Orca Network recommends:
Puget Sound Whales for Sale: The Fight to End Orca Hunting, by Sandra Pollard
This important volume recounts the people whose determined efforts ultimately succeeded in ending the captures.
The Lost Whale, by Michael Parfit and Suzanne Chisolm
An intensely personal story...but this person is a young orca.
 To learn more about orcas: 
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  |
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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.
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Sign up for our
Whale Sighting
or Free Lolita
Email Lists
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| May 8, 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.
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Another gorgeous sunny spring day here in the Pacific Northwest and another gorgeous issue brimming with an array of encounters with Bigg's/Transient orcas! Yesterday's sightings spanned sun up to sun down from all reaches of the Salish Sea.
We've had no more reports or updates on the whereabouts of J, K or L pod members since May 2nd when J pod was seen heading towards Discovery Island.
Gray whale reports have thinned out dramatically as expected as we approach the time of year we start bidding farewell to these beautiful giants. Female #22 was photographed on the 5th heading westbound at Sooke. 2015 was a good year for this group of returning bottom feeders who frequented and foraged along the shores in places they hadn't for years. The intention of the moratorium on shrimping appears to have fulfilled it's purpose: allowing for the necessary and plentiful resources for the Gray whales to fatten up around their accustomed feeding flats.
Spectacular humpback whale breaching affair off of Eagle Point, San Juan Island. The whale is close, but not as close as it appears to the boat in the amazing photos by Capt. Jim included in this report.
On Monday May 11, NOAA will officially include Lolita, the L pod orca held in a theme park in Miami since 1970, as a protected member of the endangered Southern Resident orcas under the Endangered Species Act. This will apply a far more stringent set of standards to her situation, including restrictions against "harm or harassment," among other things. Of course Lolita's team of attorneys will need to show that she is enduring chronic and ongoing violations of the ESA before any remedy can be officially proposed, so please stay tuned for further developments.
Siblings Riana, Derik, & Dalten Nelson from Olympia, Washington challenge captivity with this moving song for Lolita/Tokitae. Please listen and share their music video "Lolita" to help spread awareness to bring Lolita home!
Orca Network |
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Photo of the Day
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May 7
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| Scrumptious evening with the T49As and T49C in Boundary Pass.
Photo by Katie Jones, May 7, 2015 |
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Transients/Bigg's whales
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May 8
8:30 am - The orcas were sighted around Anderson Island (south Puget Sound) this morning between McNeil and Anderson near the dock, per Anderson Island group FB page. No direction of travel posted. And another post that said this: Killer whales off Eagle Island around 8:30 AM. Snacking on seals. They headed towards Steilacoom from Eagle Island.Tracy Morris ******************** May 7
The T123s have been spotted in Howe Sound once already this season and we suspect they were there earlier this week as well based on reports of "a group of three whales, one bull and one baby". Interesting that they have been seen up there at least twice in the past month, yet another sign of increased Biggs killer whale sightings in the area. They are a welcome addition to such a beautiful place and a hopeful sign that the Sound is becoming productive enough to support them and their prey ... at least for now. Tasli Shaw May 7 |
| T123 spyhop, Howe Sound, BC
Now we know where her kids get their gigantic eyepatches!
Photo by Tasli Shaw, May 7, 2015
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May 7
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| T123A, Howe Sound
Photo by Tasli Shaw, May 7, 2015
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May 7
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| Pretty sweet day with the T123's & T124C in Howe Sound, BC.
Photo by Gary Sutton, May 7, 2015
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May 7
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| T123A tail slap
Photo by Gary Sutton, May 7, 2015
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May 7
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| Beautiful evening with the T49As and T49C!
Photo by Traci Walter, May 7, 2015
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May 7
1:30 pm - Five (5) T49's (Transients/Bigg's Orcas) in Cattle Pass, south San Juan Island, WA. Harassed a couple big sea lions and then headed north into San Juan Channel. Off to see the humpback @ Eagle Point. Erin Corra May 7
7:40 pm - Just left the same pod. They returned, all seven of them. Currently they are heading south into Totten Inlet. (south Puget Sound)Kim Merriman May 7
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| Transients in Olympia with Mount Rainier
Photo by Kim Merriman, May 7, 2015
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May 7
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| Transients in Olympia with Mount Rainier
Photo by Kim Merriman, May 7, 2015 |
May 7
5:15 pm - they're still by Flap Jack in Eld Inlet. There's at least 3 that I can see.A 4:40 pm - Whales are back in Eld Inlet, now. They were heading towards Mud Bay. Mary Lou Christenson May 7
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| Taken off our deck this morning. Eld Inlet, Olympia
Photo by Mary Lou Christenson, May 7, 2015
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May 7
4:20 pm - Just saw orcas in Boston Harbor.Tina Simpson May 7
10:00 am - they were west of Anderson Island heading into Case Inlet.Kim Merriman May 7
9:23 am - Swimming northbound out of Henderson Inlet right now!Tina Davis May 7
9:00 am - I saw at least 6 Orcas's in Dana passage. We have lived on Dana Passage for more then 20 years, the number of Orca sightings in South Sound has increased. We have seen Orcas over the last few years not only from our house, but, also from our kayaks. We are NW natives and have many years of kayaking and sailing in Washington and Canada. We have been fortunate to have had multiple Orcas sightings. Carolyn and Bob Burreson May 7
9:00 am - Headed north through Dana Passage...Very thick fog. 7:00 am - 7 orcas headed south into Eld Inlet and stayed for over an hour. Then then headed north out of Eld and across to the eastern shore of Budd Inlet at Boston Harbor.Kim Merriman May 7
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| T65A and youngster
Photo by Kim Merriman, May 7, 2015
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May 7
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| Bigg's/Transients, Olympia Washington
Photo by Kim Merriman, May 7, 2015
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May 7
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| Mom with the baby starting to surface by her side.
Photo by Kim Merriman, May 7, 2015
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May 7
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| Porpoising Transient
Photo by Kim Merriman, May 7, 2015
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May 7
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| Porpoising Transients
Photo by Kim Merriman, May 7, 2015 |
May 7
7:20 am - Whales are back in Eld Inlet, they were headed south.Lynette Fox May 7
6:00 am - at Carolyn Beach Marina (right next to Steamboat Island) in south Puget Sound. I saw 4 Orcas swimming around the docks, probably chasing harbor seals that hang out here. I think one of them was a juvenile but I cannot be sure. Two of the bigger ones fully breached about 3 or 4 times, but I couldn't get my phone out in time for that. Anyways, I don't know much about Orca's other than what I've seen on TV but I know it's unusual for them to be this far south. But I thought it might be interesting to you guys. Let me know if you can't view the video below and I'll try some other way to get it to you. Thanks, Adam Herrrick ******************** May 6
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| One-year-old calf T49A4 off Moresby Island, BC.
Photo by Monika Wieland, May 6, 2015
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May 6 |
| Seventeen-year-old T49C on a collision course with his
fourteen-year-old nephew T49A1 this afternoon in Moresby Passage.
Photo by Monika Wieland, May 6, 2015 |
May 6
Flat calm water with abundant sunshine and Bigg's (transient) Killer whales! (T49A's and T49C) Big Momma also made an appearance as did many Harbor porpoise and Steller sea lions. Truly another incredible day on the Salish sea! Traci Walter, Naturalist, Western Prince May 6
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| T49C (and T49A1's dorsal tip)
Photo by Traci Walter, May 6, 2015
(taken with a 400mm lens and cropped)
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May 6
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| Photo by Traci Walter, May 6, 2015
(taken with a 400mm lens and cropped) |
May 6
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| T49A1 (left) and T49C (right) , two big boys!
Photo by Traci Walter, May 6, 2015
(taken with a 400mm lens and cropped)
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May 6
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| T049A going after a harbor porpoise south of Kelp Reef.
Photo by Mark Malleson, May 6, 2015
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May 6
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| Seventeen year old T049C yesterday off Sidney Island, it was such a stunning day
Photo by Heather McIntyre, May 6, 2015
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May 6
And we saw some Orcas...Haro Strait and Salt Spring Island, BC ... T49A, T49A1 , T49A2 , T49A3, T49A4 and T49C.James Mead Maya, Maya's Legacy Charter May 6
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| | Photo by James Mead Maya, May 6, 2015 |
May 6
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| Photo by James Mead Maya, May 6, 2015
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May 6
6:10 pm - There is a pod of orcas heading toward North Bay (Allyn) from Harstine Point. (Harstine Island, WA) They have been off Harstine point for at least an hour.Ruby Luby May 6
3:30 pm - Orcas in Pickering Passage (Mason County, south Puget Sound) this afternoon...This is looking SSW from Stadium Beach, off Grapeview Loop Rd, off Hwy 3 south of Allyn, with Harstine Island in the background, just north of of Jarrel's Cove Marina. Michael Litt May 6
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| Orcas in Pickering Passage (Mason County, south Puget Sound)
Photo by Michael Litt, May 6, 2015
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May 6
3:00 pm - My wife Michelle and I spotted 5 orca heading north up Pickering Passage between Orchard Beach and Harstine Island. They seemed to have 2 little ones with them. The two little ones and an adult swam together and two others swam about 100 yards away from them. This was at about 3:00PM Wednesday, May 6, 2015. T hey dived and surfaced for about 20 minutes, and did not leave the area for that time.David Callan and Michelle Hipskind on Orchard Beach, Grapeview, WA. May 6
2:00 pm -I see them far south, lots of surface activity. Looks like they made a kill between here and Squaxin Island and are now continuing slowly north.12:40 pm - At Arcadia Point boat launch and just heard a boater say "7 killer whales in Totten Inlet tearin' it up."Gayle Swigart May 6
Dave Ellifrit of the Center for Whale Reserach reviewed dozens of photos by Chris Hamilton to confirm ID's: "Yes they are theT65A's. The T65B's had been traveling with them when they've been up here recently although I don't see them in these photos. That would add up to seven whales." (ALB)May 6
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| T65As Steamboat Island, south Puget Sound
Photo by Chris Hamilton, May 6, 2015
(Pod ID'd as T065As by Dave Ellifrit of Center for Whale Research)
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May 6
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| T65As Steamboat Island, south Puget Sound
Photo by Chris Hamilton, May 6, 2015
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May 6
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| T65As Steamboat Island, south Puget Sound
Photo by Chris Hamilton, May 6, 2015
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May 6
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| T65As Steamboat Island, south Puget Sound
Photo by Chris Hamilton, May 6, 2015 |
May 6
12:00 pm - From Kenmore Air pilot on department of ecology flight, from Joe: " Pod of orcas moving around Steamboat Island, mouth of Totten Inlet at noon. New baby along...Michael Westlake Hays May 6
11:02 am- Spotted in Totten Inlet as I post this.Alycia Warbington May 6
9:30 am - WHALES - 5-6 orcas in Eld Inlet. Heading north now toward Squaxin Island. Traveling fast. Kim Merrriman May 6
9:15 am - Heard and saw a small pod of orcas this morning in the middle of Eld Inlet, out from Frye Cove, Thurston County. Very exciting for us. They were moving at a fast pace. Could have been a male in the pod, as one appeared to have a very large dorsal fin. Debi Beagle ******************* May 5
Noon - We spotted the 4 orcas in Henderson Bay directly across from Raft Island near the Key Peninsula side around noon. They were going north then turned back south near the fish hatchery. Billie Jean Winter-Hirko May 5
8:43 am - 4 orcas just spotted by Pierce County ferry riders. They are heading toward McNeil Island.Ann Dasch May 5
8:00 am - Four (4) Orcas were sighted by two Residents on Anderson Island. Orcas were heading west , south of McNeil Island. (south Puget Sound)Robert Anderson Island, WA. ********************** April 30
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| 9:00 am - Greetings, I saw your poster on the PT ferry.
Orcas off of Point Hudson at Port Townsend. Cheers.
Photo by Bob Garrison, April 30, 2015
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Orcas, unidentified type
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May 7
15:20 - Just saw several Orcas in Clallam Bay (Strait of Juan de Fuca, about 20 miles east of Neah Bay) from the Celebrity Solstice. Stephen Allmendinger
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Gray whales
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May 5
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| Gray whale #22 west bound off of Sooke, BC
Photo by Mark Malleson, May 5, 2015 |
May 5
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| Gray whale #22 west bound off of Sooke, BC
Photo by Mark Malleson, May 5, 2015
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May 5
5:00 pm - Saw a Gray whale in Port Susan (north Puget Sound) while out kayaking. It was traveling south just a 1/4 mile south of Cavalero Beach Park. (Camano Island). It must like to look at boats because I was 300 yards from it and heading away from shore to get out of its way and the next thing I heard it it blow 50 feet behind me! I tried but did not get a good picture of it. It may have had a white patch just rear of center of its back, on the left side. I thought the people with the houses on the beach at Country Club Estates where going to get to see a whale but when it got to their mooring buoys it stopped feeding and head out to deep water. Andrew Dillon
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Humpbacks
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May 8
1:19 pm - Delighted whale watchers aboard the Mystic Sea just left a lone humpback feeding just south of Possession Point. It's a gorgeous day in Puget Sound! May 8 12:30 pm - Monty from Mystic Sea called the Langley Whale Center to report Humpback off Possession Point. ******************** May 7
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And to we saw a humpback...Eagle Pt. San Juan Island, WA
Photo by James Mead Maya, May 7, 2015
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May 7 |
| | Photo by James Mead Maya, May 7, 2015 |
******************** May 6 |
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BCY0324, Big Momma , the Humpback Whale.
Photo by Traci Walter, May 6, 2015
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May 6 |
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BCY0324, Big Momma and the Kelp reef marker, Haro Strait.
Photo by Traci Walter, May 6, 2015
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******************** May 5 |
| BCY0324, Big Mama just doing her thing in Boundary Pass this afternoon.
The lighting and clouds were amazing!
Photo by Sara Hysong-Shimazu, May 5, 2015
(taken with a 400mm lens and cropped) |
May 5 |
| BCY0324, Big Mama in Boundary Pass
Photo by Sara Hysong-Shimazu, May 5, 2015
(taken with a 400mm lens and cropped) |
May 5 |
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Big Mama BCY0324 in Boundary Pass
Photo by Connie Bickerton, May 5, 2015
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May 5 |
| Big Mama BCY0324 in Boundary Pass
Photo by Connie Bickerton, May 5, 2015 |
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Elephant Seal pup
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May 5
Checked on "Ellison" last night, it was after 8 pm so photos a bit on the dark side. He's still very dark on top, look at those gorgeous eyes!! You can see some of his new coat/color under the chin. The people (now) in the house to the left of picture said he'd been out in the water quite a few times. Good to see he's doing all he's supposed to be doing - and looks healthy too. (Pup was born mid March, see March 21 Sightings Report ) Jill Hein May 5
 May
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| Elephant Seal pup born on Whidbey Island mid March
Photo by Terry & Jeff Wagner, 2015
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May
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| Elephant Seal pup born on Whidbey Island mid March
Photo by Terry & Jeff Wagner, 2015 |
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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.
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