Spy Hopping Transient Bigg’s Killer Whales, Humpback ‘KC’, Dolphins and Porpoise
Yet another large Fin Whale has been struck by a cruise ship and carried into Burrard Inlet. This is the third in just the past few years and it’s not understood why these, second largest of the whales, seem to be struck in this manner. Perhaps others are as well, but since they tend to be smaller, perhaps they fall off the bulbous bow whereas the Fin Whales seem to get caught between the hull and the bulbous part. No matter what, speed tends to be an item of concern, as with all vessel strikes.
In our report we have many Transient Bigg’s Killer Whale reports, sightings, photos and video. Humpback Whales, notably our friend ‘KC’ has adopted the Discovery Passage area as home. Some Dolphins and Porpoise reports, and links in the news round this out.
Susan MacKay & Lynne Cracknell, Whales and Dolphins BC
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TRANSIENT BIGG’S ORCA
Transient Bigg’s Killer Whales T124s
May 10, 2015 – 4 Photos
Susan MacKay, SG Images
May 10:
8:55 am: 10 Orca northbound towards Powell River from Albion Point, putting on a show.
Bill Taylor, Powell River.
May 10:
9:13 am: Just sighted at least 6 Orcas south side of Myrtle Rocks in Powell River heading toward the city. At least 2 large males.
Laurette Hamoline, Powell River
May 10:
9:14 am: About 7 or 8 Orca moving quickly past Myrtle Rocks, Powell River, northbound.
Jim Southern, Powell River.
May 10:
9:45 am: Found the Orca. They are between Beach Gardens and VanAnda, on Texada Island, northbound. I keep getting confused counts but there are between 7 – 10 of them in total with 3 bid males, one young calf and a slightly older one.
10:50 am: We, the Orca and I, are not quite to the Blubber Bay (Texada ferry terminal) light off Powell River. They’ve taken their time, feeding on a kill while the calves spend their time spy hopping and tail lobbing.
11:37 pm: They are the Transient Bigg’s Orca T124’s, the new calf T124D1 is definitely a male! Leaving them porpoising very quickly between Vivian Island and Rebecca Rocks with their noses pointed towards Campbell River/Shelter Point.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins B.C.
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| It’s a boy! |
Transient Bigg’s Killer Whales T124s
May 10, 2015 – 2 Photos
Susan MacKay, SG Images
May 9:
10:20 am: Orca in front of Powell River closer to Harwood Island.
Steve and Susan Grover, Powell River.
May 9:
10:25 am: While I was talking on the phone to Steve and Susan (above) I spotted the Orca. Steve abandoned his guests and came to help me find and photograph them, and we headed right out.
11:00 am: We got most of the way to Harwood Island and saw a flurry of activity, looked like Pacific White Sided Dolphins being chased by Orca off Atrevida Reef, so we headed that way. Never saw them again. Even with Leif Nordman (Campbell River Whale Watching) and Garry Henkel (Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours) coming in from both sides of Savary Island, no one could find them. They had completely disappeared.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins B.C.
May 8:
5:30 pm: Transient Bigg’s Orca T002C’s moving south towards Hole in the Wall in Okisollo Channel, from the Gypsy Shoals area.Leif is with them.
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions.
Transient Bigg’s Killer Whale Chasing a Bird
Photo by Danielle
on a tour with Campbell River Whale Watching
May 8:
7:30 pm: Sounds like Nick found the Orca on the east end of Hole in the Wall and they were heading south down the Maurelle Island shoreline.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours.
May 7:
7:30 am: Orca about one mile south of the red can buoy off Cape Mudge on Quadra Island. No numbers or direction.
8:24 am: There are two big bulls about half a mile south of the fishing hump.
Elvis, Eagle Eye Adventures
May 7:
9:16 am: Just spoke to Coast Wild, and the Orca at the hump are now moving north up from the green can buoy towards Francisco Point on Quadra Island along the edge of the Wilby Shoals. Sounds like there are 4-5 animals and a couple of big fins.
10:06 am: Killer whales at Francisco Point, Quadra Island, now. Sharky says he thinks they are Transient Bigg’s Orca T002C’s again. They are chasing ducks and trying to corner some Sea Lions, they have been in 100 feet of water by Francisco Point for the past 40 minutes with no real direction.
4:55 pm: We are at South Rendezvous Island, just lollygagging along. Pretty sure Mom caught a seal and waited for Scoliosis (Transient Bigg’s Orca T02C2 has scoliosis, and a distinctive spinal deformity) to come up to her from a ways away and they all shared it. Sure looked like it. He is quite slow and breathes three cycles to the rest of the gangs one dive cycle. Hope he is okay. Leaving them now heading west/northwest up the east side of Read Island shoreline now. They are coming together and then separating to hunt. T002C2 "Tumbo" as always bringing up the rear.
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions.
May 7:
12:56 pm: Killer whales heading towards Evans Bay in Sutil Channel; they’re at Twin Bay now.
1:59 pm: Left Orca in Evans Bay. Jos is on scene.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whales and Grizzly Bear Tours.
May 7:
3:47 pm: Leaving Orca at Frederick Point, Nick on scene.
Jos Krijnen, Eagle Eye Adventures.
May 6:
2:49 pm: Transient Bigg’s Orca seen by the green can buoy and Francisco Point, south east end of Quadra Island, northbound. Only two so far, one big male.
(from radio)
Transient Bigg’s Killer Whales – T086As
May 6, 2015 – 4 photos
Susan MacKay, SG Images
May 6:
2:50 pm: Orca reported near the green can buoy and Francisco Point. There are 5 Orca in total, two big fins. They are the Transient Bigg’s T002C’s.
4:54 pm: Leaving the Transient Bigg’s Orca at Rebecca Spit on Quadra Island. They are one mile off Quadra and heading north.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours.
May 6:
3:42 pm: Looks like Transient Bigg’s Orca T002c’s with the family cruising slowly northbound 400 meters offshore 2 km north of Francisco Point.
Jos Krijnen, Eagle Eye Adventures.
May 6:
7:30 pm: I finally found the Transient Bigg’s T002C’s up in Hoskyns Channel and left them up across from Beazley Passage in Hoskyns Channel 8:30 pm. Coolest thing was when I first arrived they dove…I started timing and it was 14 minutes till they surfaced. As they surfaced and moved on very slowly I looked and something was swimming away from where they had come up – it was a small buck deer! He swam across Hoskyns from Quadra Island to Read Island.
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions
May 6:
7:53 pm: Transient Bigg’s Orca T065A’s off Steamboat Island in Puget Sound. Last sighted heading north. Made one kill on an unidentified prey. And the Transient Bigg’s T049As and T049C sighted heading north in Moresby Passage.
Josh McInnes, Victoria.
May 6:
7:55 pm: Orca reported right off the harbour breakwater in Powell River.
Fabien Minfray, Campbell River Whale Watching.
May 6:
8:14 pm Was out on the water just off the Powell River ferry terminal trying out a new camera. Talk about right place at the right time! See the video below:
Peter Harvey, Powell River
May 6:
8:30 pm: Spotted one from the shore on the way down to the boat and got out around the breakwater pretty quickly. It was obvious they were on some food, with the manouvers.
8:48 pm: There are three Transient Bigg’s Orca southbound, no big fins but one of the juveniles has a distinctive nick on dorsal fin. They are the T086A’s.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins B.C.
May 6:
8:30 pm: I took this photo about 8:30 tonight as a few Transients were making their way south past Westview, Powell River. Not a great photo, and cropped a couple of times but it does show what it looks to me to be a damaged dorsal fin?(we apologize, but could not get the photo to download for this posting – SM)
Wendy Blaikie, Powell River.
May 6:
Confirmed ID’s on the four Orca we reported seeing between Campbell River and Quadra Island on May 4th. They are the Transient Bigg’s T099’s and it is T099 who has the new calf.
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale and Bear Excursions.
UNIDENTIFIED KILLER WHALES
(presumed Transient Bigg’s)
May 8:
1:54 pm: Whales by Waiatt Bay, Octopus Islands on Quadra Island. (assuming Orca)
(from radio)
May 8:
8:25 pm: Pod of 4-5 Orca northbound from Saltery Bay, and should be almost at Myrtle Rocks in Powell River by now. (no further reports or visuals, even though I watched – SM)
Gerry Chabot, Powell River
May 7:
3:00 pm: Today, at 1500, while boating off Tribune Bay, Hornby Island, we saw a small pod of Orca. We saw at least four whales and one appeared to be a calf.
Patricia Nelson and Murray Cree.
HUMPBACK WHALES
Humpback Whale ‘KC’ or ‘Kelp Creature’
May 10, 2015 – 3 photos
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
May 11:
8:00 am: Two Humpback whales southbound at Race Point, Seymour Narrows.
Jack Springer, Campbell River Whale Watching.
May 10:
12:25 pm: Humpback whale mid channel Discovery Passage in front of Tyee Pool, Campbell River.
Leigh Nelson, Adventure Quest Tours.
May 10:
1:02 pm: Humpback(s) breaching south of April Point. One of them is definitely ‘K.C.’ There may be just the one Humpback, but thought we saw two to begin with.
Jack Springer, Campbell River Whale Watching.
May 10:
3:22 pm: The Humpback Whale (K.C.) is dining on herring. The herring are flipping all over the place here!
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours.
May 9:
7:45 am: Humpback Whale southbound in front of the Dolphins Inn, Campbell River.
10:25 am Humpback is feeding in front of April Point.
Jack Springer, Campbell River Whale Watching.
May 9:
12:12 pm: Reports of a Humpback off Miracle Beach, between Campbell River and Courtenay, on Vancouver Island.
Geord Dunstan, Discovery Marine Safaris.
May 9:
4:59 pm: Humpback Whale by Copper Bluffs, Quadra Island.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whales and Grizzly Bear Tours.
May 9:
5:26 pm: Humpback whale known as ‘KC’ Southbound off the Campbell River Spit.
Jos Krijnen, Eagle Eye Adventures.
May 9:
7:17 pm: Report from a fisherman, there was a Humpback whale hanging out in Gowlland Harbour, Quadra Island, all day.
Leif Nordman, Campbell River Whale Watching
May 8:
10:25 am: Two Humpback whales at Separation Head, Quadra island, going into Plumper Bay.
Jos Krijnen, Eagle Eye Adventures.
PACIFIC WHITE SIDED DOLPHINS
Pacific White Sided Dolphins
May 8, 2015
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
May 8:
2:17 pm: 50 Pacific White Sided Dolphins spread out near Lawrence Point in Bute Inlet.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours.
DALL’S PORPOISE
May 9:
11:24 am: Three Dall’s Porpoise off the North side Harwood Island.
Susan MacKay, Whales and Dolphins B.C.
HARBOUR PORPOISE
May 10:
2:58 pm: Two Harbour Porpoise at April Point, near Campbell River.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whales and Grizzly Bear Tours.
May 10:
3 pm: While sailing, we sighted (seemingly) many Harbour porpoise, heading north-eastward in the Georgia Straight (see map) toward Howe Sound. There seemed to be many in the area, not the same group moving around. It seemed like 3 or four groups, rather than one group. I’d guess each group was made up of 2-4 porpoises. Not certain of the numbers of course, but they were jumping all over the place! (Jumping leads me to think that this may possibly a bit of mistaken identity since Harbour Porpoise tend to be quite shy and mild in their actions – SM)
Loree
May 10:
3:16 pm: About 20 Porpoise at Smelt Bay.
Jos Krijnen, Eagle Eye Adventures.
May 7:
3:15 pm: On the 3:15 pm ferry from Comox to Powell River we sighted on two occasions very small porpoise. The ferry was just past the halfway mark when a single was seen, and a few minutes later two together were seen. In both cases the animals were headed towards Vancouver Island. The two were also observed using binoculars. They were small with a small triangular dorsal fins, and about 30 cms. was seen on either side of the fin. We concluded from what we observed that these were most probably Harbour Porpoise.
Anitra Laycock.
LINKS
Thanks to Randy Hodge for sending us the link to Mathew Heines’ video of a thrilling encounter with Orca off the San Juan Islands:
Unfortunately, the rest of the news isn’t good:
An endangered Fin whale has been killed by a cruise ship hit and washed up into Vancouver’s Harbour:
Sadly, more than 20 dead protected Sei whales were found beached in Chile in April of this year:
And a young female Humpback is the fifth dead whale in 3 weeks to be washed ashore on a Northern California Beach:
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