January 2021 Whale Sightings

Click here for Map of January 2021 whale sightings.

January 31
BIGG'S TRANSIENT ORCAS - Sun, Jan 31 - Possession Sound - 14:39 - [orcas] Viewing from Sunset Hill Drive/Whidbey visibility not best but appears they are in between Eglon and Point-No-Point, Kitsap side of mid channel. Assuming nb still. More rain coming in, losing sight. -Marilyn Armbruster
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14:00 - That boat has since moved on but now seeing a few orcas likely on a hunt. Some tail lobs, breaches, milling in same spot. I am viewing far away. Trending north and just out in front of Eglon. Perspective is hard from where I'm viewing way up high on Whidbey.
13:45 - There is a small white boat parked with the orcas. Saw a large male surface nearby. Guessing just north of Eglon, definitely Kitsap side. -Rachel Haight
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11:45 - Secondhand report, orcas possibly in wide expanse between ~1.5 miles south of Scatchet Head (south Whidbey) and southeast of Point No Point, non-directional. If anyone has eyes on that area and can confirm. -alb
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10:16 - Continued scanning, unfortunately no more sightings. But definitively saw 3-4 dorsals breach 3 times before reporting.
10:10 - Spotted 3-4 dorsals headed north from Emma Schmitz, mid channel, north of Blake Island. Maybe dolphins, seemed smaller than Orcas. Maybe others can confirm. -Russ Mann
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09:50 - Donna Sanders, WSF Marine Ops emailed report: WALLA WALLA Master reports 3 orca heading north near the EDM Terminal.
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Sun, Jan 31 - Haro Strait (T60D and T60E) - 14:08-15:07 - Center for Whale Research Encounter #7: "… Within seven minutes of departure they started the encounter within a quarter mile north of Ten Mile Point light. Upon arrival they could see that they just missed a kill as the two individuals were milling about in a large sweet-smelling slick amongst scavenging gulls (48 27.4/123 15.7). As Mike 1 eased into the area to confirm their identity, Joe was slightly quicker than Mark to confirm that it was the two brothers T060D and T060E. He second guessed himself for a moment as he saw in the back of his camera his distant photo showed a second notch in who he thought was T060E's fin. It did turn out to be him, now with a new notch half way down the trailing edge just below his known notch. …" [See CWR Encounter #7 for full summary and photos - https://www.whaleresearch.com/2021-7]
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GRAY WHALES - Sun, Jan 31 - Saratoga Passage - 10:35 - Here at Hidden Beach. This morning and just saw a blow. Assuming it’s the same Gray that’s been seen here last few days. Waiting to spot again. (update 1: confirmed Gray about halfway out from hidden beach moving towards Baby Island. update 2: closer to Camano now milling about a bit. Several blows.) -Kevin Doar

January 30
BIGG'S TRANSIENT ORCAS - Sat, Jan 30 - South Puget Sound (T87 and T124A2s) - ~16:50 - Screenshots from video taken by Joanna Sappenfield on 1/30/21 from Fox Island Fishing Pier.
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Sat, Jan 30 - South Puget Sound - 17:20 - Saw male near entrance to Wollochet Bay once then gone. Pretty dark now. -Kimberly Wenner
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17:05 - Spotted them from Boathouse 19 dock. They were all the way on the Fox Island side. Couldn't tell if committed NB or headed into Hale Passage. - Amber Stanfill
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16:32 - [orcas] 3 of them passed by southern tip of Fox Island toward Narrows about 10 minutes ago!!!! -Dina Ragow O'Brien
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16:25 - [orcas] Headed north just at tip of Fox Island and Chambers Bay. On FI side. -Cindy Hofferber Richardson
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15:44 - I do see more fins close to the McNeil side though, kind of far to see from Chambers, but they definitely look more orca. -Lexie Kendall
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15:43 - [orcas] They are between Fox and McNeil [Islands] headed south. -Aaron Aegerter
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~15:30 - I took this amongst sea lions at Fox Island bridge about 3:30 yesterday. Chatter was that "someone" had seen an orca. I didn't see anything to confirm this, but reviewing later this photo was on my roll. -Stacey Crofoot
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13:31 - [orcas] Just saw two of them milling around and not moving anywhere really. Between Fox Island and Lake Bay, closer to Fox Island side. -Lance Loyd
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13:29 - Seem to be headed south. They are diving, haven't seen for a few minutes.
13:24 - Headed SE, still seeing them.
13:06 - [orcas] Just seen off Green Point. We are sighting from Fox Island Spit. -Benjamin Beers
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12:16 - Headed south now from the middle of Carr Inlet. Headed towards Green Point. 1 male, 2 females and juvenile. -James Neil
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12:17 - 3 whales spotted. Still in same area.
12:07 - Tall and short dorsal fins spotted by small boat on west side of channel from Kopachuck. Whales appear heading south. -Vanessa Schwartz
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11:53 - [orcas] In Carr Inlet south of Dead Man's [Cutts Island], then by Kopachuck so heading south. -Lynn McCormick Radcliffe
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11:44 [orcas] Off Kopachuck Point, all the way across on the west shoreline. Headed back toward Fox Island. One male, two medium, one little. -Tally Swanson
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16:50 - Passing us at Fox Island fishing pier Northbound.
13:29 - Still drifting south about mid channel on the east side of Fox Island, about to lose sight.
13:16 - Still drifting south, slowly, in the same general area. South of the yard burn smoke on the Peninsula side if you're looking from Fox Island.
13:01 - Just seeing them pop out from behind Green Point outbound, from Fox Island.
11:17 - [orcas] Report from another group, ... "heading south off Dead Man's Island." (aka Cutts Island)
-----Orca Food! One of the cooler critter events I've been blessed enough to witness on all my journeys spying on Orcas from land. Easily 60, maybe as many as 100, Stellar Sea Lions are hunting Herring in Hale Passage. They would herd the fish under the bridge to the shallows (what initially attracted the Orcas that morning) and feast on the bait ball with all the sea birds helping too. At one point they drifted out mid channel and then started to meander towards Tanglewood and the small shallow bay there. All of a sudden, all the Sea Lions BURST out of the water in unison, I'm talking 60 at once, porpoising with speed and purpose to round the fish up again. Of course, my camera chose this moment to refuse to focus, so this photo does zero justice to what I saw, but it's still pretty cool!! (That is Tanglewood with the Lighthouse. It's a small Island next to Fox Island!) -Melissa Bird
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09:30 - [orcas] northbound in Carr Inlet (in the middle of Forest Beach). -Jacque Pierson
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09:12 - The orcas are still visible from spit at north end Fox Island trending north in Carr Inlet in direction of Raft Island. (If they are not in travel mode they may just be drifting while eating their prey -alb)
08:53 - I saw them 1 male and 2 plus smaller ones. They looked to be headed around Fox Island and not towards Raft Island.
----- The sea lions have been hanging around Fox Island for over a week. I thought, I'll take my coffee and my camera and head to the park at the end of my street for a sea lion photo shoot. As I'm crossing the sand spit, I see a big splash and then what I first thought was a sealion with its flipper waving out of the water. Except that it's big....really big...OMG OMG OMG it's an ORCA!! I dropped my coffee and almost choked myself with my camera strap but still managed to get a few pictures. -Stacey Crofoot
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08:44 - Reports and a video of Orcas at the Fox Island bridge about 40 mins ago. -Alex Kjorlien
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08:42 - Orcas passed the Fox Island bridge this morning headed towards Raft Island. Heard second hand from a friend who lives out there. -Brooke Casanova
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08:24 - Video was posted showing orcas at the Fox Island Bridge. No word yet on direction traveling!!! -Dina Ragow O'Brien
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HUMPBACK WHALES - Sat, Jan 30 - Haro Strait - 15:35 - Small humpback milling 1/2 mile NW of Lime Kiln. -Michelle Savoie
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GRAY WHALES - Sat, Jan 30 - Saratoga Passage - 16:44 - staff member Katie Watkins reports that Little Patch is back at Hidden Beach, feeding and doing circle laps.
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10:31 - Single gray whale between Hidden Beach and Baby Island. Moving slowly into Holmes Harbor (?). -Rob Harris
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07:40 - Nancy Culp Zaretzke reports a gray whale just north of Hidden Beach, Whidbey, eating. She watched him around the same area for many hours yesterday morning and again in the afternoon.

January 29
BIGG'S TRANSIENT ORCAS - Fri, Jan 29 - Oak Bay Flats/Haro Strait (T85s) - 12:14-13:14 - Center for Whale Research Encounter #6: "… With some direction from shore-spotter extraordinaire, Gord Rowles, they were able to catch up with the group of Bigg's as they traversed the Oak Bay Flats. The encounter began at 1214 (48 24.4/123 16.2) as the whales were travelling quickly east for Sea Bird Point, and dove in a tight group as the boat slowed on approach. When they surfaced, the two bulls instantly gave away the T085 matriline, and the matriarch surfaced shortly just ahead of them alongside her youngest, T085D. Mark and Joe encountered these whales as they entered the Salish Sea on January 19th of this year, see Encounter #04 for more details. …" [See CWR Encounter #6 for full summary and photos - https://www.whaleresearch.com/2021-6]
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Fri, Jan 29 - Central Puget Sound (T87, T124A2s) - From Janine Harles' photos: "Yup that's T87 "Harbeson"... believed to be the oldest male in the population (estimated 1962!)" - Erin Gless, Marine Biologist/Naturalist, Island Adventures
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16:55 - Pod of orcas spotted from the Edmonds Kingston ferry south bound towards Richmond Beach. Edmonds side. -Cameron McNeil
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At 16:43 John Miller, WSF Marine Ops, emailed report: WALLA WALLA Whale Report 1/29/2021 at 1633hrs: Vessel reports via 800MHz 6 orca meandering just off the vessel stern, as they lay-in the dock at EDM. The whales were moving SB, but now have no particular direction of travel.
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~16:30 - Pictures taken about 4:30 Friday afternoon from Edmonds Pier. -David Fenwick
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16:58 - Just crossed over mid channel towards kitsap side, 458. (Saw what looked like T087, one or 2 females and a young one...may have been more.)
16:55 - Heading south slowly past Marina Beach, 455.
16:30 - Janine Harles called. She is at the Edmonds pier (was observing a seal on the beach) and called back to report at least 3 orcas (incl male possibly T87) close to the pier circling. Looks like they are on the hunt.
-----Awesome afternoon at the pier today! …out by the pier and saw ORCAS!! They were on a hunt, saw a few spyhops and tail slaps and then they headed South as we lost light! -Janine Harles
("Definitely T087 and Nick Templeman confirmed the T124A2's." - Janine)
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GRAY WHALES - Fri, Jan 29 - Saratoga Passage - 15:45 - He's still at Hidden Beach feeding. Got at least another hr+ of daylight for folks in the area. He's still feeding mid cove, north of parking lot and a little 10 min walk. Not a lot of beach to walk on but you can see him from end of dirt road too...it's public.
14:15 - Still feeding here at cove. Hard for me to leave. He feeds, goes out takes a breather and comes back in for more
14:00 - He's out from shore a bit right now (14:00). Looks like little Patch.
13:00-14:00 - Feeding back and forth, mid Hidden Beach Cove.
13:00 - Seeing blows around North Bluff Point which is north of Hidden Beach and south of Lake Mastie Rd. Cannot tell direction of travel. Long downtimes. -Marilyn Armbruster - video - https://youtu.be/FUM1NOupRc8
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12:48 - Martin Sibonga called to report seeing a gray whale feeding in Saratoga Passage, Whidbey side north of Hidden Beach (across from Cama Beach).
12:58 - The whale went north about a mile or so. I'm not 100% sure there were two whales. When I first saw them I thought I saw two whales sticking out of the water, but later on I only saw one when I went north; that whale is headed back south towards Hidden Beach
11:10 - Just saw some whales by hidden beach on Whidbey Island didn't get a great look but it appeared to be two whales but not orcas. -Aaron Gill

January 28
GRAY WHALES - Thu, Jan 28 - Saratoga Passage - ~14:20 - I left from high bank Baby Island Heights as he was slowly traveling SB, and I headed to high bank mid Baby Island Heights but have not seen him since. He's on looong downtimes.
14:09 - He's kind of milling out here at Baby Island, slowly heading south.
14:01 - Watched the gray at Baby Island heading into Holmes Harbor about ¼ mile, it's now heading out. I will watch to see which way it's going.
13:47 - Gray at Baby Island heading south into Holmes Harbor.
-----Watched Little Patch round Baby Island into Holmes Harbor and back out. He didn't stay long in the harbor. Watched him again southeast side of Baby Island heading east, and then looking like he was making another turn? I headed to mid Baby Island Heights to view as I can see much better over towards Hidden Beach, Camano State Park and Elger Bay. but I lost him. He could have easily turned back northwest and possibly towards Harbor again??? -Marilyn Armbruster
[photo confirms #53 "Little Patch"]

January 27
GRAY WHALES - Wed, Jan 27 - Saratoga Passage - I know that Little Patch has been around especially early this year. I'm assuming that is who our visitor was yesterday. End of Mabana Road for at least an hour. Tide in and an usually large assortment of feathered followers: the usual Scoter, but also Merganser, Bufflehead, and Gull. First photo from our bluff, then I drove down to Mabana Road access. No tail shows until I had put the camera away! -Barbara Brock

January 26


January 25
GRAY WHALES - Mon, Jan 25 - Saratoga Passage - Had a little visit from a gray whale friend. -Katie Watkins, Orca Network/Langley Whale Center
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16:42 - Maybe a gray coming north from Holmes Harbor. See the mist in the late sun. -Bryan Hansen - video - https://www.facebook.com/OrcaNetwork/posts/10165043493790601
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15:43 - He/she stopped feeding a while ago and has been doing longer dives and moving closer to Whidbey. Seems to be moving back north too.
14:07 - [Gray] feeding off Camano, just south of Irenella. Moving southwest. "I saw him lifting his head out of the water like this several times before diving." -Serena Tierra
[ID confirmed by ALB: "yes is 53 Little Patch. Great ID images. Thanks!"]
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16:12 - Looks like he's heading to Bells Beach. Seeing him mid channel aimed that way.
13:15 - He has made a left turn towards Camano and Cam side of mid channel or closer. Viewing from Bells Beach, and line of sight is south end of Elger Bay. Appears SE bound but a little hard to tell.
13:00 - Marilyn Armbruster texted, she is observing the gray whale who is now south of Fox Spit still traveling southbound, feeding along the way. -Marilyn Armbruster
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12:18 - Grey feeding in Saratoga Pass again today. Just south of Baby Island and heading toward Langley. Wonder if the same one that was here last night? -Al Shott
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GRAY WHALES - Sat, Jan 23 - Saratoga Passage - 09:35 - Allie Hudec called. She received a report from a neighbor of the gray. She reached the beach, saw the gray off Fox Spit about 20 minutes ago (~09:15) then lost it as it moved on in the fog. Apparently, whale was heading inside buoy feeding then off again towards Bells Beach.
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08:50 - Christie Schaefer called to report a gray whale feeding at Whidbey Shores/Fox Spit and now heading southbound towards Bells Beach and Langley.

January 24


January 23
HUMPBACK WHALES - Sat, Jan 23 - Haro Strait - 13:10 - My wife (Alean) and I saw a beautiful humpback whale roughly 15 to 20 yards from the shoreline by Lime Kiln Lighthouse on 1/23 at 1:10 pm. He breached once to clear his blow-hole in the little cove to the north of the lighthouse and then three additional times as he casually made his way SSW into Haro Strait. I've lived in Washington for 30 years and this was the first time I've seen a live whale. It was absolutely thrilling!! -Damon J. Gray, Lynden, WA

January 22
HUMPBACK WHALES - Fri, Jan 22 - Strait of Juan de Fuca - Paddleboarders with a "Lucky"/MMZ0062 humpback sighting off of Victoria's waterfront in January. -Mark Malleson

January 21


January 20
Wed, Jan 20 - Haro Strait - A spectacular finish to an amazing, historical day. The Southern Residents even came to celebrate with us! I know we still have so much work to do to save them and it won't be easy. But today, it just feels a little more achievable. -Cindy Hansen, Orca Network
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15:34 - Southern Residents are chatty on the Lime Kiln hydrophone! 3:34. -Meg Sellers
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15:10-16:00 - 7-9 members of J-Pod, including 3 large males, southbound 1/4 mile south of Edwards Pt/ Landbank. They were spread out with one group of 3 traveling tight for a short time. They were 1/2 mile out from my position on shore. J22 Oreo, J26 Mike, J45 Se-Yi-Chn and possibly J46 Star. They surfaced infrequently and didn't rise high out of the water. Still... J-Pod! Photos very cropped and enlarged. -Michelline Halliday, SJI
(J45 Se-Yi-Chn confirmed by Sara Hysong-Shimazu) [J46 confirmed by MP)
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14:53 - Just heard a vocalization on the LK hydrophone at 14:53 - couldn't tell ecotype. -Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute
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14:48 - Orcas off the Land Bank headed down island. Now red RIB with them. -James Mead Maya
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13:48 - Acoustic detections at Orcasound Lab hydrophone (5km north of Lime Kiln) at 13:48, including one clear S16. So, that confirms southbound this afternoon, thus far, on a strong ebb (~2kt peak). -Scott Veirs, Orcasound
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HUMPBACK WHALES - Wed, Jan 20 - San Juan Islands - 10:31 - Single humpback in San Juan Channel headed south almost to Mineral Point just now. -Melanie Nakashima
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Wed, Jan 20 - Discovery Bay - 10:31 - [humpback] It was in yesterday also in the same area. I first saw it just off Gardiner heading towards Contractors Point moving slowly. Watched it (think there was just one) for about 2 hours. Hung out by Contractors Point for quite a while then on way out I saw it blow again around Gardiner's bluff and never saw it again. Today it seems to be going back and forth between those two places. Moving very slowly, blows and then dives - about 8-10 minutes later the same. Way too far for me to get a photo as I am at Beckett Point. -Karel Reeves

January 19
BIGG'S/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Tue, Jan 19 - West Vancouver Island (T28As) - ~10:00 - Orcas in the Ucluelet inlet this morning around 10am….looks like they took down a sea lion [T28As per Valérie B Messier, and Sidney Dixon (Strawberry Isle Marine Research Society)] -Selby Wilkinson Field Naturalist of VI page (PM from Robin Alex Schaefer)
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Tue, Jan 19 - Strait of Juan de Fuca (T85s) - 10:59-12:10 - Center for Whale Research Encounter #4: " … They aimed southeast of Trial Island and before long picked up two distinct male dorsal fins on the horizon, along with a couple more blows between them. They slowed and began the encounter at 1059 (48 22.8/123 17.1). From a distance, based on the group composition and time of year, Mark and Joe had hopes that the animals would be the T085s. As they approached the southernmost killer whale, they were able to confirm T085A! …" [See CWR Encounter #4 for full summary and more photos] https://www.whaleresearch.com/2021-4
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HUMPBACK WHALES - Tue, Jan 19 - Discovery Bay - For whatever it's worth, I thought for sure I saw two blows yesterday afternoon [01/19/21]. One and then another pretty quickly but nothing else! -Stacey Crofoot
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Tue, Jan 19 - Haro Strait - At about 1320 today (1/19) I observed an adult humpback ~1/4 mile west of SJCP traveling north at a moderate pace. -Michelle Savoie

January 18
Mon, Jan 18 - Strait of Georgia - Jpod almost snuck by this afternoon in the Strait of Georgia! A little flicker of light in the distance made me grab my binoculars, which led into discovering Jpod spread out from the Gulf Islands to Point Roberts. -Rachelle Hayden (SSOS)
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HUMPBACK WHALES - Mon, Jan 18 - Haro Strait - Noon today at Lime Kiln, my first [humpback] whale sighting of 2021. -Talia Weiss

January 17
HUMPBACK WHALES - Sun, Jan 17 - Discovery Bay - 16:20 - [humpbacks] Spotted out by Gardiner Beach at 4:20. We and other neighbors have been seeing it consistently for the last two weeks. Two weeks ago there were two, one larger one smaller. But for at least the last 10 days we've only seen the smaller one (presumably the same but not sure). Our sightings over last 10 days have been from the east shore, with the whale very close to west shoreline, generally swimming back and forth between Kalset and Contractor Points but sometimes a bit more north towards Gardiner Beach. -André Wilson
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12:30 - 2 or three humpbacks in Discovery Bay January 17. First sighted along western shore at 12:30 heading out of bay but then they turned around mid-point and headed back into the bay. They are traveling slowly and feeding. First sighted only one about mid bay in front of Beckett Point. Next opposite Beckett Point we saw 2 or 3 blows then rolling with the tail finally coming out of the water. We watched 2 or 3 (we could not tell from how close the blows were) blow then roll - saw dorsal fins and sometimes tail. They continued going out towards Diamond Point but then turned around and headed in again. They were on the opposite shore from me below Gardiner. Headed back towards Contractors Point then we lost them. About 2:00 one surfaced by rolling (did not see any blows) just off Beckett about mid-channel heading out towards Protection Island. We did not see 2 - only one and never saw it again even though we watched for about 20 minutes. No photos as too far away. -Karel Reeves

January 16
HUMPBACK WHALES - Sat, Jan 16 - Discovery Bay - 13:55 - Humpback whale in Discovery Bay, north of Contractor Point near shore heading southbound. Viewed from east shore at Tukey Point. -Mary Bond and André Wilson

January 15
GRAY WHALES - Fri, Jan 15 - Saratoga Passage - 10:30 - Kathy Fritz called. While on the phone with friend who lives on the water at North Bluff, her friend was reporting seeing 2 gray whales (she saw the blows & backs) close to Hidden Beach close to Whidbey side heading southbound.

January 14
BIGG'S/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Thu, Jan 14 - Central Puget Sound (T124As) - It was recently confirmed from...distant eyepatch photos taken by Kelly Keenan and Brittany Philbin [see reports and photos below]...that young T124A3A is alive and traveling with his grandmother's (T124A) and great aunt's (T124D) families after losing his Mum in November. For more information on how individuals in this population have been tracked up and down the west coast of North America by scores of data contributors using photo-identification for several decades, please see our 2019 photo-identification catalogue developed in partnership with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Center for Whale Research, North Gulf Oceanic Society, and Strawberry Isle Marine Research Society. Quarterly catalogue updates can be found here. -Jared Towers, Bay Cetology
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17:10 - Transients moving south from 3 Tree Point to Point Robinson. -Julia Mates
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17:06 - [orcas] Saw two heading south on the north side of Three Tree Point... What a magical sunset. -Megan Hansen
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16:50 [orcas] Spotted one SB closer to Burien side across from three towers south of Dilworth. Viewing from Seahurst off 150th Street. -Cindy Eckes Waddington
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16:05 - [orcas] Some passed south of Fauntleroy ferry terminal about 4:05. -Roxane Jackson Johnson
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From Lincoln Park today. -Mitchell Nevi
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16:03 - [orcas] Caught them at Lincoln Park. Passed at 4:03. Now through the ferry lanes. Still traveling south. ---We made a little detour to soccer practice this evening. My daughter and I made it to the beach just in time to see the family of T124A's travel by Lincoln Park. T124A3a (born in 2019) lost his Mom, Wasini (T124A3), in November. This bit of news makes their visit even more special knowing that T124A3a is surviving with his extended family. -Kelly Burns Keenan
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15:46 - 1 male, 2 females, 1 juvenile milling back and forth about 1/2 mi off from Mee-Kwa-Mooks Park, West Seattle. -Peter Tutak
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15:48 - Now see 4, different group, closer to WS side, slowly SB. Staying near surface. Should be great looks from Lowman, Lincoln soon.
15:40 - From Atlas Pl. SW, I see two orcas, looks like a female and male, swimming slowly SB probably just south of Restoration Pt. latitude, closer to WS side. -Trileigh Tucker
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16:00 - 4+ spouts about 50m west of the buoy just north of Lincoln Park. appear to be stalled or circling.
15:38 - At least 3-4 orcas just west of Emma Schmitz. at least 3 leading, 1 trailing not too far behind, grouped closely. Possibly mother and calf in the lead? Heading south at moderate pace. mid-channel to closer to Alki side. -Russ Mann
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15:31 - [orcas] I see two adults and a juvenile. Straight out from Me-Kwa-Mooks Park. Much closer to the W.Sea side than usual. Milling about. Lots of direction changes. Moving slow. -Sarah Sing
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15:47 - 3 more approx. halfway between Lighthouse and Lincoln Park.
15:20 - One orca headed south from the Alki Lighthouse. -Patti Waterfall
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15:28 - Two just hanging out parallel to the north Vashon. Two kayakers just north of them.
15:12 - I am south of Alki, orcas made it past Alki as well. 2-3 orcas heading south between Vashon and mainland.
15:05 - [orcas] Currently seeing them from W Seattle. Just south of Alki beach - SB. -Paul Steyn Benade
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15:00 - Not sure they were orcas [yes, confirmed T124As. -gs] but pod of whales just passed by Alki heading west! 3pm local time. -Anna G.
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18:13 - After reviewing my photos this group turns out to be T124As.
15:55 - Maybe closer to the ferry lanes now.
15:47 - Still north of ferry lanes. Milling of Me Kwa Mooks.
14:50 - Eyes on whales from Alki, south of Eagle Harbor. Midchannel. Repositioning then will get better count. -Brittany Philbin
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14:45 - 2 Orca whales traveling south off Alki Beach. -Nicole Tobin Morris
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~14:00 - [orcas] We saw 4 in a pod yesterday at a little after 2 pm from the bluff at Discovery Park!!! 2 boats were extremely close to them, too close! Orca were tail slapping. So awesome. -Roniq Bartanen
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13:30 - I just wanted to report a sighting from today at 1:30pm, I saw a pod of at least 4 orcas at West Point (Discovery Park beach) heading South (closer to Bainbridge than to Seattle). They appeared to be feeding near Bainbridge for a while before they continued going South. I have no idea which pod they were, but they were really beautiful! -Ivy Arden
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13:07 - There's a pretty big group of orcas just north of Golden Gardens, fairly close to the shore, heading slowly south right now. (4-5 in a close group and then a few more off by themselves. There was a lot of debris in the water that they had to navigate through.) -Kevin Green
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UNIDENTIFIED ORCAS - Thu, Jan 14 - San Juan Islands - 14:10 - Small group of orcas milling in Cattle Pass, including one male. No definitive direction at the moment. -Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute

January 13
Wed, Jan 13 - Haro Strait (L pod) - 14:30-14:50 - 5 orcas southbound at Edwards Point. They were spread out curving away from me as they rounded the point. Later confirmed by Sara Hysong-Shimazu as L55 Nugget, L103 Lapis, L123 Lazuli, L109 Takoda and L118 Jade. All business, heading south. -Michelline Halliday, SJI
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13:50 - 3 to 4 killer whales heading southbound at San Juan County Park about a quarter mile off shore. -John Boyd
["They're Ls. L55, L103, L109, L118, and L123 it looks like." -Sara Hysong-Shimazu]
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Wed, Jan 13 - Strait of Georgia - 17:16 - Several orcas (slow moving, tail slapping observed) heading south past Comox. -Mark and Patti Perepeluk
[J38 ID: MP]
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BIGG'S/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Wed, Jan 13 - Haro Strait - 12:55 - They grouped together again and calmly headed due west until out of sight. T-38A identified. 12:46 - 5 Bigg's transient orcas southbound, just south of Edwards Point/Landbank area. The 5 individuals were traveling together when at 12:51 there was a blur of activity. They separated, changed directing, accomplished a huge roll, a cartwheeling breach and a flurry of splashes flashing in the sun. -Michelline Halliday, SJI
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Wed, Jan 13 - Penn Cove to Possession Sound - 16:20 - John MIller, WSF Marine Ops, emailed at 16:30 - Whale Sighting MUK-CLIN. 1620hrs, SUQUAMISH: Vessel reports via 800MHz 6 orca located mid-way between the terminals, moving in a SB direction.
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10:55 - We watched for a long time and didn't see them leave. Last we saw headed towards the mussel floats on the south side of the cove.
08:33 - Orcas in Penn Cove this windy morning. Heading west past Monroe Landing. (One large male and at least two smaller ones.) It was my 8-year-old, Jonathan, who spotted them as we drove by. He yelled "Orcas!" Of course, I thought he was looking at driftwood... But there they were! It is always such a thrill. He was very proud...spotting them from a moving car in among the waves! --Geoff Kappes

January 12
BIGG'S/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Tue, Jan 12 - Port Susan to Saratoga Passage
15:51 - Marilyn has photos of T46D, other one does look like 46E but photo was slightly blurred.
15:30 - Reports at least 4 northbound Camano side mid channel near Camano State Park.
15:15 - Marilyn Armbruster reports large fin northbound midchannel Elger Bay. -Rachel Haight
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12:30 - Sue Ehler, marine mammal monitor for WSF Mukilteo terminal project, called. Their last sighting was at 12:30 close to top of Hat Island. None of their monitors have had a sighting since. Monitors are positioned at Langley, new Muk terminal, old Muk terminal, on the ferries, (and Clinton?).
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~12:30 - Spotted one headed south, just south of Camano, from Langley lookout ~1230. (Just saw the one porpoising a couple times right after emerging from behind Camano, headed toward Hat.) -Kalena Walker
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12:30 - One orca southbound and out of Port Susan at 12:30. Headed west side of Hat Island. -Mary Miller
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11:45 - John Storbeck reports southbound quickly off Tilicum Beach.
10:54 - Multiple people reporting. Now saying 3, one juvenile still southbound. -Rachel Haight
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10:35 - Port Susan Whale Watchers is reporting an Orca off Country Club Mid Beach heading southeast Mid Channel....heading towards Warm Beach Snohomish County across Port Susan from Country Club. - John Storbeck, CWW

January 11
GRAY WHALES - Mon, Jan 11 - Saratoga Passage
16:30 - (getting a tad dark and nasty rain) viewing from southside of Baby Island, bank side, was out mid channel and in line of sight with Greenbank Farm. Again, southbound into Holmes Harbor.
16:00 - S/he was rounding Baby Island at green channel marker heading towards Holmes Harbor.
15:30 - [Gray] out mid channel slow travel mode Northwest bound. Viewing from mid Baby Island Heights, line of sight with Cama Beach.
14:16 - Gray whale mid Baby Isand Heights feeding. -Marilyn Armbruster

January 10
BIGG'S/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Sun, Jan 10 - Strait of Juan de Fuca (T60s minus T60D and T60E) - 11:51-13:18 - Center for Whale Research Encounter #3: "… Joe was the first to confirm that it was the T060 group less T060's second and third eldest sons, T060D and E. These two have intermittently dispersed from the family since August of 2019, around the same time T060G was born. …" [See CWR Encounter #3 for full summary more photos.] https://www.whaleresearch.com/2021-3
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GRAY WHALES - Sun, Jan 10 - Saratoga Passage - 15:45 - Appears to be leaving and heading north. Whidbey side of mid channel in the triangle of Fox Spit/Baby Island and Camano State Park.
15:20 - Pretty sure Little Patch [CRC53] again. Feeding east of Baby Island Heights. -Marilyn Armbruster
video - https://youtu.be/CVPe5w2MKy4
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UNIDENTIFIED BALEEN WHALES - Sun, Jan 10 - Possession Sound - 11:28 - Moving slowly west. Maybe 1/4 mile west of the green marker now, 11:28 am. Several sail boats in the area east of it.
11:01 - Whale blows spotted just west of the green navigational marker, west of the Everett Marina. I am assuming it is a single grey whale. -Greg Heiss

January 9
GRAY WHALES - Sat, Jan 9 - Saratoga Passage
16:45 - Officially has headed into Holmes Harbor. Viewing high bank southside of Baby Island. Line of sight with Dines Point a couple miles south of Greenbank. Eastside of mid channel south bound down harbour. Whidbey Peeps keep an eye out tomorrow.
16:16 - Northside of Baby Island near green channel marker heading southerly towards Holmes Harbor entrance.
16:00 - Nearing Baby Island viewing from high bank mid Baby Island Heights. Travel mode. West bound
15:45 - Marilyn Armbruster has been tracking Gray whale CRC53 "Little Patch" much of today, moving back and forth in Saratoga Passage feeding between private communities of Fox Spit and Bell's Beach. He is currently between Fox Spit and Baby Island heading northbound. -Marilyn Armbruster
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HUMPBACK WHALES - Sat, Jan 9 - Discovery Bay - Follow up call with Sam McCulloch: He did see the humpback the day after his last report (Jan 8). Fluke possibly has a line across the right tip, which creates a white circle on very tip.

January 8
UNIDENTIFIED ORCAS - Fri, Jan 8 - Strait of Georgia - 13:00 - 3+ orca near Savary Island. They appeared to be hunting initially and stayed in the same general area for two hours. From there they continued north. Viewing from shore on Vancouver Island. -Patti Perepeluk
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HUMPBACK WHALES - Fri, Jan 8 - Strait of Juan de Fuca - I just got a report of a humpback whale that has been hanging out in Discovery Bay for the past two weeks. Central west portion of the bay between Gardiner and Port Discovery. Photo by: Sam Mcculloch. -Fred Sharpe, Alaska Whale Foundation
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Fri, Jan 8 - Haro Strait - 14:32 - [humpback] It's here now. Close to shore. Westside near Mitchell Bay/Mosquito Pass. -Mae Cannon
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14:23 - Single HB heading north toward Henry Island about 1/4 mile out. -April Van Deventer
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UNIDENTIFIED BALEEN WHALES - Fri, Jan 8 - Saratoga Passage - 16:20 - Allie Hudec called. She is down at Fox Spit doing some eelgrass work and just saw a fluke. Could be a gray, her neighbor saw gray earlier, but she thought looked like a humpback to her, but cannot confirm either way. Whale was mid channel, midway between Fox Spit and the point off Camano Island State Park, and appeared to be heading north. Will let us know if comes back around.
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PORPOISE - Wed, Jan 6 - South Puget Sound - ~13:30 - Just reporting a large number of Porpoise today at Chambers Bay. There were 3 large groups spread out at about 1:30pm today. -Cherie St.Ours

January 7
Thu, Jan 7 - Haro Strait - 20:00 - I was listening to the Lime Kiln hydrophone tonight (Jan 06, 2021 at 8 PM) and would like to report that I can hear orcas. I'm pretty sure I'm hearing Js and I can hear s01 calls. I also heard some K pod calls a few min after I sent my original email, so I'm assuming Ks were traveling with Js again that night. -Katie McDermott
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HUMPBACK WHALES - Thu, Jan 7 - Haro Strait - 14:45 - [humpback] Headed south from Lime Kiln at 2:45. -Dave Czaja
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11:05 - HB off County Park about 1/4 mile headed up island. -April Ryan
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Thu, Jan 7 - Strait of Juan de Fuca - 16:20 - [humpback] Whale sighted again in same location [as his January 6th sighting] by Contractor Point, spotted with scope & binos from south of Beckett Point. 4:20 pm Thurs Jan 7. -André Wilson
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GRAY WHALES - Thu, Jan 7 - Saratoga Passage - 12:03 - Now it's cutting across Saratoga Passage towards Camano. 12:01 - Our gray is back again today feeding near the bluff on south Whidbey. Just a bit north of Sandy Point. -Luanne Seymour

January 6
Wed, Jan 6 - Strait of Juan de Fuca/Victoria Waterfront (Js, K13s, K14s) - 11:30-14:11 - Center for Whale Research Encounter #2: "… The encounter began a few hundred meters west of the "VH" buoy at 1130 (48 22.2/123 24.4). Two of the first whales encountered were J38 and K44, travelling side-by-side and confirming suspicions that the animals were Southern Residents. At the same time, there was an outbound container ship in the pilot station that apparently annoyed Mark and Joe more than it did the whales, as they cruised calmly alongside for a few minutes before it outpaced them and headed for sea. J40 was identified in a small group of females and juveniles which also included J41, J51 and J58. J37 and her youngster J49 were just apart from them with J31, J46 and J44. …" [See CWR Encounter #2 https://www.whaleresearch.com/2021-2?cid=e39437d2-50ae-4e20-b54e-ac84878360f7 for full summary and photos]
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HUMPBACK WHALES - Wed, Jan 6 - Haro Strait - Visit last night [January 6th] just before sunset. West side of SJI, just south of Snug Harbor. -Peter Van Deventer
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Wed, Jan 6 - Strait of Juan de Fuca - 15:15-16:30 - Humpback whale pair sighted in Discovery Bay starting Jan 3 through Jan 6. Jan 6 sighting 3:15 pm - 4:30 pm on west side of bay south of Gardiner between Contractor and Kalset Points. -André Wilson
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15:35 - Two Humpbacks again/continue in Discovery Bay. Same location [as Jan 3rd report]. -Mary Bond
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GRAY WHALES - Wed, Jan 6 - Saratoga Passage - 13:25 - [gray] Just past the harbor now closer to Whidbey side of Saratoga Passage. -Luanne Seymour
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Grey whale feeding just off shore near our farm [Chocolate Flower Farm] on Whidbey Island. [NW of Langley] -Marie Lincoln
video - https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10158013038043348&id=170041083347
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14:30-14:56 - Viewing from and ordered take home dinner from Village Pizzeria...watched gray heading north (slow travel mode) up Saratoga Passage. Currently Camano side of mid channel in between Langley and Bells Beach. looooong downtimes. Last post...beautiful afternoon calm waters...
13:25 - Mid channel out from Langley Marina heading east. He doesn't come out of the water much. I did note a small white patch ahead of his blow hole.
12:50-13:10 - Last half hr., 12:50 to 13:10, actively feeding north of Langley and out from Inn at northend. It has now 13:20 headed SE bound towards Camano
12:47 - Gray whale feeding north of Langley… -Marilyn Armbruster
["Great ID image. That's 53 Little Patch." -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network]
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Gray whale in front of whale bell park right now 12:10 pm 1-6-21. -Durand Dace
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05:45-14:00 - [gray] He's been eating in front of our house in Langley on Edgecliff drive for over 8 hours straight today. I heard him when I got up at 5:45am and he's still munching on the ghost shrimp now...almost 2pm. Hasn't moved more than 100 yards in any direction and blows every couple minutes. -Christy Grant

January 5
GRAY WHALES - Tue, Jan 5 - Saratoga Passage - 16:49 - Allie Hudec called to report her neighbor observed a gray whale passing Fox Spit heading towards Langley [southbound]. He's taken a picture so if she can get ID she'll let us know.
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12:07 - [gray] …eating just north of Sandy Point, Whidbey in Saratoga Passage slowly heading northbound towards Langley. -Christy Grant
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~09:15 - Grey feeding and travelling this morning off east side of the island, first saw them north of Comforts winery, then moved south past Hat and on to the ferry ... didn't get close enough to see markings. Seemed to be feeding a little deeper than they do in the summer; maybe trying to avoid some of the big lumber floating in the shallows? -Sean Nolan

January 4
BIGG'S/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Mon, Jan 4 - Strait of Georgia - 14:15 - Two orca travelling south very close to shore along Texada Island. First seen north of the Texada Quarry area. Viewing from shore on Vancouver Island. -Patti Perepeluk

January 3
BIGG'S/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Sun, Jan 3 - Strait of Georgia (T49A1 and T49A2) - 13:20 - Viewing from shore - two orca first sighted near the red can just south of Quadra Island. The orca continued north past Tyee Spit - Campbell River. [photos - T49A1 and T49A2 per MP] -Mark and Patti Perepeluk
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Sun, Jan 3 - Haro Strait (T167s) - 10:26-11:25 - Center for Whale Research Encounter #1: "… Dave got a good enough shot of the mom to convince him that he had the T167s. T167A had sprouted since the last pictures Dave had looked at of him. The T167s have shown up a few times in the last several years (Mark just saw them on December 31, 2020) although they are not a common group in our area and Dave hadn't had a chance to see them yet. Dave had seen T167 herself several times back in the late 1990s up in Southeast Alaska when she still used to travel with T165 and T166. …" [See CWR Encounter #1 https://www.whaleresearch.com/2021-1 for full summary and more photos]
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UNIDENTIFIED ORCAS - Sun, Jan 3 - Haro Strait/Eagle Point - 10:10 - Just got a report of more orcas off Eagle Point, 3-4 of them, milling 10:10. -Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute
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HUMPBACK WHALES - Sun, Jan 3 - Strait of Juan de Fuca/Discovery Bay - 15:53 - Heading south into bay towards Mill Pt. 3:53.
15:45 - Now on west side of Disco Bay off Kalset Pt. 3:45p Sunday Jan 3. Two Humpbacks.
15:25 - One or two Humpback whales in Discovery Bay 3:25pm. Off Tukey Pt. -Mary Bond
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~15:15 - First reports on Jan 3 came from Beckett Point with reports of a pair heading into Disco Bay. We spotted them around 3:15 as they surfaced very close to the east shoreline just north of Tukey Point in the middle of a baitball feeding frenzy by gulls and mergansers. They then moved west across the bay to the Gardiner side. We watched them until dark moving back and forth between Mill Point and Contractor Point. (Approximately the same area where we sighted them again on Jan 6.) -André Wilson
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Sun, Jan 3 - San Juan Islands - 14:45 - Humpback in San Juan Channel by Turn Island. -Julie Gralow

January 2


January 1