Transient Orca Attacks on Pacific White Sided Dolphins

Transient Orca attacks on Pacific White Sided Dolphins and Resident Orca close by. I received a report today from Duncanby Landing employee of a similar Transient attack on Dolphins up at the head of Rivers Inlet which took place a couple of weeks back, as well as my August report from the upper Johnstone Strait area.

8:30 am Resident Orca Westbound out of Nodales Channel on the Sonora side, by Thurston Bay.

Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys

11 am 15-16 Resident Orca were Eastbound by Davis Point, Thurlow – Sonora Islands.

Jen, Campbell River Whale Watching

Saw the Resident Orcas in Nodales Channel today as well. Saw A-60 for sure and A39. There was about 18 or 20 Orca there today.

10:15 am Orca at Camp Point Easting. Not sure how many or who. Am heading on a Grizzly Tour.

Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys

1:30 pm 16 Resident Orca were Southbound between Walkem Islands and Copper Bluffs, Seymour Narrows. By 2 pm they were at the mouth of Nodales by Chatham Point, and 2:45 pm in front of Campbell River.

Around 4:30 pm A30s were in Nodales Channel

Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys

11:18 am Sounds like Resident Orca headed East at Hickey Point, Johnstone Strait.

6:20 pm 4 – 6 Transient Orca Southbound bucking tide by Plumper Bay, across from Browns Bay by Separation Head. They worked their way slowly down to Seymour Narrows.

Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys

Around 8:30 pm On the way back from a Grizzly Tour. T02C and T02C2 for sure of the 9 Transient Orca Southbound in Seymour Narrows. Poor little T02C2 with her scoliosis has a hard time bucking that tide. Didn’t recognize the others. Will look later on the computer.

12:20 pm T101’s, T102, T20 and T21 Northbound at Duncan Bay. When first sighted in front of Campbell River, I had T21 in with the T101’s and T102 and T20 travelling way ahead. They turned to the South at 12:45 pm at Seymour Narrows.

1:30 pm 4 Transients came up inside the large group of Pacific White Sided Dolphins. The Dolphins scattered and broke into 4 groups. The Transients chased one group into Phillips Arm right to the head and the estuary where they stalked them back and forth in 5 to 6 feet of water. Uncertain how many they got, if any.

7:15 pm On the way back from a Grizzly tour, T21 and T21 were in front of Campbell River heading South. We stayed with them till the Cape Mudge Light.

Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys

7 pm Another group of Transients in Phillips Arm trying to go after a large group of dolphins – don’t know who the T’s are.

We saw a small pod of Orca moving north right in front of the house this evening. 1 bull and at least 2 cows, and a possible calf. I counted 4 animals but they were skirting the trees at the bottom of the hill so I didn’t get long looks at them. See you soon.

8:15 am 60 -70 Pacific White Sided Dolphins at Granite Point Westing by mouth of Okisollo Channel.

Aaron, Campbell River Whale Watching

8:45 am Nick found the Dolphins spread out. Turned out to be around 200 of them. 9:30 am I was with them in Nodales Channel.

Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys

1:30 pm 4 Transients came up inside the large group of Pacific White Sided Dolphins. The Dolphins scattered and broke into 4 groups. The Transients chased one group into Phillips Arm right to the head and the estuary where they stalked them back and forth in 5 to 6 feet of water. Uncertain how many they got, if any. (repeated from Transient Orca Report)

Around 5 pm 100+ Dolphins were Southbound from Separation Head.

Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys

Good morning, There was a small pod of about 15 individuals of Pacific White Sided Dolphins moving south. These were spotted just off Westview in Powell River. There were also 3 Orca by the Westview Pier in Powell River who eventually moved off southwards. Cheers

We had 60 – 70 Lags this am at Chatham Point. Then found around 160 or so Westbound at Port Neville following a tug and two barges. Then the I31’s were foraging at Eve River. They turned West at around 12:15 pm. Then we had 15 Lags Westbound in Chancellor Channel at 15:30. Then the group of 60 – 70 at Chatham Pt. Westing again at 15:50.

Hi Susan, 5 pm We had about 50 Dolphins by Howe Island tonight, just milling. Cheers,

Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys

The Reports below are excerpts submitted by: Susan Berta and Howard Garrett, Orca Network, Whidbey Island, WA

Lots of orcas northbound along the west side of San Juan Island earlier this morning. Some foraging. Some porpoising. And some very playful little ones. Jane Cogan

5:42 pm – Resident orcas inbound from Sooke, bout time!! 😀Melisa Pinnow
4:56 pm – YUP! Residents off Sooke 20 min ago!! :o)Erin Corra
4:25 pm – Reports of orcas inbound at Sheringham Pt, BC – west of Victoria – hopefully some of the Southern Residents returning!Orca Network

Transient Orcas (T060s) came right into shore at Saxe Point in Victoria BC between 1:50 and 2 PM. One came into the bay while the others stayed a little further out. One graced us with a spyhop! And was probably the one that did an upside down tail lob and righted itself! I believe there were 4, but when I was looking through the ID catalogue there are 3? Tim Green Victoria BC

Transient killer whales were the big sea creatures in town today! We went out to the Rosario Strait just past Orcas Island in search of ocean life. In the distance, we could see a splash then a white cloud indicative of whale snot (a blow) and then a black fin. After another minute, two more whales surfaced and then a female and a little orca. But wait? Was that another two orcas 400 yards away from the group of five? Why, yes it was! And then, even further, we saw yet another group of four or five transients. It was a party! Generally, transient (mammal-eating) killer whales are found in pods of four or five but today it seemed that multiple pods were gathering in larger numbers. Theories as to why this occurs can include anything from spreading the gene pool to socializing to hunting. At one point, we did also see a harbor seal pup in the menagerie, perhaps trying to escape becoming a killer whale meal. We learned later that T036 and T036B were part of the group we saw.Serena, Naturalist, San Juan Safaris

We were with the Eclipse whale watching tour by Victoria waterfront Great chain Islands at 3:15 pm we think it was T31…. Thanks Daniel Acosta

Ken Balcomb of the Center for Whale Research reports encountering the T100s from Bell Island, WA to Tumbo Island, BC, on their way to Active Pass.

Scenes from the last couple of days…Residents gone today, but the T100s showed up north of East Point, Saturna Island, BC. Cheers,