Humpbacks Slowly Returning Bigg’s Still Hunting
Cover Image:
Transient Bigg’s Killer Whale spyhopping near Welcome Bay at Texada Island
Stan Novotny, Eagle Eye Adventures
Bigg’s T002Cs and T023s are still travelling and hunting together. Some Pacific White Sided Dolphins had been hiding out in Cortez Bay for a bit and the Orca checked out the entrance for them. Others had gone right into Okeover Inlet, which is a dangerous move for the dolphins as they can be easily cornered by these meat eating Orca.
Humpback Whales are very slowly returning to our inside waters and seem to be travelling a fair distance in search of food. Around Mitlenatch and in Discovery Passage a few have stayed, so presumably they found some bait balls of fish.
Not many reports of Dall’s or Harbour Porpoise, so keep your eyes open and please report them as well as the more visible, larger species.
A reminder to all boaters and fishers: Please SLOW DOWN when you see whales. They can be spread out and seeing one in the distance is not a guarantee that there isn’t another whale, or more, closer to your path of travel. Please keep good watch as they can pop up unpredictably. For fishers, please make sure that your prawn and crab traps do not have floating line or loops as these are entanglement hazards. This year we have already had one vessel strikes in Georgia Strait and entanglements.
Susan MacKay, Wild Ocean Whale Society
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Sightings Update
SIGHTINGS MAP – ISSUE: 2018-012
TRANSIENT BIGGS KILLER WHALES
Sat May 19 2018
12:58 • Biggs Orca heading to Mary Point, Cortes Island, Malaspina Strait.
Radio, overheard or call out
12:58 • Biggs Orca moving quickly, heading north about 100 yards offshore at Fanny Bay across from Denman Island, Baynes Sound. ▫ Second Hand
Aaron Webber, Campbell River Whale Watching
13:27 • 5 Biggs Orca off Mary Point heading towards Marina Island, Malaspina Strait. One very very small one with them.
Erik Blaney, Powell River, BC
13:55 • Biggs Orca ◦T002Cs◦ at the entrance to Cortes Bay, Cortes Island, Malaspina Strait. With Native canoes.
Janet Southcott, Powell River, BC
14:18 • Biggs Orca ◦T101s◦ south of Bowyer Island, Queen Charlotte Channel.
Hilary Buckley, Wild Whales Vancouver, BC
12:00 • 3 Biggs Orca heading south off Chrome Island, Baynes Sound. Report from Buckley Bay ferry. ▫ Second Hand
Peter Hamilton, Lifeforce
15:15 • Biggs Orca spread out, heading south-west towards Mitlenatch Island from Baker Passage, Georgia Strait.
Reuben Buerge, Eagle Eye Adventures
15:21 • 9-10 Biggs Orca spread out, heading to Mitlenatch Island from Baker Passage. ▫ Leaving the Scene
Jack Springer, Campbell River Whale Watching
16:41 • Biggs Orca ◦T002Cs; T023s◦ moving slowly, heading south about 400-m off Mitlenatch Island, Georgia Strait.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Sun May 20 2018
12:27 • 2-3 Biggs Orca heading toward Bold Head, between Mink Island and Otter Island, Desolation Sound.
John Lewis, Discovery Marine Safaris
12:58 • 2 Biggs Orca heading north by Myrtle Point, Malaspina Strait. Observed on WOWs live web cam.
Susan MacKay, Wild Ocean Whale Society
13:42 • Biggs Orca in Tenedos Bay, Desolation Sound.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Transient Biggs Killer Whales
Bigg’s, T002Cs, heading west in Tenedos Bay
Sun, 20 May 2018 – 8 items
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Transient Biggs Killer Whales
Bigg’s, T002Cs, heading west in Tenedos Bay
Sun, 20 May 2018 – 8 items
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
13:50 • Biggs Orca ◦T002Cs◦ heading west in Tenedos Bay.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
14:49 • 2 Biggs Orca angling toward Okeover, above Major Rock Islet off Lund, Malaspina Strait.
Lisa Miller,
15:15 • Biggs Orca ◦T002Cs◦ at entrance to Okeover Inlet. ▫ Leaving the Scene
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
15:40 • Biggs Orca heading west at Cape Mudge Green Can Buoy, Georgia Strait. ▫ Second Hand
Aaron Webber, Campbell River Whale Watching
15:37 • Biggs Orca ◦T002Cs◦ heading into Okeover Inlet. ▫ Leaving the Scene
Jos Krynen, Eagle Eye Adventures
16:05 • Biggs Orca ◦T018s◦ just north of Francisco Point, Sutil Channel.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
16:34 • Biggs Orca ◦T019B Galiano◦ mid channel off Francisco Point heading up toward Viner Point, Sutil Channel.
Elvis Chikite, Pacific Pro Dive
Mon May 21 2018
10:40 • Biggs Orca heading north off SW side of Texada Island, Georgia Strait. Large group.
Reuben Buerge, Eagle Eye Adventures
Transient Biggs Killer Whales
About five or six Bigg’s near Mitlenatch Island, Georgia Strait
Mon, 21 May 2018 – 7 items
Stan Novotny, Eagle Eye Adventures
Transient Biggs Killer Whales
About five or six Bigg’s near Mitlenatch Island, Georgia Strait
Mon, 21 May 2018 – 7 items
Stan Novotny, Eagle Eye Adventures
12:46 • Biggs Orca near the mines off Texada Island. 2 miles out.
12:59 • 5-6 Biggs Orca playing, 3 miles off Welcome Bay at Texada Island, Georgia Strait.
13:25 • est. 6 Biggs Orca 3 miles off Welcome Bay at Texada Island. ▫ Leaving the Scene
Reuben Buerge, Eagle Eye Adventures
14:37 • Biggs Orca midchannel off the mine by Welcome Bay at Texada Island.
Peter Hamilton, Lifeforce
16:52 • Biggs Orca ◦T002Cs;T023s◦ heading west at Centre Islet, Sutil Channel.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
17:58 • Biggs Orca ◦T002Cs;T023s◦ angling towards Von Donop Inlet in Sutil Channel. ▫ Leaving the Scene
Bill Coltart, Pacific Pro Dive
17:00 • Biggs Orca ◦T124s◦ moving slowly, heading north mid channel between Texada Island and Cape Lazo, Georgia Strait. ▫ Leaving the Scene
Jos Krynen, Eagle Eye Adventures
Transient Biggs Killer Whales
Bigg’s, T124s, heading north between Texada Island and Cape Lazo
Mon, 21 May 2018 – 10 items
Jos Krynen, Eagle Eye Adventures
Transient Biggs Killer Whales
Bigg’s, T124s, heading north between Texada Island and Cape Lazo
Mon, 21 May 2018 – 10 items
Jos Krynen, Eagle Eye Adventures
Tue May 22 2018
12:40 • Biggs Orca off the Cape Mudge Red Can Buoy, Georgia Strait. ▫ Second Hand
13:01 • 4 Biggs Orca heading south between the Cape Mudge Green Can Buoy and Oyster Bay, Georgia Strait. Three big fins and one small fin. Angled towards Sentry Shoal.
Reuben Buerge, Eagle Eye Adventures
14:32 • Biggs Orca ◦T101s◦ heading south about 0.5-miles off the Pacific Playground Resort at Oyster River, Georgia Strait. Travelling about 5 knots. ▫ Leaving the Scene
Bill Coltart, Pacific Pro Dive
16:30 • Biggs Orca ◦T101s◦ heading south approaching Kitty Coleman Beach Park, Georgia Strait. ▫ Leaving the Scene
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Transient Biggs Killer Whales
Bigg’s heading south approaching Kitty Coleman Beach
Tue, 22 May 2018 – 2 items
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Transient Biggs Killer Whales
Bigg’s heading south approaching Kitty Coleman Beach
Tue, 22 May 2018 – 2 items
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Sun May 20 2018
17:30 • est. 5 Biggs Orca hunting, heading north-west off Freke Anchorage, Okeover Inlet. Seemed to be chasing lone dolphin, came right into Freke anchorage. ▫ Observed from Shore
JVW, Powell River, BC
UNIDENTIFIED KILLER WHALES
Mon May 21 2018
08:35 • 1 Orca breaching, near Mitlenatch Island, Georgia Strait. Possibly Orca. ▫ Second Hand
Reuben Buerge, Eagle Eye Adventures
Sun May 20 2018
–:– • 2 Orca in Phillips Arm. Spotted in the evening.
Radio, overheard or call out
Tue May 22 2018
16:40 • Orca around Hornby Island, Georgia Strait. ▫ Second Hand
Peter Hamilton, Lifeforce
HUMPBACK WHALES
Sat May 19 2018
08:30 • 2 Humpback Whales heading north between Copper Bluffs and Steep Island, Discovery Passage. ▫ Second Hand
10:04 • 1 Humpback Whales heading south off Steep Island, Discovery Passage.
10:34 • 1 Humpback Whales ◦BCY0291 KC◦ milling, mid-channel off Steep Island.
Bradden Kiley, Painters Lodge, Campbell River
11:45 • 1 Humpback Whales ◦BCY0291 KC◦ moving slowly, heading south off Duncan Bay, Discovery Passage.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
12:25 • 1 Humpback Whales heading south in Blackney Passage, Blackfish Sound.
Sarah Hauser, Campbell River Whale Watching
15:28 • Humpback Whales mid-channel off Gowlland Island, Discovery Passage.
16:23 • 1 Humpback Whales just north of Steep Island, Discovery Passage.
Jess Cavanagh, Blind Channel Resort
Sun May 20 2018
13:50 • 1 Humpback Whales between Campbell River and Quadra Island, Discovery Passage. ▫ From Ferry, Second Hand
11:35 • 1 Humpback Whales along the path of the Cortes Island ferry, south of Read Island, Sutil Channel. ▫ From Ferry
Bill Coltart, Pacific Pro Dive
Mon May 21 2018
09:46 • 2 Humpback Whales by Sentry Shoal, Georgia Strait.
10:18 • 1 Humpback Whales off Howe Island along Sonora Island, Nodales Channel. On Sonora Island side.
Radio, overheard or call out
11:02 • 1 Humpback Whales ◦BCZ Hourglass◦ off Mitlenatch Island, Georgia Strait. Possible id as Hourglass, previously seen in Desolation Sound last October.
11:30 • 1 Humpback Whales ◦BCZ Hourglass◦ milling, on the north side of Mitlenatch Island. Possible id as Hourglass, previously seen in Desolation Sound last October.
Jason Fitzgerald, Eagle Eye Adventures
12:56 • 1 Humpback Whales heading east off Drew Harbour, Sutil Channel. Mid-channel and close to the boat. ▫ From Power or Sail Boat
Tatia MacGregor, Campbell River, BC
13:30 • 1 Humpback Whales ◦BCZ Hourglass◦ 100 meters south of Mitlenatch Island, Georgia Strait. Small Humpback with very white tail.
14:13 • 1 Humpback Whales ◦BCZ Hourglass◦ on east side of Mitlenatch Island pointed at Manson Passage, Georgia Strait. Small Humpback with very white tail, about 400 metres off the shoreline.
Leigh Nelson, Adventure Quest Tours
14:25 • 1 Humpback Whales heading north off Marina Island, Sutil Channel.
Jen Furst, Campbell River Whale Watching
14:57 • 1 Humpback Whales ◦BCY0291 KC◦ heading north by Denham Islet, Dent Rapids.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
15:25 • 1 Humpback Whales ◦BCZ Hourglass◦ off Mitlenatch Island angled towards Baker Passage, Georgia Strait. Possible id as Hourglass, previously seen in Desolation Sound last October. ▫ Leaving the Scene
Reuben Buerge, Eagle Eye Adventures
15:42 • 1 Humpback Whales ◦BCY0291 KC◦ moving slowly, heading south, Dent Rapids. ▫ Leaving the Scene
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
Tue May 22 2018
12:15 • 1 Humpback Whales just west of Dent Rapids.
David Gauci, Campbell River Whale Watching
14:16 • 1 Humpback Whales by the Comox (Little River) Ferry Terminal, Georgia Strait.
Radio, overheard or call out
14:28 • 1 Humpback Whales off Little River, Georgia Strait. The boater I talked to was not sure if it was a Humpback whale. ▫ Second Hand
Peter Hamilton, Lifeforce
MINKE WHALES
Sun May 20 2018
12:16 • 1 Minke Whales by Breton Islands, Sutil Channel.
Radio, overheard or call out
PACIFIC WHITE SIDED DOLPHINS
Sat May 19 2018
10:02 • 10 PWS Dolphins in front of Eagles Cove, Discovery Passage.
Tress Kemick, Campbell River Whale Watching
12:03 • 10 PWS Dolphins drifting, heading north at Eagles Cove.
Jack Springer, Campbell River Whale Watching
17:55 • PWS Dolphins south of 45 Point, Quadra Island, Discovery Passage.
Kurt Staples, Eagle Eye Adventures
Sun May 20 2018
20:17 • PWS Dolphins heading north by Myrtle Point, Malaspina Strait. Small group.
Jim Southern, Powell River, BC
Pacific White Sided Dolphins
PWS Dolphins off of Freke Anchorage in Okeover Inlet
Sun, 20 May 2018 – 1 items
Jonathan van Wiltenburg, Okeover Inlet, BC
Pacific White Sided Dolphins
PWS Dolphins off of Freke Anchorage in Okeover Inlet
Sun, 20 May 2018 – 1 items
Jonathan van Wiltenburg, Okeover Inlet, BC
Mon May 21 2018
08:30 • PWS Dolphins foraging; spread out, between Chatham Point and Walkem Islands, Johnstone Strait. Many dolphins.
Jess Cavanagh, Blind Channel Resort
09:45 • PWS Dolphins in Deepwater Bay, Discovery Passage.
Reuben Buerge, Eagle Eye Adventures
Pacific White Sided Dolphins
PWS Dolphins in Deepwater Bay
Mon, 21 May 2018 – 2 items
Stan Novotny, Eagle Eye Adventures
Pacific White Sided Dolphins
PWS Dolphins in Deepwater Bay
Mon, 21 May 2018 – 2 items
Stan Novotny, Eagle Eye Adventures
10:11 • PWS Dolphins heading south in Deepwater Bay. At 5 knots.
10:13 • est. 30 PWS Dolphins heading south in Seymour Narrows, Discovery Passage. At 6 knots.
Jason Fitzgerald, Eagle Eye Adventures
10:51 • PWS Dolphins near Copper Bluffs, Discovery Passage.
No Name Provided,
11:40 • est. 20 PWS Dolphins milling, off Davis Bay on the west side of Texada Island, Georgia Strait.
Reuben Buerge, Eagle Eye Adventures
11:51 • est. 25 PWS Dolphins milling, at Copper Bluffs, Quadra Island, Discovery Passage.
Garry Henkel, Aboriginal Journeys Whale and Grizzly Bear Tours
14:25 • PWS Dolphins playing, off Browns Bay, Discovery Passage. Super playful off fishing grounds.
Jess Cavanagh, Blind Channel Resort
Tue May 22 2018
10:00 • PWS Dolphins off McMullen Point, Discovery Passage.
10:30 • PWS Dolphins heading west in Thurston Bay, Nodales Channel.
David Gauci, Campbell River Whale Watching
12:24 • est. 70-100 PWS Dolphins heading south off Chatham Point, Discovery Passage.
Kurt Staples, Eagle Eye Adventures
16:42 • est. 30 PWS Dolphins playing, heading north off Rock Point, Johnstone Strait.
Eliot Richter, Blind Channel Resort
19:00 • est. 50 PWS Dolphins spread out, between Chatham Point and Howe Island, Discovery Passage.
Jess Cavanagh, Blind Channel Resort
Sun May 20 2018
18:00 • 7 PWS Dolphins off Freke Anchorage, Okeover Inlet. These dolphins remained for the next 12 hours doing pass after pass. ▫ Observed from Shore
JVW, Powell River, BC
DALLS PORPOISE
Sat May 19 2018
17:12 • 20 Dalls Porpoise off Church House, Stuart Island, Calm Channel.
Radio, overheard or call out
HARBOUR PORPOISE
Sun May 20 2018
14:26 • 2 Harbour Porpoise headed to Major Rock Islet off Lund, Malaspina Strait.
John Hermsen, Footprint Kayak and Hike Explorations
SEA OTTERS
Mon May 21 2018
10:35 • 1 Sea Otters on SW side of Mitlenatch Island, Georgia Strait. 400 m offshore.
Reuben Buerge, Eagle Eye Adventures
SPECIES UNSURE
Sun May 20 2018
13:20 • 1 Species Unsure taking long dives, heading south between Francis Point and Halfmoon Bay, Malaspina Strait. Lone whale with smaller dark grey dorsal fin, moving south surfaced every minute. Possibly small amount of white on side of body. ▫ Observed from Shore
Katie Mcpherson, Madeira Park, BC
Archive Explorer
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The Magazine
NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL
Hakai Magazine, BC
Artificial noise disrupts whales’ ability to communicate through sound, affecting their feeding and navigation. To date, most research and regulations have been aimed at understanding and preventing the disruption of big baleen whales (such as humpbacks, bowheads, and right whales) by big ships. But a new study on harbor porpoises suggests that toothed whales, such as killer whales and dolphins, may be getting an earful, too. Toothed whales use higher-frequency sounds to communicate than baleen whales do, so they can hear high-pitched anthropogenic noises such as those produced by ferries, pleasure craft, and sonar. And they may be finding them disruptive as well….
read on
read on
South Coast Today, MA
A life-size model of a blue whale heart arrived at the New Bedford Whaling Museum on Thursday, all the way from New Zealand.
Visitors are welcome to crawl inside the heart, which has four chambers and is the size of a Volkswagen Beetle.
"It’s pretty spectacular," Chief Curator Christina Connett said.
The heart is the first major element in a complete redesign of the Jacobs Family Gallery and other spaces for an exhibit titled Whales Today, which focuses on ecology and conservation. Other elements to come include a model of a whale’s head with baleen, plus life-size silhouettes of whale flukes….
read on
Phys.org
Dolphins, whales and porpoises (cetaceans) are fascinating animals that continue to capture the imagination of humans as evidenced by the increasing number of whale watchers taking to the seas in search of a glimpse of these majestic creatures. They are amongst the most intelligent animals on our planet and play a critical role in maintaining marine ecosystem health and therefore human health. Yet, a dolphin, porpoise or whale is accidentally killed in fishing operations somewhere in the world about every two minutes….
read on
read on
Monga Bay
– Humpback whales living around the Western Antarctic Peninsula seem to be recovering rapidly, indicated by females showing high pregnancy rates, a new study has found.
– Researchers also found a high proportion of females that are both lactating and pregnant, which is a sign that the humpback whale population there is growing.
– So far, changing climate in the Western Antarctic Peninsula has been beneficial for the humpbacks because of more ice-free days and more access to food. But long-term trends of climate change may be more problematic, the researchers write….
read on
– Researchers also found a high proportion of females that are both lactating and pregnant, which is a sign that the humpback whale population there is growing.
– So far, changing climate in the Western Antarctic Peninsula has been beneficial for the humpbacks because of more ice-free days and more access to food. But long-term trends of climate change may be more problematic, the researchers write….
read on
EcoWatch, US
More than a third of the sperm whales found dead in the eastern Mediterranean since 2001 were killed by plastic debris, researchers from the Pelagos Cetacean Research Institute in Athens found.
Necropsies on nine of the 24 dead whales found in Greek waters revealed that their stomachs were filled with large amounts of plastic, The Times reported on the Pelagos analysis.
Marine biologists studying the carcasses said the animals likely suffered slow and “excruciating” deaths from the blockage.
One juvenile male found off the coast Mykonos swallowed more than a hundred items of plastic, including single-use plastic bags. One of the bags came from a shop in Thessaloniki, a city 500 miles away….
read on