Sea Otter

We found this female Otter while we were watching the Killer Whales. Out touring with our friend Anthony yesterday, lots of Bigg's Killer Whales (Transients) moving up the east coast of the island.

Baronet Passage

A route we take on the way to Kinght Inlet. The waters are fairly protected it is normally calm.

Knight Inlet

I was taking the odd landscape as we were searching the shoreline for Coastal Brown Bears.

Mother and Cub

My friend Anthony left the dock a 6am yesterday for our annual search for Coastal Brown Bears in Knight Inlet. Other than traveling through fog for the first two hours it was a perfect trip. We found four Grizzlies, the light was great, the water was calm and the company was excellent.

Second year cub and Mom.

A cub makes eye contact with a tour boat that was to the left of us. We found the bears first but if other tours see you're stopped they join in.

Coastal Brown Bear, female or sow.

The bears don't make eye contact often. Other than glancing to see where we were she ignored us for the most part.

Biggs Killer Whale

We were fortunate to see two large pods of the transient whales during a hunt. The whales fly out of the water to gain on their prey. In this case they were chasing Pacific White-sided Dolphins.

Biggs Killer Whale

We were fortunate to see two large pods of the transient whales during a hunt. The whales fly out of the water to gain on their prey. In this case they were chasing Pacific White-sided Dolphins.

The Wild West Coast

A typical scene which I will never tire of.

West Coast Scenes

An Eagle rests on a weathered rock at Whitecliffes.

Bald Eagle on the west coast.

It was in a tree then swooped down and flew by us.

Black Bear

Feeding along the tidal area.

Mother Bear

She was tolerant but some of the eye contact was intimidating I'm sure that is what her intentions were.

Junior

Brave and curious the cub walked toward us. Mom watched but didn't intervene.

Coastal Brown Bear, 2nd year cub.

Black Bear

They were feasting on shoreline grasses. I often wonder what they think when a zodiac of people drifts in. In this case, the bear was undisturbed.

A young member of A 5 pod

Yesterday we were on the water with members of A and G Clan. A big crop on the Orca photos as the whale watching rules protect them from boaters.

Lazy, hazy summer day for the A5's

My first time to see a pod at rest. The Orcas were tall, slapping, rolling their bellies towards to surface and playing. I'm unsure if this is a teaching moment or just playing; it finished with a tail slap by the larger whale. Not a great day for taking photos lots of heat and water evaporation distorting the images, but I thought you might like to see different behaviour. Info found on Wiki: Currently, the A5 Pod consists of 3 matrilines and 17 whales (including one missing and probably dead). The three matrilines are: The A8 Matriline, which consists of A42 (Sonora), born in 1980, and her children A66 (Surf), born in 1996, A79 (Current), born in 2004 and A88 (Cameleon), born in 2008. The A23 Matriline, which consists of siblings A43 (Ripple), born 1981 and A60 (Fife), born 1992, A43's daughter A69 (Midsummer), born 1996, who gave birth to A96 (Fern) in 2009, and A109 (Eliot), and Ne'nakw in 2021. The A51 Matriline, which consists of A61 (Surge), born in 1994, his niece A86 (Cordero) born in 2005, and Cordero's calf, A121 (Twilight).

Lazy, hazy summer day for the A5's

We saw lots of spy hopping yesterday while watching memebers from A pod

Spy hoppers

Tail Slap

A tail slap also known as “lobtailing” is the act of a whale lifting its tail flukes out of the water and forcefully slapping them onto the surface of the water, often repetitively, resulting in a loud slap. Used for communication for long distances, to ward off an aggestive whale or from what I saw for fun when another member of their pod face was near by. The slap can be heard from some distance above and below the water’s surface. This can lead to a call and response reaction from other whales. If you see one whale lobtail, there is a good chance of seeing one or more other whales answering the call.

Leach's Storm-Petrel

Found in the Blackfish Sea 26 July 2022. Recently the Leach's as been split into two subspecies, the Townsend's Storm-Petrel and Ainley's Storm-Petrel. I am unsure which subspecies this is. If you know please contact me I would appreciate it.

Grab and Run

A Rhinoceros Auklet grabs a Herring from a baitball formed nearby and scoots across the water to safety. It is protecting its catch from Gulls and from being inadvertently swallowed by a Humpback Whale. We watched it use its wings and flippers; it moved a couple of hundred feet in a few seconds.

Rhinoceros Auklet

With the catch a very unhappy looking Herring.