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Active J And K Pod Members On 8/29/14

8/29/2014

On the morning of the 28th, Group A of J pod (including the J22's) and all of K pod (minus K16, K21, and K35, who are off with Group B and L pod) were back at San Juan Island after their trip to Campbell River and did their "West side shuffle" all day long. Although Group B (including L87), K16, K21, K35 and some L's returned to San Juan Island on the 27th, I believe they (maybe including L87 again) left that night or sometime the next day. I'm not sure where the J16's fit in to all of this, but they supposedly went North to Campbell River with the others.

It should be noted that two Transient orca matrilines known as the T037A's and T137's were also around San Juan Island on the 28th and were within a few miles or less of the Resident orcas at certain times, but they did not interact of course. The T018's, T034's, T036A's, T065A's, T101's, and T124's have all been seen around the area recently too.

On the morning of the 29th, I could see the Resident orcas heading North past my house. Soon after, the orcas turned around and headed back South. Classic "West side Shuffle" again, which they continued to do into the night. So, aboard the Odyssey of San Juan Excursions on the 29th, we headed for the South end of San Juan island. When we arrived on scene with the orcas, I identified the J14's, J22's, K12's, K13's and K14's. I did not J16's, but they could have been there. I found out later that the J19's were there too but I didn't see them. The orcas were all being quite social and there were many spy hops, back dives, tail slaps, inverted tail slaps, pectoral fin slaps, and dorsal fin slaps, along with a few breaches, cartwheels, and flirtations. Adult male Lobo K26 surprised us with a close pass by and so did sprouter male Cookie J38, who blew a raspberry and slapped his pectoral fin twice before swimming past us.

Adult male Lobo K26 passes the Odyssey. He was born in 1993.

Adult male Scoter K25, born in 1991, tail slaps.

Adult female Spock K20 breaches high into the air. She was born in 1986.

Sprouter male Cookie J38 in mid pectoral fin slap after blowing a raspberry. He was born in 2003.

Saturna K43 spy hops. She was born in 2010.

Oreo J22, born in 1985, spy hops.

As we were heading back to the dock, we were lucky enough to spot a few Dall's porpoise as they surfaced to breathe! I think they were my first Dall's porpoise aboard the Odyssey this season. Here's hoping they eventually return to being plentiful in the area like they once were years ago.

Which orcas will I see next?

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Resident Orcas From 8/19/14 T0 8/27/14

8/27/2014

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I've got some catching up to do! On the 19th, J and K pod headed North up the West side of San Juan Island for the Fraser River in Canada, a good place to hunt for salmon. Accompanying them, especially the K12's, was the Pacific white sided dolphin that has seemingly adopted the resident orcas. While J and K pod swam North, all of L pod (minus the L12's) kept to San Juan Island, shuffling up and down the West side and South end.

The next day, J and K pod were at the Fraser River but began to make their way back South again. L pod started to head for the open ocean through the Strait of Juan De Fuca but then the orcas changed their minds and turned around, aiming back for San Juan Island. On the 21st, J pod was back at the Fraser, while K pod had split off from J and returned to San Juan Island. L pod then decided to officially leave for the open ocean.

The next morning, J pod was not at the Fraser, but in Swanson Channel, headed right back to the Fraser. However, that night, the pod turned around again and headed South. On the morning of the 23rd, J pod was headed out the Strait of Juan De Fuca for the open ocean but the orcas turned around and were back at San Juan Island a few hours before sunset. That evening, I headed to some cliffs near my house to see the orcas as they socialized and hunted for salmon along the coast line. Two females named Alki J36 and Tsuchi J31 were closest to me, while Rhapsody J32 was a little further out, breaching occasionally, and Mike J26 was really far offshore. At one point Alki did a big spy hop.

Alki J36 spy hops. She was born in 1999.

On the 24th, I spent almost my entire day watching the orcas from shore. At about eight in the morning, I heard loud exhales as the orcas headed South past the house. At twelve, I saw Group A of J pod (plus the J22's, minus J16's and L87) and nearly all of K pod (just missing the K21 crew) swim North past the house in a big resting line. But where was Group B of J pod, the J16's or L87? Soon after, I watched the same orcas from Lime Kiln State Park for about an hour as they continued North. In the lead was matriarch Granny J2, born around 1911.

Granny J2 in the lead!

At around four, I returned to Lime Kiln and saw Group B (including the J16's and L87), the K21 crew, AND L pod (probably minus the L12's and L54's) swim North. Had L pod come in the night before?? Then, the orcas then all turned around and came back South, except for Group A of J pod and K pod. They were headed for the Fraser River.

One unfortunate thing happened during this Lime Kiln encounter: the behavior from private boaters and purse seiners was pretty bad. Nearly every vessel literally drove right over/through the orcas at a good speed or was within the 200 yard restriction, which applies to all vessels (including kayaks). Whether the operators knew the laws or not, who knows. Luckily, no J, K, or L pod member was harmed. I hope that next time these people are on the water, they view the orcas from the correct and respectful distance. To learn more about how to watch the orcas respectfully out on the water, click here.

Towards the end of the encounter, the J17's and L47's came right up to the shoreline and played in the kelp just a few feet away. I returned home a few minutes before seven and had ended up seeing around sixty four of the seventy eight Southern Resident orcas.

Princess Angeline J17, born in 1977, spy hops as a private boater approaches at speed (just out of frame).

Notch J47, born in 2010, dives as a private boater comes close to driving right over him.

Mystic L115, born in 2010, pokes his head out of the water close to shore.

Marina L47, born in 1974, tail slaps while playing with kelp, which is wrapped around her dorsal fin.

Marina with kelp wrapped around her dorsal fin.

Polaris J28, born in 1993, surfaces close to shore.

On the 25th, Group B of J pod (plus L87) and L pod left for the open ocean, while Group A of J pod (plus the J22's and maybe the J16's) and K pod stayed far North. The next day, Group A and K pod were surprisingly even further North, all the way up near Campbell River in Canada. However, they were headed South and could reappear around San Juan Island during the next few days. On the 27th, Group B of J pod (plus L87) and L pod (probably minus the L12's and L54's) returned to San Jan Island. Back on the cliffs near my house I could see the J17's and L43's foraging and socializing together. At one point, sprouter male Nigel L95 was showing off his sea snake to Polaris J28!

This is the second time that Onyx L87 has split from Group A and traveled with other Southern Resident matrilines. I wonder if this will turn into a regular thing for him?

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Transient And Resident Orcas From 8/16/14 To 8/18/14

8/18/2014

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On the morning of the 16th, the Odyssey of San Juan Excursions had an early morning charter. Heading South, we arrived at Salmon Bank where we found a minke whale named Trotsky II. After watching Trotsky for a few minutes, we got a call that orcas had been sighted not too far away. Off we went and came upon two marine mammal eating Transient orca matrilines known as the T036A's and T037's as they had some brunch. We even heard them talking to each other with our underwater hydrophone!

Trotsky II, my favorite minke whale!

T037A, born in 1994, does an aerial scan.

T036A, born in 1990. Blood from prey can be seen in the water beside her.

One of the T037 or T036A kids spy hops.

On our afternoon trip, we caught up with Group A of J pod (including the J16's) as they traveled North up the West side of San Juan Island for the Fraser River. Accompanying them was a lone Pacific white sided dolphin (also known as a lag). The lag harassed one orca in particular, adult male Onyx L87. Onyx didn't much like the lag buzzing around his head, and first tried ignoring it, and then eventually started porpoising (speed swimming) away. However, he couldn't shake the lag until she/she decided to approach the whale watching boats for some bow riding.

The lag surfaces in front of a diving Onyx.

On the 17th, Group A of J pod slowly made their way down from the Fraser River and didn't make it back to San Juan Island until the next day, just in time to welcome K pod, L pod, and the rest of J pod back into the area, They had returned some time early in the morning or late the night before. Out on the Odyssey, we met up with the superpod as the orcas slowly made their way North along San Juan Island, resting along the way. I have never seen such a calm and collected superpod! Maybe they had partied the night before and were completely exhausted by morning. I identified the members from the J11, J22, K12, K13, L4, L43, and L47 matrilines but I'm sure there were more matrilines around. Later on, I heard that the L12's and L54's were seen heading West, exiting the area. I should also note that a lag sighted in vicinity of the superpod on this day, maybe the same lone one that keeps associating with the Residents. Maybe he/she will be adopted??

Family portrait of the K13 matriline!

Adult male Blackberry J27, born in 1991.

Sprouter male Nigel L95, born in 1996.

Will the superpod still be around tomorrow, and when will the L12's and L54's be back? We'll just have to wait and see!

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Resident Orcas From 8/12/14 To 8/15/14

8/15/2014

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On the 12th, we headed to limits of our range on the Odyssey of San Juan Excursions to see a Southern Resident orca matriline known as the J16's. The family of four (Slick J16, and her three offspring; Mike J26, Alki J36, and Echo J42) were over near the Whidbey Island Naval Air Station for some reason, possibly foraging for salmon. I thought they would be scared away by all of the aircraft that were flying low above them, but the orcas stayed in the area for a few hours before swimming over to San Juan Island

The next day, the J16's joined up with Group A of J pod (and the K14's?) to the North up in Canada and together they headed down Boundary Pass for San Juan. Aboard the Odyssey, we saw some occasional porpoising from Hy'shqa J37 and her son Ti'lem I'nges J49, while Onyx L87 did a cartwheel, dorsal fin slap, and tail slap. Towards the end of our encounter, we joined the J16's as they brought up the rear of Group A. As they slowly passed a fog covered Stuart Island, I was reminded of the stronger and healthier Northern Resident orcas up at the North end of Vancouver Island and my encounters with them last summer. I hope to see the Northern Residents again one of these days. I was then reminded that they have had a few new babies over these last few years, as well as the Transient orcas, while our Southern Residents haven't had a surviving calf since August of 2012. . .and with less than eighty Southern Residents left as they continue to loose individuals and gain zero babies, we need seriously some new calves.

Hy'shqa J37, born in 2001, porpoises along.

Granny J2, born around 1911. She is presumed to be great grandmother to Hy'shqa.

Onyx L87, born in 1992. Looking for a mother figure, he travels closely with Granny.

Mike J26, born in 1991, travels past a foggy Stuart Island.

Slick J16, born around 1972, passes the Turn Point light house on Stuart Island.

On the 14th, fog engulfed San Juan Island, concealing Group A of J pod. It wasn't until later that evening that the orcas were sighted as they headed North for the Fraser River, and apparently the J16's and K14's were no where to be seen. They could have exited the area or were just off somewhere else around the islands. They are both pretty independent matrilines. On the 15th, the Group A was headed back down to San Juan Island from the Fraser River. Where will they pop up next?

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Crazy Cetacean Encounters On 8/11/14

8/14/2014

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Reports started early in the morning on the 11th. Resident orcas were at the South end of San Juan Island, more Resident orcas were coming down Boundary Pass aiming for the island, and even more Residents were coming down Rosario Strait. Three humpback whales were also in the mix, right off the West side of San Juan Island. Aboard the Odyssey of San Juan Excursions, we headed for the North end of the island to where all of the Resident orcas had made it to, except for the Rosario Strait bunch. As we were just about on scene with the orcas, we stumbled upon the humpbacks, who had now also made it to the North end. A mom and calf were off in the distance while another was closer to us. We watched the lone humpback for a little bit as the whale breathed, gracefully arched its back, raised its tail flukes into the air and dove, re-surfacing a few minutes later each time. We then headed off to see the orcas.

We first came upon Granny J2 (born around 1911) and her right hand man, Onyx L87 (born in 1992). The two were in the lead, followed by the J16's. Continuing on, we could see a big group of orcas just off of Sung Harbor. It the L12's, L22's, J4's J14's, J22's, and the rest of the J16's (maybe even more?) in a big cuddle puddle. Spy hops, breaches, aerial scans, pectoral fin slaps, and tail slaps occurred throughout our encounter as the orcas socialized and played together. For some reason, maybe because he was really happy about the gathering, sprouter male Doublestuf J34 (born in 1998) kept darting and circling in/around the group at high speed. He even did a half breach!

Doublestuf does his half breach while quickly darting and circling around the group.

Calypso L94, born in 1995, spy hops.

Cookie J38, born in 2003, spy hops beside Eclipse J41, born in 2005.

Cuddle puddle!

Joy L119 (the orca I named!) spy hops next to her mom, Matia L77. Joy was born in 2012.

Shachi J19 does a big aerial scan! She was born in 1979.

As we headed back for the dock, we got a call from Goldwing, another whale watching boat. They told us that there was a Pacific white sided dolphin with them. What!!? These dolphins aren't very common in our waters and we only see them a few times a season. Goldwing approached us with the dolphin riding their bow, and paralleled our boat to let the dolphin choose which bow to ride on. Soon, the dolphin was riding our bow! He/she then switched back and forth a few times between us, occasionally jumping clear out of the water and gazing up at us from underwater. What a surprise and great ending to our trip!

Pacific white sided dolphin!

What a cutie!

A few hours before sunset, I headed for Lime Kiln State Park so see which Resident orcas had left the big group and headed South. In the lead was Ocean Sun L25, an elder female born around 1928. Close behind was Matia and Joy. Then came the rest of the L12's, as well as the J22's. For awhile there, they were all porpoising clear out of the water, seemingly trying to fight the currents and flooding tide. Rhapsody J32 breached multiple times and Matia did a big belly flop. Joy has learned a few new behaviors, including some big Transient orca style full body lunges, which she practiced many times while I sat on shore. Last to swim past were the L22's.

Rhapsody breaches close to shore. She was born in 1996.

Mega L42, born in 1977, porpoises South.

Rhapsody breaches again!

Spirit L22, born around 1971, and her son Solstice L89, born in 1993.

What an extraordinary day!!

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Resident And Transient Orcas From 8/8/14 To 8/10/14

8/14/2014

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August 8th, 2014, marked the 44th anniversary of the Penn Cove capture. During this capture in 1970, the entire Southern Resident orca community was chased into Penn Cove at Whidbey Island, WA, with speed boats, M-80 bombs, low flying planes, and purse seiners. Seven calves and juveniles were taken away from their mothers and sold to marine parks around the world. Five orcas drowned as they panicked in the nets.

The orcas sold to marine parks are as followed:

One year old male, Lil’ Nootka, died in 1971 at Sea-Arama, TX.
Two year old male, Ramu 4, died in 1971 at Marineland, AU.
Two year old male, Clovis, died in 1973 at Marineland Antibes, FR.
Two year old female, Chappy, died in 1974 Kamagawa SeaWorld, JA.
Five year old male, Jumbo, died in 1974 at Kamagawa SeaWorld, JA.
Four year old male, Winston, died in 1986 at SeaWorld San Diego, CAL.
Four year old female, Lolita*

*Since 1986, Lolita has been the only Southern Resident orca left alive in captivity out of the more than thirty five individuals that were purchased by aquariums. She remains at Miami Seaquarium in Florida, as has now spent 44 years in the same barren tank, one that holds the title of the being the smallest orca tank in the US.

It just so happened that on this anniversary, I spent time with one the orcas who had been in the capture as a juvenile but luckily for her, she was never been sold to a marine park. Her name is Ophelia L27, and she was born around 1965, so she would have been around five years old at the time of the Penn Cove capture in 1970. Early that morning, I watched J, K, and L pod frolic offshore of my house together. . .porpoising, breaching, spy hopping, cartwheeling, and tail slapping along the way. I could see Ophelia with her presumed sisters, Nugget L55 and Surprise L86, and I wondered if it was just another day for her, or she remembered that the anniversary of her capture was on this day.

The J14's porpoise past my house, along with the rest of the superpod.

Later that afternoon, aboard the Odyssey of San Juan Excursions, we caught up with the L4's, L26's, L43's, L47's and the three independent K pod members (Opus K16, Cappuccino K21, and Sonata K35) as they headed back for San Juan Island, while the rest of the superpod continued North for the Fraser River to hunt salmon. Everyone but the L12's and L54's appeared to be in. As we approached the orcas, I spotted Ophelia again, and at one point she did a big spy hop!

Ophelia L27 spy hops on the anniversary of her capture.

That night, Ophelia and the rest of L pod left the area. The next day, J and K pod began their journey back down from the Fraser River to San Juan Island. I believe that K pod continued down while J pod eventually turned around and headed back to the river. While J's and K's were doing that, the Odyssey had Transient orcas right outside the harbor! It was the T018's, my favorite Transient orca matriline! The family is made up T018, her probable daughter T019, and T019's two sprouter sons; T019B (AKA Floppy Fin) and T019C. We observed them continually hunting harbor seals and I think they ate least three of them. As the four orcas swam up San Juan Channel, they checked all the reefs where seals haul out. When they hit their second reef, the four worked together to scare the harbor seals into the water and a lot of chasing ensued. Afterwords, I saw T019C carrying part of a seal in his mouth. The next few reefs also seemed to yield more lunch. At the end of our encounter, we left the T018's at Yellow Island, celebrating another kill with spy hops and tail slaps.

T019 at the second reef, harbor seals can be seen hauled out on the end.

T019B (Floppy Fin)and T019C. Floppy Fin is the reason I love this matriline so much.

The next day, August 10th, the L12's returned to San Juan Island, and so did the the rest of L pod (minus the L54's). The L12's foraged for salmon all day around Eagle Point at San Juan Island, while K and L pod went North. J pod remained up at the Fraser River. The next day would be absolutely extraordinary!

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Another Amazing Transient Encounter On 8/7/14

8/8/2014

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August seems to be the month of extraordinary marine mammal eating Transient orca encounters, and this one makes it into my top five Transient encounters of all time. But, just like my last post, let me catch you up on what the Southern Residents have been doing before we jump into this encounter.

On August 2nd, Group A of J pod and the K14's were out West in the Strait of Juan De Fuca with Group B of J pod. For awhile, they were all headed for San Juan but then Group B turned around and exited the area while Group A and the K14's returned to San Juan Island by sunset. The next day, Group A and the K14's were up at the Fraser River in BC and stayed there all day, hopefully feeding on salmon. On the 4th, they were back at San Juan and did their "West side shuffling". That evening, many Southern Residents were headed for San Juan Island, and it looked like there would a superpod in the morning. Instead, all the Residents left, returning as a superpod (minus the L12's and L54's) on the morning of the 7th.

That same day the superpod of Residents arrived, the Odyssey of San Juan Excursions met up with another superpod; one of Transient orcas! Socializing and traveling together, four different matrilines known as the T034's, T036B's, T037's (just the B's?), and T099's continually made kills and celebrated the entire time we were with them. They had gathered in a part of Rosario Strait where Orcas, Blakely, Cypress and Lummi Island loomed up on all sides of us. I find the location one of the most beautiful places in area.

Fog lifts as one of the juveniles from the four matrilines breaches!

Another juvenile swims upside down at the surface.

Full.

Body.

Porpoising!

T037B, a female born in 1998, seemed to be chasing something for quite some time.

Big breach, maybe from T034, a female born around 1970,

Another breach from the same orca, maybe T034!

T034 cartwheels!

Double tail slap! T034 on the left, and T036 on the right. T036 was also born around 1970.

Another breach!

A juvenile does an aerial scan beside T036.

I have never seen so many Transient orcas together! What a crazy encounter!

Please don't use my photos without permission, just ask :)

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Amazing Transient Orca Encounter On 8/1/14

8/1/2014

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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!

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!

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 :)

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