February Whale Sightings

Click here for Map of February 2004 whale sightings.

February 28, 2004

Well, it was a long gap from Jpod off Victoria on Feb 01. to this afternoon but at 1330 off the waterfront 1 male and 2 others going E. (transients). "Mallard" will be sending more info on these and a 4th one.
Ron Bates
MMRG, Victoria
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Finally some orca! With help from a couple of shore based whale-watchers on the Victoria waterfront (Ron Bates and Rhonda Reidy) we found the T41's and T61 Saturday afternoon(Feb 28). I left T61 a couple of miles east of Race Rocks westbound @ 1530 and the T41's (T41, 41a, and T44 @ 1630 as they were approaching Trial Island on an easterly heading.
Mark Malleson

February 23, 2004

We saw 2 transient males today in Monterey Bay and I got a report yesterday of 4-5 kws off Moss Landing from Steph Dutton although I couldnt get to those for photos.
Nancy Black
Monterey, CA

February 19, 2004

Hi, Orcas going North in Swanson Channel, off North Pender Island, Mouat Point at 1650 February 19th. One group of 3 with a male, a separate group of 5 and another group further out in the channel of 9 -11. They were just in the rays of the sunset so it was hard to count. First of the season for me and a wonderfully reassuring sight.
Marti (on Mouat Point)
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Nancy Black, orca researcher in Monterey, reports a pod of 7 Offshores in Monterey Bay. She was able to photograph & confirm them as Offshores, and they were observed eating salmon later in the day.

February 12, 2004

Dale Sanderson reported a pod of ~10 orcas, hunting seals south of Crescent City, CA

February 12, 2004

Gary Williams of Crescent City, CA reported a pod of 20-30 orcas 1/2 mile off Battery Pt, headed north.

February 10, 2004

I was up late last night watching a movie when I was rewarded with a short burst of transient calls coming over the hydrophone at about 0035 in the morning. I hit record on the tape deck and ran outside but could not hear any blows. The calls sounded close though so we might have lost one of our harbor seals from the reef last night!
Dave Ellifrit
Center for Whale Research, San Juan Island

February 9, 2004

Christine Pomeroy reported 2 or 3 possible orcas swimming & jumping off Trinidad, CA Monday, didn't see any white, not BIG fins but shark-like.
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Fred McElroy reported a pod of 20+ orcas, including 3 males at 1:10 pm 4 miles south of Pt. Arena, CA.
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Nancy Black reported a pod of 8 orcas so. of Pt. Lobos, 15 miles south of Monterey.

February 6, 2004

This morning we had a first - orcas in Silva Bay! about 16 of them. between Law Point and Commodore Pass. They stayed around for quite a while, and seemed to be towing a very unhappy sealion or similar critter. Later we heard there were two more pods coming from the other direction. Ted went out with Tom Upton, and got a few pictures.
Ted and Phyllis Reeve
Page's Resort and Marina
Gabriola Island, B.C

February 5, 2004

20+ orcas, including 4 males in Bodega Bay, CA, 1.5 miles from shore off the Pt. Reyes Lighthouse, reported by Mike Sartori.

February 4, 2004

We got a call from Capt. Brian of the Pt. Lobos, reporting a pod of 2 or 3 orcas 2 1/2 miles west of Moss Landing, Monterey Bay, CA at 7:50 am
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Brad Hanson of NOAA Fisheries received a report of 4 orcas off Highway 112, 7 miles east of Neah Bay, WA today, heading west. They were close to the road, and the person reporting them observed one of them eating a Grebe - probably Transients.

February 1, 2004

I went out with Jim on J pod. I don't have much to add other than we left them just east of Trial Island heading east at about 1430.
Dave Ellifrit, Center for Whale Research
San Juan Island
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Jpod off Victoria, first reported east of race Rocks at 1056. Now 1330 they should be abeam of Trial Is. going east. J1 and J2 both reported alive and well. Dave Ellifrit on scene with Jim Maya.
Ron Bates
MMRG, Victoria
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Jim Maya of Maya's Charters left a message reporting J pod off the Victoria waterfront, heading east toward Trial Island and San Juan Island - at 12:50 pm.