No calls but orcas nearby The A30s, I33s, I46 and I68 just travelled north at the edge of the fog and headed into Blackfish Sound. Very pretty and some lovely calls from the I31s as they floated by. Helena 09 Sep 2010 08:14:26 PDT Distant calls audible. The I15s have gone into Blackfish Sound. Helena 09 Sep 2010 05:51:40 PDT Orcas near mics. The first group of the I15s have entered Blackney Pass and are heading north. The second group sounds like it might follow. Helena 09 Sep 2010 05:31:36 PDT Orcas near mics. The I15s hae come up to the entrance of Blackney Pass once again (from east). The A30s and the I31s we think are still east. Helena 09 Sep 2010 05:16:01 PDT Distant calls audible. We can add a few more notes about what we think is happening in Johnstone Strait. We listened as one group of I15s crossed the entrance to Blackney Pass and headed east. We think they continued along the Cracroft side with perhaps someone a bit further out in the Strait. Their calls (sometimes still being heard) never really got close to the Vancouver Island side. There was horrible boat noise so we toggled between the Critical Point station and the rubbing beaches where the A30s and the I31s and another group of i15s were fairly close. They finally faded off. They never went in for a rub despite being quite close. A group of dolphins then came in and went, We think everyone is still moving east for the moment. Helena 08 Sep 2010 23:14:02 PDT Orcas near mics. The I15s have moved on toward Cracroft Point, choosing to cross the entrance way of Blackney Pass as they move east toward the others. Helena 08 Sep 2010 21:27:20 PDT Orcas near mics. The I15s sound like they might come into Blackney Pass while the I31s have made it to the rubbing beaches already! Helena 08 Sep 2010 21:17:34 PDT Distant calls audible. The I15s have surprised us by turning up off the entrance of Blackney Pass while the A30s and the I31s went in closer to the Bight. Helena 08 Sep 2010 21:14:48 PDT Superb sounds!! Great stuff from the Bight! Helena 08 Sep 2010 20:48:39 PDT Orcas near mics. The A30s, I15s and I31s sound like they have returned to Robson Bight once more. Helena 08 Sep 2010 20:10:37 PDT Distant calls audible. Sometime ago, when the tide turned to ebb, the A30s,I15s (they were there all along and became vocal finally) and the I31s moved on to the west. We have not heard from them for a long time but in the meantime, we did hear distant "R" calls in Johstone Strait. We are not sure of the source. The boat noise has become terrible again. Helena 08 Sep 2010 19:21:10 PDT Orcas near mics. The I31s and the A30s are still off the entrance to Blackney Pass foraging in the rip. The I15s have not been vocal lately so we are not sure where they are again. Helena 08 Sep 2010 14:36:00 PDT Multiple pod calls audible. The I15s have finally joined the others off the entrance to Blackney Pass. They came down the Hanson Island shore after poking their noses into Weynton Pass and were delayed making the move east. All the whales are grouping up now and perhaps beginning to move east from the entrance way. Helena 08 Sep 2010 12:38:03 PDT Multiple pod calls audible. The whales probably turned before 11am with the I31s coming back to the entrance of Blackney Pass first, followed soon after by some of the A30s. The I15s are there a well. Helena 08 Sep 2010 11:44:18 PDT Distant calls audible. The I15s,A30s and I31s have been moving west past the entrance to Blackney Pass for the last hour. Helena 08 Sep 2010 09:53:24 PDT Superb sounds!! The I31s are closest to Critical Point at the moment. They were preceded by the A30s and the I15s. The whales may be moving westward in the fog. Helena 08 Sep 2010 08:13:19 PDT Orcas hunting fish. Sounds like at least the I15s are back inside Robson Bight, grabbing an early morning bite! Helena 08 Sep 2010 07:07:23 PDT Distant calls audible. We've been hearing distant calls on the Critical Point and rubbing beach hydrophone, along with some echolocation. Sounds like the I15s & possibly A30s are still near Robson Bight and the east end of the Ecological Reserve. Helena 08 Sep 2010 06:39:22 PDT Multiple pod calls audible. First the dolphins,then the I15s then the A30s, & then the I31s, all in short order, off the east end of the Reserve. That at least settles the queston of what happened to the A30s and I31s earlier. They must have gone eastward after their afternoon off the western end o Hanson Island. Helena 08 Sep 2010 04:04:59 PDT Boat noise Beyond knowing that the A30s and the I31s went to the west between 4 and 5pm we have not heard calls for several hours and not sure where or what they decided to do. There should still be groups to the east so we will have to see what the night reveals. Helena 07 Sep 2010 22:31:38 PDT Distant calls audible. Sorry it has been a while. We took the time today to go to CP (Cracroft Point) and watch the A30s, I46,I68 and the I33s forage in the swirling rip off the entrance to Blackney Pass. This was after these whales had gone to the west and returned. They were off Blackney Pass for quite a long time but on the slack to the ebb (4:20pm) they started to move west again along Hanson Island. Helena 07 Sep 2010 18:29:54 PDT Distant calls audible. We are no longer sure about the I15s travelling west with the A30 and I31s. We have heard only the I31s and the A30s. Both these groups are quite vocal as they cross the entrance of Blackney Pass in Johnstone Strait. Helena 07 Sep 2010 13:00:13 PDT Multiple pod calls audible. Donna Mackay also relayed a report from Lloyd that there is a very large group of whales milling near Hunt Rock (Port Hardy area). Helena 07 Sep 2010 12:26:24 PDT Multiple pod calls audible. It sounds like the A30s.I31s and I15s are on their way back after travelling west past Blinkhorn. Helena 07 Sep 2010 12:24:36 PDT Distant calls audible. It seems that the whales are moving west and now are opposite the entrance to Blackney Pass. Earlier, we heard I15s and A30s and more recently I31 type calls as well. Lots of dolphins in Johnstoen Strait also. Helena 07 Sep 2010 09:52:03 PDT Distant calls audible. The A30s are the A1 group coming back with the I15s. Helena 07 Sep 2010 08:38:46 PDT Orcas near mics. Heavy fog this morning. The whales (I15s and A1s) are working their way back west. We last heard calls not too long ago as they (Rs and company) disappeared east of the east end of the Reserve. Helena 07 Sep 2010 08:07:30 PDT Distant calls audible. Skipping along, the new arivals have passed Robson Bight and the rubbing beaches. Helena 07 Sep 2010 04:37:38 PDT Multiple pod calls audible. You can add an A1 group to this mix as well. Helena 07 Sep 2010 01:27:26 PDT Multiple pod calls audible. It never rains but pours! The I15s are back and with them someone from R clan. They are very vocal (the I15s especially) in Johnstone Strait. Meanwhile, the dolphins continue in Blackney Pass along with a humpback who is very close to Hanson Island on this busy night. We last heard the A30s just before 11pm. We think the I31s were probably still with them east of Robson Bight. Helena 07 Sep 2010 01:17:07 PDT Distant calls audible. The A30s and the I31s rounded Critical Point in Robson Bight at 9:07pm. They continued east and are now off the rubbing beaches. We are at the moment listening to the A30s. Before this, we were recording the sometimes close dolphins alternatively in Blackfish Sound and Blackney Pass. on a sadder note, I46 does not look very well. The top third of his dorsal fin is flopped over to the right and it looks like there is damage there as well. Those who have been watching him over the last few days are wondering if his engery is depleted as well. Helena 06 Sep 2010 22:02:52 PDT Orcas near mics. The I31s and the A30s sound as if they have not ventured to far from Robson Bight. But they have woken up and begun to call out beautifully, A large group of dolphins came into Blackney Pass coming about half way before turning back. They were spread out, chatty and looked like they were foraging. This was just before dark. They are now back in Blackfish ound. Helena 06 Sep 2010 20:34:40 PDT Distant calls audible. The whales have moved west to Critical Point. Helena 06 Sep 2010 18:02:19 PDT Orcas rubbing on the shore bottom. Indeed the A30s followed and rubbing may have begun! Helena 06 Sep 2010 17:02:02 PDT Distant calls audible. The I31s are going through the eastern end of the Reserve. Maybe the A30s will follow? Helena 06 Sep 2010 16:17:09 PDT Orcas hunting fish. The whales are nearing Critical Point. Helena 06 Sep 2010 15:26:23 PDT Orcas near mics. The I31s are probably ahead of the A30s and moving toward Robson Bight. The A30s apparently began to move in that direction as well (Lukwa report) Helena 06 Sep 2010 14:11:12 PDT Orcas near mics. The I31s and the A30s continued eastward and the A30s are now working the rip off the entrance to Blackney Pass. Not sure where the I31s are at the moment. Helena 06 Sep 2010 13:57:55 PDT Distant calls audible. The A30s and the I31s are back in Johnstone Strait after reversing their direction while in Queen Charlotte Strait and travelling back through Weynton Pass. (Tuan and Naiad report) The I16s are off Black Bluff and still headed west in Queen Charlotte Strait. Another group is apparently closer to Numas (Gikumi report). Helena 06 Sep 2010 11:37:10 PDT Boat noise Just now the I31s and A30s are travelling west through Queen Charlotte Strait. They were east of Donegal Head (8am) moving toward Queen Charlotte Strait. Our inter-net connection woes have continued. It seems to be working right now so we will take the opportunity to fill in the night's activity. It was a busy night with the A30s and the I31s stalled off the east end of the Reserve for a very long time. Before midnight, the I15s came up from the east. They had gone east yesterday morning and were most likely the group seen at the Broken Islands as the I31s and A30s came into the Reserve together (after the I33s came through Blackney Pass) in the later morning. The I15s then came up (travelled west) to Blackney Pass and through this morning (2-3am) to Blackfish Sound. Then this morning, we heard the close calls of the A30s and I31s at 7:05am in Blackfish Sound before they carried on to the west. We lost track of the A30 calls just before 9am. Helena 06 Sep 2010 10:12:11 PDT Superb sounds!! Sorry, the connection has been down. Since the last post the I31s and the A30s moved back towards the Bight and the east end of the Reserve. There were dolphins fairly lively in Blackney Pass. Helena 05 Sep 2010 22:45:53 PDT Distant calls audible. As far as we know the whales continued to the west for now. Helena 05 Sep 2010 17:12:04 PDT Orcas near mics. We are hearing the occasional close call from the I31s and the A30s (a bit more distant) as they cross the entrance to Blackney Pass. Helena 05 Sep 2010 16:46:03 PDT Distant calls audible. The A30s and I31 are stuck at the eastern end of the Reserve, spending time at Strider and the Main rubbing beach. Helena 05 Sep 2010 13:45:07 PDT No calls but orcas nearby It is a lot harder to track whales when they do not call. And it has been rather complicated with the bouts of calls we have heard. The I33s simply enough went east along the Cracroft Island shore to Boat Bay. From there, around 12pm, they crossed over to the eastern boundary. The A30s were coming back toward them with perhaps someone else. Meanwhile, there is another group of 5 nearer the Eve River. This group has not been yet identified. We believe the A30s are moving west through the Reserve so hopefully, Marie will be able to figure out the next stage. Helena 05 Sep 2010 13:07:30 PDT Distant calls audible. As the I33s continue eastward, most likely opposite Robson Bight by now, we have heard distant G clan calls from the groups further east. Helena 05 Sep 2010 11:28:57 PDT Distant calls audible. Another surprise, we have the I33s going through Blackney Pass headed south. We have been hearing very distant calls in Johnstone Strait. We have done the check, last night we only heard A30s. Dolphins all over the place this morning and many with the orcas. Helena 05 Sep 2010 10:07:20 PDT No calls but orcas nearby Here is a bit of a surprise! More than the A30s have turned up in Johnstone Strait. Marie can see both a group of 10 near the Main rubbing beach AND a group of 5-6 heading east slowly from the eastern boundary of the Reserve. Just after midnight, we thought we heard blows in Blackney Pass but the wind and wave action and absence of calls made us not confident that there were orcas incoming. We are now checking the last parts of the recording to see if anyone else but the A30s were vocal. We will keep you posted. Helena 05 Sep 2010 09:24:16 PDT No calls but orcas nearby An early report has A38 and A39 are off Swaine Point heading east around 8am. Helena 05 Sep 2010 08:36:32 PDT No orcas present. A beautiful humpback outside in Blackney Pass this morning. Helena 05 Sep 2010 08:35:15 PDT