Whale Watching

We’re not all about the bears, whales are abundant here too!

Killer whales and humpback whales are often seen during our wildlife tours. There are resident whales and transient whales that can be seen feeding and playing in our waters.

My Camera vs guest camera 2 of 2

Humpback lunge

Comparing yesterday’s post and today’s there is not much room for a comment. The only comment is that we often view a dozen of more different humpback whales each day and frequently they are lunge feeding close to our boat, which provides opportunities for “bucket list” photographs.

 

My Camera vs guest camera 1 of 2

Humpback Whales lunging

My camera is a smaller Pentax Optio waterproof camera that is great for getting the perspective and a close up if the object is close. Also good or grandkids and general scenery. Tomorrow’s post the guest’s photo.

 

Visiting stellar sea lions

Stellar Sea Lion

There are stellar sea lion in the lodge’s whale watching viewing area all year but they are more abundant in the spring and fall as they pass through on their migration between Alaska and California. We make a point of stopping to watch the sea lions on their “haul out rocks” and at times they make a point of coming to visit our boat. Sea lions like many marine mammals are curious and will approach your boat if you are sitting quietly. However this is a little closer than normal but then it was a calm day on the water and we were near a school of herring.

 

Killer Whales – Blackfish – Orca

Killer whales

Killer whale is the tourist / media name, Orcinus orca is the scientific name, and Blackfish is the name I grew up knowing. Growing up and fishing in Campbell River on BC’s Vancouver Island orca were frequently in the area. At that time in the 1950’s and for years to come the name used by local was Blackfish. It was not until the mid 1960’s and on the name killer whale came into common use.  After the first orca was captured in 1964 and for the first time, newspapers and magazines including Reader’s Digest, Life, The Times of London, and the Victoria Times gave some positive press about killer whales the name started to become popular. It is not hard to see that a tour or a visit to see a Blackfish did not seem to attract much interest whereas killer whale was media gold.

 

Bald Eagles 2 of 2

Bald eagles

Unlike the bald eagle in yesterday’s post these eagles are working for their food. It is hard to get a photo that does justice to the sight we saw in July on a whale watching safari in the Johnstone Strait area. A large herring ball had formed and the bald eagles came from the surrounding shore and started feeding. At one time there were more than twenty-five eagles in the air. The adult would dive down and pick up herring with the juvenile eagle right behind. We soon realized we were watching a training session for the young eagles.  We could not move close to the herring ball or it would disperse and it is hard to get good photo of flying birds from a distance so we took as few quick photos and enjoyed the sight.

 

Bald Eagles 1 of 2

Bald eagle bathing

The spring grizzly bear tours from the lodge are in Knight Inlet’s Glendale River estuary and the tidal portion of the river. In late summer after August 24th we use the viewing stands, which are a ten-minute drive up the river valley. If time permits and the tide is right, in the fall, we may also take a boat ride up the river. On this day a bald eagle was enjoying the sun on the riverbank. While not so much the sun as the remains of salmon that a grizzly bear had left on the bank. The carcass of the salmon is visible in the grass beneath the eagle’s tale. Many of the eagles that would normally be along the shores throughout out coastal BC move into the rivers once the salmon arrive. It becomes a free buffet that is hard to resist.

 

 

 

Humpback Whale Feeding

Humpback Whale under jaw

That is the underside of a humpback whale’s lower jaw as it lunges out of the water with a mouth full (minus one) herring. Getting into position for the picture is easier than getting the picture. As a guide I keep a look out for diving seagulls, which gives me the location of a herring ball. Next you try to get close to the herring ball before a humpback whale beats you to the herring ball. After that it is a matter of waiting for the gulls to lift off the water just before the whale lunges.  My job is complete all the guests needs to do is have perfect timing and an excellent eye mixed with luck.  My photography relies mostly on the luck.

 

 

Perfect identification photo

Humpback Whales fluke

“Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) migrate between high latitude summer feeding grounds and low latitude winter breeding grounds. In the North Pacific, winter breeding grounds are known in waters off Japan, Hawaii and Mexico; summer feeding grounds are found in coastal waters of Alaska, British Columbia and the western mainland United States. Researchers use photographs of the ventral surface of the tail flukes to identify and track movements of individual whales and to estimate abundance. Patterns of pigmentation, scarring and shape of the flukes are unique to each individual.” From Fisheries and Oceans Canada website.

Over the past five years more and more humpback whales are spending the summer in the area near Grizzly Bear Lodge in Knight Inlet so that it is common to see more than a dozen whales on a days whale watching safari.

 

 

Killer Whale Watching

Orca identification

The killer whales / orca along the west coast of North America are identified by the shape and size of their dorsal fin and the saddlepatch located by the fin. Other distinguishing marks are also a great help especially the notch located in A72’s fin. I have found over the years that our guests are less interested in “who” they are watching and more interested in “that” are watching killer whales.

 

 

Sometimes lucky!

Pacific whiteside dolphins

It is not uncommon to encounter a pod of Pacific Whitesided Dolphins while on a tour from Grizzly Bear Lodge. These dolphins travel and feed in Knight Inlet as well as along the shores of Vancouver Island. This means that the encounter is as likely to happen while on a grizzly bear tour or a visit to trapper Rick’s as it is while whale watching. Less common is to get a photo of a dolphin completely out of the water this is where luck comes in to play. The best approach to getting a good photo of a dolphin is to take as many as possible in the hopes that one will contain a dolphin and not just water or sky. Luck often is better than skill.