JULY 17, 2009 MORNING Humpback whale in the Strait of Juan De Fuca

Departure time: 1003

Vessel: Five Star Charter's Fastcat

Looking at Mount Olympus in the Olympic Mountains through the Elwha River Valley

Sighting #1: Humpback whale (Balaenopter acutorostrata)

Time: 1118
Location: 3 miles south of Becher Bay, Vancouver Island

Behaviour: milling

Links

American Cetacean Society humpback whale fact sheet

Center for Whale Research online humpback catalogue of humpbacks seen in the Salish Sea

Department of Fisheries and Oceans humpback catalogue

The humpback whale's tail...you can see it is mostly dark underneath. These features are used to identify individual whales

Above 2 photos: a nice look at the two blowholes that baleen whales have. All toothed whales only have one blowhole

Here you can clearly see the 'tubercles' on the whales head. These are believed to be important for sensing the environment, like whiskers

Whale watching and fishing! Nice catch!

Above 2 photos: adult bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) sitting on the post at Haystock Island

Sighting #2 Harbour Seals (Phoca vitulina)

Time: 1306 Location: Haystock Island, Witty's Lagoon

Behaviour: hauled out and swimming

Links
Vancouver Aquarium harbour seal fact page

Above 3 photos: harbour seals hauled out at Haystock Island with Mount Olympus, Olympic Mountains behind

Juvenile bald eagle sitting above the nest at Albert Head

SIMPLE WAYS TO HELP SAVE THE WHALES AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT

To learn some ways how you can help save the whales and the oceans they live in see the Whale Nerds Unite blogpost for June 27, 2009!

JULY 10, 2009 EVENING a Birthday salmon for Shamus and L pod at Salmon Bank!

Above 2 photos: the Birthday boy, Shamus, caught himself a nice 22 lb salmon right outside the harbour this afternoon!

Departure time: 1835

Vessel: Five Star Charter's Fastcat

Sighting #1: Southern 'Resident' fish eating killer whales (Orcinus orca)

Time: 1930 - 2055

Start location: Salmon Bank, Haro Strait, Washington

Behaviour: travelling, milling and spread out

End location: near Cattle Point, San Juan Island
Individuals identified: L pod - L12, L79, L89, L22, L41, L55, L106, L85, L92, L90, L83, L110, L47, L53, L7

Links
Center for Whale Research killer whale fact page, photo ID and matrilines

Orca Adoption Program at Friday Harbour Whale Museum

Orcasound online hydrophone network

Orca Sightings Network

American Cetacean Society fact sheet

L89, Solstice, a 13 year old 'sprouting' (maturing) male killer whale

L12, Alexis, a female estimated to be born in 1933

L55, Nugget, a 32 year old female with L109, Takoda her 2 year old son

L79, Skana (20 years) with his mom L22, Spirit (38 years) and younger brother L89, Solstice (16 years)

L79, Skana

L85, Mystery, an 18 year old male

Sighting #2: Minke whales (Balaenopter acutorostrata)

Time: First sighting at 2010, second sighting of at least 2 whales at 2020

Location: near Salmon Bank, Haro Strait, Washington waters

Behaviour: milling and foraging

Links

American Cetacean Society minke whale fact sheet

Minke whale!

And more photos of the killer whales...

Whales coming south with South Beach, San Juan Island in the background

L92, Crewser, a 14 year old 'sprouting' (maturing) male...he's getting huge! He's travelling with a female from L pod

Mount Baker, Washington State

SIMPLE WAYS TO HELP SAVE THE WHALES AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT
To learn some ways how you can help save the whales and the oceans they live in see the Whale Nerds Unite blogpost for June 27, 2009!