Whales are almost impossible to spot when there’s a storm, but in a few places the seas weren’t quite as bad as out in front here. The indication was that the Orca were headed towards Powell River, but no-one managed to spot any from Saltrey Bay to Powell River and across towards Campbell River. Seas…
Read more
Today we did get some Orca – reports follow. Still not sure if these are Residents or Transients though. It’s a bit too cold and choppy to get out on the water for ID’s. Their behaviour makes me lean towards Transients rather than Resident Orca. Wonderful to have everyone letting me know so I can…
Read more
Although this really has nothing to do with Whales, Dolphins or Porpoises, these winter Anna’s Hummingbirds are just too amazing to ignore. I managed to get a couple of photos of them at the feeder with the snow falling. The photos had to be taken through the window since they were too skittish to allow…
Read more
Surprise sighting of some Orca by Powell River and a very late report of a December sighting when we thought there were none. Reports follow. Also below are a couple of interesting links from Lisa Spaven of the Marine Mammal Response Network. Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC Unidentified Orca – Killer Whales January 17:…
Read more
Some unidentified Orca today in front of Powell River – possibly the same J and L-pod Southern Residents that were around here the other day, but may be Transient Orca. See reports below. Of the Powell River Orca photos posted yesterday, the male Orcas were confirmed to be J27, born in 1991, near Powell River,…
Read more
The following are photos of some of the Southern Resident Orca in front of Powell River, BC. It’s interesting that these whales take a trip up this way at least once per year in the winter months. Last year, J-Pod showed up just before Christmas, in the sunshine and gave some wonderful breaches. It’s not…
Read more
After over a month of no whale, dolphin or porpoise sightings out in front of Powell River, we finally had some Orca – see report below. Other reports from the past few days have indicated there were Northern Resident Orca at the top of Johnstone Strait as well as Southern Residents in Puget Sound. Susan…
Read more
Wishing everyone a great New Year! Locally it started with some strong winds and rain over the past few days. With all the white caps on the ocean, local sightings around the Sunshine Coast and Powell River areas have been non-existent. If any cetaceans have been out there, they’ve been able to stay relatively hidden.…
Read more
Best Wishes of the Season There’s excitement over a new Southern Resident Orca calf in the San Juans, and Pacific White Sided Dolphins have been spotted in the Howe Sound and Saltery Bay areas. Looks like the Humpbacks that were in the Jervis Inlet / Hotham Sound area have finally decided to head to warmer…
Read more
Sounds like the Humpbacks are still around the Sunshine Coast, Saltery Bay to Black Point area. There were reports of an Elephant Seal, see photo below, in the Powell River area. Lack of whale, dolphin or porpoise sightings has otherwise limited this winter’s postings, but for those interested in my "Winter Hummingbirds", there are three…
Read more
Humpback Whales and Orca, but where are the Dolphins? Few sightings, but the photos contributed by Steven Grover of the Pacific White Sided Dolphins he took when he joined me on my skiff in front of Powell River have certainly taken the tour of the world. I have received the photos back through email from…
Read more
Orca / Killer Whales by Powell River, Lund and Savary Island. It seems like it’s been a very long time since we’ve seen some whales, so it was great to get the calls and photos. In all my scanning the waters looking for them, I only managed to spot one dorsal sinking below the water.…
Read more
Sightings: Pacific White Sided Dolphins and Humpback Whales by Powell River. Stormy seas have made it difficult to spot some of these cetaceans around the upper Georgia Strait. There are reports of Dolphins by Sechelt and some Orca seen south of Nanaimo. For Sechelt whale enthusiasts, Caitlin Birdsall of the Vancouver Aquarium will be speaking…
Read more
Humpback Whales, Dall’s Porpoise and some Pacific White Sided Dolphins round out the minimal sightings by Powell River over the past number of days. The storms made sightings very difficult if any Cetaceans were in the neighbourhood, but even when it was calm, there were very few sightings. Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC Humpback…
Read more
Another Catch-up Sightings Report. Dolphins, Dolphins, and more Dolphins have been the main focus around the Powell River and surrounding areas. The Orca are all elsewhere, or at least no reports have come through from any local source. Humpback Whales should be around as they pass through and down the coast on their way to…
Read more
A few Orca and breaching Humpback Whale (photos below), and lots and lots (1000) of Pacific White Sided Dolphins…they’re back! (photo below) And what a wonderful sight to see. There may still be a problem with the email feed to subscribers. The Sightings Blog updates have not gone out over the past few updates. The…
Read more
Transient Orca, Pacific White Sided Dolphins and Humpback Whales. Lots of activity out there! Thanks to Ivan on the Western Explorer for good eyes and reporting on his way back South. ‘Whale Encounters’ Tuesday, November 1, 2011 7 pm I will be speaking as part of the Lecture Series, open to the public, at the…
Read more
Few days of catch up. Hundreds to a thousand Pacific White Sided Dolphins have been active from Marina / Cortez Island into the various channels and inlets. Humpback Whales are slowly working their way down the coast taking time to munch on some food along along the way. A few Transient Orca have been sighted…
Read more
Sightings of Pacific White Sided Dolphins, Transient Killer Whales, Humpback Whales and Dall’s Porpoise. ‘Whale Encounters’ Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 7 pm I will be speaking as part of the Lecture Series, open to the public, at the Powell River campus of the Vancouver Island University. This multimedia presentation will delve into cetacean identification,…
Read more
Transient Orca by Savary Island and Dall’s Porpoise in our upper Georgia Strait. ‘KC’ the Humpback Whale in the lower Johnstone Strait and Discovery Passage area. Dolphins are mostly in the upper Johnstone Strait area. Stormy weather and very few people out on the water, or even being able to see much from shore, over…
Read more
More photos of the New Transient Orca Calf. Humpback Whale ‘KC’ or ‘Kelp Creature’ has been doing his/her kelp play. A couple of other Transients, Dall’s and Harbour Porpoise sightings. Looks like the Pacific White Sided Dolphins went to Kelsey Bay, Johnstone Strait and above while the Northern Resident Orca are still above Johnstone Strait…
Read more
Baby photos of the newest Transient Orca calf born! The main comment everyone had was that it was the smallest Orca they had ever seen. It says a lot when these reports come from the Whale Watching Tour community. The Baby was around 6 feet long when first seen – the size of a small…
Read more
Transient Orca with Dolphins and Dall’s Porpoise in close proximity, a couple of Humpback Whales and a report of some Resident Orca too. I must apologize for running out of time to organize these sightings reports under Species headers before posting this update. A number of reports would have had to be duplicated due to…
Read more
Transient Orca, Resident Orca, Dolphins in slightly smaller numbers and Dall’s Porpoise. The Fin Whales may have made another appearance. Plus a bit of information on Fin Whales transiting in our inside waters. Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC Northern Resident Orca September 21: 2:30 pm Resident Orca with a number of Pacific White Sided…
Read more
Very busy day today. The most unique report was of Fin Whales, a rare sight in these lower inside waters. Pacific White Sided Dolphins seemed to be everywhere in large numbers. Transient Orca were reported but remained elusive. Resident Orca made it down to Camp Point. And Dall’s Porpoise were also seen in smaller groups.…
Read more
Pacific White Sided Dolphins have been putting on quite a show. The Resident Orca are working their way down Johnstone Strait again, with Transient Orca still "out". And Dall’s Porpoise have been showing themselves in some numbers again confirming the Transients are not too close. A couple of Humpback Whales keep coming close then heading…
Read more
With the only reports of Whales near the outside reaches of Vancouver Island, things have been very slow around here. The closest report of Orca is Izumi Rock, the West end of Robson Bight in the upper reaches and Westbound out into the open Pacific by the San Juans. There are some Humpback Whales in…
Read more
Dall’s Porpoise were top on the list of sightings in our areas today. The Resident Orca had all made it to the upper Johnstone Strait and farther West. The Transient Orca were doing their ‘find me if you can’ trick Sept. 13th, and Pacific White Sided Dolphins were spotted only briefly. Susan MacKay, Whales and…
Read more
Desolation Sound and Lower Johnstone Strait hosted both Northern Resident and Transient Orca. Pacific White Sided Dolphins in very large numbers with some making an appearance off of Texada. A couple of Humpback Whales and a few Dall’s Porpoise reports round out the sightings for the upper Sunshine Coast. A note of remembrance, on this…
Read more
Today’s 6.6 magnitude earthquake seemed to keep the Transient Orca in one spot, Campbell River area, for most of the day. Fog, Orca and Humpbacks in the upper Johnstone Strait area and Transient Orca, Pacific White Sided Dolphins and some Wolves below Johnstone Strait. Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC Northern Resident Orca September 9:…
Read more
