Latest Sightings

A publication of Wild Ocean Whale Society (WOWs)

Orca and Dolphins in Squamish photos, Gray & Humpback Whales, and many Links in the News

Huge flurry of activity with the meat eating Transient Bigg’s Killer Whales chasing Pacific White Sided Dolphins into Howe Sound and near Squamish. They did capture at least one – see photos and links in the news below. There are some other Orca reports that may be Transient Bigg’s sneaking past at dusk. Gray Whales…
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Orca Chasing Dolphins and Other Cetacean Sightings Updates

Orca, both Resident and Transient Bigg’s have been spotted in a few different places. Transient Bigg’s Killer Whales were seen following a group of Pacific White Sided Dolphins today up by Squamish. We’ve posted a news link under Links in the News. There are rumours of Northern Resident Killer Whales at the top of Johnstone…
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A few Sightings Reports and Links in the News

Brief and distant appearance of some Orca are the main report. It’s been quite a while since the reports have been so few and far between. Where are they? This report is up to and includes March 6, 2014 with a few photos taken earlier. The herring have started to spawn, based on the radio…
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Orca and Pacific White Sided Dolphins plus Links in the News

Orca and Pacific White Sided Dolphin reports coming in late, but better than never. The Northern Resident Killer Whales known as the A8 / A42’s with the calf A103 (Albion) were seen up around the Broughton Archipelago just a couple of days ago. Nice to know where they got to after leaving the Powell River…
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Transient Bigg’s Killer Whales, 1000 or so Pacific White Sided Dolphins and Harbour Porpoise

Probable Transient Bigg’s Killer Whales chasing Pacific White Sided Dolphins around Texada Island and just before posting time, today’s sighting of more probable Transients. Rounding out the Cetacean sightings, it’s nice to get a report about Harbour Porpoise too. They always seem to be forgotten, yet are such a valuable indicator of our environment. On…
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Cetacean Sightings and Links to Feb. 8, 2014

Whales are around, but it’s a big ocean out there. Orca have made appearances with the most notable being the Transient Bigg’s Killer Whales attacking Pacific White Sided Dolphins in Nanaimo Harbour. A couple of links to reports of the Transient Bigg’s Killer Whales in Nanaimo and a Humpback Whale report from Mexico. A few…
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Northern Resident Killer Whales (A8/42’s) in Foggy Powell River

The fog truly played havoc with anyone trying to see anything on the water, let alone those travelling by road. Fog rolled in and although we had thoughts of it possibly lifting here and there, it socked us in for days on end. Today, with some rain, it’s finally cleared (almost entirely). Trying to spot…
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Northern Residents A8’s / A42’s still by Powell River

With the Northern Resident (fish eating) Killer Whales known as A8’s (also as A42’s now) back and forth by Powell River, the reports once again started to flow in. Thank you! Keep your eyes open, and remember to call your sighting in please. Without your reports, we cannot be guaranteed to piece the puzzle of…
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Northern Resident Orca and Calf, Southern Resident Killer Whales and Dolphins

Northern Resident Orca (NRKW) known as the A8’s (or now as the A42’s) have been back and forth around Powell River area since Christmas again. A42 had given birth to a calf December 2012 somewhere around Myrtle Rocks (see archived reports and January 2013 photos). I’m pleased to say that the calf, still without a…
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Orca / Killer Whales / Dolphins and Porpoise

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year! Finally, some whale, dolphin and porpoise sightings to report. Our report is up to date (January 2, 2014). This new year hasn’t provided any actual sightings reports in the first two days; the reports are catching up over the holidays. We have heard that the Southern Resident…
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Happy Holidays! Short Report: Dolphins and Hummingbirds in the Snow

All the Best for the Holidays! All of us, the Board of Directors and Volunteers at Whales and Dolphins BC / Wild Ocean Whale Society (WOWs) wish all of you and yours a very Merry Christmas and Happy, Healthy New Year! Most of the Whales and Dolphins appear to be having a winter holiday this…
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Few Local Cetacean Sightings, but Great Links in the News including a Humpback close encounter

Transient Bigg’s and Southern Resident Orca have been popping up in numbers along the Washington state / BC border. Humpback Whales too have been working their way South and West. Only a few local Sightings reports, including a number of Harbour Porpoise, and many interesting Links in the News. Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC…
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Fewer than usual Cetacean Sightings – But all Sightings are Good!

Short report today. The few Sightings reports include Orca, possible Humpback or Minke Whale and some Porpoise. There are a few links showing some Pacific White Sided Dolphins and Transient Bigg’s Killer Whales in close proximity as well as Bryde’s Whales and Basking Sharks. Lynne Cracknell is back in town, on stream and ready to…
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Humpback Whales, Orca, Grey Whale, NRKWs and Porpoise

Humpback Whale by Powell River was also seen in Hotham Sound. Unidentified Orca and Porpoise or Dolphin were reported, and the Northern Resident Orca known as G-Pod were uncharacteristically visiting the Victoria, BC area. A Grey Whale report, Dall’s Porpoise and Links in the News rounds out this Remembrance Day Sightings update. Susan MacKay, Whales…
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1000 Pacific White Sided Dolphins, Transient Bigg’s Orca, Humpback Whales and a Northern Pacific Right Whale

1000 Pacific White Sided Dolphins grouped up in the lower Georgia Strait, including a link to video of them in Links in the News. A few Transient Bigg’s Orca made a brief appearance, and although I’m pretty sure there are more around, only one current report of a Humpback Whale and one inadvertently missed October…
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Cetacean Sightings: Humpbacks, Dolphins, Orca, Porpoise and Minke

Many days of fog limited sightings of even the water, let alone Cetaceans. Of the Whales and Dolphins seen, there have been many Humpback Whale sightings in our inside waters. How wonderful to have these amazing animals in our midst. Pacific White Sided Dolphins are also around in numbers while the Transient Bigg’s Killer Whale…
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Transient Bigg’s Orca, Humpback Whales, Dolphins and Porpoise

This is a very long and delayed Cetacean Sightings report. This delay is due to the operation to repair the damage, sustained in August, to my very dominant right hand. It was not expected to be dealt with so quickly after my meeting the surgeon, so everything dealing with typing and hand function was put…
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Bigg’s Killer Whales, Pacific White Sided Dolphins, Humpbacks and More Sightings

A couple of days of rough weather made sightings a bit more difficult, but when you have Pacific White Sided Dolphins in groups in the hundreds and up to 1000, or a Humpback breach, they are not to be missed! Transient Bigg’s Killer Whales have grouped up again briefly while the smaller Dall’s and Harbour…
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1000 Pacific White Sided Dolphins, Transient Bigg’s Killer Whales, Humpbacks, Minke, Dall’s and Harbour Porpoise

Just when you wonder where the Transient Bigg’s Orca got to, they pop up. Pacific White Sided Dolphins are in huge numbers, giving way for many reports. They’ve mostly managed to stay clear of the Bigg’s Orca. A few Humpback Whales are now being noticed working their way South in the inside waters. I would…
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Long Cetacean Sightings Report: Orca, Humpbacks, Minke, Dolphins and Porpoise

There have been so many Whale and Dolphin Sightings covering a huge geographic area and range of species. This is a long catch up report again. Volunteers are truly needed to help compile data in a more timely manner. In particular during the height of the season from June through September while more boats are…
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Cetaceans Galore: Orca, Humpback, Minke, Dolphins and Porpoise

Orca, both Resident and Bigg’s as well as some unidentified Orca popping up everywhere, Humpback Whales breaching and lunge feeding, Pacific White Sided Dolphins in large groups, still only one Minke Whale to report and some Dall’s and Harbour Porpoise. Some fog was thrown in to make finding these animals harder, but also quite magical…
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Sightings – Seven Cetacean Species !

Report delayed due to being in and out of internet range. Apologies for the delay. This report covers 7 species: Northern Resident Orca, Transient Bigg’s Killer Whales, Humpback Whales, Pacific White Sided Dolphins, Dall’s Porpoise, a few Harbour Porpoise and a Minke Whale. There’s also a brief Rescue story and photo below. Susan MacKay, Whales…
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Sightings: Orca, Humpbacks, Minke, Dolphins, Porpoise and Sea Otter

Noteworthy events are taking place on our waters. Northern Resident Orca, not known to consistently travel the lower Johnstone Strait area have been doing just that. Transient Bigg’s Killer Whales too have been consistently sighted. Humpback Whales are appearing in greater numbers with a whopping 19 different animals counted at the top of Johnstone Strait…
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Cetacean Sightings NRKWs, Transient Bigg’s, Humpacks, Dolphins and Porpoise

Dolphins by the hundreds, Northern Resident Orca travelling long distances up and down Johnstone Strait, a few Transient Bigg’s Killer Whales on the hunt, and Humpback Whales moving up to regular feeding grounds. Harbour Porpoise have been the main target of the Transient Bigg’s Orca these past few days. Links: Winner of the Whale Watching…
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Ceatcean Sightings and fixing Email feed

The email subscribers are still only receiving the posts manually, unfortunately, but at least I am able to send the direct links out. In a drastic attempt to finally fix the blockage, I will be removing all images from the time the blockage started and attempt to send them out with text only….very sorry for…
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Catch up Cetacean Sightings Report; NRKWs Transients, Humpbacks, Dolphins and Porpoise

This is a catch up report including a couple of missed entries from the July 29, 2013 posting. Hopefully the feed blockage is finally fixed – again apologies to our email subscribers. There has been a lot of Cetacean life out there so things have been busy. We have Humpback Whale reports from the San…
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Sightings and Link to Missing Email Report

Previous report didn’t go out to email subscribers for some unknown reason!! I do apologize to you all. It was posted too late for overnight feed since it took so long to compile the day after Sea Fair, and am not certain why it didn’t make it out the following day. Here is the direct…
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Very Long Cetacean Report – Catch up after Sea Fair 2013

Sightings updates are below, and it’s a lengthy report, but first a brief, but enthusiastically large Thank You to everyone who helped make the three days of Powell River Sea Fair 2013 a success for us. Even the Humpback Whales just off the fair grounds helped us raise awareness! Congratulations to Joan Bech of Roberts…
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Sea Fair Reminder and Cetacean Sightings

Reminder this is the last chance till midnight July 25 to take part in our fundraising draw for the two Whale Watching trips through our on line link at: Click Here for more information and Enter to WIN! If you can, please join us at Powell River’s 50th Sea Fair. We will have a table…
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Cetacean Activity is up!

A lot of Cetacean activity! The two A36 brothers have returned to forage up and down Nodales Channel, while A23’s and A25’s stay farther up Johnstone Strait. Transient Bigg’s Killer Whales have returned via Seymour Narrows to Savary Island and up into the Desolation Sound area. Humpback Whales are moving through and one staying around…
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