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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.
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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! _________________ David Kirby The bestseller about orcas in captivity
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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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| July 9, 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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Last night was extraordinary.
Some Southern Residents roamed the west side of San Juan Island much of the day but, come early evening, a particularly special thing happened... members of J, K and L pods met up in various groupings and could be heard, simultaneously, on both Lime Kiln and OrcaSound hydrophones in mostly quiet seas. Loud calls, whistles and echolocation began streaming into our homes and continued for many hours late into the night.
Four of the nine L pod members who had yet to be seen in the San Juans for the annual census conducted by the Center for Whale Research have returned. Reports and photos shed some light on the different groupings and of their arrival. Chris Dunagan checks in once again with Ken Balcomb for an update on who's been seen and who hasn't yet. You can read Chris's piece HERE.
One Bigg's report from Howe Sound with stunning photos. A Gray whale in Puget Sound that seems to be hanging around the Bremerton area. And multiple reports and some photos of a Humpback whale that appears to have some trouble surfacing. Cascadia Research has been alerted, we are all on the lookout for this whale and wising her/him well and will alert/update Cascadia as needed. If anyone sees this whale please let us know.
Orca Network |
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Photo of the Day
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July 6
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| There are 4 L-Pod whales (L72, L105, L90, and L92) that usually travel with the Greater L4s that haven't been with them in inland waters so far this summer, but they were back with the pack. That means I got to see them for the first time this year! Distinct male L92 Crewser is shown here in the orange waters off Lime Kiln. The abundance of local wildfires has made for the surreal lighting these last couple of days.
Photo by Monika Wieland, July 6, 2015 |
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Southern Residents
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July 8
Day report:
San Juan Island between Eagle Point and Pile Point. Whales all day 7/8/15 from 6:00 AM until after dark, very spread out, nice. Slowly moved back and forth between Pile Point and off Eagle Point.
Jenny Stands Wilson
July 8
10:40 pm. Both hydros for the past hr. I've heard all 3 pods. Echoing J calls and echolocation on OS now.James Gresham July 8
9:56 pm - I got off for a while during boat noise and then couldn't get back on, but just re-established connection and calls still going strong and beautiful. Can hear on both Lime Kiln and Orcasound, but Orcasound seems to be a little more frequent.Debbie Stewart July 8
9:45 pm - Meow on LK and Orcasound hydrophonesElse Jean Jensen July 8
7:25 pm - calls started up again on Lime Kiln, sounded like some Ks and Ls. Webcam showed northbound orcas. With ship noise on Lime Kiln I tuned into Orca Sound at approx. 8:06 pm and heard distant calls. Calls from what sounded to be members of all pods continued simultaneoulsy on both Lime Kiln and OrcaSound. I've at least 8 recordings and many notes to sift through but definite loud S4 calls at LK around 10:30. A beautiful summer evening filled with SRKWs in stereo throughout Haro Strait. Calls, whistles and echolocation continued late into the night. At 10:50pm I turned off as the communication played on. Alisa, ON July 8
4:22 pm - Orcas are on Lime Kiln again! Kinda sounds like L pod. They've been chattering away for quite a while.Amanda Fitzgerald July 8
3:57pm - Hearing calls on lime kiln hydrophone!Nikki Culbertson July 8
3:54 pm - start hearing calls again, continues for 25 minutes. Alisa, ON July 8
11:21 am - Orca's on the Lime Kiln webcam!Theresa Rivkin July 8
11:07 am - Calls again on Lime Kiln hydrophone, sounds like K pod. Visual of at least 4 orcas (including bull) on the webcam, southbound. Alisa, ON July 8
10:16 am - YAY! Calls on Lime Kiln hydros right now, too. Kim Merriman July 8
10:59 a.m. More calls on Lime Kiln.10:03 a.m. Faint calls on Lime Kiln.Jill Clogston July 8
9:15 am - Clicks just started on Lime Kiln!Monika Wieland ******************** July 7
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| Surprise! Coming home this evening...The J16s, off of the SJ County Park, going north...
Photo by James Maya, July 7, 2015 |
July 7
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| L89, Solstice. Taken tonight near American Camp National Park. I just love the water stream on the dorsal fin.
Photo by Traci Walter, July 7, 2015
(Taken with a 600mm lens and cropped)
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July 7
5:10pm (PDT) calls and echolocation clicks on Lime Kiln hydrophone4:35pm (PDT) vocalizations starting to be heard now on Orcasound hydrophoneCydnie Simons July 7
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| Lovely day again on the west side of San Juan Island (plus a bit less smokey.) Watched 6-7 whales from both West Side preserve and Lime Kiln.
Photo is from Lime Kiln.
Photo by Cindy Jackson, July 7, 2015
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July 7
3:54 pm - Yes S4 calls. They've moved north of the Lighthouse, out of view.3:30 pm - J 16's (at Lime Kiln)...more on the way!James Taylor July 7
3:28 pm - nice S4 calls on Lime Kiln hydrophone...J pod.Alisa, ON July 7
2:59 pm - Hearing some honks and squeaks on Lime Kiln Hydrophone!Denise Stubbs July 7
2:28pm (PDT) Orcas on Lime Kiln WebcamCydnie Simons July 7
With overcast skies and hazy air, we headed to the west side of San Juan Island, hearing that J-pod was in the area. But first checked out all the beautiful harbor seals, some with new pups on Colville Island. Continuing north, we found - not J-pod (who were further north) - but members of K-pod AND L-pod!! We spent time with the K-12s and L-22 and her son L89, what a treat! They traveled north, then south, between Hannah Heights and Cattle Point. So beautiful to see them in the mirror-like conditions of the Salish Sea - what an amazing day for us all, with lots of sea-birds, harbor porpoise, and bald eagles. Jill Hein July 7
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| L-22 Spirit and son L-89 Solstice
Photo by Jill Hein, July 7, 2015
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July 7
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| K-37 Rainshadow
Photo by Jill Hein, July 7, 2015 |
July 7
A trio of three male orcas gave us quite a unique and intimate show of behavior on the afternoon of July 7 from the Island Explorer 3. L89, K33, and K37 followed each other around in circles, rolling around, splashing, lunging, and taillobbing. The behavior kept going on for quite a while before K37 peeled off and the other two just continued with the play. We could only take wild guesses at what it meant to all of them, but it sure looked like some big time bonding with the dudes! Bart Rulon July 7
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| K33 Tika
Photo by Bart Rulon, July 7, 2015 |
July 7
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| J52
Photo by Bart Rulon, July 7, 2015
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July 7
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| J50 in between J16 and J42
Photo by Bart Rulon, July 7, 2015
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July 7
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| K44 spyhop. This afternoon off of Point Roberts.
Photo by Gary Sutton, July 7, 2015
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July 7
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| K13, Point Roberts.
Photo by Gary Sutton, July 7, 2015 |
*********************** July 6
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| K21 Cappuccino surfacing just north of Henry Island this evening. No filter on this, it's all that hazy, smoky lighting. It was, despite the smokiness, really nice to see this big guy.
Photo by Sara Hysong-Shimazu, July 6, 2015
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July 6
Members of J, K, and L Pods went back and forth off the west side of San Juan Island all day. I heard that the L22s were hanging out off False Bay (while the rest of the L12 sub-group had gone west). The others came down Haro in the morning, went north in the afternoon, and then came south again in the evening. I saw this third pass as they headed south past Lime Kiln around 6:30 PM. Not quite everyone was present - the J16s and perhaps a few more were continuing north, but the rest of J-Pod, most or all of K-Pod, and most or all of the Ls (minus the L22s) were there.Monika Wieland, San Juan Island July 6
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| Best way ever to end a long work day - Js, Ks, and Ls heading south past Lime Kiln.
Photo by Monika Wieland, July 6, 2015
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July 6
6:34 pm - intermittent echo clicks and some squeaks on the hydrophones at Lime Kiln right now...sound distant and getting closer...Wayne McFarland July 6
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| 4:38 pm - I took a whale watching tour out of Friday Harbor on Monday. We saw 35-40 orcas, and the guide said it was one of the best tours she'd ever done as far as the number of whales we saw. We were on the west side of San Juan Island, and went up past the Lime Kiln Lighthouse. This was taken south of the lighthouse.
Photo by Barb White, July 6, 2015
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July 6
4:10 pm - Orca sighting: two groups of orcas (including 3 males) about 5 minutes apart by County Park (west side San Juan Island) Ruth Malick July 6
4:00 pm - Beautiful talking, singing, clicking on Lime Kiln Hydrophone Right nowMichelle Booker July 6
I hear " voices" @ 3:56 Lime Kiln.Lore Borras July 6 Whale soup at Lime Kiln Lighthouse this afternoon. A whale photographer standing next to us said J, K and L were the groups we saw today. She said the babies in front of us were J50 and J52, J51 had gone by earlier. What a lucky, wonderful day! Krista Paulino July 6
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| Breaching in Haro Strait at Lime Kiln State Park.
Photo by Krista Paulino, July 6, 2015
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July 6
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| | Photo by Krista Paulino, July 6, 2015 |
July 6
I took this (photo) from the San Juan Islands on a whale watching tour around 1230 pm . There was another female traveling with Slick . Was told it was J-42 and her calf . I may have pictures of them too as they were traveling close together... noticed that one calf has a distinctive marking just below the dorsal. Wayne McFarland July 6
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| J-16 (Slick ) and her calf J50 cruising along south of Lime Kiln.
Photo by Wayne McFarland, July 6, 2015
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July 6
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| Identified as L-89 Solstice
Breached and tail slapped earlier as he chased salmon near Cattle Pass, followed shortly by a female and a young juvenile.
Photo by Wayne McFarland, July 6, 2015
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July 6
We watched from American camp until about 1:30. We thought pod had headed out but some turned and came back to the camp where they appeared to be milling and feeding. Saw some lunge behavior like they were chasing fish. They appeared to be slowly working their way north again maybe back to Lime Kiln. One whale further out in channel breached and lobbed so may times (more than 20), that I stopped counting. Numerous whale boats in area, so imagine pics will start streaming in. Krista Paulino July 6
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| SRKWs northbound in Haro Strait
Photo by Krista Paulino, July 6, 2015
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July 6
12:45 pm - Just followed a group of orcas down the west side of the island, past Eagles cove and South Beach.11:00 - still can hear them.Cynthia Smith Jackson July 6
12:06 pm - They are milling off American camp now.11:00-11:28 am - Parade of whales by Lime Kiln...Although we missed front of pod, we estimate about 30 just since we arrived. Appears last one passed by about 11:28. Krista Paulino July 6
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| It was a breach-fest this morning. Even Spirit (L22) got in on the action!
Photo by Sara Hysong-Shimazu, July 6, 2015
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July 6
11:56am (PDT) hearing some vocalizations again on Lime Kiln hydrophone10:58am (PDT) vocalizations now on both Lime Kiln and Orcasound hydrophonesCydnie Simons July 6
10:25 am - Calls and echolocation on Orca Sound hydrophones!Pam Ren ********************* July 5
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| J2 Granny in the back, J22 Oreo in front just after they had exited Active Pass, BC.
Photo by Heather MacIntyre, July 5, 2015
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July 5
Well it was a bumpy ride getting there yesterday but we had a WHOLE LOT OF RESIDENTS! All of J's, All of K's and most of L's in Swanson Channel heading into Active Pass. It's been so long since I've seen so many of them together....incredible day....even with a boat breakdown on my way home. Gary Sutton July 5
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| J28 "Polaris" spyhopping
Photo by Gary Sutton, July 5, 2015
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July 5
We had some rather eerie lighting effects (see photo) and cloud cover due to the wildfires as we neared Vancouver Island, B.C., on Sunday's trip (July 5). With reports of L pod whales in the area, we were delighted to see Crewser (L92) and Ballena (L90) as these whales had not been seen in the San Juans this year. Racer (L72) and Fluke (L105) were also spotted and confirmed by the Center for Whale Research, which carries out an annual census of the endangered Southern Resident orcas. The whales were actively hunting for their favorite food, the Omega rich Chinook (King) salmon, with some fast porpoising and tail-slaps. Sandra Pollard July 5
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| Hazy conditions and unusual lighting near southern Vancouver Island, B.C. due to the wildfires.
Photo by Sandra Pollard, July 5, 2015
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Bigg's/Transient orcas
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July 5
Awesome night in Howe Sound with the T46's. I can't remember seeing this group before so it was pretty special. It was our first sunset eco tour of the season and we had killer whales and an epic sunset! Gary Sutton July 5 |
| T46E peeking above the surface after a kill
Photo by Gary Sutton, July 5, 2015 |
July 5 |
| T46E
Photo by Gary Sutton, July 5, 2015 |
July 5 |
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T46E and T46D
Photo by Gary Sutton, July 5, 2015
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Humpback whales
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July 8
At about 8:00 am one of our passengers reported a whale behaving much like the Humpback we saw yesterday, east of the traffic lanes near Meadow Point (Golden Gardens, north Seattle) moving South. I didn't see it myself since they reported it 10 minutes after we had passed but it sounds like the same animal, with a hunched back. Justine Buckmaster ********************* July 7 We spotted a humpback whale in Puget Sound! Just south of Point Wells moving south, keeping a low profile at 8:35ish. The poor guy is VERY hunched over, only showing his dorsal fin on deep dives. May have entangled flukes or spinal deformity. Will post photos soon...He's very hard to spot, only lifting himself just high enough to breathe and taking 3-4 minute dives between each dive sequence.Justine Buckmaster (Justine's reports and photos were sent to Cascadia Research, John Calambokidis replied: "Thanks for forwarding the information. I agree does not look quite right. I suspect this is all we need for now unless you hear of someone getting a fluke shot. Different whale than the other one that was around N of Edmonds earlier in the year.")July 7 |
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Humpback whale in Puget Sound, just south of Point Wells moving south.
Photo by Justine Buckmaster, July 7, 2015
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July 7 |
| | Photo by Justine Buckmaster, July 7, 2015 |
July 7 |
| | Photo by Justine Buckmaster, July 7, 2015 |
July 7
8:30 am - This is the Little Humpback Juvenile with the hunched back. He was very shy and could only get the very top of his dorsal area. Came to surface a number of times but then rolled under the water only showing a small portion of his back.
Wayne McFarland
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| Humpback in Puget Sound off Point Wells, Woodway
Photo by Wayne McFarland, July 7, 2015 |
********************* July 6 Humpback spotted at Bush Point at 19:00. Close to Whidbey then headed towards Hood Canal.Marlene Naughton
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Gray whales
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July 8
Heard reports of a gray whale in Dyes Inlet about 8:30 tonight.Karen Guyt (A Gray whale was reported in this general area of Bremerton a month ago: Sinclair Inlet on June 9th, Dyes on June 10th and back in Sinclair Inlet on June 11th. -ALB)
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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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