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Home > Grizzly Bear and Wildlife Tour Blog > Whale Watching > A Killer Whale’s “What’s up?”

A Killer Whale’s “What’s up?”

July 6, 2017 Lodge Guide

spyhopping killer whales

Spy hopping is coming out of the water and staying above the surface the same way a human treads water. Some adult male killer whales spy hop for longer periods of time and get as much as half of its body above the surface of the water. Orcas spy hop to examine its surroundings and it is believed that an Orca can see as well above the surface as it can below. If an Orca hears anything strange, they may spyhop to see what is approaching. This past summer the Whale Research vessel in our area was using a drone for observation and we noticed much more spy hopping while the drone was in the air.

Bald Eagles

Bald Eagles are frequently sighted in our area. At times they can be seen in large numbers. This is usually where food supplies are high. For example this could be in areas with high concentrations of baitfish or along the rivers in the fall when the salmon are spawning. They are not migratory, but do move around with the food supply. As mentioned earlier when the salmon are spawning we often see many along the rivers, while there will be fewer along the coastline. With little need for camouflage their white head and tail feathers can be spotted easily. The female is slightly larger and her white head extends down a bit farther onto the body, but it is subtle. It takes these birds 4.5 – 5 years to acquire this unique plumage. As juveniles they are a brown colour. With exceptional eyesight and the ability to view 270 degrees they are understandably often seen in high perches and in trees near points and passageways.

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