An amazing mix of species!
September 14th
Our Sightings:
Humpback whales, Orca (Resident and Bigg's Transient), Minke whales, Stellar sea lions, Harbour seals, Dall's porpoises, Pacific White-sided dolphins, Black-tailed deer, Bald Eagles, Red-necked Phalaropes, Rhinoceros Auklets, Gull species, Belted Kingfishers, Black Oystercatchers and Common Murres.
It was a feeding frenzy out on the water today with a number of different species all coming together to feast upon the abundance offered by the sea. Orcas (23's/A25's) were mixed amongst Pacific White-sided dolphins and at one stage Stellar sea lions were in the midst of this group also.
The clear, bright weather and calm, ripple-less sea allowed us to sight Humpback whales from a long distance away. Blows were seen in all directions as well as some feeding behaviour as Humpbacks lunged through bait balls. We even viewed a Minke whale feeding on one of our tours which is not a common sighting. It lunged through a tight ball of fish, giving us a view of its uniquely shaped rostrum; the jaw of a whale.
Many birds species indulged in the ocean buffet today, filling the air with vibrant squawks and shrieks. It has been witnessed that birds can accidentally be taken in the jaws of a whale when birds find themselves at the top of a bait ball, with a whale lunging from just below the surface. Birds being released unharmed from the jaws of the whale have also been observed.
Nature continues to fascinate and inspire.
Seasmoke Whale Watching photo's have been taken by Dave Jones using a telephoto lens and have been cropped.