The Whale Report
Note: These counts are from the Palos Verdes Peninsula observation station just north of LA, California, an observation post with over two decades of records. (ACS/LA at February 20/12)
TOFINO GRAY WHALE MIGRATION UPDATE
- 2012 - Waiting for the northbound migrators to arrive!
Two Gray Whales were sighted on the coast north of Hot Springs Cove by Remote Passages guide Jay Feaver on February 15th: "Saw a pair of Gray Whales travelling Towards Hesquiat on our way back (from surfing) today. They were between Barney Rocks and the sea caves, about a half mile from shore, so nowhere near the usual migrating path. Maybe following herring!"
- 2011 - First northbound migrators confirmed off Tofino March 6th
The morning of Sunday, March 6th Don Travers & guests (at last!) sighted 6 northbound migrating Gray Whales off Wilf Rock, south of Vargas Island near Tofino. Then on our afternoon excursion, guide Randy Frank confirmed 6 Gray Whales – likely the same group -- traveling past Cleland Island, just north & west of Vargas.
Our first sighting of a migrating Gray Whale is later than usual this year, likely because poor sea conditions have kept us on inside waters for much of late February and early March. The Principal Lightkeeper at nearby Lennard Island station, Tony Greenall, comments that conditions have been so rough this spring, it would have been difficult to see whale spouts on most days, even from the vantage of the island’s light tower.
- 2010 - First northbound migrators confirmed off Tofino on February 17th
Four Gray Whales travelling north reported off Sea Otter Rocks, with a possible second sighting off Rafael Point the same day.
On Sunday, February 21st Remote Passages' guide Rich Chiovitti and his guests confirmed a single Gray Whale travelling steadily northward -- their observation was made just a few kilometers offshore of Tofino. The whale was low profile when it surfaced, and did not sound or show it's tail fluke as it travelled.
Generally good sea conditions and visibility have made it easy to spot any early migrators off Tofino!
- Long-time summer resident whale returning early
Whale #5938, a female Gray Whale, was satellite-tagged off the coast of Oregon late in the summer of 2009 by Dr. Bruce Mate & his team. On February 18th, 2010 a satellite track showed her off Gray's Harbour, Washington and moving quickly northward.
Whale #5938 is of special interest to us as she was first ID'd by Dr. Jim Darling in local waters 25 years ago. A returning coastal resident animal, sightings of this whale over the years indicate she favours the west coast of Vancouver Island during the feeding season -- part of a sub-group of about 200 Gray Whales that stay in the area annually.
This female was one of the first from the group of tagged whales to arrive at Scammon's Lagoon, an important breeding and calving bay for Gray Whales on the west coast of the Baja Peninsula. Given her early departure from the lagoon, it is unlikely she has a calf with her. More likely is that she is newly pregnant, and needing to maximize her feeding season in preparation for birthing a calf in 2011.
- March 2010 Update from the Baja Lagoons
Recent news from the Gray Whale breeding lagoons in Baja, Mexico brings reports of fewer Gray Whale mom & calf pairs in the bays.
At Laguna Ojo de Liebre, peak numbers of Gray Whales were reached about February 15th, and then declined, as is usual -- however, the peak number was the lowest in many years. In this area, divers & fishermen believe the warmer water temperatures of this El Nino year are already causing scallop die-offs, and may also be causing the Gray Whales to stay in deeper, cooler waters outside of the bay.
Meanwhile, a little further south in Laguna San Ignacio, mom + calf numbers are also low. Dr. Steven Swartz thinks the numbers may be down here because of the many single male whales dominating the space inside the lagoon -- they have been seen harassing new moms, who won’t be able to mate again until they have weaned their calf and led it north to feeding grounds. In fact, researchers have seen many mom/calf pairs just outside the mouth of the lagoon, in the cooler -- and calmer! -- waters of the Pacific Ocean.
A(nother) New Baby in J-Pod!
New calf J47 photographed with his mother J35 in Puget Sound. (Jan. 3/10 Jeff Hogan)
Photo shows the yellowish-orange light patches characteristic of very young Killer Whales, as well as the wrinkles from being folded in the uterus -- a Killer Whale baby is born at about 8 feet in length and 400 pounds, while the mother averages only about 19 feet in length.
The Neptune Canada Project
Neptune Canada, the world’s first regional-scale underwater ocean observatory that plugs directly into the internet went ‘live’ from the west coast recently. Sensitive microphones in a "node" of equipment at the bottom of Barkley Sound may soon pick up whale vocalizations -- visiting Killer Whale pods, or perhaps even a late-season singing Humpback Whale!
Some Favourite Photos
Wildlife photographer & guide Akiya Tamba joined us for several different programs this spring. Mr. Tamba has genorously allowed us to share some of the wonderful photographs taken on his trips with the crew at Remote Passages (click on each date to see the photos listed):
- Remote Passages's boathouse, as seen from 1st Street dock
- Spyhopping Gray Whales
- Harbour Seals
- Bald Eagle in spruce tree
- 'Swimming Eagle' - fishing, then eating his catch of the day
- River Otter at Tsapee Narrows
- Local beaches
- Gray Whales in Cow Bay -- 'skulling' fins at the surface, and rolling
- Pine Marten on Hot Springs Trail -- normally a very shy forest animal!
- Steller Sea Lions
- Killer Whales near Tofino
Although weather and sea conditions were somtimes challenging, Mr. Tamba's patient approach, together with good local knowledge on the part of his Remote Passages's guides, created some truly memorable wildlife portraits!
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