one-year-old J57 spraying water from his mouth, taken from the west side of San Juan Island, WA
photo by Fred Horn - September 30, 2021
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ORCA NETWORK
WHALE SIGHTING REPORT
We are watching and visiting the whales in their home.
Please observe, love, and respect them from a distance.
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SUMMARY
Sightings through October 6th include:
Southern Residents - J pod was first spotted on the morning of September 30th from Hannah Heights, San Juan Island and were northbound at Kellett bluff in the evening. A few days later on October 4th, they were back in Haro Strait.
*Photo of the Day J57 ID by Melisa Pinnow. Many thanks to Melisa, for this and all other ID help that she so generously provides!
Bigg's Killer Whales - T41s, T49A1 & T49A2, T69s, T100s, T123s, T137s
Humpbacks - Beloved humpback "Two Spot" comes back to Puget Sound.
Beluga! - We have confirmed sightings of a wayward beluga in Puget Sound this week: Tacoma, West Seattle, and Bremerton. Please see announcement below regarding how to submit sightings of the beluga in order to help researchers understand where it is from and assess her/his health.
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EVENTS/ARTICLES/ANNOUNCEMENTS
EVENTS:
Orca Recovery Day - SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2021 AT 11 AM PDT (Locations throughout Puget Sound)
Day of action! Sign up your project, and partner with us in the promotion of stewardship for Puget Sound and our resident orcas. (Event page)
Free Youth Zoom: The Orca-Salmon Connection - WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2021 4:00 PM PDT
Join us as we celebrate Orca-Salmon month by learning about the Southern Resident Orcas and the important role that salmon play in their lives and in our ecosystem. A fun activity will follow the presentation. *registration required.
Orca-Salmon Month online webinar: Orcas and Salmon-Inherent Connections - WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2021 AT 6 PM–8:30 PM PDT
October is Orca-Salmon Month in Puget Sound, a time when Southern Resident orcas begin entering these waters to search for Chinook and chum salmon. Please celebrate with us this month by learning more about the relationship between orcas and salmon, and join us for a special Orca-Salmon Month webinar. *details and registration.
ANNOUNCEMENT:
"We are closely tracking sightings of a beluga whale in the Puget Sound area, hundreds of miles outside its usual range. The NOAA Fisheries West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network is on standby to respond to reports. Real time sightings are very important to locate the whale, gathering photos and other data would help us understand where it is from and assess its health.
If you do see the whale on the water, please follow Be Whale Wise Guidelines (www.bewhalewise.org) and stay at least 100 yards away as required by federal law. Report your sighting immediately to Orca Network at 1-360-331-3543 or the West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network Hotline at 1-866-767-6114.
Please include: Date & Time - Location - Direction of Travel and any other details, and any photos and/or videos taken while observing minimum legal approach distances."
-NOAA Fisheries West Coast
* Langley Whale Center* - The Whale Center will be open Thursdays through Sundays, from 11am to 4pm during the month of October. In addition, we will also be open Monday the 18th and Monday the 25th. We look forward to seeing you!
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Your support enables Orca Network to continue our work to connect people & whales, educate & inspire people to take action, and collect & disseminate data for research & education.
With Gratitude!
Orca Network
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FOR REAL-TIME WHALE SIGHTINGS FOLLOW OUR FACEBOOK PAGE ~
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SOUTHERN RESIDENTS (fish-eating type) |
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Mon, Oct 4 - Haro Strait (J pod)
16:10 - [J pod] Hearing some faint EL clicks on the Lime Kiln hydrophone.
Fred Horn
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“at Lime Kiln, a Humpback fluke and a Resident Orca!
photo by Fred Horn - September 4, 2021
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J-Pod went north on the evening of September 30, and must have been up in the Strait of Georgia since then, as this morning they were picked up heading southwest down Boundary Pass.
Today we got to spend some time with this cutie, J57 Phoenix. He is an absolute ham, and we love him for it.
Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute
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J57
photo and ID by Monika Wieland Shields - October 4, 2021
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17:45 - Far to the south I could see 3 - 4 orcas NB. They swung out southwest away from the island. They were followed by a small boat with 3-4 photographers. There wasn't a research flag or Whale Warning flag flying. The boat followed them until it was a small dot in the distance. Photographed from shore, cropped and enlarged.
14:05-18:00 - J-pod traveling generally southbound 1 mile south of Landbank Westside Preserve, 1/3 mile to 3 miles from shore. They were spread out and changed direction many times, back and forth, in and out; some continuing and some staying in the general area. J56 Tofino and J57 Phoenix were traveling together some distance from their Moms. J31 Tsuchi was ahead and J35 Tahlequah behind them. The calves circled and dove and splashed and breached together! They were having the best of time playing. They decided to change direction and head back north but J31 was quick to notice and she immediately turned back to catch up with them. Meeting up with J35, the moms gathered their playful calves and the 4 of them continued south again. Into the evening, at sunset, traveling solo J27 Blackberry, J38 Cookie and later J26 Mike slowly swam back and forth before everyone headed south.
Michelline Halliday, SJI
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photos by Michelline Halliday - October 4, 2021 |
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13:19 - At 13:29 Crystal Fisher emailed: Hi listening to the online Lime Kiln park hydrophone and I hear some activity…October 4th starting listening at 1:19pm.
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~12:30 - [J pod] We saw them milling just off county park about 12.30pm.
James Richardson
Thu, Sept 30 - Haro Strait (J pod)
17:49 - [SRKW] They are in mid-Haro Strait approaching Kellett Bluff.
M Elise Cannon
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17:48 - [SRKW] We just saw 10-12 pass Smugglers Cove and approaching Henry Island from the south. About 1/4 mile off shore.
Peter Van Deventer
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18:52 - Seems they have finally faded out at Orcasound Lab.
17:57 - Still hearing faint calls and clicks (and fish grunts/groans.
17:11-17:50 - SRKW signals detected by listeners at Orcasound Lab (5 km north of Lime Kiln). Details here. Scott Veirs, Orcasound
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17:05 - [SRKW] Off Bellevue Pt. now. Hunting.
Paul MacMahon
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17:03 - [SRKW] Leaders are just south of the county park.
James Mead Maya
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16:30 - Super loud whistling along with calls.
16:25 - They are visible on the Lime Kiln Lighthouse webcam.
Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
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It was so good to see J Pod - all traveling and playing together in a big group, just like the good old days. They looked so healthy, and HAPPY. They give me hope.
Cindy Hansen, Orca Network
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J Pod 9-30-21 Land Bank & Lime Kiln
video by Cindy Hansen - September 30, 2021
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15:55 - Orcas spotted at Land Bank moving up island just as it's starting to rain.
14:40 - [SRKW] Visible from South Beach. N of Eagle Point, a mile off shore, SE direction. [ video] [Also see Photo of the Day by Fred!]
Fred Horn
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an endangered Southern Resident orca travels northbound past Lime Kiln Point State Park
photos by Fred Horn - September 30, 2021
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14:12-15:40 - Center for Whale Research Encounter #80: “… We saw our first whales off the north end of False Bay and our encounter started there at 1412. The whales were very spread out in singles and small groups. …”
“… J36 was reported to be the most heavily pregnant of the three pregnant J pod whales but she didn’t have a new calf with her today. …”
“… All of J pod then traveled up island in a single slightly loose group. We ended the encounter at 1540 just south of Hannah Heights as the rain began to fall again.” [See CWR Encounter #80 for full summary and photos] -
11:43 - [SRKW] Hearing clicks on Lime Kiln hydrophone.
Ezra Garfield
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15:45 - All together, Hannah Heights, northbound.
13:13 - Still slowly south, but lots of foraging.
12:31 - Super spread! I’ve seen at least members of J19s, J16s, J11s but there are more far offshore. Long dives, tough to get IDs. Numbers are right for all of J Pod.
10:50 - SRKW (at least Js) southbound, Land Bank.
----J-Pod made an unexpected appearance on the west side of San Juan Island today, and the rain was no deterrent from spending some quality time with them after they had been absent for the last 10 days.
J39 Mako, on the right, has been spending a lot of time with the J19s, which is especially fascinating because J19 Shachi is his aunt. Unlike some other males who have lost their mothers, Mako has never really attached to a clear surrogate mother figure, so it's nice to see him hanging out with whales other than his brother J27 Blackberry!
Mako is pictured here with one year-old J58 Crescent, who continues to be a little ball of energy!
Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute
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J58 and J39
photo and ID's by Monika Wieland Shields - September 30, 2021
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16:29 - Just hearing the first calls and clicks on LK hydrophone.
10:50 - No longer hearing them on Lime Kiln and haven’t heard on Orcasound yet.
10:32 - And hearing calls now.
10:29 - [SRKW] Hearing some noises on the LK hydrophone.
Matty Leaman
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11:45 - Lots of KWs off Hannah Heights, spread out swimming slowly down-island toward Pile Point. They are about 500 yes off shore.
10:19 - There are orcas passing Hannah Heights right now (10:19am on 30-Sept). They are about 200 yds off shore, heading up-island (that is, towards Edwards Point and Land Bank's Westside Preserve).
Michael Noonan
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BIGG'S "TRANSIENT" KILLER WHALES (mammal-eating type) |
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Wed, Oct 6 - Anacortes
11:54 - Saw them surface once and then lost 'em. No direction. Sorry.
~11:00 - Reliable friend reported seeing 3-4 Orcas from Skyline Marina in Anacortes. 100' from shore.
Kimberly Sylvester
Tue, Oct 5 - B.C. Gulf Islands
17:30 - Tuesday October 5th at 5:30 PM a group of 4 orcas was seen heading south out of Ganges Harbour. The group appeared to include two adult males with prominent dorsal fins, as well as one quite small (young?) orca.
Peter Reiner, Salt Spring Island
Tue, Oct 5 - San Juan Islands
10:37 - Can only confirm 1 orca. It breached, saw the white eyespot and later the much larger, curved dorsal fin, as opposed to the low, flat dorsal fin of the humpback
10:30 - 2 humpbacks and orca breaching in San Juan Channel, headed north, approaching Yellow Island. (actually 3 humpbacks!) [3 humpbacks and 1 orca per Cathleen]
Cathleen Burns
Tue, Oct 5 - Haro Strait
09:05 - They are now approaching Open Bay, about 1 mile out from SJI. At least one male - moving slowly. I saw 3. But they were also down a lot. [Monika Wieland Shields, OBI, thinks Bigg’s from photo by M Elise Cannon.]
M Elise Cannon
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07:15 - 3 orcas, spread out traveling northbound, 1 mile south of Landbank Westside Preserve. They surfaced 3-4 times and it was still pretty dark. I waited for some time but these were the only 3 I saw. I'm assuming Bigg’s Transients.
Michelline Halliday, SJI
Fri and Sat, Oct 1 and 2 - NW Strait of Georgia (T37As, T49A1 & T49A2, T100s, T123s)
An amazing two days with the T100s and T037As yesterday. And today they met up with the T123s and T049A1 and T049A2, we think they were finishing off a sealion kill this morning when we arrived on scene.
Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale & Bear Excursions
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photos and ID's by Nick Templeman - October 2, 2021
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Sat, Oct 2 - Hood Canal
~15:55 - I’m pretty sure I saw at least two orca fins off the south end of the Hood Canal Bridge.
Follow-up: I was driving as a passenger across the bridge and saw what looked like at least two orca fins. If they were orcas, I saw one that would have to be a bull. They were too tall to be any other marine animal. They were large and black, there was a little movement and I saw a flash of white at one point, but there was not as much movement as I would expect. They definitely were not traveling in any particular direction. I could not turn around and drive across the bridge again to confirm what I saw, but I was able to look at it for several seconds before we got out of sight. I posted here as soon as we got off the bridge.
Emily Calkins
Sat, Oct 2 - Admiralty Inlet
11:50-12:05 - Three orcas swimming south out from Ledgewood, Whidbey Island (south of Keystone).
Tara Klein
Fri, Oct 1 - Strait of Georgia
10:58 - Small group of orcas heading north between Vancouver Island and Savary Island.
Patti Perepeluk
Fri, Oct 1 - Haro Strait (T41s, T69s, T137s)
17:20 - Looks like they’ve continued north on the Canadian side of Haro.
16:10 - A group of a dozen or so Bigg’s killer whales mid-Haro aiming NE towards San Juan. [“T137s, T41s, and T69s, from what I saw.” -Ellie Sawyer]
Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute
Fri, Oct 1 - San Juan Islands
16:54 - [orcas] Guemes Channel, still heading toward Anacortes. Seen from the MV Chelan.
Bryn Black
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At 16:26 Maija Holston, WSF Marine Ops, emailed to report: Chelan Master reports 5 orca moving north off Shannon Point headed up towards Bellingham Channel.
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17:30 - Eastbound approaching Guemes ferry.
16:41 - Between Cypress and Guemes Islands. Still eastbound in the channel, not too far off Anacortes.. Lots of splashing. I think 4 of them. Definitely a baby out there
16:11 - [orcas] They're along the shore on the south side of Cypress. Moving East.
Melanie Holbrook
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14:30 - Group of Ts between Blakey and Cypress heading south towards the Anacortes ferry lanes.
Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute
Thu, Sept 30 - N. Admiralty Inlet
Cascadia Region Whale Sighting
Orca Sighting:
Sighting Time: Thu Sep 30 @ 9:15:08 PDT
Sighting Device Location (Lat/Lon): 48.13267,-122.72964
Sighting User Reported Location (Lat/Lon): 48.13267,-122.72964 [Pt. Townsend/Coupeville ferry lanes]
Number Sighted: 3
Reported Animal Status: Live
Submitted Comments:
Report Generated: Thu Sep 30 9:25:06 PDT 2021
Submitter Name: Kayla
Whale Alert App
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Cascadia Region Whale Sighting
Unspecified Sighting:
Sighting Time: Thu Sep 30 @ 8:14:45 PDT
Sighting Device Location (Lat/Lon): 48.13213,-122.70911
Sighting User Reported Location (Lat/Lon): 48.13213,-122.70911 [Pt. Townsend/Coupeville ferry lanes]
Number Sighted: 4
Reported Animal Status: Live
Submitted Comments:
Report Generated: Thu Sep 30 8:25:08 PDT 2021
Submitter Name: Kayla
Whale Alert App
Wed, Sept 29 - Strait of Juan de Fuca (T41s)
The rain stopped and the calm seas brought us another great day with humpbacks off Sooke and Bigg’s/Transient Killer Whales (T041's) hunting around Race Rocks!
Paul Pudwell, Sooke Coastal Explorations
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T41s and Race Rocks Lighthouse
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T41A2 [confirmed by Melisa Pinnow]
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T41
(photo) ID's: Gayle Swigart, Orca Network
photos by Paul Pudwell - September 29, 2021
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UNIDENTIFIED KILLER WHALES |
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Tue, Oct 5 - San Juan Islands
12:00 - Multiple orcas in Rosario Strait heading east. Spotted from Washington Park. Too far out to identify. Follow up: 3-4, one had a visibly smaller dorsal fin than the others…we lost sight as they went further that way [toward Anacortes ferry terminal] but we did not see them return SW.
Chloe Cason
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Wed, Oct 6 - Strait of Georgia
Humpbacks Feeding off Singing Sands today.
Ella Smiley, Comox Valley Wildlife Sightings
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photos by Ella Smiley - October 6, 2021 |
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Wed, Oct 6 - Strait of Georgia/Gulf Islands
Cascadia Region Whale Sighting
Humpback Sighting:
Sighting Time: Wed Oct 6 @ 13:23:00 PDT
Sighting Device Location (Lat/Lon): 49.11832,-123.63617
Sighting User Reported Location (Lat/Lon): 49.11832,-123.63617 [NE Valdes Island]
Number Sighted: 2
Reported Animal Status:
Submitted Comments: travelling south
Report Generated: Wed Oct 6 13:36:53 PDT 2021
Submitter Name: Robert Davis
Whale Alert App
Wed, Oct 6 - San Juan Islands
08:40 - Humpback crossing San Juan Channel toward SJI near Turn Island. From Ferry at 08:40.
Nan Yates Simpson
Tue, Oct 5 - San Juan Islands
10:37 - Can only confirm 1 orca. It breached, saw the white eyespot and later the much larger, curved dorsal fin, as opposed to the low, flat dorsal fin of the humpback
10:30 - 2 humpbacks and orca breaching in San Juan Channel, headed north, approaching Yellow Island. (actually 3 humpbacks!)
Cathleen Burns
Tue, Oct 5 - Haro Strait
16:08 - Humpback. Lime Kiln. Northbound.
Erika Hansen
Mon, Oct 4 - Haro Strait
16:22-16:33 - 2 humpbacks, northbound, 1 mile south of Landbank Westside Preserve, 500 yds from shore. One was smaller, so I am assuming a mom and her calf. The calf was also lighter and a different color; a warm grey. The pair stayed very close together, their dives perfectly timed. As they approached Edwards Point, they lifted their flukes together. Their close connection was beautiful to watch. Photographed from shore.
14:00-14:15 - 2 humpbacks northbound, 1 mile south of Landbank Westside Preserve, 600-700 yds from shore. The pair crossed the path of J-Pod who were very spread out traveling south. The humpbacks dove and stayed submerged until past the leading male. I don't know if that was coincidence or planned.
Michelline Halliday, SJI
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photos by Michelline Halliday - October 4, 2021 |
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10:37 - Two humpbacks just rounded Kellett Bluff headed north.
M Elise Cannon
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Mon, Oct 4 - Puget Sound/South Whidbey
Spent the evening on Possession Bar with Two Spot the Humpback whale!
Janine Harles
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CRC16017, aka CS631, aka MMZ0013 "Two Spot"
photos and ID by Janine Harles - October 4, 2021
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Sun, Oct 3 - Haro Strait
18:59 - Probably humpback calls (and whistles?!) on the Orcasound Lab hydrophone (5 km north of Lime Kiln). Here's the single detection that fooled the OrcaHello AI into thinking SRKW's were present... Scott Veirs, Orcasound, Beach Reach
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15:17 - [HB] Now at Eagle Point.
Chris Wilson
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14:25 - Not sure if they’re the same humpbacks, but there are two approaching the west side of San Juan again from offshore, nearing False Bay or Pile Point.
Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute
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~14:00 - Saw two humpbacks off the shore at Lime Kiln State Park about 2pm today.
Jacqui Chan
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11:34 - [HB] Closer to Salmon Bank about an hour ago.
Pete Ancich
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08:03-08:10 - 2 humpbacks southbound 1 mile south of Landbank, Westside Preserve. The pair was beautiful in the early morning light, surfacing often and traveling close together, 300-400 yards from shore drawing closer in as they moved south. The trailing humpback had a small notch in the top edge of the dorsal fin and showed his/her fluke 3 times. Photographed from shore.
Michelline Halliday, SJI
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photos by Michelline Halliday - October 3, 2021 |
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07:35 - Two humpback moving down island toward Lime Kiln from Bellevue Pt., near shore.
Laurie O'Donnell
Sat, Oct 2 - B.C. Gulf Islands
Raccoon (BCX1233) the humpback whale was feeling energetic this evening as she made her way south in Swanson Channel.
Maya’s Legacy Whale Watching
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photo by Sara Hysong-Shimazu, Maya's Legacy Whale Watching - October 2, 2021 |
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Sat, Oct 2 - Haro Strait
09:51 - Single Humpback, slowly NB about a mile offshore from [San Juan] County Park.
April Ryan
Sat, Oct 2 - Strait of Juan de Fuca
October has arrived and now we have 40+ Humpbacks South West of Sooke!
Paul Pudwell, Sooke Coastal Explorations
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ID's: Alethea Leddy
photos by Paul Pudwell - October 2, 2021
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Sat, Oct 2 - North Puget Sound
16:00 - Our beloved humpback whale Two Spot is back! We spotted him at Possession Bank as we were coming in from our trip on MV Saratoga!
Bart Rulon, Puget Sound Express
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CRC16017, aka CS631, aka MMZ0013 "Two Spot"
(back-of-camera) photo and ID by Bart Rulon - October 2, 2021
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Fri, Oct 1 - San Juan Islands
[HB] They exited Cattle Pass, went to the end of Salmon Bank and then headed back towards Cattle Pass. We left them late in the afternoon just circling Salmon Bank.
John Boyd
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12:30 - One of them has been identified as Zephyr, and as of 12:30 they were continuing down San Juan Channel towards Cattle Pass.
~11:45 - Two humpbacks just south of Friday Harbor heading south, photographed from the ferry!
Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute
Thu, Sept 30 - Haro Strait
~17:35 - There was a humpback offshore of San Juan County Park with the trailing members of J pod (approximately 17:35), northbound.
Stephanie Reiss
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15:30 - At least one humpback off Eagle Point headed up island. 1/4 mile offshore.
Fred Horn
Wed, Sept 29 - San Juan Islands
13:42 - Momma & baby humpback off of South Beach. Moving south.
Shine Sanderson
Tue, Sept 28 - San Juan Islands
Cascadia Region Whale Sighting
Humpback Sighting:
Sighting Time: Tue Sep 28 @ 16:30:49 PDT
Sighting Device Location (Lat/Lon): 48.46176,-123.03133
Sighting User Reported Location (Lat/Lon): 48.46176,-123.03133 [Eagle Cove]
Number Sighted: 2
Reported Animal Status: Live
Submitted Comments:
Report Generated: Tue Sep 28 16:37:06 PDT 2021
Submitter Name: Kas Kelley
Whale Alert App
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Fri, Oct 1 - San Juan Islands
Cascadia Region Whale Sighting
Minke Whale Sighting:
Sighting Time: Fri Oct 1, 14:40:56 PDT
Sighting Device Location (Lat/Lon): 48.75219,-122.90206
Sighting User Reported Location (Lat/Lon): 48.75219,-122.90206 [Sucia Island]
Number Sighted: 1
Reported Animal Status: Live
Submitted Comments:
Report Generated: Fri Oct 1 14:48:53 PDT 2021
Submitter Name: Eric Barnes
Whale Alert App
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Tue, Oct 5 - Central Puget Sound
11:30 - [beluga] This whale was swimming around the shipyard in Bremerton at 11:30 this morning.
Becky Smith
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photo & screenshots from video via Becky Smith - October 5, 2021 |
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~09:30 - [beluga] Me and 2 other coworkers saw this earlier today at 9:30ish AM. At Puget sound naval shipyard. [Follow up to request for higher resolution video]: unfortunately the video I have is what I got, sorry. We're not allowed camera phones inside the main work areas at the yard so all I got is what I got sent to me by the Port Operation guys.
Daniel Hattis
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~09:30 - ...photo I received last night of the beluga whale when it was spotted in between Piers C & B at Bremerton yesterday (10/5/2021) morning (~0930). First sighting to the tower was reported by a small craft boat off the Nimitz.
The tower is currently notified of the importance of real time reporting of this animal, and will call me directly/immediately if any more sightings are called in.
Julia Stockton, Temporary Bremerton Environmental Supervisor, Biologist/Game Warden, Naval Base Kitsap - Bremerton, Certified Natural Resources Professional
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Mon, Oct 4 - Central Puget Sound/Alki
17:15-17:30 - Today off a barge parked near Heko Services between Salty’s and the Jack Block pier. Was just sent these pictures of what looks like the beluga. This was in Elliott Bay this evening!! My friend's friends were kayaking and saw it.
Kersti Muul
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photos by Shannon Felix - October 4, 2021 |
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Sun, Oct 3 - Point Defiance
12:00 - We saw this guy in Commencement Bay, Tacoma, Washington. Any ideas? Looks like a Beluga whale to me. Location: Around LAT 47.287264 LONG -122.426447. [beluga confirmed by multiple researchers from Jason’s video]
Jason Rogers
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~09:00 - We saw what looked like an albino dolphin or small whale on Sunday in front of Point Defiance while we were fishing. Didn't get a pic or video of it but it was completely white. I fish out there every day and have never seen anything like it before. Any idea what it might have been? My buddy thinks it was a beluga but I can’t imagine they would be this far south. [beluga in Commencement Bay on 10-3 confirmed by multiple researchers from video by Jason Rogers sent to Orca Network]
follow-up - There was a grain ship anchored off the slag pile and it was just north of that. Mid-morning around 9am probably. [Gabe’s map indicates location out from the Tacoma Yacht Club] [Gabe’s sighting is not photo/video confirmed but probable due to proximity to Jason Rogers' confirmed sighting the same day]
Gabe Miller
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Tue, Oct 6 - Central Puget Sound/Alki
~18:00 - [unconfirmed beluga] Saw it yesterday off of Alki in front of my house at around 6 pm. It was seen by others and it was heading towards Jack Block Park. it was Tuesday evening around sunset. I live on 1300 block of Alki. It was heading towards Seattle. I typically sit on my balcony at sunset. And noticed a different kind of movement.
Denise Kintz
Sun, Oct 3 - South Puget Sound
~12:30 - I am a frequent Hale Passage kayaker. My partner and I sit out in the mouth of Wollochet area for long periods of time because we love the blackfin porpoise. On Sunday around 1230pm I looked east between Pt. Fosdick and Fox Pt. and saw 4-6 large blackish fins. Moving south. Then at least 2 headed to Zees Reef area. Not porpoise. I was too far away to positively identify them. They were big and not blackfin shaped. I can spot blackfin porpoise from a long distance on a good day. I think orca, but not positive.
lawest17
Sun, Oct 3 - South Puget Sound
Did anyone spot a beluga in the sound in the south end of Fox Island on Sunday?? I couldn't for the life of me figure out what I was seeing. I saw a bulbous figure come up and back down quickly, similar to seal feeding behavior. What confused me was the coloring. It was very light in color, almost a peachy/blonde hue. Too light in coloring to be a sea lion and too big to be a seal. [unconfirmed]
Dannyn Kaczmarek-Dybdahl
Sat, Oct 2 - South Puget Sound
We saw it [beluga] Saturday in Chambers Bay. 80% confident. Heading south toward Steilacoom. [unconfirmed]
Lynne Dickson
Sun, Sept 26; Tue, Sept 28; & Sat, Oct 2 - Admiralty Inlet
Tara Klein follow-up:
Oct 4: While I would love to have spotted orcas, I have studied life sciences and I know that it is far more likely that what I was sure were orcas were probably harbor porpoises. They are far more common, and the frequency with which I am seeing them suggests they are more plentiful than orcas.
Oct 2: I am less certain about the first sighting, but on the 28th and today [Oct 2], I saw what appeared to be the dorsal or tail fins, and the curved, black, backs of what I believed to be orcas. I suppose they could have been dolphins, but they appeared to be very dark black, and I’m not sure I would have been able to spot creatures as small as dolphins from this distance.
I can’t possibly be sure that what I saw were orcas; even with a high-power spotting scope, the distance is such that I was unable to see much detail. However, they were very black, and the length of the backs as they broke the surface seemed inconsistent with smaller marine mammals.
I just want to know what I spotted (and I now believe they MUST have been smaller cetaceans. What I DON’T want is to misreport, as this does nobody any good and can actually cause harm.
Oct 2:
18:11 - Within the last 5 minutes, I watched what had to be a marine mammal swimming south. I called my husband to come and see it and he saw the same thing that I did…a black back and fin or tail.
~11:50-12:05 - I spotted at least 3 orcas swimming south around the same area in which I had spotted the others I reported. I think there were more, but my field of vision is relatively small, so I only count those whose dorsal fins I’ve seen above the water at the same time. Amazing!
Tara Klein
Sept 28:
~16:25 - Earlier this morning, I left a voice message on your “spotter” line, sharing that I had seen multiple Orcas from my home in Ledgewood Beach (Coupeville). I am writing to tell you that over the last 10 or so minutes (beginning around 16:25) I spotted several Orcas swimming in the ocean near Ledgewood Beach. I’m not sure how many I sighted; I can say for certain that I saw the fins of two different orcas swimming alongside one another.
P.S. I want to clarify that I am watching them through a high-quality Leica spotting scope, so I am absolutely certain that what I have been seeing are not artifacts, ducks, or wavelets. After writing the first email, I went back and began watching again, and I can confirm that I saw 3 separate orcas in the same area. From my vantage point, they seemed to be swimming back and forth from north to south in the same relatively small area.
Tara Klein
Tara Klein, new to Ledgewood, Whidbey neighborhood in April, and lifelong lover of orcas called on Tuesday 09/28 with two orca sightings. They have view facing Port Townsend and she reports 2 days ago (Tue, 09/26) first seeing large black dot, then animal breached so she could confirm orca. Did not see any additional individuals. Then this morning (Thu, 09/28) in same area, she saw black bodies, one swimming and undulating. Thinks she saw 3 individuals based on distance and surface behavior. Direction most likely north. Orcas were closer to Ledgewood than to either Keystone or Port Townsend.
Sun, Sep 26 - B.C. Gulf Islands
13:00 - We saw this same type of whale [beluga] in the mouth of Samsum Narrows a week or so ago ….it was 1pm Sunday 26th September. It surfaced and blew 4 times near us. Heading from mouth of Cowichan Bay, BC towards southern tip of Saltspring Island. [unconfirmed]
Lana M (tagged Susanne Almberg)
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ABOUT ORCA NETWORK/QUICK LINKS |
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Orca Network is a 501 c3 nonprofit organization, dedicated to raising awareness about the whales of the Pacific Northwest, and the importance of providing them healthy and safe habitats.
Orca Network's Whale Sighting Network involves citizens in helping researchers track the movement of whales, and encourages people to observe whales from their homes, businesses, ferries, and shorelines.
Whale reports are sent in to our Sighting Network and emailed out to researchers, agencies, and citizens on our network, and posted on our website (MAP of sightings also on website) and social media pages. Whale reports and observations are sent in by a variety of sources, and while we do our best to obtain accurate species and individual IDs, Orca Network does not guarantee the accuracy of any report or whale identification.
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Report Sightings to Orca Network:
- Call 1-866-ORCANET (1-866-672-2639)
- Email [email protected]
- Post to our Facebook page
- Please include: Date/Time - Species (describe if unknown) - # of Animals - Location of Cetacean(s) - Direction of Travel - Behaviors
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Visit Orca Network's Langley Whale Center - Whidbey Island:
- Location: 105 Anthes Ave, Langley, WA 98260
- Telephone: 1-360-221-7505
- Hours: Please call for weekly days/hours during the pandemic.
- Museum: Exhibits - Specimens - Educational Materials - Lending Library - Movies to view
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Be Whale Wise:
All marine mammals are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Killer whales have special protection in Canadian and U.S. waters. Be sure to educate yourself about current protections, including regulations with specific distances and recommendations for viewing killer whales. The rules apply to all types of watercraft, including motor boats, sail boats, kayaks, and paddle boards in Washington State.
Report Harassment of Whales:
- In WA/US waters call NOAA Enforcement: 1-800-853-1964
- In CANADIAN waters call DFO Violations Hotline: 1-800-465-4336
(Include watercraft name, registration #, description, and photos/video when possible)
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