This is a very close up view of a Humpback Whale fluke (tail). This particular whale is known as “Domino”. You can identify the whale by the unique shape and colorations on the backside of the fluke. Domino has been coming back to our area for several years and we look forward to seeing his return next spring.
Some of our guests were very lucky to have a great phot opportunity with this Humpback Whale on a beautiful morning in Blackfish Sound. These whales frequent our waters during our season to feed on krill and small fish, such as herring. I hope they managed a good picture.
Humpback whales are extremely manoeuvrable and often quite acrobatic. The reason for this is their long flippers. Humpback Whales have longer flippers then any other animal. They also have large bumps on their flippers called tubercles. These tubercles act like rudders, creating turbulence and reducing drag. Thanks to Annette for the photo
When the humpbacks feed they often lunge out of the water very quickly consuming as many herring as possible. Another lazier technique is to use the current to their advantage. The whales poke their mouth out of the water slowly, open and close it and let the current deliver krill and small baitfish to them. Although not as dramatic it is equally impressive and much easier to see and photograph.
This is a picture of the Humpback Whale known as Guardian breeching in Queen Charlotte Strait. What you can’t tell from the picture is that there is a group of Pacific White Sided Dolphins harassing her. Both dolphins and Sea Lions have been know to pester Humpbacks and Resident (fish eating) Orca. Why they do this is still up for debate. She did several breeches and tail slaps in an effort to shake the annoying dolphins.
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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