Fly Boy lands
Two weeks, four trips, sixty passengers, twelve hours on the water and it's been WILD out there! Bald eagle sightings are averaging about 8 birds a trip and all four years of varied coloration are on the fashion runway of the San Juan Islands.
Steller sea lions, making their winter home in these waters from September to May are abundant. We spot about 30 of these magnificent 2,000 pound animals hanging out at one of the favorite haul out spots. Surprise! There are also three or more California sea lions hanging out with the "big boys!" Unusual!
Bald eagles have been out and about on each trip, high in the sky, high in the trees, low on the shore and a few spotted in the nests!
Harbor seal poses provide a lot of smiles for naturalists and passengers as well. They just look so smugly comfortable and at ease.
And then...there are the Orca whales. I have seen three different groups of Transient Orcas this April, while the Resident Orcas have been somewhere else. That's not unusual this time of year, but it is different to have so many Transient sightings on so many days. One week we had 65 different individuals here roaming through the islands. With so many Harbor seals, porpoise and sea lions...there is plenty of food and I guess the San Juans are on the T's list of approved "food establishments"!
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