Stealthy Transient Bigg’s Killer Whales, Humpbacks, Dolphins and Porpoise
Transient Bigg’s Killer Whales have gone into hiding it seems, while we are seeing some of the Humpback Whales continuing down the coast. Humpback known as ‘Yogi’ was even spotted in the San Juan Islands. Pacific White Sided Dolphins are spread out and making recurring appearances in wide spread areas once again. They have been grouped in numbers from 3 up to around 200. Dall’s and Harbour Porpoise are also making appearances. With the Bigg’s Orca in hiding, perhaps they all feel a little more relaxed about showing themselves.
Susan MacKay & Lynne Cracknell, Whales and Dolphins BC
Have you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?
Every sighting report is valuable!
Humpback Whale ‘KC’ or ‘Kelp Creature’
Photo shows the serious, but well healed propeller damage
September, 2014
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions
TRANSIENT BIGG’S KILLER WHALES
Sept 23:
No time given: Five Orca, one big dorsal, believe they were Transient Bigg’s Orca, near the mouth of the Fraser River.
Elvis, from Fish boat.
Sept 22:
10:28 am: At least two Orca rounding the east side of Savary Island, southbound.
Dave Samuelson, Savary Island.
Sept 22:
10:50 am: Orca at the Lighthouse in front of Campbell River, northbound.There is a tiny calf in the group.
Aaron Nagler, Sonora Lodge.
Sept 22:
1:24 pm: Orca at Lighthouse by Campbell River. There are four Orca, all small fins, and one is a small calf.
Jos Krijnen, Eagle Eye Adventures.
Sept 22:
2:55 pm: Near the Whalen Road area of Powell River there was a small group of whales, five in all, moving slowly towards Black Point, approximately 200 meters from shore, three males, one much larger than the other two, and two females.
Liz Kennedy, Powell River.
September 22:
3:11 pm 5 Orca are Southbound by Myrtle Rocks. Possibly the same ones as yesterday who were also Southbound?
Jim Southern, Powell River
Transient Bigg’s Orca known as the T002C’s
September, 2014 in Haro Strait – 2 photos
Marie O’Shaughnessy, Orca Magic
Sept 22:
3:20 pm: Left the Orca still in Seymour Narrows, bucking the tide.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours.
Sept 21:
9:15 am: Two large and one small Orca just passed by Texada Street, heading towards Grief Point, Powell River.
Joanne Brough, Powell River.
Sept 21:
9:37 am: Orca at North Penn islands, near Cortes Island.
Jen Furst, Campbell River Whale Watching.
Sept 21:
9:55 am: Two Transient Bigg’s Orca hunting seals at the Penn Islands.
4:26 pm: The Transient Bigg’s Orca T101’s and T12 at Dunsterville Island, heading southbound towards Viner Point
5:00 pm: Leaving the scene, the Orca are angling towards Marina Island.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours.
Sept 21:
11:45 am: All four Transient Bigg’s Orca met up at Viner Point…kill, kill and moving on. Stand by for direction.
12:20 pm: The four Transient Bigg’s Orca turned into Hoskyn Channel, heading back up past Hoskyn Rock, very spread out and lots of hunting and zig zagging all over.
Leif Nordman, Campbell River Whale Watching.
Sept 21:
Morning: 5 Orca were spotted Southbound by Myrtle Rocks, Powell River.
Jim Southern, Powell River
Sept 21:
12:00 pm: At 12 noon today we spotted 5 Orca slowly working their way back and forth between the western end of the Trail Island and shore. A lone paddle boarder had the experience of a lifetime.
Judy Marusiak, West Sechelt.
Sept 21:
3:55 pm: Four Transient Bigg’s Orca at Dunsterville Island, near Cortes Island, southbound.
Fabien Minfray, Eagle Eye Adventures.
Sept 21:
7:10 pm: Leaving Transient Bigg’s Orca T101’s and T102 heading north east into Calm Channel from the smorgasbord we call the Penn Islands. Witnessed two official kills. Beauty way to end summer officially!
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions.
HUMPBACK WHALES
Humpback Whales Feeding
September, 2014
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions
Sept 25:
9:55 am: Humpback whale off the mouth of the Campbell River.
(from radio)
Sept 25:
11:10 pm: Humpback whale by Yellow Island, Seymour Narrows, pointed south at the moment.
Leif Nordman, Campbell River Whale Watching.
Sept 25:
12:11 pm: The Humpback whale is at Big Bay, in Yuculta Rapids, now.
2:45 pm: Humpback whale (K.C) is at Orange Point now, near Campbell River, still southbound.
3:25 pm: Left K.C at Whiskey Point, Quadra Island.
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions.
Sept 25:
12:30 pm: Humpback whale (K.C) is slowly moving south of the Walcan building, Campbell River.
Geord Dunstan, Discovery Marine Safaris.
Sept 24:
12:25 pm: Humpback whale southbound by Maud Island, travelling at 4 knots, 2.5 cables off the Yellow Island fish farm.
John Lewis, Discovery Marine Safaris.
September 21:
12 pm: Looked like three large whales half way between Stradiotti Reef and Mystery Reef, Savary Island. We saw a breach and slap of large dark tails.
Len Hanson, Savary Island
Sept 21:
12:35 pm: Two Humpback whales eastbound off the S.E side of Savary Island, watched from my deck.
Leslie Roberts, Savary Island.
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| ‘Crescent’ BCX1258 |
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| ‘Donegal’ BCY?? |
Humpback Whale Tail Flukes with Identification Notes
September 20, 2014 – 2 photos
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions
PACIFIC WHITE SIDED DOLPHINS
Sept 28:
10:40 am: About 100 Pacific White Sided Dolphins in Brown’s Bay, near Campbell River, northbound, foraging.
(from radio)
Sept 28:
1:53 pm: 173 Pacific White Sided Dolphins still in Kanish Bay, doing circles.
Leif Nordman, Campbell River Whale Watching.
Sept 28:
4:40 pm: Left 100 Pacific White Sided Dolphins in Kanish Bay, circling.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours.
Sept 27:
10:09 am: 10 Pacific White Sided Dolphins northbound at the Walcan building at Campbell River.
11:45 am: 200 plus Pacific White Sided Dolphins southbound at Humpback Bay, at the mouth of Amor de Cosmos Creek.
Jack Springer, Campbell River Whale Watching.
Sept 27:
12:10 pm: There is a small group of Pacific White Sided Dolphins going back and forth in front of the Beacon B.and B. in Powell River. I tried to photograph them, will see if anything comes of it.
Shirley Randall, Powell River.
Sept 27:
12:15 pm: 6 Pacific White Sided Dolphins slowly southbound by the Powell River viewpoint.
John and Joan Treen, Powell River.
Sept 27:
12:35 pm: Also reports from M.V. "Coastal Progress" of "hundreds" of Pacific White Sided Dolphins foraging at Ripple Shoal one and a half hours ago, and 10 Dall’s Porpoise at the Walkem Islands now.
2:10 pm: Left the Pacific White Sided Dolphins southbound at Ripple Point about 30 minutes ago, sorry, that was about 12:30 pm, I think. Went all the way up Wellboure Channel and scanned towards Port Neville but no luck. Lots of smaller groups of Harbour Porpoise in Wellboure Channel.
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions.
Sept 26:
12:51 pm: 20 Pacific White Sided Dolphins in Discovery Passage south of Kanish Bay, on the Quadra Island side.
John Lapp, Discovery Marine Safaris.
Sept 26:
4:15 pm: 10 Pacific White Sided Dolphins at Granite Point, Quadra Island, milling.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours.
Pacific White Sided Dolphins
September, 2014 – 2 photos
Susan MacKay, SG Images
Sept 25:
12:11 pm: Reports of Pacific White Sided Dolphins by Denham Island 30 minutes ago.
1:00 pm:60 plus Pacific White Sided Dolphins foraging between Stuart Island and Vancouver Bay.
1:20 pm: There are 8 – 10 Dall’s Porpoise in the mix too.
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions.
Sept 24:
11:54 am: Some Pacific White Sided Dolphins three quarters of the way down Frederick Arm. I think Jack Springer, (Campbell River Whale Watching,) is on scene.
12:12 pm: Jack has 80 or so and John Lapp has 30 PWS Dolphins in Nodales Channel, near Howe Island.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins B.C.
Sept 23:
9:20 am: 8 or so Pacific White Sided Dolphins with three very tiny youngsters at the mouth of Okisollo Channel, by Granite Point.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours.
Sept 23:
3:59 pm: Three Pacific White Sided Dolphins right at Hole in the Wall, near Okisollo Channel.
(from radio)
Sept 22:
9:15 am: 200 Pacific White Sided Dolphins at Frederick Arm.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours.
Sept 22:
2:21 pm: Playful Pacific White Sided Dolphins at Davis Point, in Nodales Channel.
(from radio)
DALL’S PORPOISE
Sept 27:
12:35 pm: 10 Dall’s Porpoise at the Walkem Islands, north side of Johnstone Strait.
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions.
Sept 25:
1:20 pm: There are 8 – 10 Dall’s Porpoise foraging between Stuart Island and Vancouver Bay, along with about 60 Pacific White Sided Dolphins.
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions.
Sept 21:
2:15 pm: Approximately 5 Dall’s Porpoise circling in the channel between Helmcken and Hardwicke Islands.
Lynne Cracknell, Whales and Dolphins B.C.
HARBOUR PORPOISE
Sept 27:
12: 30 pm: Lots of smaller groups of Harbour Porpoise in Wellbourne Channel.
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions.
LINKS
Specialized technology means that whale research can now be carried out in a new, hopefully less intrusive manner:
The Pacific Whale Watch Association says that whale watching boats have been reporting rare sightings of Pacific White Sided Dolphins near Victoria B.C., and off the southern coast of Vancouver Island and the San Juan islands.
Meanwhile, Japan has responded to the majority "No" vote by the International Whaling Commission (Slovenia, Sept 2014) by announcing plans to continue it’s lethal "research" in the Southern Ocean and elsewhere. Japan sets it’s own quotas for Minke, Humpback and Fin whales, as well as for smaller cetaceans.
Have you seen a whale, dolphin or porpoise?
Every sighting report is valuable!
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