off Point No Point.
Casey Bayuk Wilkinson

********************

March 17
12:30pm - I saw three today! South of Possession Point #s 49, 53 & 723 (so I was told). We were on an Island Adventures boat - the naturalist ID'd them. They were milling, I'm not positive on the direction - they seemed to be heading south when we last saw them.
Meredith Stone
Humpbacks  
March 18
6:00pm - We watched a whale (humpback-ALB) sighting for half hour off of Meadow Point/Golden Gardens mid channel Puget Sound headed south.  What a sunset encounter!
Michael Hamm

March 18
Humpback whale in Puget Sound-Carkeek Park-March 18, 2015
Humpback whale in Puget Sound-Carkeek Park-March 18, 2015
Video by Alisa Lemire Brooks/Orca Network

March 18
5:47-6:20 pm -  whale surfacing and diving in approx 3 minute intervals, with 2-3 surfaces with brightly illuminated blows then dives. Has moved southwest of Carkeek towards northbound shipping lanes. Continued southwest with  last sighting south of me mid channel Golden Gardens/Faye Bainbridge Park.
5:25pm - surprise sighting! Sitting here with Craig Rodgers from Austin and Jen Lawson from Seattle discussing dinner places and the humpback surfaced 1/4to 1/2 mile off shore from Carkeek. And just again at 5:28pm. yay!
4:00pm - from Carkeek just spotted a humpback mid channel looking directly over towards Suquamish. Southerly movements but suspect it is milling. This is same location one was seen milling yesterday.
Alisa Lemire Brooks

March 18
Big Mama, BCY0324 in Haro Strait
Photo by James Mead Maya

*****************
March 17
1:05pm - Hi. I just saw a Humpback (or a Gray) whale slowly heading north between North Beach and Indianola. Just happened to be looking through the binoculars. Two blows and then a deep dive. Estimated to be mid channel. Possibly with a companion, a darker one.
Ben Blankenship
Elephant Seals
March 20
Amazing news from our Central Puget Sound Marine Mammal Stranding Network - "Ellie" the Elephant seal who has been coming to a south Whidbey beach to rest while molting each spring for the last several years, is back - with a pup! This is the first Elephant seal pup we have ever witnessed in our stranding region (Island, Skagit & N. Snohomish), and Steve Jeffries of WA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife reports "Exciting news. We had another elephant seal pup born earlier this year on Protection Island. Pups now born on Whidbey, Protection, Smith, Dungeness and Race Rocks. 10-15 per year" - Elephant seals are one of the species definitely on the increase in the Salish Sea!
These beautiful photos are by Jill Hein, Orca Network/CPSMMSN - thanks to Jill and Sandy Dubpernell for following up on this great stranding network call!

March 20
"Ellie" and her pup
Photo by Jill Hein, Orca Network/CPSMMSN

March 20
Photo by Jill Hein, Orca Network/CPSMMSN

March 20
Photo by Jill Hein, Orca Network/CPSMMSN

********************

March 19
Elephant seal headed north near Shoreline, WA
Dave Davenport
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.