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Multiple Transient Orca Encounters

6/30/2016

Though the salmon eating southern residents have been away due to the insufficient amount of Fraser River Chinook/King salmon, marine mammal eating transient orcas have been in the area nearly every day of June. I had encounters with them on June 24th, 25th, 26th, and the 28th. However, before we get into those encounters, let’s talk about why the residents are not here some more.

This summer in particular has been very hard for the southern residents. Much like the summer of 2013, Fraser River Chinook numbers are so far very low and that means that J, K, and L pod have spent a dramatically less amount of time in the inland waters than they normally would. Hopefully they are finding enough Chinook to support them for a bit wherever they are. Since January of 2016 and as of yesterday (June 29th), there have only been 76 Chinook counted up at the Fraser River. That is not enough to support the 83+- residents, who each 18-25 Chinook a day to survive. While we all miss the residents very much, the best thing for their health is to stay away from here until there is enough Chinook or else they would waste away here. You can find the daily Fraser River Chinook test fishery numbers here.

The biggest threat to the southern residents is lack of Chinook salmon. The population will not be able to grow while their food is limited. Anything that helps improve Chinook runs in the inland waters as well as off the outer coast will in turn help save J, K, and L pod. Here are some websites with more information and how to help:

http://www.whaleresearch.com/#!about-salmon/cjla
https://www.salmonsafe.org/livewell/help-wild-salmon
https://srkwcsi.org/
http://damsense.org/
http://www.wildorca.org/?page_id=3047
http://www.orcasalmonalliance.org/about.html
http://www.seafoodwatch.org/seafood-recommendations

Ok, now back to the transients. Aboard a Pelagic of Deer Harbor Charters that was chartered by Maya’s Legacy Whale Watching on June 24th, we left Friday Harbor and headed a short distance down to lower San Juan Channel where we came upon lone male T124C and juvenile T73A2 heading up the channel together. Trailing behind them were the rest of the T73As (T73A, T73A1, and T73A3). As the Ts neared Turn Island, T72A2 dropped back to his family and T124C aimed for Shaw Island and disappeared.

The T73As then continued up San Juan Channel. They even traveled between Brown and San Juan Island and were right in front of the ferry dock in Friday Harbor. People standing on the docks, in town, and on the departing seaplane were able to see the family of four as they passed through. It is very rare for Ts to go inside of Brown Island and all the way into Friday Harbor so this was a very exciting moment! The Ts continued on, hugging the shoreline of the Friday Harbor labs. They stayed in resting/travel mode for most of their way up San Juan Channel, except for when T73A2 caught a harbor seal. We left them as they neared Spieden Island.

T124C in San Juan Channel.

Sprouter male T73A1 near Turn Island.

Aboard the Odyssey of San Juan Excursions on June 25th, I got my first ever real good looks at the T123s. The T123s (T123, T123A, and T123C) are common in the Salish Sea but for some reason I had only seen them back in 2011 from very far away near Orcas Island. During this encounter, we were in Boundary Pass near Waldron Island. They were in a slow travel mode with T123 and her daughter T123C off on their own and son T123A paralleling them a few hundred yards away. T123 and T123C may have made a kill at one point as T123 spy hopped and both were rolling around at the surface. Once they were past Sandy Point, the three met up and turned toward Pender Island. On their next surfacing they were pointed back up Boundary Pass and that is where we left them.

T123A in Boundary Pass.

On June 26th, the Odyssey was back with the T123s in Boundary Pass but two matrilines called the T36As and T75Bs had joined them. We got on scene with them off Monarch Head as nine of them headed up the Saturna Island shoreline. No obvious kills were made while we were with them. As they neared East Point, tidal action increased and the orcas picked up the pace and pushed against the currents. We left them a little past East Point as they slowed back down and seemed to be deciding where to go next.

T36A1, T75B2, T123, T36A3, and T36A.

On June 28th, Dave Ellifrit and I went out under permit to see a huge group of transients in party mode and that encounter is now up on the Center for Whale Research blog.

Please do not use my photos without my permission. Just ask

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Ls Return On 6/18/16

6/20/2016

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On the morning June 18th, almost all of L pod was reported inbound in Juan De Fuca Strait and headed for San Juan Island. J, K, and L pod had all been absent in the inland waters since June 11th when they would normally be around for quite a bit of June. With the Fraser River unable to support them with an adequate amount of Chinook salmon at this time, their visit would be a quick one. While I miss the southern resident orcas very much while they are away during times like this, I know that them not being here is the best thing for them. They are likely to find some food off the outer coast that can help sustain them while the Fraser River hopefully improves.

By late afternoon, Ls had made it to the west side of San Juan Island. They headed up island a little before they turned around north of Lime Kiln State Park and slowly headed down island, pushing against the incoming tide. From the park’s shoreline, I could see members of the L4, L26, L43, and L47 matrilines, and knew that the L54s were also around somewhere, likely doing their own thing. Some of the orcas were inshore, while others were offshore. Interestingly, many of them were in a breachy mood, with Kasatka L82 breaching the most out of everyone. Marina L47, Racer L72, and Finn L116 were also breaching.

Kasatka L82 breaches close to shore off Lime Kiln State Park.

A little later in the afternoon, I caught back up with the Ls from a beach near my house as they slowly continued down island with some occasional milling. Kasatka L82, Finn L116, and others were still breaching and doing other above water behaviors. Many of the orcas were far offshore now, but most of the L47s, Kasatka L82, and Finn L116 were closer to shore. I watched as they disappeared into the distance and listened as their blows became inaudible. The next day, the Ls were all outbound for the open ocean in Juan De Fuca Strait. They had poked their heads in, checked out the salmon situation, and then headed back out.

L122 with his mother Muncher L91.

While the southern residents have been away, marine mammal eating transient orcas have been roaming the inland waters quite a bit, as well as an amazing amount of humpback whales. Though the inland waters have been graced by the southern residents less than usual this summer so far, these waters are not empty.

Please do not use my photos without my permission. Just ask.

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T46s And T73As On 6/17/16

6/18/2016

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Aboard the Odyssey of San Juan Excursions on June 17th, we left Friday Harbor, motored down San Juan Channel, out Cattle Pass, and into Haro Strait. Shortly after, we met up with two marine mammal eating transient orca matrilines known as the T46s and T73As. They were off of Pile Point and headed up island. T46, T122, T46D, T46F, T73A, T73A2, and T73A3 made up one group, while T46E and T73A1 trailed behind or paralleled the others for some male bonding time. T73A1's dorsal fin has grown taller so he is definitely a sprouter male now! Is sixteen year old T46D a male though? We might need to wait just a few more years to answer that question. Everyone was in travel mode and did not make any obvious kills while we were with them.

Matriarchs T46 and T73A.

Sprouter males T46E and T73A1.

Matriarch T46.

We left the nine transient orcas as they passed Andrews Bay. It’s interesting that the T46s were around this time last year too, but a little earlier, on June 9th. The T73As were also around this time last year, but a little later, on June 22nd. Good timing guys!

Please do not use my photos without my permission. Just ask.

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First Orca Encounters Of Summer 2016

6/17/2016

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I arrived back home on the island for summer break on the morning of June 9th, and just a few hours later, I was standing on the shoreline watching salmon eating southern resident orcas head down island from Lime Kiln State Park. It was some of J pod and the K16s. Opus K16 came closest to shore, while Cappuccino K21 was the furthest individual from shore. Princess Angeline J17 was in the lead with her daughter J53 and son Moby J44. In order of my photos, next in the procession were Shachi J19, Slick J16, Scarlet J50, Echo J42, Eclipse J41, Nova J51, Mike J26, Tahlequah J35, Cappuccino K21, Alki J36, Sonic J52, Opus K16, Sonata K35, Doublestuf J34, Oreo J22, Tsuchi J31, Polaris J28, J54, and Star J46. Somewhere out there was Blackberry J27, Cookie J38, and Mako J39 too I bet, perhaps even further offshore then Cappuccino K21.

Opus K16 surfaces close to shore at Lime Kiln State Park.

Later that evening, the J14s, K12s, K14s, and Onyx L87 came in from Juan De Fuca Strait, met up with the other Js and Ks and they all headed north to check on the salmon situation at the Fraser River. On the 10th, J pod, the K12s, K14s, and K16s made their way back down from the Fraser and were outbound in the Strait of Juan De Fuca on the 11th. Some Ls were also in the strait at that time and they met up with Js and Ks and then everyone continued for the open ocean.

Since the 11th, the southern residents have been absent from the inland waters when they would normally be in for quite a bit of the time. While I do miss them very much, I know that the best thing for J, K, and L pod right now is for them to be out in the open ocean and not in the inland waters. The Fraser River cannot support them right now but perhaps salmon runs off the outer coast can.

On the evening of June 16th, I looked out my front window near False Bay to see the T101s approaching. They had been working their way towards San Juan Island all day after first being spotted near Sooke in Juan De Fuca Strait. Once they were off the mouth of False Bay, the family of four marine mammal eating transient orcas turned and headed up island. I watched from a beach near my house as they all popped up very close to shore in a tight group.

T101 and her son T102.

From there, I drove up island to Land Bank and saw them for a few surfacings. T101 and T102 were further offshore now while T101A and T101B were still close to shore. I then drove to Lime Kiln State Park further up island again to see them one more time as they passed by. T101 and T102 had moved even further offshore while T101A and T101B still remained closer to shore.

There have been a lot of transients around this summer so far. While it is always great to see them, one has to wonder if the southern residents are OK, wherever they are.

Please do not use my photos without my permission. Just ask.

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Multiple Transient Orca Encounters

Ls Return On 6/18/16

T46s And T73As On 6/17/16

First Orca Encounters Of Summer 2016

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