Wild Wonderful Week of Whales and Wildlife!

We are an hour into our trip on Wednesday and a call comes in from a boat near Victoria.  Two transient orca whales are spotted, and they are heading our way!  These two are whales I have not seen before, T-93 and T-97.  They are both adult male orcas and not from the same family, so they are both traveling without their mothers.

They travel up Haro Strait, and then turn and travel down Haro Strait.  They appear to be more in traveling mode than hunting mode, although I bet they are on the look out for seals, sea lions and cetaceans.

I can notice a slight difference in the shape of the two tall dorsal fins and manage, for the moment, to "tell them apart."

The Steller sea lions we find today are clustered around the rocks and I have to wonder if the ones in the water are just there awaiting a turn to push into the crowd up on the shore.

 We find an adult bald eagle away from the nest, probably on a hunting mission.  That leaves the other eagle of this nesting pair to the "nest duty."  This time of year there should be a chick or two in the nest, so who has the more difficult job description?

Thursday we have a group of students from Colorado who are spending a week on San Juan Island as part of their school's marine biology science program.  My fingers are double crossed in hopes of a whale sighting.  I know we will find lots of wildlife and this group has high interest for anything in the wildlife category.

We find three families of  Canada geese out for a daily walk.  This family has only three chicks, while the other families have six each.  I wonder if some of the goslings fell prey to the eagles that also make this island their home?

 On a submerged reef nearby I spot harbor seals hauled out...and they seem to be having a "spa afternoon" complete with kelp body wraps!

 The radio sputters to life....and...yes!  Orca whales! We are on our way!

Today we find the T-18's which is a group of four transient orca whales that travel together.  They are comprised of T-18, (who seems to be missing from the group we find, but turns up later with a group of orcas that have not been spotted here in the San Juans before) and three more whales, T-19, (female) and T-19B and T-19C, two males.  The fin on T-19B is very odd as it looks very, very different from different angles.  Take a look!

T-19B with a huge dorsal that leans and curves way back.  Now look at the same boy from the side view.

How can that be the same whale?  It is, but the dorsal leans so far over, from the side it looks short.

Here's T-19C, his brother.  This fin is more like a normal male fin.  He has a small notch out of the trailing edge of the dorsal, about 1/4 of the way down the fin.  Can you spot it?

And here's T-19, the female and the mother of these two boys.  Her dorsal has kind of a "crumply" trailing edge.  

The kids from Colorado got to see orca whales!  Thank you T-19's for putting Haro Strait on your agenda today.

We have some great sightings on Friday and Saturday too, but the orca whales are no where to be seen.  Harbor seals continue to be very "busy" resting in the most comfy poses.  I always wonder how they can look so relaxed sprawled on such bumpy rocks.  I guess the four inches of blubber surrounding their bodies makes a good cushion.

 Steller sea lions are getting ready for the long journey out to the breeding grounds.  They travel as far south as the Channel Islands, CA.  Big trip.  Big sea lions.

Eagle action does not escape us as one day we find as many as five eagles, young and old, gathered on the shore of Saturna Island, feeding on some delicious dead...something.  They even take turns...sort of.

This fourth year eagle waits a turn as one adult leaves and a second adult flys in from above.

 Take a look at the beautiful white "v" pattern on the shoulders of thejuvenile bald eagle below.

There is always so much to see out on a four hour trip.  The only thing I know for sure is, "I won't see it if I'm not there!"

What a Difference a Day Makes...

Yesterday it's the excitement of  Resident orca whales turning up with no hint of being anywhere near.  Today, the Residents are on their way back out the Strait of Juan de Fuca, 75 miles to the open Pacific...or maybe the Oregon or California shoreline?  The Residents may be out of our area, but before we are 10 minutes into our trip today, there is a sighting of Transient orcas reported by a boat to the north.

T65A family....all 5 of them!

We calculate the fastest route.  There are three route choices and all of them could be the best choice or the worst choice...it all depends on what route the whales choose!  How to predict the choice an orca will make?  That is the question.  Just think like a whale...that's all.

We choose to head north up Plumper Sound, enter Active Pass from the west side, transit to the east entrance and hope the whales are either still there or are moving south.  Half way through our transit of the pass, we look ahead to see...whale watching boats coming our way!  And...yes, the T65 family of transient orcas travels toward us too.  Look who is number two in the line up!  It's the newest member of this family, T65A5.  This little whale was first spotted in our area on March 27, 2014.

T65A5 follows mom

It definitely feels like we made the right choice, as now we turn around and follow this group of five whales back on the route we just took to get here.  What a zippy little orca mom has to contend with...24/7!

Turning past our boat and heading down the channel, these two siblings are off in race mode.  

 It almost appears to be a high speed chase...but after what?  Prey?  Or maybe each other?!

 We get a good look at all the family members, but I'm pretty sure if it was possible to do an
"applause survey"....little T65A5 would be the winner of the day.  That little whale just popped up everywhere!

Because we continue to move toward Friday Harbor the entire time we are with the orcas, we have time for a few stops on the way home.  Take a look at this magnificent adult Bald eagle...making a bit of a flap on the highest branch around!

It's always fun to spot Harbor seals as they blend into their surroundings.  What a perfect grey spotted outfit for being "one with the rock."

The Steller sea lions are so buff and big they don't depend much on "blending"....here's one that's been branded as a youngster.  I'll send this photo off to the folks who are researching the whereabouts of these massive sea lions.

Oh number 183R...where have you been lately?  We know where you are on May 10, 2014!

Here are two more of his buddies...or maybe they are not buddies...but definitely partners in crime.  Take a look at Mr. Big.. Mouth...and Head!

Yep, a game of "I Spy" you do not want to play with this fellow...especially if you are the salmon...or the octopus...or the skate...that is trying to escape...such a big mouth!

On the Water With Whales and....Deer???

We are creeping toward the warmer season here in the San Juans...way up in the NW corner of Washington state.  Being out on the water this time of year...it's anybody's guess as to what to wear (I vote for layers) to be prepared for the weather.  You just never know what you're going to experience in weather...or wildlife!  

One thing I do not expect to see today is a deer swimming across a channel, deer paddling toward shore.  (which was more of a cliff and definitely not a beach)  What first looks like a brown log bobbing in the water ahead, soon becomes a two ears and a head...and then a back...of a black tailed deer!  I know deer swim, I've just never seen one actually doing it here!

Unusual traveler in Swanson Channel

It's a quick look and a photo or two, but no time to stop really.  We are speeding up into Canada as there is a report of a large group of whales near Active Pass, but in Georgia Strait.  There have been a lot of transient orca whales frequenting local waters (and not so local)...and we assume this a group sighted yesterday.

Whoa!  Another surprise...and definitely something else I did NOT expect to see today...J POD!

Granny!  It's so good to see you!

Welcome back Southern Resident orca whales!!  This pod should have about 25 whales present if everyone made it through the winter safely.  Look who passes by!  It's J-2, also known as "Granny"!  She is our oldest living member of the entire three pods that comprise the Southern Resident orcas!  Her estimated birth year is 1911...which, do the math, means she could be 103 years young.  Gasp!

Take a close look at the trailing edge of her dorsal fin...see the half moon shape cut out?  The fin along with the shape of the white saddle patch, individually identifies her as J-2.  I want to swim along like Granny when I'm her age.

L-87 Onyx

Not far away from her is L-87, Onyx an adult male.  He has been traveling with J pod for the past several years, sticking close to the "older (and wiser) ladies" of this group.

Polaris, J-28

J-28, Polaris is present with her offspring.  This photo doesn't show the saddle patch, but take a look at the dorsal fin...there is a "tear" mid way down the dorsal.  This tear showed up a few years ago and it  is an easy way to identifiy her.  How marks  like this occur is a mystery,  and the changes in edges of dorsal fins do not "grow back" or disappear.  It will always be there.

We watch for a long time, following the whales as they travel south and west.  Luckily it's just the way we need to go.   This sunny afternoon on the water ends with a look at Steller sea lions and a smooth ride all the way back to Friday Harbor.

Oh, and all the layers of clothes I have along to be prepared for the weather...surprise, all I need today is one fleece jacket!

Make My Day...T65A! A Transient Orca Whale Family of Five!

With 13 hopeful passengers and four extra crew riding along...(a lot of my co-workers can't stand the thought of "missing something")....we leave the dock right at noon.  It's a leisurely trip up San Juan Channel.  As we stop to admire Yellow Island a group of three or more Harbor porpoise race toward us and right past the side of the boat!  Good omen?

Yes, I guess so!  News of the T-65A transient whales arrives via the marine radio. The menu for a Transient orca whale features strictly meat items like those Harbor porpoise that raced past us, or sea lions, or sometimes unlucky whales!  They have made a "kill" and are stalled out, not moving toward us exactly, but not moving away either.  Here we go!

It's a long ride across Boundary Pass, up Navy Channel, and then right through Active Pass, to Georgia Strait.  We can see Vancouver, B.C. in the distance, way across the strait.  It's still more motoring north....but two dots (whale watch boats) appear ahead of us.

The T-65A family consists of T-65A, mom, and her four off spring.  The newest member of the group is little, very little!  Fist sighted on March 27, 2014 in these waters we know this calf is at least 8 feet in length and more than 400 lbs.  The other thing we can tell by observing is...it's really active and pretty good at dashing between siblings and back to the job of following mom.

That's T65-A5 right behind mom!

There is a lot of social action taking place today and we are fortunate enough to see it.  During this encounter we witness porpoise swimming, a back breach, a few roll overs, a good cartwheel and many tail slaps.  The calf always wound up popping up around mom or siblings!

   And...here's a "peek-a-boo" from the youngest member of the family...T-65A5!  What a kid!

                       

        Hey....am I imagining that...or is there a little "whale wave goodbye" going on here?

Yes, a long run up into these northern waters to see the T65A's and guess what?  Just as long a run home....so we are on our way.  We take a little different route going south and travel down Georgia Strait to Saturna Island and East Point to one of our favorite wildlife spots: Boiling Reef.

The tide is cooperating and the reef is boiling with tidal exchange currents.  Perfect!  The Steller sea lions and Harbor seals are hauled out on the reef, but the Bonaparte's Gulls are covering the water looking for plankton and small schooling fish.

Bonaparte's Gulls

These are seasonal visitors, gracing us each Spring and Fall due to their migrational path.  Take a look at those sporty outfits!  Once the breeding season arrives they trade in relatively plain grey feathers and pale pink legs for the dashing black cap and bright orange leggings.   The birds are now on their way north to Alaska and northwestern Canada.  There they will nest in pine trees along rivers and lakes.

The Bonaparte's are the smallest of the gulls we have here, weighing a mere 7 ounces.  It's quite a sight to see 100's of them together taking a break for refueling on their long flight.  The name "Bonaparte's Gull" comes from being a name sake of a leading ornithologist of the 1800's...who was, yes, a relative of none other than Napoleon Bonaparte!  Did he wear a black cap too?  (For the birds, no pocket for a wing.)

Time to take off ourselves and continue our own migration back to Friday Harbor.....