March 9, 2023

Fin whale in Pickering Passage.

screen grab from video by Andrea Simpson Donald, March 5, 2023

SUMMARY

Sightings through March 7 include:

Southern Residents - On March 1, J pod was southbound in the Strait of Georgia off Mayne Island. On March 5, the J16s were near Salt Spring Island.

Bigg's Killer Whales - T2Bs, T60s, & T109Bs together in BC. T36, T36Bs & T99s in Puget Sound.

Fin whale - On March 4, a juvenile fin whale was reportedly stuck in the shallows deep in Budd Inlet. The whale was able to free himself and was spotted the next day, March 5, still in South Puget Sound.

Gray Whales - CRC531 is back! On March 6, she was seen with CRC53. CRC22 & CRC2440 were also in the area. An unidentified gray whale was seen in Discovery Bay.

On March 8, CRC383 was confirmed back as well! Another unidentified gray whale also seen in Possession Sound. That makes six gray whales in Puget Sound!

EVENTS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, 2023 AT 4 PM – 5 PM

Langley Whale Center Free Youth Hybrid Event-Porpoises of the Salish Sea

Langley Whale Center

Join us for our VERY FIRST hybrid in-person and virtual youth event! For this event, we will have an exciting presentation and activity on the porpoises of the Salish Sea, with guest presenter, marine mammalogist Cindy Elliser of Pacific Mammal Research. Cindy will teach us all about the porpoises we find in our Salish Sea waters! The event will be followed by a fun activity. Snack provided if joining in-person.

As always, our youth events are free to join. However, if you plan to join virtually, you must register to get a unique link to login. Register here.

If you are joining in person, please email Katie Watkins at katie@orcanetwork.org so we can get a rough headcount. We will be meeting at the Langley Whale Center at 105 Anthes Ave in Langley, WA. Walk-ins welcome!

We work hard to keep our youth events free and accessible to all. If you'd like to donate to keep our programs going, you may do so here. Thank you!

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Join us in Langley, WA on Saturday April 15th as we welcome the Sounders gray whales back to Puget Sound! Orca Network's annual Welcome the Whales Festival will include costume making, our popular parade through downtown Langley where you can dress up as your favorite critter, an educational presentation TBA, and a gray whale fundraising cruise on Sunday April 16th. More information will be coming soon. We hope to see you there!

Sun, Mar 5 - BC (J16s)

17:09 - J16s off Musgrave Landing on Salt Spring Island. Northbound. Here is a link to my video clip of the blows from these four orcas.

Gerald Graham

Wed, Mar 1 - Strait of Georgia (J Pod)

J26 Mike

ID by Rachel Haight, Orca Network

18:00 - The magnificent J pod came just in early evening right in front of our home on Mayne Island. So playful and social, as always! Photos taken just before sunset.

photos by Yves Tiberghien, March 1, 2023

Sun, Mar 5 - Northumberland Channel, Nanaimo, BC

Cascadia Region Whale Sighting

[Orca] Unspecified Sighting:

Sighting Time: Sun Mar 5 15:25:00 PST

Sighting User Reported Location (Lat/Lon): 49.16641,-123.89230

Number Sighted: 5

Submitted Comments: Spotted next to ferry leaving Duke Point terminal near Nanaimo BC.

Submitter Name: Darrell MacIver 

Whale Alert App

Male is T60C Yelnats

ID by Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network

photo by Darrell MacIver, March 5, 2023

Sun, Mar 5 - Active Pass (T99s)

“Today we went out with our friends at Maya's Legacy Whale Watching and thanks to some sharp spotting from Salish Sea Orca Squad we were able to meet up with the T99s in Active Pass. Active Pass is such a beautiful place to see whales. Here, three siblings surface together. From left to right: T99C Barakat, T99D Puck, and T99B Holly.”

Orca Behavior Institute

photo by Monika Wieland Shields, March 5, 2023

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T99s in Active Pass

video by Jason Shields, March 5, 2023

Sun, Mar 5 - Possession Sound

10:12 - Captain of the Kitsap Ferry reported a pod of orca in the ferry lane, closer to Mukilteo ferry dock during the 10:00am sailing. Was not able to see them from the ferry. No idea of numbers or direction. The captain reported the sighting right after we left the Mukilteo ferry dock on the stern of the ferry, so closer to Mukilteo side.

Erik Andersen

Fri, Mar 3 - BC (T2Bs, T60s, T109Bs)

Excerpt from Center for Whale Research Encounter #7:

“The encounter began at 1005 as the whales turned south and passed through the Chain Islets. They were quite animated at the surface, and at first glance it appeared that the bull was T060C and that he and family were travelling with at least one other matriline.

Sure enough, photos quickly revealed T002B and the T109Bs! The T109Bs are rare visitors to the Salish Sea, though they are not uncommon in September in recent years. T002B is a wandering female who spends much of her time travelling with the T060 matriline, though she spent most of the ensuing encounter alongside T109B and her youngsters…”

Read more here at Center for Whale Research Encounter #7.

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Several Bigg's were spotted Friday, March 3, 2023 in Baynes Channel off Cadboro Point in the morning, and on Constance Bank in the Strait of Juan de Fuca in the afternoon. In this photo from the morning observation, T60C, aka "Yelnats", can be seen, with its distinctive notch on the dorsal fin. The image was taken at 9:15 AM from land by a neighbour, who has granted me permission to share it. This particular whale was observed in both groups.

Gerald Graham

photo by Michel Joffres, March 3, 2023

Fri, Mar 3 - Admiralty Inlet (T36, T36Bs, & T99s)

March 3, 2023: Hooray! February might be a short month but without orcas it seemed a L-O-N-G one. After Bart Rulon reported seeing T36B, T36B2 and T36B3 on the Kitsap side of Admiralty Inlet in the morning, after which the line went 'dead' for a couple of hours, more in hope than expectation we braved the elements and spotted two whales south of Bush Point heading north at speed in choppy seas, close to Whidbey. Within a couple of minutes a group of three orcas surfaced in front of us and - in a brief but magical encounter - T99E popped up for air.

Sandy Pollard

T99C Barakat

ID by Rachel Haight, Orca Network

T99E

ID by Rachel Haight, Orca Network

T99D Puck left & T99B Holly middle

ID by Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute

photos by RJ Snowberger, March 3, 2023

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These were all within 100yds of the point [at Fort Flagler], likely the same four seen at Hansville. There were at least two more a bit further out that barely showed their dorsals when the surface to breathe. The wind & chop was getting strong. And there was another group close to Whidbey, probably who Sandy was seeing. It looked to me like at least one bull in that group but it was far away.

Jim Pasola

T36B1 Bhotia

ID by Marla Smith, Orca Network

T36 Flapjack

ID by Marla Smith, Orca Network

photos by Jim Pasola, March 3, 2023

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15:25 - Out of my sight now, at least two were much closer to Whidbey than I’ve seen them before (with binoculars from my house). Driftwood Park and Ebey would be good places if they stay that course.

15:09 - About here [approx. 48.130360, -122.732230] northbound, spread out.

Jennifer Fulton Carpenter

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15:20 - We saw a group of three right in front of Fort Casey, very close to Whidbey side. Could see without binoculars. Very quickly northbound.

photo by Tamara Kelley, March 3, 2023

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15:21 - Saw a bull and small fin but lost them.

Fusako Nozaka

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15:03 - Seeing them from the ferry! They were heading north.

Jann Pulfer Ledbetter

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14:45 - From Fort Flagler, I was following the group hugging Whidbey and got totally surprised by two more groups close to this side, four maybe five and then another 2 or 3 farther out. They're staying down long times, and some just coming up enough to breathe, wind is getting strong. All the whales I've seen have passed Fort Flagler and are heading for Port Townsend.

Jim Pasola

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13:55 - Orcas visible from south end of Lagoon Point steady northbound still in choppy seas, mid channel.

13:35 - Group of three orcas, including little one, have passed Bush Point northbound at speed.

13:30 - Two orcas south of Bush Point Whidbey side northbound.

Sandy Pollard

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11:21 - Northwest direction [approx. 47.925920, -122.544302].

11:20 - T36B in the group near Point No Point.

Bart Rulon Art & Photography

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11:17 - They are just off the park before Point No Point, Swiftsure is with them, there are four to six. I have yet to see an adult male.

Jim Pasola

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11:13 - They are past the point lighthouse [Point No Point] now heading north with Swiftsure on scene. I assume transients, but Bart will probably confirm.

10:59 - I’ve got a group of three or four killer whales, northbound between Point No Point [Hansville] and Scatchet Head [South Whidbey]! Swiftsure is coming from the south.

Colleen Farrell

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11:10 - At Point No Point now northbound.

10:01 - Killer whales off Edmonds maybe a mile out and northbound. Saw once, looking out while now underway. 

Trevor Tillman

Thu, Mar 2 - Admiralty Inlet

16:40 - 5+ milling, circling, possibly on hunt? Out from Sunlight Beach area. Long down times, some birds starting to gather.

Rachel Haight, Orca Network

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15:50 - Cindi Crowder Rausch also called our main line to follow up with Alisa. She reports seeing who look to be 15+ orcas, spread out in groups of 4-5 streaming southbound with more coming. Numbers usually would lean towards residents but all think dorsals look like Bigg's, many pointy dorsals. Others with her, including our lovely Jeanne Hamilton, are leaning Ts, but isn’t clear at this time and can’t say for sure which ecotype. Zero surface activity in the way of sounds, breaches... Orcas are traveling, spread just a bit Kitsap side of mid channel sightline Double Bluff, Whidbey to Hansville (Foulweather to Point No Point). All southbound.

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15:45 - Cindi reports some in same area. Still not sure on numbers, but think 8-10+? She feels confident they're Ts, but no confirmation on IDs.

14:45 - Cindi reports they are continuing southbound in the area of Foulweather Bluff. At least 5 including a small one.

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14:31 - I believe this is where we just saw them surface with naked eye [approx. 47.977584, -122.594139]. They counted 5. With binoculars, they believe 2 or 3 juveniles. Remember, we're amateurs.

14:22 - Still moving south. I just saw a fin. They saw three fins surface, as well. Three fins just surfaced as I typed this! Closer to Whidbey now.

14:15 - We saw a fin and blows just south of the orange buoy and then in line with radio tower across the way. Definitely mid channel. This is our first time seeing anything, so we have minimal language to describe things or proper viewing. I haven't seen it yet because we only have one set of binoculars. My husband and sister are the ones who have seen them.

Vanessa Cameron

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14:07 - They are just south of Bush Point, Whidbey side, traveling southbound. I’ll have to look at pics for numbers [approx. 48.016546, -122.618387].

Cindi Crowder Rausch

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13:05 - Spotting them is TOUGH. No clue on numbers nor guesses on IDs, too far out. Presumably still heading south per last sighting a few minutes ago.

12:45 - Seeing blows and fins straight out from Lagoon Point, midchannel.

12:25 - Ran into a scuba diver at Driftwood Beach. He saw the orcas half hour prior. Said they came south past ferry and angled towards Whidbey. Described as a juvenile, couple of females, and possible two adult males, one further off. 

Rachel Haight, Orca Network

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10:30 - Orcas passing by Libbey Beach, west side of Whidbey, heading south, swimming fast close in, breaking on surface against rough seas & wind! Saw at least 3 females. Looking out our window together my partner saw 5 traveling very fast! Definitely swimming fast on the surface with exhalations, no long down times.

Tenley Martinez

Sat, Mar 4 - Strait of Juan de Fuca

Sent via form submission from Orca Network

Name: Emily Knudson-goerner

Date of Sighting: 3/4/2023

Time: 12:30 PM

Species seen: orca: spotted sharp black dorsal fin, black body with white spot near dorsal

Number of animals seen: 2

Where seen: East Sooke Regional Park, about 4km into the Coast trail (from main eastern parking lot)

Direction of travel : hard to tell, possibly southwest

Behaviors observed: seemed to be circling

If orcas, any males?: could not see

Any unusual markings?: could not see

Is there anything else you'd like to share about your encounter?:

Photos available?: No

Wed, Mar 1 - Trincomali Channel

15:00 - Received a secondhand report of an unspecified number of orcas who were seen by a BC Coastal Pilot northbound in Trincomali Channel between Wallace Island and Porlier Pass at 1500 hours on Wednesday, March 1, 2023.

Tue, Mar 7 - Possession Sound

09:43 - Had several whales (presumably grays) off southeast side of Hat Island per Kim Vest Gleason [HIWS] who's husband caught sight while traveling across.

Mon, Mar 6 - Possession Sound (CRC22 Earhart, CRC53 Little Patch, CRC531, CRC2440)

CRC531

CRC2440

CRC22 Earhart

IDs by Bart Rulon, Puget Sound Express

Gray whale 531 is back! We managed to spot her yesterday, March 6, swimming with CRC53 (Little Patch) near the Snohomish River Delta from the M.V. Swiftsure, Puget Sound Express. It looked like the two veteran Sounders were probably getting reacquainted with each other during our visit. 531 showed her tail flukes before her deep dives. Earlier in the trip we watched CRC22, Earhart, and CRC2440 swimming side by side near Camano Head swimming towards Hat Island. On that trip we managed to spot all 4 of the Sounders that have been confirmed returning to Puget Sound so far this year. It's always fun to anticipate who might show up next each day. Enjoy some pictures from a beautiful day out on the water on Monday.

photos by Bart Rulon, March 6, 2023

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15:02 - I'm at Harborview Park tracking a whale heading towards the delta. Thought it was a grey whale but might be something else.

Jerald Russell

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12:15 - CRC531 is back and hanging out with CRC53 southeast of Hat Island [approx. 47.991518, -122.268451].

11:15 - Gray whales CRC22 and CRC2440 eastbound from Camano Head [approx. 48.044859, -122.360517]. 

Bart Rulon, Puget Sound Express

Sun, Mar 5 - Possession Sound 

Cascadia Region Whale Sighting

Gray Whale Sighting:

Sighting Time: Sun Mar 5 14:30:23 PST

Sighting User Reported Location (Lat/Lon): 48.00072,-122.29277

Number Sighted: 1

Submitted Comments: S end of Gedney/Hat island leisurely feeding 

Submitter Name: Webley

Whale Alert App

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12.50 - Grey whale surfaced near our sailboat (motor off/drifting). Possession Sound. Heading north/northwest, approximately here [47.984389, -122.248201].

Erica Sutehall

Sun, Mar 5 - Possession Sound (CRC53 Little Patch)

12:00 - CRC53 eastbound from the mark on my map [approx. 48.050850, -122.326082].

Bart Rulon Art & Photography

Fri, Mar 3 - Discovery Bay

09:10 - [Gray] whale is still hanging out in Discovery Bay [between Port Townsend and Sequim]. Just saw several blows.

Vaughn Kline [PSWS]

Fri, Mar 3 - Possession Sound (CRC53 Little Patch)

16:01 - Gray whale feeding just off Jetty Island, blows at the surface every couple of minutes.

Sarah Sadid

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12:15 - Gray whale CRC53 is where my map shows [approx. 47.998438, -122.284991]. No direction.

Bart Rulon Art & Photography

Fri, Mar 3 - Puget Sound

11:20 - Saw 2 blows approx. 10 min apart. Viewing from Haines Wharf looking to Scatchet Head. If the same animal, it was heading east/northeast to Possession Sound. Assuming sleepy gray whale since I didn’t see any dorsal on the back.

Ariel Yseth, Whale Scout

Thu, Mar 2 - Discovery Bay

Video posted on OPWS by Becky McFarland confirms whale in Discovery Bay is a gray whale.

Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network

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14:30 - I’ve been seeing a whale at the end of Discovery Bay since yesterday afternoon. I haven’t gotten a close look but I believe it’s a humpback [confirmed gray]. At the very end near the power lines.

Vaughn Kline [PSWS]

Sun, Mar 5 - South Puget Sound

10:58 - I think we saw the fin whale today north of Harstine Island bridge in Pickering Passage [approx. 47.285677, -122.914268] traveling south. We were stopped watching some seals, and he came up right in front of us.

Andrea Simpson Donald

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11:00 - Someone was cruising the Pickering Passage today in Grapeview! Made my day! Southbound. The sound it made when it came up for air was so loud and magnificent!

photo by Steven Venetta, March 5, 2023

Sat, Mar 4 - South Puget Sound

Cascadia was able to follow up on reports from the public this morning of a whale sighted near Squaxin Park. Upon arrival, the whale was swimming close to shore in shallow water and may have briefly beached itself during the low tide. The whale was able to swim into deeper water as the tide came in, and was sighted afterward near Swantown, and again later heading out of Budd Inlet by Boston Harbor. Based on dorsal fin shape and the size of the individual, this animal is most likely a juvenile fin whale. Fin whales are considered a rare species to be seen in inland waters, so please reach out with any further sightings and photos of this animal so we can keep track of its occurrence and movement patterns while in the area!

Cascadia Research Collective

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14:00 - I saw this animal twice today (2:00ish 1st surface) mid-channel heading north out of Budd Inlet and between Eld Inlet shore and Boston Harbor. The second surface was about 20 minutes later (2:20ish) heading northwest toward Hunter Point/Squaxin Island area. Super poor viewing conditions but clear enough to see robust exhales, back and dorsal fin. This is the third fin whale I have seen from my home on Eld Inlet. Cascadia Research knows about these sightings today.

photo by Kim Merriman, March 4, 2023

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13:07 - The whale that Rhema is referring to was in danger of beaching for an hour, but luckily was able to get out of the shallows. Cascadia Research Collective was out there when our lead Aquarist just missed the action. They said she's either a small/young fin whale (40 ft) or a good-sized minke. She headed out of the Budd Inlet channel after escaping the current. 

Puget Sound Estuarium

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12:32 - Eric Theusen (Marine BioGeoChem Professor from Evergreen State) reported a fin whale near the shoal of Squaxin Park in Olympia.

Rhema Neas-Gas

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12:06 - [Fin whale] Appears to have freed itself. Yaay!

11:30 - May be a fin whale. Marine Ecology Tel. has been forwarded pictures by Cascadia Research.

11:00 - Minke [Fin] whale at Squaxin Park near Olympia. Appears distressed because it hasn't moved in an hour. Possibly stuck in shallow water. Covered with water and breathing every 5 minutes. NOAA contacted.

Burt Miller

Mon, Mar 6 - Strait of Juan de Fuca

15:24 - Humpback at West Beach on Whidbey Island - way cool. The whale was headed southbound towards the NAS base. It could have been a gray.

screen grab from video by Marion HW, March 6, 2023

Sun, Mar 5 - South Puget Sound

Sent via form submission from Orca Network

Name: Karl Jones

Date of Sighting: 3/5/2023

Time: 2:10 PM

Species seen: Gray whale or humpback, 75-80% certain 

Number of animals seen: 1

Where seen: 47.165, -122.89

Direction of travel : E toward Dana Passage

Behaviors observed: Spouting

If orcas, any males?:

Any unusual markings?:

Is there anything else you'd like to share about your encounter?: I heard a big animal spouting behind me, and was able to turn around enough to see what looks most like a gray whale, maybe humpback, ~50-75 feet away, and a large shadow, like sedan size, under the surface.

Photos available?: No

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Sent via form submission from Orca Network

Name: Savanna Nagorski

Date of Sighting: 3/5/2023

Time: 07:50 AM

Species seen: Humpback

Number of animals seen: 1

Where seen: Between Fox Island and Wollochet

Direction of travel : NW

Behaviors observed: Breathing

If orcas, any males?:

Any unusual markings?:

Is there anything else you'd like to share about your encounter?:

Photos available?: No

FOLLOW UP: We assumed humpback because we didn’t see a fin (it was pretty far away), but after seeing more about the baleen whales suspect it also could have been a fin whale. Others in our party were certain it was not an orca. It came up about every few minutes to breathe, and then we lost sight of it was it kept going NW. We were on a little beach getaway off Point Fosdick and out enjoying our coffee when we saw it come up, it was blowing out and we only saw its back. It was heading away from Narrows and towards Hale Passage, here is a simple diagram to show where we approx. [47.246857, -122.593640] saw it and direction it was heading. 

Sat, Mar 4 - Saratoga Passage

Cascadia Region Whale Sighting

Humpback Sighting: (as humpback, but gray(s) in the area - alb) 

Sighting Time: Sat Mar 4 12:07:29 PST

Sighting User Reported Location (Lat/Lon): 48.13256,-122.51066

Number Sighted: 1

Submitter Name: Lyndsey

Whale Alert App

Fri, Mar 3 - Saratoga Passage

09:19 - Viewing from Hidden Beach, blows of a single baleen whale, maybe 1/4 mile out from Onamac Point, Camano Island. Can't tell direction, possibly milling in area. 

Rachel Haight, Orca Network 

Wed, Mar 1 - Saratoga Passage

14:24 - Gray/Humpback not sure which heading north in Saratoga Passage, Camano side close to Onamac Point.

Marie Heil