Spreading the love - T124C Heart blow! Photo by Rachel Haight, June 25, 2016

 

Noon - Paul Pudwell posted a report of many Resident orcas headed east at Sooke, BC ... and later, headed out west at sunset from Sooke.

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L92 Crewser - Haro Strait Photo by Gayle Swigart, June 18, 2016 (Photo zoomed and cropped)

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L55 Nugget Saturday evening on Salmon Bank. All of my photos are shot with a big telephoto and most are cropped closely to facilitate identifying the whale. Photo by James Gresham, June 18, 2016

Tonight was a beautiful evening spent with the T137s & T124C between Orcas Island & Peapod Rocks. T137A & T124C traveled next to each other through the entire encounter, with the rest of the T137s not far off. No words to describe how much I love those backlit blows.
Rachel Haight

T137A  -   beautiful eye patch! Photo by Rachel Haight, June 25, 2016

Mom T137. Photo by Rachel Haight, June 25, 2016

3- 4 orcas off SE Lopez Island at 4:10 pm, going back and forth hunting/foraging, then heading south along the island.  Photo by Veronica von Allworden, June 25, 2016

The T036A's and T075B's never disappoint in the evening! These two family groups, called matrilines, make a deadly combination for any harbor seals in the area they're traveling through. These individuals are notorious for playing with their food ... punting a seal some forty-ish feet in the air, blood splattering everywhere, insane vocalizations, incredible social behavior, sunshine, engines off, and enjoying this without any other boats on scene for the majority of the time...Between Blunden Island and the Saturna shoreline.
Heather MacIntyre

After already killing this Harbor seal, one of the Ts punts their prey some 40 feet in the air. Shows the power and precision of these mammal eaters. Photo by Heather MacIntyre, June 25, 2016

T036A-3 stole  engaged in many of these playful acrobatics!  Photo by Heather MacIntyre, June 25, 2016

Family bonds - Here, let me just jump on you as you're trying to surface. Photo by Heather MacIntyre, June 25, 2016

We caught up with the T123s near Skipjack Island around 2:15 PM. They were looping all over the place. First they seemed to be aiming for President's Channel, but then they followed along the north side of Waldron to Sandy Point. Just when it looked like they might aim south to San Juan Channel, they flipped north again, then went west, and finally east across Boundary Pass. For whatever reason, they decided not to intercept the other group of transients that had just made their way down Swanson Channel. At 3:30 PM we left the T123s and headed over to the other group heading east along Pender Bluffs, made up of the T36As and T75Bs - six whales including two one year-olds. They were all slowly traveling in a tight group, and with their more predictable surfacings it was easier to get a good view and snap some photos. When we decided to peel off and head home around 5:15 PM, they were just at the bottom of Plumper Pass, seemingly undecided as to whether to head north or continue east.
Monika Wieland

Beautiful afternoon on the water with two groups of transients in Boundary Pass. Photo by Monika Wieland, June 25, 2016

T049C in the Strait of Juan de Fuca on Saturday afternoon. He's been swimming with 42 yr old female, T091 who has no surviving pod mates for the past several days. When we got on scene with him she was nowhere to be seen. Suddenly he breached and began pounding the water with his flukes. He swam over near us and submerged. A couple minutes later she appeared in a strong tidal rip on the opposite side of the boat from where he'd been. She took a breath, submerged and they disappeared. Sneaky T's. Here one minute, gone the next.
James Gresham

T049C Photo by James Gresham, June 25, 2016

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Youngsters at play after predating on yet another harbor seal from encounter with the T036A's and T075B's. Near Coal Island BC. Photo by Heather MacIntyre, June 24, 2016

T036A's and T075B's made predations on several unsuspecting harbor seals like this one in the center of the action. These orcas will work as a team to exploit their marine-mammal prey. Near Blunden Island, BC. Photo by Heather MacIntyre, June 24, 2016

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At 6:15 PM I lived out a dream of mine - seeing whales from the houseboat where I live in Friday Harbor! 4 whales present, and at least 3 of them came inside Brown Island. As they swam past Friday Harbor itself I headed over to the University of Washington Friday Harbor Labs where I saw them again as they made their way north up San Juan Channel.
Monika Wieland



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T73A's went through Shipyard Cove, around Brown Island, and through Friday Harbor this evening. Photo by Heather MacIntyre, June 23, 2016

Photo by Heather MacIntyre, June 23, 2016

Photo by Heather MacIntyre, June 23, 2016

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With reports of transient orcas near Victoria, Mystic Sea left port in good time to spot half-a-dozen whales near Discovery Island, before coming across at least two more orcas off Middle Bank, including 18-year old T49C sporting a distinctive notched dorsal fin. The whales were mixing and matching with four whales traveling in a tight group at one point, and a lively calf keeping tight tabs on Mom. Pacific Harbor seals basking on the rocks and many different varieties of birds, including rhinoceros auklets, pigeon guillemots, oyster-catchers and bald eagles, made this wildlife trip yet another wonderful day to remember.
Sandra Pollard, Author/Naturalist

Transient orca T49C b.1998 Photo by Sandra Pollard, June 23, 2016

Report above by Sandra Pollard Photo by Richard Snowberger, June 23, 2016

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Harbour Porpoise Predation in Haro Strait. I believe it was the T124A's. (I haven't checked the i.d.'s yet) I was literally with the whales for 10 minutes at the end of the water taxi to Darcy Island.
Simon Pidcock

Photo by Simon Pidcock, June 22, 2016

Photo by Simon Pidcock, June 22, 2016

Photo by Simon Pidcock, June 22, 2016

11 year-old sprouter male, T073A1. T073A's gave us a run for our money today! Was hard to ID them due to their long down times, short surface intervals and erratic transient swim patterns. Photo by Renee Beitzel, June 22, 2016

4:30 p.m. - 5-10 Orcas moved rapidly southbound past Hastie Lake Road (West Beach, NW Whidbey Island) about a mile offshore.
Kevin Knight

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T137A after a sea lion June 21st, Victoria BC Photo by Heather MacIntyre

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Huge seas! Huge rewards! Evening trip on the Peregrine. T137s, Oak Bay Flats, near Victoria, BC. Photo by Capt. Jim Maya, June 21, 2016

A pod of killer whales - probably five - was spotted and photographed as it traveled north this weekend at Yaquina Head on the Oregon Coast! Tourists and BLM staff at the lighthouse quickly gathered Saturday at the Yaquina Lighthouse to witness the rare sight. The entire passing lasted about 10 minutes - long enough to be a "truly wonderful experience," according to BLM staffer Meredith Matherly. "It was a first for some of us and definitely made our evening - week -- lives?!" wrote Matherly via email.
Amazing photography courtesy Mitch Rohse (the male looks like it could be T49A1. Dave Ellifrit, Center for Whale Research)
Bureau of Land Management Oregon (see Facebook post with more photos HERE)

Bigg's killer whales at Yaquina Head, Oregon. Photo courtesy Mitch Rohse, June 21, 2016

Photo courtesy Mitch Rohse, June 21, 2016 (the male looks like it could be T49A1. Dave Ellifrit, Center for Whale Research)

Humpback CS631 aka 2 Spot lunge feeding near Sooke on Saturday afternoon.   (She spent most of late summer and winter 2015/2016 in Puget Sound) Photo by James Gresham, June 25, 2016

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9:16 p.m. - A humpback? just headed North under the Narrows bridge!
Karen Caldwell
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8:05 p.m. - Just saw a gray or humpback off Sunnyside Beach Park (Steilacoom). Traveling north towards the Narrows, somewhat slowly but without dawdling. Doesn't appear to be feeding or diving deep. Didn't get much of a look at its back, and no fluke. Appeared to be staying shallow. Saw several blows as it passed by, fairly far apart in time and distance
Tari Poe Norris

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A humpback was reported by Deborah Dabrock, about 7:30PM in south Puget Sound, off Salter's Point Park, Steilacom, heading south toward Anderson Island.

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Humpbacks BCY0160 Heather and BCX1057 Divot  traveling together today between Victoria and Port Angeles. Photo by Janine Harles, June 20, 2016

 

4:52 p.m.  - We are with what we think is the same whale that we saw a few hours ago. It was heading northwest and we are now out in the Strait. Still moving rapidly but west now. It's a juvenile gray whale! Looks to be ok.
1:39 p.m. - One gray at Marrowstone point/ Fort Flagler, feeding. Only saw once, then dove.
Renee Beitzel

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1:50 p.m. - Gray whale spotted colvos passage in front of Camp Sealth, Vashon. Headed south towards Tacoma Narrows. No dorsal, lighter in color.  Close to shore.
Meaghan Baumgartner

Erin Cora and others at Orca Sing report Nick and another minke spent time off Lime Kiln during the ceremony.
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6:00 p.m. - They're back...both minkes, including Nick Jagger, southbound past middle Land Bank. Nick leads, surfacing with his head above water, very cool. They traveled south and stalled in the rip, swimming against the current drifting north.
Alisa Lemire Brooks, ON

6:00 p.m. - Nick Jagger is trying to swim south against the flood tide but really not going anywhere. Evening southbound pass in Haro Strait past Land Bank, west side San Juan Island. Photo by Sara Hysong-Shimazu, June 25, 2016

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8:35- 8:55 a.m. - Again from Land Bank...a northbound minke, different than earlier whale. Connie ID'd this one as Nick Jagger. The guy was being all active, looking to be lunge feeding. Sweet! 6:00 a.m. - At Land Bank/West Side Preserve, San Juan Island getting enjoying the peace that comes with early morning on Haro Strait when suddenly surprised by a large whale with dorsal breaking the surface of calm seas. Turns out to be a  Minke traveling southbound . Few surfaces then deep dive, continued in this pattern until out of sight at 6:18 a.m. Beautiful morning!
Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network

I just saw the commons again on the south side if Elliot Bay at 1745. Same size group 8-15 or so. In water taxi route so couldn't spend time with them. Did get this far away video (viewed, but not able to share here), but if you can zoom you can at least see they are Dolphins.
Christopher Howard

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5:40 p.m. - 10-15 (or more) dolphins heading just passing my house and heading south into Eld Inlet. Very active. Moving fast! They came out of "nowhere" from the north. I have been watching for them all day. Finally, they arrived.
Kim Merriman
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It's possible the ones from this morning were the same ones from Budd and Eld inlets that have been in this area the last few days and up until about 8:00 last night. But anything at 7:15 p.m. last night could not be the same as the ones in front of my house.
Kim Merriman
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Group of probable common Dolphins milling in area approximately 1-2 miles north of Vashon Island, WA. Spotted multiple times while operating Vashon water taxi from 0530-0830 am. First spotted on 6/21/16, 7:15 pm 1/4 mile off Alki Beach. They were not traveling.  Were milling in large circles at approximately 47.53 Lat by 122.44 long.  Last night they were only a few hundred yards off the beach at Alki.  10-15 animals with at least two calves.
Christopher Howard

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Common dolphins in Olympia with Capitol in the background. Photo by Chris Hamilton, June 21, 2016

Common dolphins slightly north of Budd Inlet. There are at least 8 - possibly as many as 15-20. Photo by Chris Hamilton taken the evening of June 21, 2016 (Shared by Kim Merriman)

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6:12 p.m. -  The dolphins are still in the area. They are now traveling back and forth in front of Boston Harbor Marina and other short distances north - heading toward Squaxin Island area.
4:00 p.m. -  There are currently a minimum of 8 long-beaked or short-beaked common dolphins in front of my house - north part of Eld Inlet heading south into Budd Inlet. Very active. They have been seen in this area (s. in Budd Inlet) off and on for the past several days. They have visited our area off and on for the past many years. Cascadia Research Collective is aware and hoping to get good I.D. shots.
Kim Merriman 

Several Harbor porpoise foraging through out the day, from sunrise to sunset,  200-300 yards off Land Bank/West Side Preserve (between north and middle), San Juan Island. Most seen at any given time 6+.
Alisa Lemire Brooks

Harbor porpoise off Land Bank/West Side Preserve, San Juan Island. Photo by Connie Bickerton, June 25, 2016

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1:07 p.m. - A large group of something is active nor far off of Sunnyside Beach in Steilacoom. Probably porpoises, but not the usual visible dorsal fins that we see so often. They appear to be feeding. Guessing 15 or more. We are pretty high above the sound, and I was observing through binoculars... I caught glimpses of shiny sides sporadically, but no clear dorsals. The tide is fairly low and they were perhaps 30 yards off shore. Hard to gauge from here. Most of the time, there were three distinct groups of them, with the water visibly agitated around each group. Sorry to be so scant with details!
Tari Poe Norris

Noon - There was a small pod of about 3-4 harbor porpoises in Henderson Bay, Gig Harbor at around noon today. They happened to swim pretty close by us. Photo by Anne Mae Anderson, June 25, 2016

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9:20am  - Small group of Harbor porpoises traveling steadily between the Bremerton ferry channel and Alki near Duwamish head. Traveling towards Elliott Bay. They looked mostly gray, possibly two-toned grays.  I thought I saw two adults and one smaller one.  They were surfacing at different times.
Sharon Wada

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4:00 p.m. - Today a few Harbor porpoise 100 yards off Richmond Beach Saltwater Park, Shoreline, WA. I see them here nearly every time I'm scouting for whales, sometimes several dozen depending on prey of course.
Alisa Lemire brooks