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Whale Sighting Report  
In This Issue
Photo of the Day
Southern Residents
Bigg's (Transient) Killer Whales
Gray whales
Humpback whales
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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.

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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

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Orcas in Our Midst, volume 3, by Howard Garrett

Orcas in Our Midst,

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

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

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March 3,  2016

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.
Winds have been high and whales have been scarce, at least not many have been reported in the past week, except for two humpbacks in the south Puget Sound, many miles apart, and the first two "resident" gray whales, #723 and #531, have been frequenting their familiar mudflats around Hat (Gedney) Island and Everett.

The sad news, which came in just hours after the previous sighting report was sent on February 26, was that the newest of the nine Southern Resident newborns of the past 14 months, little J55, was not seen with its family on February 25 and is presumed to have died. The young calf's mother and even gender had not been determined. Below is the Press Release issued by the Center for Whale Research, and below that is an article about J55 by Chris Dunagan.

Center for Whale Research Media Release - February 26, 2016
Subject: Newest Calf - J55 Missing
"After an extended encounter with all members of J-pod on February 25, 2016, Center for Whale Research reluctantly announces that the newest member, designated J55, is missing and presumed dead," said senior scientist Ken Balcomb.  

J55 was first documented by NOAA Fisheries killer whale researchers on January 18, 2016, in Puget Sound. While exact maternity was never established, the calf was documented swimming in close proximity to both J14 (estimated to be 42 years old) and her daughter J37, a 15 year old mother of one (J49 born in 2012). It is also possible that J55 was the first offspring of J40, a 12 year old, and the youngest daughter of J14.

Prior to February 26, members of the federally endangered Southern Resident killer whales were last seen by Center for Whale Research (CWR) affiliates on January 19, 2016 when Mark Malleson encountered some members of J-pod in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and was able to photo-document fourteen of the whales (including members of the J14 matriline) despite the fact that the pod was widely dispersed across the strait and in less than optimal sea conditions.

"While J55 was not photographed on that day, it is the Center for Whale Research's policy to wait to announce the loss of an individual whale until a thorough survey of the entire pod can be undertaken, yesterday provided that opportunity," said CWR Research Director, Dr. Deborah Giles.

"Although the loss of any calf is a blow to the Southern Resident killer whales and a setback to the struggling population, it is not entirely surprising that one of the 'baby boom' calves did not survive its first few months; as many as 50% of newborn calves do not survive their first year. Nevertheless, the loss of this calf underscores the need to recover the whales' primary prey base - Chinook salmon - if the Southern Resident population of whales is to survive and thrive," said Giles.

Youngest orca dies; ocean research goes on

Upcoming Event:
On Saturday and Sunday, April 16-17, don't miss the annual "Welcome the Whales Parade and Festival" in Langley to honor and celebrate the arrival of Gray whales to Whidbey Island. Welcome the Whales Festival is sponsored by Orca Network and the Langley Chamber of Commerce. See our Facebook event page for more details.

Orca Network
Photo of the Day
February  28   
J28 and J53 south of Victoria Harbour.
Photo by Mark Malleson, February 28, 2016.
Southern Residents
February 27-28  
Ken Balcomb reports that J pod was headed south past Nanaimo BC Saturday afternoon, February 27. J pod was heard on Lime Kiln hydrophones at 10 AM February 28, and were headed west past Victoria at 3 PM.

J38 off of Victoria's waterfront.
Photo by Mark Malleson, February 28, 2016. 
J26 westbound off of Victoria late afternoon.
Photo by Mark Malleson, February 28, 2016.
Taken under permit #MML-001  
 

February 25 
Center for Whale Research researchers Dave Ellifrit and Deborah Giles met up with J pod in Haro Strait on Feb. 25. Here is their detailed report after finding all of J pod, including all the new J pod babies except the newest one, J55:
Center for Whale Research Encounter #14 Summary 
Bigg's (Transient) Killer Whales
February 26   
Small pod (2-3) of Transients spotted in the Salish Sea on the Nainamo bound BC ferry at 9:00 am.
Ie Mimz 
Gray whales
March 2
First Gray Sighting, Manaco Beach...Camano Island...Saratoga Pass...just north of Cama Beach S.P. This always seems to happen in the first five days of March. Heard and then saw my first Gray of the year this morning about 10am. It was moving north, rather close in, just outside our moorings. When our Labrador was younger, she would hear them first and give us a single bark while facing the direction of the beach. Now I must use an outdoor microphone to hear them coming.
Dick Schlueter

1:30 - Grays at Hat Island, Possession Sound, Everett.
Photo by Robin Araniva, March 2, 2016. 

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February 28 
5:26 - Saw a solo blow northbound in Saratoga just south of Cama Beach. Watched for better ID but losing daylight.
Will Murphy

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February 27 
 12:38 PM - Gray whale723 is southbound at Possession Point.
James Gresham
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Watching gray whale 531. Bottom of Admiralty. ID'd by John Calamokidis of Cascadia Research who is onboard with us. Earliest this whale has been observed in the area.
12:05pm - It's 531. Circling around mid channel.
11:13 - Got one. Mid channel, bottom of Admiralty.
James Gresham
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12:04pm - Seeing blows from Maxwelton, midchannel.
Steve Smith
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7:30 am - Clinton Mukilteo ferry reports one or two Gray whales headed south in Possession Sound. Watched from the ferry but only saw fog.
Susan Berta
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Saratoga Passage gray whale #723 at Possession Point this afternoon.
Photo by James Gresham, February 27, 2016.
Humpback whales
March 2   
10:45am - Small humpback whale between Southworth and Blake Island now.
Scott Davis
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12:30 UPDATE! south Puget Sound humpback just headed north out of Eld Inlet toward the center of the channel between Boston Harbor and Hunter Point. If it stays on that path, it may head out of Dana Passage. It is doing shallow surfacing and shallow dives. Three within about 4 minutes. Then it dives for long periods of time.
11:00 UPDATE! It is a humpback. I have seen three breaches, a 'spy hop' of sorts, a few rolls, and 5 surfacing series. It is currently heading north of Budd Inlet passing Boston Harbor. My hands are so cold I can hardly type. Very distant, gray photos to come. It is pouring rain.
9:40 am - Humpback in south Puget Sound.
9:00 - surfacing and then LONG dives heading south - passing Boston Harbor and toward Budd Inlet.
Kim Merriman

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March 1 
Humpback surfacing at Boston Harbor Lighthouse. 10:30. Heading north.
Photo by Kim Merriman, March 1, 2016. 

March 1 
4:46 - just saw it breach between Southworth ferry & SW corner of Blake. Took a deep dive when the ferry approached.
Kristim McWeather
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4:19 - The humpback off Blake Island is breaching repeatedly, flinging it's long pectoral fins just off the ferry route.
2:45 - Humpback seen from the ferry Issaquah docked at Southworth, SW of Blake Island, heading NW toward Yukon Harbor, reported by Charlie.
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4pm - Watching a humpback breach off the south end of Blake island. Very active, multiple breaches and lots of tail lobbing. Appears to be milling around, possibly headed north!
Brittany Gordon

Photo by Brittany Gordon, March 1, 2016. 
 
Photo by Brittany Gordon, March 1, 2016.

Photo by Brittany Gordon, March 1, 2016.

Photo by Brittany Gordon, March 1, 2016.

Photo by Brittany Gordon, March 1, 2016.
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1 pm - He's back!! Just breached 5 min ago straight towards Cooper Point from the Boston Harbor Marina.
9:30 - He has been going back and forth in front of Boston Harbor. Last seen headed toward Steamboat about 15 min ago. I've seen him breach twice and fluke several times. Smaller dorsal fin.
Kim Stamp
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11:30 - It's a humpback. Currently heading north out of Budd Inlet and surfacing and breaching at Boston Harbor Lighthouse and Marina.
9:00 - Humpback in south Puget Sound. Surfacing and then LONG dives heading south - passing Boston Harbor and toward Budd Inlet.
Kim Merriman
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We watched a large whale (Humpback) for a couple hours today on the west side of Blake Island. It was jumping, blowing and flapping it's tail going north to south and south to north. It finally disappeared from our view behind Southworth Point around 4 pm. Quite a show. My granddaughter got a few pretty good photographs of it.
Ann Lieseke
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A humpback whale breaching today around 2:45 pm - 5 pm near Blake Island and the Southworth ferry terminal! The ferry going by at one point even stopped moving to allow passengers to view the whale! Was such a great sight!
Photo by Livia Gleason, March 1, 2016. 
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8:08am - Small whale currently in Budd Bay towards the end of Cooper Point!
Kim Stamp

February 29 
1:11 - Just next to Al's in Olalla.
10:00 am - Probable humpback heading South in Colvos Passage near Olalla.
Jack Chase

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February 28 
The Humpback whale is cruising around again. Headed south into Yukon Harbor from Manchester. As of 2 PM anyway Hard to see it through the waves.
Lance Norton
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Sharing from the Port Orchard FB group: "Between Manchester and Blake Island, two humpbacks spotted about 20 minutes ago. " (2pm)
Brittany Gordon
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3 PM - Humpback in Nisqually Reach, roughly between Anderson Island and Sandy Point. Numerous dorsal and fluke sightings, and at least one full breach. Unfortunately, no photos.
Stephen Coker

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February 26
5:10pm - Just spotted a probable
humpback by the Southworth ferry dock as our boat pulled away. Got to see a spout and flukes! Leah Baker

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February 15 
A friend suggested I let you know about a whale sighting I had from the Edmonds pier in Edmonds, WA, even though it's been a couple of weeks since I saw the whale.
While I was bird-watching from the pier on Feb 15 during a steady rain, at 8:52am a Humpback Whale surfaced about 150-200 yards directly out from the pier. It was facing north. It dove about a minute later and stayed down for 20 minutes. When it re-surfaced, it was facing south and still in the same general area. After another minute, it dove again, and when it came up again after 27 minutes, it was in the same area and facing north again. It soon dove for the third time, at 9:43am, and I did not see it again. I left the pier at 11am.  
Is it possible to identify this particular humpback from the pattern on its fluke?
Joe Sweeney
NE Seattle

February 15 
Photo by Joe Sweeney, February 15, 2016. 
 
Photo by Joe Sweeney, February 15, 2016.

Photo by Joe Sweeney, February 15, 2016.
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.