Pacific coast

July 1, 2008
Michael Reppy called Orca Network at 11:15 am at Crescent City, CA, 3-4 humpbacks were milling in the harbor.


June 21, 2008
Orca Network received a call from Ed Davies, of Mendocino, CA – he was relaying a report from several people who saw orcas off Van Damme State Park – the same whales we’ve had reported to us by several people so far.


Orca Network received another report today of the orcas off Mendocino/Ft. Bragg, CA. The caller was Dennis McKiver with Calif. Fish & Game – he reported a pod of 5 or 6 orcas, including 1 adult male, a female & some younger orcas, approx. noon in Mendocino Bay, CA. He said a few hours earlier they were reported off Albion, and later in the day off Ft. Bragg. All reports had them traveling very close to shore.


We received a call tonight from Trevor Moelke, reporting a sighting of 1 orca with a large fin, as he was coming up the Washington Coast at 46 50.2N, 124 21.3W (about 10 miles west of Westport WA). He said the orca was heading north.


Orca Network received a call from Marcus Strutz & Sally Ottoson who work at the Pacific Star Winery, 3 miles south of Westport, 12 mi. north of Ft. Bragg CA, reporting 5 orcas at 7:30 pm. 1 male, 4 others, next to & very close to the rocks, heading north. The sea lions scrambled out of the water onto the jagged rocks.


At about 1300-1400 hrs, I sighted three Orcas swimming and apparently playing on the fringe of a large kelp bed near Little River State Beach and Van Damme State Park in Northern California. The state beach is about 15 miles south of Fort Bragg, CA. I was in a kayak about 1/4 to 1/2 mile off shore. One Orca appeared to be a large adult, one a juvenile and the third almost as large as the adult. The dorsal fins appeared to be 2-3 feet high. The three whales were swimming, blowing and splashing on the surface, both in and out of the kelp bed. This activity lasted about 10-15 minutes. I lost sight of the juvenile. The two larger whales broached together and exited the kelp bed with a long, single strand of bull kelp draped over each of their heads like the starting line of a race. They swam away to the south, side by side, as though leaving a starting gate. The kelp strand simultaneously slid over the head, dorsal fin and back of each whale as they arched below the surface and disappeared.
Doug Bell, Livermore, CA


Orca Network received a report report from from Travis Drasca, of 4-5 orcas, including one male, at Littleriver State Beach, 7 miles south of Mendocino CA, 2 PM. The whales, seen from shore, were 5-700 yards from shore at the mouth of the bay, heading North.


I took pictures around 11:00 am off the California coast at Elk. We were fishing for ling cod in 70-80 feet of water when we spotted the orcas. We were in between two different groups, one to the west in deeper water and the group near shore. Both groups were heading north, the inside group did make a few moves toward shore around some large wash rocks with sea lions around it.
Ryan Carner


Orca Network received a message from Mike Fitteo of Fort Bragg, CA, reporting 3 orcas ( 2 adults, 1 juve) a little south of Nooyah Harbor. They came within 20’ of his fishing boat.


June 20, 2008
At 1730 I was traveling north at location 47 11.075N 124 39.132W (about 20 miles west of Pacific Beach WA) making 7 knots off the coast of Washington when I sighted four Orcas traveling west. I could not tell male from female and could see no markings but one looked noticeably smaller than the other three. They passed astern and disappeared.
Mike


June 17, 2008
My friend sighted a group of transients just south of Brookings, OR chasing a gray whale and her calf heading north.
Mira Lutz, Anacortes, WA


June 16, 2008
My friend spotted 3 transients, one of which was a new calf, from a dredge working 4 miles N of Eureka, CA, heading south. Mother with calf and one other adult.
Mira Lutz, Anacortes, WA


June 15, 2008
Orca Network received a message this afternoon from Russ Thomas, reporting a pod of 7 orcas that has been seen off Pt. Delgado, Shelter Cove, CA. They saw them feed about a week ago (didn’t say on what), & said they have been sighted every other day for the last month.


June 12, 2008
Alex Thore called Orca Network to report 2 orcas off Brookings, OR, at 2:45 pm. There was 1 adult male, and they were about 400 yards out.


June 11, 2008
I was lucky enough to be out on the Ocean Institute’ boat to see these beautiful creatures. They gave us a great show, back flips, tail slaps, breaches,splashing and just being very social. From what I could make out, there were 5 total, 2 males 1 female and a baby :) There could have been two females or maybe 6 total 2 males 2 females and a baby. Hard to tell because the cow calf pair would venture away from the other group and then return to them. The baby was very curious and would come and explore the boat. I hope this helps and if you do determine which transient pod this is I would love to be kept in the loop.
Ashleigh Loth, Dana Pt. California
NOTE: These Transient orcas were ID’d by Alisa Shulman Janiger (see below).


Dana Pt. CA Transient ID’s: Wednesday’s sighting off Dana Point of 5 transient killer whales was the CA51 matriline. These are probably the most frequently seen transients off the Moss Landing area of Monterey Bay, often preying on California sea lions and harbor seals. I have seen them several times, often closely approaching boats. My colleague Nancy Black has seen them attack gray whale calves off Monterey on multiple occasions. They were last confirmed off southern California on 30 December 2007, near East Anacapa Island, feeding on a sea lion. IDs for these 5 whales (3 generations):
1. CA51 – adult female, first documented off Monterey Bay in 1991. CA51 has 3 offspring: CA51a, CA51b, and CA51c.
2. CA51a (born 1992). CA51a has a young calf, CA51a-1.
3. CA51b (born 1998 – a sprouting male)
4. CA51c (born 2003).
5. CA51a-1 (born 2007). This young calf of CA51a has a distinctive indentation near the dorsal fin tip, and another near the base of the fin.
Alisa Schulman-Janiger, ACS/LA Gray Whale Census Director


J pod reported at Point Roberts, heading north at a fast rate, out of our range. We went around Waldron Island, at about 1:30 pm, where we saw a brown pelican! Then harbor seals hauled out on the rocks at Bear Island. Also saw harbor porpoise, again at Turn Point, along with a few Dall’s porpoise, and numerous bald eagles!
Caroline Armon, Naturalist, San Juan Excursions & San Juan Tours & Transit


Report forwarded by Doug Thompson: We got a call from Mike Bursk, skipper over at the OI yesterday that he was with Killer Whales. We made a MAD dash down there, put a small hole in the side of the boat leaving the dock, and raced to the spot, about four miles from the harbor (off Dana Pt, CA). There were five Orca, no idea what variety (offshore, transient or resident), but I have sent some photos to Alisa-Schulman Janiger, at the LA chapter of the ACS, she catalogs them, and maybe able to ID them. There was also one juvenile in the group, you can see his smaller head in one of the photos. Not in any hurry, just moving slowly up the coas – breaching and breaching, one, the largest, kept rolling on his back, and swimming on the surface, upside down. At one point when they came over (as they did several times), one of them actually touched our fender!
Gisele Anderson (Mrs. Capt. Dave!), dolphinsafari.com


My good friend and co-worker Ashleigh Loth, was aboard the R/V Sea Explorer just off Dana Point when she called me to tell me about orcas that were sighted off Dana Point, CA. I just found an article online from the LA Times, and another link with more photos.
Jaclyn Van Bourgondien, San Juan Safaris, San Juan Island


June 6, 2008
Robert Williams called Orca Network at 6 pm, to report 2 orcas, including 1 adult male, off Brookings, OR.


June 5, 2008
Orca Network received a call from Woodrow James, reporting 4-6+ orcas, 2-4 PM, about 1.5-2 miles from shore, heading south. There was one adult male. They were in 12-15 fathoms, five miles north of Crescent City, CA. He saw the OrcaNet poster in a men’s room.


June 1, 2008
The Kalaloch Lodge at Kalaloch on the WA Coast called to relay a second hand report of a sighting of 1 orca, breaching in front of the lodge Sunday, at 1:30 pm.


May 31, 2008
Calvin Hunter called to report an orca sighting off the Columbia River. He saw ~ 5 orcas, including 1 adult male, 10 miles straight off the north jetty of the Columbia River, in 432’ deep water, heading south. Lat/Long: 46 17N, 124 20.9W.


May 29, 2008
Lisa Schlender and I headed out of Westport for one of our monthly outer coast marine mammal surveys. We found a gray whale with a very small calf right off the north jetty of Grays Harbor, lots of harbor porpoises within about 5 miles of shore, several small groups of Dall’s porpoise offshore, and four humpbacks, including one calf, about 10 miles off Westport.
Erin Andrea Falcone, Cascadia Research Collective


May 28, 2008
Just got in off the FREEMAN last night on a FE salmon feed study cruise. Saw fair numbers of large whales – Grey, fin & Humpback + the highlight was a dusk passing of a big male KW, at least two females and a calf when we were about 50 miles west of Willapa bay (46 40’N 124 47’W) . Time was approximately 19:20. Animals appeared to be moving in a Northerly direction.
Rick Brown, Captain NOAA CORPS (Ret.), Resource Management Specialist, NOAA/NMFS/NWFSC Newport Research Station


May 26, 2008
I sighted a pod of orcas while I was kayak fishing near Cape Mendocino CA today. There were approximately 4-5 females with a at least one very distinct male. Although I did not have a camera at the time, the dorsal fin of the male was very distinctive. It was notched almost as if there were a separate finger-like appendage protruding from the tip. I saw it multiple times and would be able to identify it if you have images of dorsals from males known to frequent northern CA. Time: Approximately 1500. Location: 40 23’ 44.56” N 124 23’ 44.56” W, almost on top of “Devil’s Gate Rock.” The animals did not seem to feeding, maybe playing. The male spy-hopped few times to take a look at us. They were slapping their flukes on the water surface often. They were heading north.
Dave


May 25, 2008
We received a call from Daniel, reporting a sighting of 6 Orcas off Neah Bay. They were off Duncan Rocks, near Tatoosh, at about 6-6:30 pm, heading toward Port Angeles. There were several large, adult male fins.


Orca Network received another report of orcas off Ft. Bragg, CA, Sunday at 5 pm, heading north near Virgin Creek, toward McKerricher State Park. They were milling and cruising outside the surf zone.


Orca Network received a report from Jim Dewar of at least 25 orcas 10 miles north of Ft. Bragg, CA (off Ten Mile River) at 7:35 pm, heading north 200-300 yards from shore. Some were larger and about 15 were smaller whales.


Orca Network received this email report: I sighted 8-10 Orcas within a half mile of shore from MacKerricher State Park about 3 miles north of Fort Bragg, CA 7-7:30 PM, They were just swimming around for a while. Then they headed farther out and North. Several of them had a large fin on their back.


May 24, 2008
Caitlin and her Dad called Orca Network to report 3-4 orcas off Pt. Arena, CA at noon, heading north. There was one adult male fin observed.


May 21, 2008
We flew the Twin Otter survey last Thurs. Our opportunistic whale sighting effort was for about 45 min. along a saw-tooth pattern from Cape Flattery to James Island. We were restricted to within about 10-15 miles from shore and only encountered a few gray whales. No killer or humpback whales were observed. Sighting conditions were actually very good.
Ed Bowlby, Research Coordinator NOAA, Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary


May 20, 2008
More on Trinidad, CA Transient orcas: I spoke with Mark and he said there were about 6-7 orca that he saw. The other images that he sent me are also of a poor quality so they are not going to help. He did describe one of the 2 males as having a “large chuck” out of the dorsal fin that left behind some light scarring.
Kerry Ross, Mad River Biologists, Eureka, CA


Orca Network received a call from a reporter for the Eureka (CA) Times Standard about an orca that charged up on a beach and grabbed a harbor seal. Half of the whale’s body was out of the water. The whale then tossed the seal away and slid back into the water. At least 3 juvenile orcas were nearby. Was it all a hunting lesson for the young ones? He said there were some reports of a larger group of orcas further offshore. Orcas are known to beach themselves to catch sea lions in Patagonia, Argentina and in the Crozet Islands in the Indian Ocean, but this is believed to be the first report of an orca grabbing a seal off a beach in North America. This occurred in front of about a dozen people who all tell the same basic story. The beach is called Indian Beach, in Trinidad Bay, about 20 miles north of Eureka CA, near the Humbolt Bay Marine Lab. The story will appear in the above paper tomorrow. No photos were taken as far as the reporter knows.


May 19, 2008
Asa Spade called in a sighting of two orcas from Mendocino Head CA. He saw 1 adult and one calf, milling in the same spot just outside the surf for 20 minutes, while several seals acted agitated. Location was N39.16.436 by W123.47.987.


May 17, 2008
Orca Network received a call Monday AM from Gregory Gilbertson about a sighting of roughly ten orcas 2:30 PM, approx. 25 miles west of Newport OR (240 degrees from Newport), in an area known as the “chicken ranch.” He described them as hunting whales so these may have been Transients (or Offshores? or Residents?).


May 16, 2008
Spectacular day on Monterey Bay CA! Followed three Orcas, transients I assume, for a while, then had two VERY friendly humpbacks. The Orcas looked like a mom with a calf accompanied by a not yet full grown male.
Steve Johnston, Monterey Bay Aquarium


May 10, 2008
Orca Network received a call from Tom Quigley, reporting at least 3 – 5 orcas off Depoe Bay, OR at 10 am, heading north.


May 3, 2008
I just received a few more pictures and details about last Saturday’s orca sighting in Newport.
Jim Rice, Newport OR: Last Saturday I stepped out on to our balcony and saw a big dorsal fin then a couple more. I counted 5 total. One big, three medium and one smaller. They were circling and splashing. We could hear them blow as they came up. I did not see the seals, but one man said that there were a couple of seals in the middle of them. There were 3 other seals that were up hiding up on the rocks on shore. We took the 3 pics from the balcony. I headed down to get pics close up, but by the time I got there the orcas were headed back out toward the ocean.
Allan Best, Newport, OR


Orca Network received a call from Dave Metz of Newport, OR at 10:10 am, he was observing 3 orcas swimming up the Yaquina River in Newport. They went 200-300 yards upriver, nearly to the Newport Bridge, then turned & were starting to swim back down river. He referred Angie to us, who was nearby watching the orcas – she first saw the orcas at 10:00 am as she was driving over the Newport bridge. It is likely these are Transient orcas looking for a seal or two.
We received several photos of the Orcas reported Saturday morning in the Yaquina River, Newport OR, along with an additional report (which leaves no doubt that they were Transients!).
From Jim Rice: I’ve received this additional piece of information about Saturday’s orca sighting: “I was out at S. Jetty this evening and ran into a young man walking the road who saw the orcas kill at least one harbor seal this morning. He lives near the start of the S. Jetty road. He thought there were 5 orcas, and they killed the seal on the south side between the bridge and the finger jetty.
Jim Rice, Stranding Coordinator, Oregon Marine Mammal Stranding Network, Marine Mammal Institute, OSU


April 26, 2008
At the OR Coast saw two Minke and of course several Grays at Boiling Bay AND the Orcas near Depoe Bay.
Doris Newkirk, Greenbank


April 25, 2008
There were up to 30 Orcas feeding on a gray whale that they had killed on the 23rd (in Monterey Bay, CA)!
Steve Johnston, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey, CA


April 24, 2008
We just saw our first Orcas of the season. For sure there were 3 (1 male and 2 females) but there could possibly have been 4. They were right in front of the Whale Center in Depoe Bay, OR, less than a half mile out. They were heading north. We should have known something was up cause the bell buoy is full of steller sea lions jockeying for a safe position!
Linda Taylor, Whale Watching Center, Depoe Bay, OR


April 22, 2008
There were sightings of about 20 Orcas in Monterey Bay. One report was that they were hunting a gray whale calf, but the calf escaped. I didn’t see them, but the report is from a reliable source!
Steve Johnston, Monterey Bay Aquarium


April 18, 2008
Kristin Wilkinson at NOAA Fisheries relayed this report they received at 2 pm: Officer Graham of the Coast Guard out of North Bend, OR, called in a report of 8-9 orcas including 1 calf at 44 49.6 N 124 24.6 W, which is 16.5 miles west of Depoe Bay, OR.


April 17, 2008
There were Orcas again in the Santa Barbara Channel (CA), there were six of them, couple of juveniles. They were spotted onboard the Island Adventure this afternoon. I will try and find some good ID shots.
Anthony Lombardi, Island Packers


April 14, 2008
Orca Network received a call from Leland Jacobson, of Astoria, OR at 9:20 am, reporting a pod of orcas (~2 males & 2 females) at the mouth of the Columbia River, going after a gray whale & her calf, 1/4 – 1/2 mile inside the jetty.


April 12, 2008
Orca Network received a call from Susan Thompson of Shelter Cove, CA, reporting a sighting of a pod of Orcas attacking and killing a Blue whale calf in Shelter Cove, N. Calif. She said she believed the whales are hanging around the Shelter Cove & Eureka, CA area.


April 11, 2008
We arrived at La Push around 5:00 PM. Gray whales were hanging around in the cove right in front of the Oceanside Resort. We could see backs of young whales closer in and the spray of larger whales outside of the cove. I counted 2 young whales at least and 4 or 5 mature whales.
Phyllis Alexander


April 4, 2008
Comments on the orca report in Santa Barbara Channel, CA by Anthony Lombardi: This sighting has not yet been confirmed as offshores through photo-ID. Anthony believes them to be offshores due to the large group size and temporal proximity to the previous day’s sighting at Catalina Island. He said this was the largest pod of killer whales that he had ever seen (20-23+).
Offshores confirmed & ID’d in Santa Barbara Channel, CA: After receiving photos from Anthony Lombardi, Alisa Shulman Janiger was able to confirm this sighting as offshores & ID several of the whales: Two of these are good ID shots: DEFINITELY OFFSHORE KILLER WHALES!! The ones that I recognize include the large male O155, the adult female CA502 (O150), and the female AP73 (all photographed off Pt. Loma on 11 March 2008; CA502 was confirmed in photos taken off Newport Beach on 23 March 2008). This encounter really adds to our record of a very nice series of offshore killer whale sightings off southern California.
We have no documentation of offshore killer whales ever beating up any marine mammals; however, large transient groups of 25-30 have been documented to attack gray whale cow/calf pairs on multiple occasions. However, offshores have been known to make very close approaches to marine mammals.
Alisa Schulman-Janiger, ACS/LA Gray Whale Census Director


April 1, 2008
15-25 Orcas were sighted off Catalina Island, CA 33.4591°N 118.4939°W, traveling northwest starting at 6:30 am. They were swimming & playing, one had a very large fin. We had folks with us who have lived on catalina island for 26 years and have never seen killer whales here before ever.
Alexandra Winqvist.
These are definitely our offshore whales again! The second image is of CA101 (O87). She was also seen in the previous California offshore killer whale sightings: Pt. Loma on 11 March 2008, and Newport Beach on 23 March 2008. This is the female that I mentioned in earlier reports that I had first seen in Monterey Bay, California in November 1992. I identified at least 27 different individuals from the Pt. Loma sighting. Photographer Bill Lewis believed there to be at least 30 killer whales. Observers from the Newport Beach estimated the number of whales ranging from 30-60. Possibly some of these may have been around since the California offshore sightings in December! Thanks so much!
Alisa Schulman-Janiger, ACS/LA Gray Whale Census Director


Greg Schorr and I conducted one of our monthly outer coast surveys from Westport. There were good numbers of gray whales within a few miles of shore, many apparent northbound migrants, and a few milling not far from the mouth of Grays Harbor. We approached 7 individuals, but there were others seen too far off our survey line to pursue. Aside from these sightings, it was a very quiet day offshore, with only one elephant seal sighted about 50nm NW of Westport and 2-3 Harbor Porpoise sighted as we approached the jetties at the end of the day. But at least it was sunny!
Erin Andrea Falcone, Cascadia Research