Transient (Bigg’s) Killer Whales Every Second Day!
Transient Orca every second day!Humpback Whale sightings report. Pacific White Sided Dolphins spreading out a bit, but still have large numbers grouped together in a few areas. A possible Minke Whale sighting, and Harbour Porpoise sightings round out this report. Minke Whales don’t frequent our area very often – or at least aren’t noticed much. Spotting them is a bit more difficult when they’re on the move. They usually are up for only a quick couple of breaths then down for around 10 minutes only to pop up quite a distance from where they were. On occasion, people mistake them for a lone Dolphin if they see only the curved dorsal without seeing the size of the animal. Transient, meat eating, Orca are known to hunt them. There is ongoing research to better understand these Minke Whales, the smallest of the baleen whales.
Transient Orca – Transient Killer Whales are being renamed to Bigg’s Killer Whales. It has been noted that since some of these whales have set areas of preferred travel similar to areas of Resident Orca, it actually was a misnomer to call them ‘Transients’. Even we have, what I have been calling our ‘Resident Transients’ travelling their preferred area from the bottom of Johnstone Strait to the Sechelt – Nanaimo line across Georgia Strait. They have been here throughout the late autumn till now. The name Bigg’s was decided upon by based on recommendations proposed by the global killer whale research community (Ford 2011) to honour the late Dr. Michael Bigg, pioneering killer whale research scientist.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
Bigg’s (Transient) Orca
Transient T020 in Full Breach
June 21, 2012
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys
June 21:
Hey Susan, We saw a pod of 5-7 orcas traveling up Discovery Passage tonight! They were heading North cruising past the Cape Mudge Lighthouse at 9:20pm, sticking close to the Quadra shoreline. Cheers!! 🙂
Tara Bladon, Campbell River
June 21:
9:51 am Only one Orca spotted Southbound in Discovery Passage fighting the tide in mid-channel by Walcan / Copper Bluffs. Good 6 ft. Dorsal.
Dick – Radio
June 21:
10:19 am Some Orca, including T20 (big male) and T21 (female) plus some others slowly working South. By 11:30 am they had only made it to April Point. At 11:57 am About 15 PWS Dolphins popped up right by the Transients – they’re rushing away and into Quathiaski Cove.
2:36 pm Leaving the Orca about 4 miles North of Mitlenatch and about 2.8 miles off Vancouver Island.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys
June 21:
10:39 am 2 large male Orcadorsals and possibly a couple of others, but 2 big dorsals for sure, off the South-West shoals of Savary Island. They’re angling towards Mitlenatch Island slowly.
Dee Ingraham, Savary Island
June 20:
Anyone from Comox, South of Comox, or Texada willing to fill in this blank?? These Orca, we know were heading South in Georgia Strait, as they’ve been doing every second day, but without reports, we don’t know how far they’re going before turning back.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins BC
Transients T020 and T021
June 20, 2012
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys
June 19:
7:20 am 6 to 7 Orca in front of Campbell River heading North.
Jack Springer, Hurricane Jack Adventures
June 19:
9:20 am Found 12 Bigg’s (Transient) Orca tight to the Quadra side of Discovery Passage by Separation Head. They seem to be just doing donuts – possibly hunting. Left them around 10 am.
Scotty, Painter’s Lodge
June 19:
10:20 am The Orca turned South.
Jack Springer, Hurricane Jack Adventures
June 19:
1:50 pm The 12 + Transient Orca still heading South by Cape Mudge.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys
Humpback Whale
June 20:
4:30 pm Humpback report from boater – second hand – by Ripple Point.
Nick Templeman, Eagle Eye Adventures
June 19:
10:30 am One Humpback Whaleheading North-West by Chatham Point tight by the light fighting tide which is running about 4 knots.
Scotty, Painter’s Lodge
June 18:
7 pm Humpback Whale just hanging out in Brown’s Bay. Just got word this morning (19th) from fishing guide.
Scotty, Painter’s Lodge
Minke Whale (unconfirmed)
June 20:
We were boating north of Harwoodat 2 today. My husband and grandson saw what we believe was a Minke. I haven’t heard of you reporting any of these???? (see info at start of this post – SM)
Michael Stewart, Powell River
Pacific White Sided Dolphins
Pacific White Sided Dolphin
June 20, 2012
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys
June 21:
9:20 am About 12 PWS Dolphins in Discovery Passage heading North.
Radio
June 21:
11:57 am About 15 PWS Dolphins popped up right by the Transients (Orca) – they’re rushing away and into Quathiaski Cove.
3:37 pm 100 or so PWS Dolphins by Beazley Pass – feeding on herring 🙂
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys
June 20:
10:38 am Sounds like PWS Dolphins all spread out by Sonora Island and Hall Point. No direction or numbers.
3:56 pm 200 to 300 Dolphins in Calm Channel, closer to Stuart Island now.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys
June 20:
8 pm About 20 PWS Dolphins at the red can buoy off Cape Mudge schooling up herring. Saw them while fishing. They stayed circling the hump.
Scotty, Painter’s Lodge
June 19:
10 am Found 4 PWS Dolphinsmilling about, no direction just balling up herring by Raza Point.
Scotty, Painter’s Lodge
June 19:
4:30 pm About 200 Pacific White Sided Dolphins feeding by Lawrence Pt. In Bute Inlet.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys
Harbour Porpoise
June 17:
about 1700 hrs, I saw about 4 to 5 groups of harbor porpoise immediately on the north side of Manson passage. There seemed to be 2 or 3 in each group.
Ron Johnston, Savary Island
Ron Johnston, Savary Island
