Let me just start by saying that this encounter with the T037 matriline was one of my top four Transient encounters of all time. However, before we jump into the Transient encounter though, let me catch you up on what the Southern Residents have been doing. On the morning of July 30th, All of L pod, half of J pod, and almost all of K pod left for the open ocean through the Strait of Juan De Fuca, which left just Group A of J pod (including the J16's and Onyx L87) and the K14's in the area. Since then, Group A has spent a lot of time up at the Fraser River, with the K14's joining them off and on. By August 1st, both Group A and the K14's came back down from the Fraser and headed for the South end of San Juan Island. Who knows were they will be tomorrow!
Alright, back to the Transient encounter. Aboard the Odyssey of San Juan Excursions, we met up with the T034's and T037's at Sandy Point, Waldron Island. The T037 matriline is made up of T037, the matriarch, her two daughters, T037A and T037B, and her four grandchildren; T037A1, T037A2, T037A3 and T037B1. The T034's is made up of the matriarch,T034, and her probable daughter, T034A. T034 could possibly be T037's mother. Anyway, they had just killed a harbor seal and celebrated for the entire time we were with them. To top it off, we were even able to listen to them vocalize with our hydrophone. I had never heard Transients vocalize live while out on the water with them! I recorded their calls and you can listen to them here. For most of the encounter, juveniles T037A2 and T037B1 were goofing off together, and at once point, both showed their genital areas. We now know their genders!
Alright, back to the Transient encounter. Aboard the Odyssey of San Juan Excursions, we met up with the T034's and T037's at Sandy Point, Waldron Island. The T037 matriline is made up of T037, the matriarch, her two daughters, T037A and T037B, and her four grandchildren; T037A1, T037A2, T037A3 and T037B1. The T034's is made up of the matriarch,T034, and her probable daughter, T034A. T034 could possibly be T037's mother. Anyway, they had just killed a harbor seal and celebrated for the entire time we were with them. To top it off, we were even able to listen to them vocalize with our hydrophone. I had never heard Transients vocalize live while out on the water with them! I recorded their calls and you can listen to them here. For most of the encounter, juveniles T037A2 and T037B1 were goofing off together, and at once point, both showed their genital areas. We now know their genders!
T037B cartwheels. She was born in 1998.
T037B in mid belly flop!
T037A2, born in 2009, breaches!
T037A2 lunges!
T037A2 head stand!
 T037B1 is a. . .  T037A2 is a. . . |  . . .male!  . . .male! |
What an extraordinary day! Vocals, breaches (even a double breach in unison from T037A2 and T037B1), back dives, belly flops, cartwheels, tail slaps, inverted tail slaps, and we even got two genders! Wow!
Please don't use my photos without permission, just ask :)
Please don't use my photos without permission, just ask :)
