As usual as the male orca got closer to the front of the boat I moved to the back to allow the guests a better photo opportunity. After all I have seen orca before but the photo’s I have to post are less than dramatic but then I guess you will have to book your dates and bring your camera.
Tag Archives: Killer Whales
Killer whales approaching tour 1 of 2
Yes it is normal to have killer whales / orca travel in pods that are a complex matriarchal society. Sons and daughters stay with their mother throughout their lives, even after they have offspring of their own. However this does not mean that the larger and older males are always in close proximity they often travel separate but parallel to the family group. For photos it is good to find a large male as they are slower to come out of the water and when the tip of their large dorsal fin shows you have time for a photo. This photo leads to tomorrow’s post….
Orca pod spy hopping?
Ian and Julie’s photo is another first in that is has multiple spy hops from a pod of killer whales. I remember the day but cannot recall the reason for this spy hopping. It obviously occurs when the orca want to see the above water activity which may be a fast moving boat, commercial fishing in the area and even saw spy hopping when one the “Whale Research Vessels” was flying a drone to get some pictures. Also note on shore in the right hand corner the campers on the beach watching the orca pass. There are numerous kayak camps along the shore which are very busy in the summer.
Killer Whale tail slapping
A killer whale’s inverted Tail Lob – while on its back, it raises its flukes above the water’s surface and brings them down with force. This type of behavior is often viewed when the whales are in close contact with their pod or grouped together with other pods and seems to be a form of communication. Whether tail slapping is a friendly or an aggressive form of behaviour is not proved beyond a doubt but a majority of the times it seems to be a playful thing especially within the Northern Resident Whales that are in our viewing area. The sound that echoes after a tail slap can be very loud.
Humpback whale off bow of boat 1 of 2
While on one or our whale watching tours I took the photo too soon and missed the tail and it was a good show. Made that comment to the guests but when I turned around to the back of the boat nobody was paying attention…
Killer whale choice
A choice that guests make when photographing orca : Is it better to have an exhaled breath or the white eye patch in the photo? Your choice.
Also Whale Watching 3 of 3
Mouth closed, water expelled and time to look for another herring ball. Looking for another is what we do once the whale has had its fill.
Also Whale Watching 2 of 3
Clearer, same ducks in the water and a mouth full. Humpbacks will feed on krill and various kinds of small, shoaling fish such as herring (check out the mouth) and mackerel. They may eat up to 1,400 kg (3,000 lbs.) of food a day. As the mouth closes the whale will press down with its tongue forcing all water out through baleen plates. These baleen plates hang in row from each side of the upper jaw. This traps the herring / lunch inside.
Also Whale Watching 1 of 3
A little more interesting than deer on the beach is a humpback whale lunge feeding on a herring ball. This is why your guide is always looking for herring balls. (See September 25th posting) At first I thought that this photo taken by Glen (a fellow guide) was a little out of focus until I realized that was water running off the whales back. Better tomorrow…
Best Series of Photos 3 of 3
However as the last photo shows that this is a killer whale (orca) not a humpback whale. Killer whales are identifies by their dorsal fin and the accompanying saddle patch. This last photo was actually the first is the series but if I had posted them in the correct order there would be nothing to write.
