September 2020 Whale Sightings

Click here for Map of September 2020 whale sightings.

September 30
Wed, Sept 30 - Haro Strait to Strait of Georgia (J pod) - Yesterday evening [9/30] in a glassy calm Strait of Georgia I had the privilege of 'meeting' the newest member of Jpod. This little kiddo belongs to J41 "Eclipse". J51 "Nova" was in close attendance the whole time and I can't help but wonder how he's adjusting to his new role of big brother. Welcome to the world, little one. photo - "J41 "Eclipse" and her newest kiddo." -Sara Hysong-Shimazu
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Welcome, little one. It is such a privilege to meet you. Six-day-old J58 flanked by mom J41 Eclipse and big brother J51 Nova this evening in the Strait of Georgia. -Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute
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10:46 - (J pod) In Active Pass now - northbound.
09:19 - They are currently in Swanson channel northbound. -Rachelle Hayden
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03:44-05:00 - SRKW calls picked up on Orcasound Lab hydrophone (1 km south of Snug Harbor) by a brand-new experimental automated detection system built by Microsoft hackathon volunteers! Will post a full recording on orcasound.net /blog but moderator consensus is likely J pod (lots of S1s, S4s) and timing matches when they exited Admiralty last night (Port Townsend detections by human listeners ~19:00), so perhaps they were northbound in Haro? -Scott Veirs, Orcasound
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BIGGS/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Wed, Sept 30 - Strait of Juan de Fuca - T123A off of Clallam Bay on the afternoon of September 30th. -Mark Malleson
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A great day around Sooke with Transient Killer Whales (T123's) - photo - "Stanley" T123A" Paul Pudwell, Sooke Coastal Explorations
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GRAY WHALES - Wed, Sept 30 - Northern Saratoga Passage - I just spotted puffs out in the channel way over toward Camano. It's heading south past the strip of homes on the beach south of Utsalady. Woohoo! -Marianne Parry
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MINKE WHALES - Wed, Sept 30 - North Puget Sound/Admiralty Inlet - ~10:00 - Lon Brocklehurst told me today that on Wednesday about 10AM while he was working on the hydrophone at Bush Point he saw two minkes swim by going north about 50 yards from the dock. -Howard Garrett, Orca Network

September 29
Tue, Sept 29 - Puget Sound - What an amazing treat to hear J-pod was heading north in Admiralty, late afternoon. Here are a few of many photos, the sunset and moonrise were spectacular, as were Rainier and Baker. Oh and J-pod were pretty noticeable too. photo - "J-27 Blackberry (b.1991)" [ID: JH], photo - "J47 Notch (b.2010) We saw him several times." [ID: JH], photos - Js and sunset-Jill Hein
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19:28 - John Miller, WSF Marine Ops, emailed report: Whale Report Near Keystone Harbor - SALISH reports 8-12 orca moving north in the northbound lanes just outside Coupeville (Keystone) Harbor.
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19:15 - [J pod] Live now, 19:15 on Port Townsend hydrophones. -Susan Marie Andersson
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19:03 - [J pod] You can hear them faintly on the Port Townsend hydrophone! -Tony Tilt
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19:20 - They are spread out traveling northwest and leaders have exited Admiralty inlet.
19:03 - Ferry at a total stop now.
19:00 - 7pm J pod surrounding PT ferry now. -Rachel Haight
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18:19 - Kit Turner called to report orca sighting from Lagoon Point: she is seeing several orcas passing north end of Marrowstone Island opposite N end of Lagoon Pt on the Port Townsend side…seem to be be small one in first group. While on the phone she was seeing several more.
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~18:15 - Reporting from Lagoon Pt. about 6:15..mid channel distant blows and big splashes..but so lovely to see dear J pod!!! I heard they had just passed Bush Point northbound, I decided to dash down to Lagoon Point (vs. staying home and watching the debate...turns out to have been an excellent choice!)....just as I pulled into the north side beach, there they were, distant mid-channel, but oh so lovely in the setting sun with backlit blows and some huge splashes. Even though they were pretty far off, it was wonderful to see them! -Bonnie Gretz
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17:30 - Orcas, Bush Point. Mid channel and heading north. Still breaching. Too far out to identify but there's a boat with them. -Camille Hartely
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~17:00 - This was at Bush Point on the west side of Whidbey island last night at about 5:00 PM and yes we were fishing for Coho, no luck though as there were tons of sea lions, and the orcas in the area we did see mama and her baby we also did see a few orca with salmon in their mouth as they breached, could not tell what kind of salmon but they were large enough to be Kings/Chinook. Added: Yes all boats in the area shut down and stayed out of the 400 yard mark minus the time the orca came in really close to us on their own while we were dead in the water waiting for them to pass. -Clayton Carlson
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17:50 - Soon approaching Lagoon Pt. about 1/2 mile south. Close to Whidbey, and some mid channel.
17:15 - Passed Bush Pt. Lighthouse, crazy active, close to Shore, northbound.
16:50 - [J pod] Viewing from Shore Meadows..lots surface activity closer to Whidbey and just a tad west of Shore Meadows (Whidbey), NB. -Marilyn Armbruster
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Boom...crack... The unmistakable sound of breaching, tail-slapping orcas echoing across Admiralty Inlet, interspersed with the rhythmic 'whoosh' of exhalations, broke the quiet of early evening as, with sunset approaching, a sedate procession of northbound J pod Southern Residents passed close to shore at Bush Point, Whidbey Island, on September 29. The proximity of the whales to the beach made this yet another breathtaking encounter with this unique species - magnificent yet so fragile. All of us lucky enough to be in the moment will undoubtedly treasure the memory. -Sandra Pollard and Richard Snowberger
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Tonight was freaking incredible. Rushed to Bush Point right after work and made it without a minute to spare. Watched J Pod in a fairly close pass with some of my human pod and then met up again at Lagoon Point. Finished the night watching repeated breaches at Ft. Casey with Rachel as the sun met the incoming smoky skies- totally magical. -Dori Dace
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16:50 - [J pod] 1 mile off Whidbey shoreline, 2 miles south of Bush Point, headed north 4:50pm. -David Scott
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18:00 - Straight out from Lagoon Point now. Super active.
16:45 - [J pod] Seeing a lot of breaches + splashing. I'm viewing through a really long lens from Marrowstone, so it's hard to pinpoint exactly where, but it looks like they're maybe just outside of Mutiny Bay. -Sara Montour Lewis
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16:59 - Traveling west now, just saw a BUNCH of breaches, cartwheels, and tail lobs! They are a mile or so south of Bush Point now.
16:25 - They are now west of the green channel marker, and appear to be continuing west to possibly head out Admiralty, looks like they are off south Mutiny Bay at this point.
15:10 - They are definitely finding some fish there, have now turned back NE!
14:50 - [J pod] We were able to finally see blows from our Big Eyes, from HQ just south of Bush Pt., between Double Bluff/Pt. No Point area, at first looked like they were heading NW toward Admiralty Inlet, but then turned and seemed to be heading south toward Pt. No Point, just east of the green channel marker. But now at 3 pm, it appears they are foraging, and have grouped up east of the green marker, so not sure where they will go from there! -Susan Berta, Orca Network
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14:01 - There are still a couple headed north/northwest, north of PNP…
12:54 - Spread out. At least three midway between Point No Point and Southern tip of Whidbey. Head north.
12:45 - [J pod] A number of them still East of PNP. Near a small boat. -Julius Raymond
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15:44 - Drifted west again. Hard to tell if it's directional changes or if they're planning on continuing that way. Definitely a lot of surface activity.
15:38 - So many breaches! Still in relatively the same spot. Really close to the Whidbey side.
14:25 - Still seeing far away blows between the point at PNP and point at Double Bluff. From what I could tell, about 6 females or so, one juvenile or baby, and one male. *this group has been moving pretty slow. I don't know that it's the entire J-pod, though. I'm wondering where the rest of them are.
13:12 - They've been milling [map indicating three groups spread from south to west of Maxwelton -gs]. There's a container ship coming through.
12:57 - Spotted one SE of PNP.
12:43 - They're very spread out. Just saw two breaches eastward mainland. Seeing another thin milling Northeast toward Whidbey.
12:24 - A few orcas milling. Looking directly east from PNP. Decently far out there. Possibly one male, definitely one or two females. -Ashley Whitman
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12:13 - Js spread south of Point No Point milling as of 5 minutes ago. We're passing on the opposite side of the channel to search for more wildlife. Edit #1: they saw both new calves (J57 & J58) and they're looking great! Edit #2: On J56 Tofino: "Quite healthy! She looks so white compared to the little pink babies. She was with J31 and J39." -Justine Buckmaster, Puget Sound Express
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09:59 - Orca pod breaching so much, Kingston-Edmonds ferry run, heading toward Picnic Point. -Charisse Berni
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Orca Network alerted WSF and commercial shipping traffic. We appreciate the efforts and care by WSF. At 09:54 Marie Waterman WSF, Marine Ops replied: "WALLA WALLA reports they [J pod] are just to the north of the ferry lanes and the vessel came to an "all stop" while they were close."
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09:55 - A dozen or more
orcas north bound off of Apple Cove Point, in the shipping lanes closer to Kitsap side.
09:45 - Two orcas breaching off of Point Edwards and several more splashing between there and the Kingston ferry terminal. -Sherman Page
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10:11 - Sara Frey called again. She is seeing a small group very close to Kitsap side off Apple Tree Point. Group includes large male with open saddle on left side and large female. Reported heading up towards Eglon, but maybe then sounded like they circled back again so making directional changes. She could see larger group in the distance near the southbound traffic lanes/mid channel, some breaching. 10:03 - Few on Kitsap side including one large male and female heading towards Point No Point at the moment, rest are spread out behind. Continuing to breach.
09:37 - Sara Frey called to report seeing 15+ orcas spread out in all direction near the Edmonds/Kingston ferry lanes. At the time some south of the oil dock (Woodway) Mostly mid to west of. Big male mid channel. As we were talking, she was seeing breach after breach after breach including by young ones. Tail lobs etc. By numbers believe residents but can't see saddle patches. -Sara Frey
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09:11 - Orcas off of Jeff Head out in the middle moving northbound. Had a definite count of three that we're on one side of my boat, but out in the middle there was another group so I really don't have a good number for you. -Chris Boucher
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HUMPBACKS - Tue, Sept 29 - Puget Sound - ~10:30 - This morning about 10:30 while fishing, we saw at least two Humpback Whales in Commencement Bay. They were near the big, unloaded, tanker and appeared to be heading towards Tacoma. I only saw the fluke of one Humpback, but saw two breathing spouts (?). No pictures. We are going to the same area in about an hour so IF we see them again we'll get a picture. -Carl Straub
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Tue, Sept 29 - E Strait of Georgia - I had 2 Humpbacks here as well at 1:30pm they were travelling east from the below map pin [49°01'08.1"N 123°25'11.3"W] - 10:15 - Two humpbacks, travelling south. [seen west of Point Roberts near the Tsawwassen ferry lane]. -Melissa Hafting
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GRAY WHALES - Tue, Sept 29 - Possession Sound - We also found Gray Whale #2259 on the delta. [Snohomish Delta near Tulalip/Everett/Hat Island]. -Justine Buckmaster
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Tue, Sept 29 - Northern Saratoga Passage - 12:45 - Annnnnnndddd, we're back to Utsalady where Gray was 3-4 hours ago. A full round-trip. Gray is motoring along northward fairly rapidly. It's hard to tell exactly how far between Camano and Whidbey it is, but I'm going to guess about halfway, maybe closer to Camano. Depth perception over the water is tough - lol. As of 12:45pm, it is approaching the red marker in the bay at Utsalady, and I think it's going to pass on the Camano side of it, if that helps at all.
11:00 - Updates for Gray 2261! It's been a busy whale this morning, making the rounds. It hung out between Mariners Cove and Utsalady for a long time - until around 11, when it finally moved north up into Skagit Bay. From there, it made a bee-line for Mariners Cove, cruising in at a good clip around 11:30am and getting reasonably close to shore. It didn't linger, but swam pretty quickly down to the happy meal mudflats, where it spent the last half hour or so feeding and slowly working its way down the shoreline. By 12 noon, I thought maybe it was heading down to Polnell but it appears to have turned out into the channel again.
09:00 - I just spotted Gray (assuming 2261) in a big wall mirror of all things - lol. It's currently mid-channel between Mariners Cove and the southern end of Utsalady. Appeared to be heading north at first, but has turned and is now southbound. (half hour later) Appears to be just hanging out just south of Utsalady as of 9:25. Every time I look, it's heading a different direction - lol. Now it's creeping north back toward Utsalady. Maybe it's just going in big circles. Spending time observing this magnificent whale has been such a gift, especially in this crazy year. I'm going to miss it when it decides to head for warmer waters, but I will be eternally grateful to my big gray friend, CRC 2261, for allowing me (on an almost daily basis!) to take a short break from the whirlwind of everyday life and become immersed in the power and awesomeness of nature. -Marianne Parry

September 28
20:25-20:50 - Counting and following exhalation locations approximately 8-10 K-Pod members slowly southbound. Listening in full dark the exhalations were unique to each individual; deep, soft, drawn out or forceful with one individual having a distinctive whistle on inhalation- like blowing across the top of a soda bottle when we were kids. Orca Behavior Institute identified the whistler as K42 Kelp.
19:55-20:20 - Lime Kiln Hydrophone beginning with clicks and whistles, soon the calls became louder and varied as they passed southward. Another night of peaceful beauty standing in the dark under the stars, listening to K-Pod draw breaths as they pass. (1/4 mile south of Edwards Point, SJI) -Michelline Halliday, SJI
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19:15 - About 10 Ks foraging at Kellett. -Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute
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20:15 - Hearing blows at Land Bank.
19:39 - Hearing calls on Orcasound.
18:21 - Report from Monika - K pod abeam of Spieden Island, southbound. -Cindy Hansen, Orca Network
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K Pod came down Boundary with a pass by Turn Point Light. It was my first time seeing these families in the late afternoon light there. How amazing to see so many tall fins, and big, robust bodies. -April Ryan, Maya's Legacy Whale Watching
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Mon, Sept 28 - Puget Sound (J pod) 19:31 - Donna Sanders, WSF Marine Ops, emailed: WALLA WALLA@1930 C/M reports 10-14 orca moving in the southeast direction, just off Apple Tree Point near KING [Kingston].
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19:27 - [J pod] Thanks for everyone posting. I just got to see them from the Kingston ferry! Super special! There were at least four (I believe) Even a couple breaches! -Suzanna Joor
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18:37 - [J pod] Just south of Eglon, very close in on the Kitsap side, headed toward Kingston. Lots of tail slaps, spyhops, breaches, and play behavior. Seems like several groups have joined together after foraging in smaller subgroups. (headed south) -Delaney Marie
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18:10 - [J pod] Seeing lots of blows from Ocean Ave. (Edmonds), wayyyyy on the other side of the channel. Trending south 6:10. -Jami Cantrell
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17:56 - [J pod] They are just south of Point No Point...a lot of direction change, tail and fin slaps, and an occasional breach. -Kris Clark
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18:45 - Just passed Apple Tree Point, Kingston. On the west side slowly moving south. Hope I got the spy hop in front of Baker! Approaching ferry lanes. They are moving all together.
17:15 - [J pod] Seeing some mid channel north of Edmonds, milling. photos - [J27 ID: Ariel Yseth] -Sara Frey
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18:00 - Still foraging behavior. Seems like they have moved a bit north compared to my previous post.
17:20 - Seems split in two active foraging groups. Line of sight is Edmonds to Eglon. One group directly in that line of sight, the other group slightly south of there. No directional movement from there for nearly 30 minutes.
17:04 - Still foraging behavior midchannel between Edmonds and Eglon.
16:02 - [J pod] Lots of tail slaps. From Sunset Ave. looking towards west of Scatchet Head into ?Useless? Bay. -Ariel Yseth
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16:02 - [J pod] Spoke with Candi on NOAA research vessel, she confirmed both new calves present...Kelley Balcolm-Bartok, PWWA
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15:31 - [J pod] I'm seeing lots of surface action from Picnic Point, but they're far to the west, I'm guessing near Eglon. -Jennifer Hammer
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~15:30 - [J pod] Half an hour ago, straight out from Haines wharf, but quite a ways out. Breaching, so that was awesome! -Julie Harris Martin
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15:29 - [J pod] Orca on east side of Possession Point headed south. -Barri Mullman
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14:52 - Heading southbound from Possession Point.
14:45 - [J pod] Seeing exhales at Possession Point from Mukilteo Lighthouse Beach. Appear to be heading northwest. Can't see them without binoculars. -Tamara Kelley-Woods
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14:14 - [J pod] A number of whales have passed Glendale spread across channel towards Clinton Mukilteo ferry lanes. Steady pace. Some breaches. North bound. ---I can't think of any better wake-up call than the Orca call, and knowing that the Southern Residents were heard on the Bush Point hydrophones last night, this morning's heads up of their potential presence was a bonus. Even so they teased us with wondering whether their travels would take them up Admiralty Inlet or toward Saratoga Passage, Whidbey Island. With little time to spare we caught up with them as they approached Glendale and the Clinton/Mukilteo ferry lanes. The brief but beautiful encounter as they passed by, with an occasional explosive breach to break up the steady, sedate pace, was a reminder of nature's grandeur and our great fortune to be witness to it. -Sandra Pollard
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15:00 - They look like they are heading Edmonds, at least 10 of them. Near the green buoy off the southern tip of Whidbey as of 3:00.
14:35 - They are heading south again, towards the southern tip of Whidbey. They changed direction.
13:51 - They are half way between southern tip of Whidbey and the ferries, in the Whidbey side of channel. So many of them. -Jodi Krause Poissant
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13:45 - [J pod] Viewing with binoculars from bluff between Picnic Point & Mukilteo. Heading north, mid channel. -Vicki Zellman
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15:33 - Last I saw they were heading south of Elgon. Literally the exact same path they took to get to this side. I lost them in the sunshine now.
15:30 - They are all heading back towards Kitsap side. Still midchannel but heading west there.
15:15 - Still midchannel, appear to be trending Southwest. Same direction they originally came from. Exhalations seen spread out. (South of Whidbey in the open waters.)
13:15 - Looks like they may be committed to Possession.
12:58 - They look bigger through my scope from Mukilteo so looks like they are headed east.
12:50 - There's several small groups all over.
12:45 - [J pod] They're really hanging in the middle of the water and haven't moved much. Lots of activity and breaching. (Viewing through telescope from Mukilteo.) -Alice Thuy Talbot
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12:40 - All of J Pod were pointed NE on the south end of Possession Bank. -Christopher Lewman
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~12:30 - Tears of happiness to see members of J-pod on the south end of Whidbey yesterday [9/28], first time in 2020 I've seen any SR's. They were very spread out, and surface active. All images zoomed and heavily cropped. We left them trending towards Possession Sound around 12:30 pm. photo - "J46 Star (b.2009)" [ID's: JH], photo - "J36 Alki (b.1999)" [ID: JH], photo - "This little dot in the middle is J58, in between mom J41 and J51." [ID: JH], photo - "J35 and new calf J57" [ID: MP] -Jill Hein
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~14:00 - Mama and babee [photo] taken around 14:00 from Glendale Beach. They were on Mukilteo side of mid channel.
13:20 - Nearing Possession Beach mid channel.
13:15 - Viewing from Possession Pt. boat launch/park. Across in line with and just north of Haines wharf, nb.
12:00 - [J pod] Viewing from Sunset Hill Dr. Possession Shores. They seem to be heading south? But more east now. Mid channel. -Marilyn Armbruster
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11:46 - Kim Page called to report seeing at least 4 of the orcas (no males in that group) northeast of Eglon heading northbound. Looked to be East of shipping lane.
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13:04 - Heading NE towards Mukilteo, east side of Channel, NOAA is with them.
11:18 - Definitely J's...looked like Mike and Slick, young ones breaching... They've [PSE] left to look for grays who have been staying in up in Possession Sound. ---what an amazing day!! We found endangered southern resident orcas, J Pod, 5 minutes off the dock near Kingston! All members of J pod seemed to be present including the new babies! We left them and went to Gedney Island and found gray whales #2261 and #2259. They met up and then travelled together for a bit, giving us a few close passes! On the way back we found J pod again near North Edmonds and then took a quick trip up past Point No Point where we found a humpback whale!! An epic 3 species in Puget Sound day!! -Janine Harles
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11:21 - There were at least 2 males and a female spread out, Kitsap side. -Donna Green Van Renselaar
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11:25 - Quite spread out right now with some still well south of the leaders and still south of Eglon.
11:10 - [J pod] Past Apple Tree Point, in travel mode, NB. They seem to be committed to Admiralty. They are a bit spread out. Seeing several large males, small ones and few females. -Sara Frey
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16:55 - Last from me, Alisa: pod is spread across and N/S Edmonds to west of mid channel or just west of Eglon - Still well north of ferry lanes. Foraging in all directions. Long down times.
16:45 - And someone very much in Edmonds side directly out from Ocean Ave.!
16:35 - At least 6 or more are making their way SW. On my way out just saw several illuminated separate blows. Whales spread out sightline transect Water Ave., Edmonds and Eglon, Kitsap. Whales mid channel, trend South.
16:15 - J pod is just foraging spread out in wide area out from North Edmonds and south of Possession Point on East side of the Sound spread out in wide expanse not very near any one land location nor heading towards any at the moment.
15:54 - They are further south and a bit more offshore, but still out from northern Edmonds. Foraging and some surface activity including breaches. Trend SW. --:-- - Looks like my Earlier update didn't post. Which was that I was seeing group loosely spread directly out from Haines wharf heading steady southbound about 1 mile plus out from Haines wharf, N Edmonds.
12:25 - At least sizable group is north east of Eglon and NW of Edmonds, east of mid channel. Basically due south of Possession Point. At least some are grouped up trending NE. Lots of breaching!!
12:06 - At least sizable group is due east of Eglon, mid channel, now east of. Can see well with binoculars they are grouped up trending NE. Some breaching!
11:11 - J pod is between Apple Tree Point, Kingston and Eglon, Kitsap heading northbound still west side of channel. Just Saw a breach. Beautiful breezy autumn day with J pod in the way distance from Edmonds Sunset Ave.
10:25 - Leaders, including male, out from Kingston ferry dock just west of mid channel, with others following loosely spread to more west of mid channel in groups. WSF and Shipping traffic has been alerted and updated by us.
10:00 - So far seen upwards of 8-10, spread in groups west side of channel. Male in lead still south of Kingston ferry dock, followed by several other females/young all north steady pace in ripple seas. Slight breeze. Too far for IDs. Hundreds of fishing boats, one WW boat and many pleasure craft transiting.
09:50 - [J pod] Northbound spread out orcas off Richmond Beach and north of Jefferson Head. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
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08:51 - [J pod] Just saw single big dorsal northbound off of the sewage treatment plant [West Point, Discovery Park], looking from BI [Bainbridge Island], lost him in the sun. -Susie Cunningham Bavo
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00:50 - Omg! I'm at Point No Point trying to photograph the northern lights! 12:50: pretty positive I'm hearing blows off PNP. Heard a breach. Lots of slaps. Trying to get a visual since the moon is out. -Ashley Whitman
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BIGGS/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Mon, Sep 28 - Active Pass (T34s, T37 w/T37Bs) - Late Monday afternoon 5 orcas headed east through Active Pass and turned north in the Gulf of Georgia. -Peter McAllister
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16:30 - We saw the T037, T034 and T037B group head east through Active Pass around 4:30 pm today. Thanks to Rachelle Hayden and Gary Sutton for the ID. Photos taken from the shore of Galiano Island, BC. -Karoline Cullen
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15:45 - I have 4 orcas here now at 3:45pm and have photos of them breaching and fluking and of dorsal fins if you need the photos let me know. This is Active Pass. -Melissa Hafting
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HUMPBACKS - Mon, Sept 28 - North Puget Sound - 18:37 - Just saw a humpback dive just off of Shilshole. Tons of porpoise activity too! -Kristin Pederson
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16:45 - Just saw a humpback a little south of Edmonds Beach Park, not too far out-2 blows and a tail up.

Southbound

, as far as I could tell. At least their hump and tail indicated so. -Jennifer Hammer
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…and then took a quick trip up past Point No Point where we found a humpback whale!! -Janine Harles
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GRAY WHALES - Mon, Sept 28 - Northern Saratoga Passage - 10:30 - Update on Gray's location: Gray hung out at "upper" Utsalady until a few minutes ago (was there for about an hour), and is now headed back north toward the northern tip of Camano as of 11:30am. Yay! So glad it's still around! Coincidentally, 9/28 was the last date I spotted a gray back in 2018 when 2234(?) was here all summer.
10:15 - About 25 min later (10:15), Gray is motoring down Saratoga Passage and has passed the northern tip of Camano. Just north of Utsalady at the moment and hustling right along. Appears to be mid-channel-ish.
09:50 - I am watching a Gray (likely 2261) waaaay out in Skagit Bay. Just got lucky with looking in the right place at the right time - lol. I whipped out my handy compass app and the whale is directly east of my location at Mariners cove. I can't tell exactly where it's heading - in binocs, I can see the body when it spouts and it appears to be going north, but isn't making a lot of progress distance-wise so might be moving more toward me. -Marianne Parry
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Mon, Sept 28 - Possession Sound - We … went to Gedney Island and found gray whales #2261 and #2259. They met up and then travelled together for a bit, giving us a few close passes! -Janine Harles
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SPECIES UNKNOWN - Sun, Sept 28 - South Puget Sound - 19:37 - We've got something in Case Inlet - we saw a fin and could hear it, but couldn't see well enough to tell if it's a whale or a dolphin. -Michelle Barrea Graunke

September 27
Sun, Sept 27 - Puget Sound (J pod) - 23:04 - J Pod and possibly others on Bush Point hydrophone! -Katie Davis Watkins, Orca Network/Langley Whale Center
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And now incredible J-Pod vocals on the Bush Point hydrophone 22:50 - where did they come from?! No one on the water out there [Strait of Juan de Fuca] reported Js that I know of. -Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute
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Beginning at 20:30: calls on Bush Point hydrophone, now much clearer without ship noise. -Howard Garrett, Orca Network
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~18:00 - Wow, this is interesting. Last night [27th], I was on the beach at Fort Casey and a fisherman shouted Orcas! I was farther down the beach but I could see lots of spouts way out and also saw a number of porpoises closer in than usual. All just straight out. I know there are a lot of sea lions out there but they don't spout! And it could have been just a bunch of porpoises. Probably so. But sure makes me wonder. It was probably around 6 p.m. -Ron Newberry
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Sun, Sept 27 - Strait of Juan de Fuca (K pod)
20:18 - Calls again!
19:41 - Started hearing Southern Resident orcas off the west side of San Juan Island. Distant calls can be heard on the Lime Kiln Hydrophone. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
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It started with a lovely calm evening, glassy clear water, and a stunning sunset followed by one of the most beautiful whale moments I've ever had. We had been watching one orca from K Pod in the distance as the sun was going down, and as we stood in the dark thinking they weren't going to come north, we started hearing blows getting closer and closer to where we were standing. Suddenly they were passing by right next to shore. We could hear their breathing and see their silhouettes in the moonlight with bioluminescence all around them. It was magical. No camera, no binoculars, just being in the moment with the whales. -Cindy Hansen, Orca Network
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20:20 - K-Pod vocalizing on the LK hydrophone for 9 minutes. Uplifting gorgeous calls.
20:04-20:12 - Northbound. A group of 3-5, very close in along the shore. I could just make out one large male in the moonlight. Multiple breaches so close in, the sound a massive assault (in the best possible way).
19:43-20:00 - 4-7 orcas northbound, including 3 in a tight group, just south of Edwards Point. The night was so still and sound was carrying very far. The 2 large males were rapid firing tail lobs that echoed off the bluffs and hillsides! Surface vocalizations were heard from one sky hopping individual. More orcas were heard farther from shore.
18:50-19:30 - K34 Cali northbound 1/4 mile south of Edwards Point. K34 circled while slowly making his way past the point drifting northwest. -Michelline Halliday, SJI
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18:37 - Southern Resident K Pod orcas are here! They've reached the south end of San Juan Island and they're trending up island, northbound. -David and Barbara Howitt, All Aboard Sailing
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16:30-19:10 - Center for Whale Research Encounter #53: "Reports of Southern Residents coming in the Strait of Juan de Fuca had been pouring in all day. The whales were spread out and some began moving over to the American side of the border when they were off Port Angeles. When we got word that the whales were heading north towards San Juan Island, Dave, Katie, and Kelley met down at Snug Harbor and left in the boat around 1540. The whales were still southwest of Hein Bank when we left and we finally arrived on scene a little west of Hein Bank at 1630. The whales were spread out in singles and small groups from west to east in the Hein Bank area. All the whales were pointed at either Eagle Point or South Beach on San Juan Island. …" [See CWR Encounter #53 for full encounter summary and more photos. https://www.whaleresearch.com/2020-53
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Great to have a very brief encounter with K pod of the endangered Southern Resident Killer whales off Sooke while on our way to visit Humpback Whales today! -Paul Pudwell, Sooke Coastal Explorations
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14:45 - All of K-Pod is northeast of Port Angeles heading east.
11:25 - [SRKWs] They were again reported eastbound off Sooke at 11:25.
--- Welcome, K-Pod! For the first time in 2020, all of K-Pod is together in the inland waters of the Salish Sea on their own. They came east in through the Strait of Juan de Fuca this afternoon, reaching the shores of San Juan Island just before sunset. -Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute
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Sept 27 - Strait of Juan de Fuca - 12:15-12:30 - I had another sighting of an orca pod, this time in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, while I was fishing yesterday. It was a large pod of 12 or 15 though might have been more, as they were rather spread out. They were traveling eastward from a couple miles off Angeles Point, 12:15 - 12:30 in the afternoon. A lot of leaping and splashing at one point by several. Passing along some photos, which are cropped a lot to bring enlargement. Didn't think transient pods get this big, but perhaps they do. One shot shows Race Rocks Lighthouse, for bearings. [One] photo shows what I thought was a youngster. (additional info: The boats were in the Yellow Buoy area and the whales swung to the east around them, but did seem to be heading generally in a nw direction to reach the Yellow buoy area from Angeles point area. Exciting to hear of these young calves being born.) -Tim Roos
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BIGGS/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Sun, Sept 27 - San Juan Islands (T10s, T109s, T109Bs) - I first met this family of two when they were a family of three. And even though we miss Siwash and his strikingly unique dorsal it is always lovely to see T10C "Bones" in all his glory still right next to mom, T10 "Langara". -Sara Hysong-Shimazu
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13:05 - These were the T10s, T109s, and T109Bs. -Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute
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09:38 - 6 orca headed north up San Juan Channel, not to Yellow Island yet. -Cathleen Burns
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GRAY WHALES - Sun, Sept 27 - Northern Saratoga Passage - We have a house on the water in Polnell Shores, and tonight we heard a gray whale in the isthmus eating shrimp! -Sheila Sampatacos
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Sun, Sept 27 - Possession Sound - 08:51 - Marie Waterman, WSF Marine Ops, emailed: Gray Whale Near Mukilteo Master reports via 800MHz one (1) gray whale heading in a NW direction.
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SPECIES UNKNOWN - Sun, Sept 27 - Central Puget Sound - 18:45 - Donna Sanders, WSF Marine Ops, emailed report: Whales - Terminal attendant at P.52 (Coleman Dock) states they saw 3 whales (unknown species) 100 ft. off dock heading North.

September 26
Sat, Sept 26 - Strait of Juan de Fuca - 15:00 - Southern Residents (At least J Pod and part of L Pod) eastbound from Race Rocks. -Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute
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BIGGS/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Sat, Sept 26 - 18:37 - There are also many Bigg's killer whales out there, with the T18s, at least, having crossed the border heading east around 18:15. -Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute
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GRAY WHALES - Sat, Sept 26 - Northern Saratoga Passage - Gray Whale #2261 spent the lunch hour with us in the Polnell Point area of Oak Harbor today. He/she slowly moved along the shore feeding. When you hear it spout, it makes a "flubber" noise. -Greg & Terra Parham, Oak Harbor, WA
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11:00 - I'm so excited to be watching Gray 2261 go by Mariners Cove!! It's feeding pretty heavily and very slowly working its way to the happy meal mudflats, pretty close to shore. It's zigging and zagging but progressing southward gradually. I keep thinking it's turning out into the channel but then it turns right back toward shore again. -Marianne Parry
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Sat, Sept 26 - Possession Sound - 10:25 - Gray Whales #2259 and #2262 are feeding on the edge of the Snohomish River delta between north Everett and Gedney Island. -Justine Buckmaster, Puget Sound Express

September 25


September 24
Mon, Sept 24 - Strait of Juan de Fuca (J, K, and L pods) - 17:00 - "Late in the afternoon, reports from PWWA naturalists suggested that a southern resident killer whale had given birth southwest of Race Rocks. A Victoria-based whale-watch vessel had happened across the animals at approximately 1520 on their way home from viewing humpback whales in the Strait of Juan de Fuca (Canadian whale-watchers focus their tours on Bigg's killer whales and humpback whales). While slowing to identify and then allow the resident killer whales to pass, the crew enlisted Mark's help over radio to identify J41 as the female with a minutes-old calf. On the heels of the reports, Mark left Victoria harbour at 1700 in an effort to confirm the new mother/calf pair. …" [See CWR Encounter #52 for full encounter summary and more photos] https://www.whaleresearch.com/2020-52
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GRAY WHALES - Thu, Sept 24 - Northern Saratoga Passage - 13:47 - DreAnn Csorba called to report seeing a whale. They are sitting at beach on NAS Whidbey, new to the area so not sure name of the beach. She thought humpback or gray [yes gray], is very gray and big. Looks like whale is feeding, it's surfacing then goes under in shallows, close to shoreline. They will be there for another 20 minutes and have been there for 20 minutes observing the whale. (Follow-up call: They were on Crescent Harbor side of Whidbey. Whale was surprise, they were just sitting at the beach and whale exhaled making for exciting encounter.)

September 23
Tue, Sept 23 - Strait of Georgia - Last night we had a lovely visit (a few miles SW of Point Roberts) with the Southern Residents and they were socializing and catching salmon left and right! We love to see whales breaching but we love seeing them with salmon even more! photo - "L110 "Midnight" with a salmon." photo - "Little J57 tucked between J51 "Nova" and J35 "Tahlequah". Can you make out the salmon in Tahlequah's mouth?" photo - "J35 "Tahlequah" and J42 "Echo" flying." -Maya's Legacy Whale Watching
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GRAY WHALES - Wed, Sept 23 - Northern Saratoga Passage - I did not expect to be filing any sighting reports today due to the crazy weather! No way to hear puffs and not likely to spot them amongst the whitecaps! However, a tip from my friends to the south alerted me to a Gray (presumably 2261) heading north in my direction, and I was lucky enough to spot it a few minutes ago. It was south of Utsalady at first, but had cruised up to about the level of the red buoy (on maps? Not sure) between Utsalady and Mariners Cove. The rain front moved directly at me and obscured the water toward Camano for a few minutes so I lost sight of it, but that has cleared up again a bit now so I'll update if I see puffs again. -Marianne Parry

September 22
Tue, Sept 22 - Strait of Georgia - I took these photos on Wednesday the 22nd with Maya's Legacy. The residents were all heading south just past point Roberts. We mainly were observing the J pod and got to see the new baby, j57 socially interacting and spyhopping. The k and L's were in the area too. The J's were actively feeding for well over an hour with many successful hunts. I even was able to grab a shot with a salmon in one of the whale's mouths. There was lots of "cuddling going on" and surface vocalization. wakeuptoadventure FB page
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BIGG'S/TRANSIENTS - Tue, Sept 22 - Strait of Juan de Fuca - …we found Transient / Biggs Killer Whales (T018 & T19c) that were heading east into the Juan De Fuca Strait off Sooke, B.C. -Paul Pudwell, Sooke Coastal Explorations
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HUMPBACKS - Tue, Sept 22 - Strait of Juan de Fuca - …we had the pleasure to visit 15+ Humpbacks spread out from Pillar Point and Jordan River. Good Times. photo - MMZ0063 (Flurry) ID: GS, photo - MMY0163 (Sandstorm) ID: GS, photo - MMX0078 (Oracle) ID: GS -Sooke Coastal Explorations
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MINKE WHALES - Tue, Sept 22 - Between Partridge and Smith we found a minke whale! Or rather, it found us when it surfaced off our port side. We slowed and waited to see where it would resurface, tracking its fluke prints as it swam shallow beneath the surface. We stayed with this little minke for some time, watching as it circled the banks. It had some pretty dramatic scarring along its dorsal ridge, likely left by cookie-cutter sharks, so will be interesting to see if we can find a match with the minkes we've encountered previously this season. -Sam, Island Adventures

September 21
BIGG'S/TRANSIENTS - Mon, Sept 21 - Strait of Juan de Fuca - 08:53-1038 - Center for Whale Research Encounter #51: "… The encounter started at 0853 (48 20.5/123 56.2) 2nm SW of Sheringham Point. After several minutes of tracking T018 and T019B, Mark was able to locate T019 and T019C well south of the pair, and they appeared to be surfacing in unison with T018 and T019B even though they were separated by ~ 2 nm. Both pairs were traveling around 4 knots and doing long dives from 6 - 8 minutes. …" [See CWR Encounter #51 for full encounter summary and more photos] https://www.whaleresearch.com/2020-51
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Another flat calm day with Transient Killer Whales (T018's) and Humpbacks right out front of Sooke, B.C. -Paul Pudwell, Sooke Coastal Explorations
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Mon, Sept 21 - Haro Strait (T60s and T123s) - With the smoke making an exit from the area and clear skies returning once again, we made our way out into the Salish sea. Our journey started at Pointer island where we found a few harbor seals hanging out before we tucked into the San Juan islands. We cruised west through the islands getting great looks at porpoise and a lot of sea birds as we traveled along. Soon we were heading south along Haro strait and joining up with members of the T60 and T123 Bigg's orca whale families. -Tyson, Island Adventures (Anacortes)
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HUMPBACKS - Mon, Sept 21 - Strait of Juan de Fuca - Another flat calm day with Transient Killer Whales (T018's) and Humpbacks right out front of Sooke, B.C. photos - MMX0062 (Vertigo) ID: GS -Paul Pudwell, Sooke Coastal Explorations
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GRAY WHALES - Mon, Sept 21 - Northern Saratoga Passage - 16:28 - Gray is passing by Mariners Cove now, moderately far out into the channel but much closer to Whidbey than Camano, heading northbound. It's very much like yesterday in terms of trajectory (toward Strawberry Point). I would guess that it's doing some bottom-feeding out there because it's making pretty slow progress. So hard to track when it only pops up every couple of minutes - lol! Stealth Gray. -Marianne Parry
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MINKE WHALES - Mon, Sept 21 - On Smith Bank we found a minke whale and we were able to drift as the whale circled us with beautiful views with the calm waters reflecting the skyscapes over the Olympic Mountains. Drifting between Turn Island and Turn Rock we heard the blow of a rather large minke whale. We paralleled for a while as he travelled South. A September equinox sunset in the San Juan Islands. -David and Barbara Howitt, All Aboard Sailing

September 20
BIGG'S/TRANSIENTS - Sun, Sept 20 - E Strait of Georgia (T123s) - Our cruise took us past Barnes & Clark, the Sisters, Matia, and deep into the Strait of Georgia. It was south of Point Roberts that we found the T123s cruising the harbor porpoise rich waters. As we arrived, Stanley (T123A) could be seen scouting off on his own, while Sidney (T123) and her youngest were sticking close together. At one-point Sidney and Darcy were moving fast enough beneath the surface to create a wake of their own, likely chasing down porpoise, but no kill could be seen. We cruised with the ladies for a while before their behavior abruptly changed. Stanley must have given them the signal that he'd made a kill, because the three started racing towards him, Darcy (T123D) dramatically porpoising as she went. As little Darcy got closer to her brother, porpoising turned into play, with frequent belly rolls at the surface and a dramatic aerial backflip. We drifted with the pod as they milled at the surface with their presumably harbor porpoise meal. We did see evidence of a kill in the form of lungs floating at the surface. Stanley wowed us all with a dramatic spyhop, and Lucky showed off her moonwalk as they tore into the prey. It was an amazing thing to be witness to, and a truly memorable afternoon on the water. -Sam, Island Adventures (Anacortes)
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10:15 - There's a small group of Bigg's killer whales between Matia and Sucia. -Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute COASTAL ORCAS - Sun, Sept 20 - CA Coast - Saw some killer whales cruising north/west off the Sonoma Coast today while I was fishing, it was EPIC. Tyja Taube
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HUMPBACKS - Sun, Sept 20 - Strait of Juan de Fuca - Great to see so many Humpbacks still around today...over 20 spread out feeding heavily before they start their migration south soon. photo - MMY0146 ID: PP, photo - MMX0084 (Scuttle) ID: PP-Paul Pudwell, Sooke Coastal Explorations
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GRAY WHALES - Sun, Sept 20 - Northern Saratoga Passage - ~12:30 - Gray made an appearance yesterday (9/20/2020) afternoon - yay! It showed up initially around 12:30 crossing from the Polnell area into the channel heading northward. I thought it was heading for Camano, but instead it went north mid-channel for about 30 minutes and then headed straight for the Mariners Cove marina entrance (a bit north of where I am). By 1:30pm, it was actually right inside the mooring buoy that sits outside the marina (see photos). It appeared to keep going northward (toward Strawberry Point perhaps?) but it was out of my sight by then. -Marianne Parry
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DOLPHINS - Sun, Sept 20 - Central Puget Sound - I took a few videos of the dolphin yesterday. One of the ferry attendants said the dolphin has been following the Vashon ferries for 2 days now. This dolphin kept swimming under the boat as it was docked at Vashon and you can hear the echolocation when he come up for air, quite fascinating! I've never seen this type of dolphin in the sound before. Hope he/she is ok. -Emily White via Kim M. Parsons, Ph.D., (NOAA, Northwest Fisheries Science Center)
[per Dave Anderson, Cascadia Research Collective: "It's hard to confirm the rather small nick in his [Cinco's] dorsal fin in video from above, or while underwater. Sometimes we can see the pattern of the spots from his recent skin condition, but we haven't had anything from the ferry that was clear enough to say for certain."]
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16:44 - Charlie, WSF, MV Issaquah, called to report a lone dolphin [reported as Pacific white-sided dolphin, but likely the Common dolphin - alb] over the past few hours at least right at Vashon dock. Really playful around the ferry as they are landing at dock. When they are at the dock dolphin is playing super close to the back of the boat in a relaxed fashion, just kind of doing that over and over. Dolphin was there prior to his shift at 1pm until now. Any time ferry comes in to Vashon dock they've been seeing it.

September 19
Sat, Sept 19 - 23:55 - [SRKWs] They are in front of me in Active Pass going north into Strait of Georgia. (second group here!! [12:18 a.m.]) -Rachelle Hayden
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Meet the newest member of J-pod, J57!! Today we had a heart warming experience watching J35, Tahlequah, frolicking with her new calf J57, who was born just 14 days ago! In 2018 Tahlequah made news around the world when she carried her calf, that died shortly after birth, for 17 days straight. Her tour of mourning, that covered approximately 1,000 miles, brought the decline of the Southern Resident Killer Whale population to a global stage! Today there is a buzz of excitement and hope in the whale community, both for mom, who endured so much in 2018, and for the new calf. J57 brings the SRKW population up to 73. We don't know if the calf is a boy or a girl yet, but we almost got the chance to answer that question today when mom lifted up little J57 out of the water with her rostrum a couple of times. This is a pretty common bonding behavior we see with moms and their calves. You can determine the sex of the calf if you see it's underside in just the right spot. At times it almost looked as if mom was showing off her new calf! She must have known how excited everyone is for her. On Sept 5, 2020 shortly after J57 was born, all three SRKW pods (J, K, and L) joined together in a huge superpod party! They appeared to be celebrating the new birth in one of their favorite stomping grounds - Haro Strait off the west side of San Juan Island. The orcas were breaching, spyhopping, tailslapping, rolling around each other, and vocalizing so loudly that you could hear them above the surface!! -Bart Rulon, Puget Sound Express
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19:27 - Still no more calls at Orcasound Lab (5 km north of Lime Kiln).
18:37 - Val [Veirs] reports hearing resident calls on the Orcasound Lab hydrophone. -Scott Veirs, Orcasound Lab
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17:45 - Many ressies northbound toward lighthouse. -Nan Yates Simpson
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17:38 - Getting louder plus echolocation.
17:27 - Starting to pick up very faint calls on LK Hydro….Donna Green Van Renselaar
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14:41 - [SRKW] Distant calls on LK. -Michelle Savoie
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18:05 - Lots of vocalizations on Lime Kiln hydrophone.
17:43 - Orca calls on LK hydro now and getting louder
14:19 - [SRKW] Faint calls on Lime Kiln hydrophone. -Jason Lee Bell
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17:20-17:55 - 5 orcas northbound 1/4 mile south of Edwards Pt. including J26 Mike and J38 Cookie. All were milling, splashing with 2 breaches. They disappeared to the northwest except for J26 Mike who stayed swimming just under the surface in tight circles back and forth, his big fin snapping left and right. I often get a chance to watch Mike doing this; a concentrated, focused determination. I assume looking for a fish.
14:42-14:49 - Spread out, 9+ orcas southbound passing Edwards Pt. including L72 Racer and L105 Fluke. A tight group of three unidentified and NOAA following L103 Lapis with her son L123 Lazuli.
13:24-14:24 - Spread out, 6-7+ orcas observed traveling northbound 1/2 mile south of Edwards Pt. The few that were close enough to see saddle patches were members of L-Pod. The group split, some traveling north past Edwards Point, others farther out to the northwest. -Michelline Halliday, SJI
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13:08 - Field of J, K and L going north towards False Bay. Far out. Coast guard with them. -Karin Roemers-Kleven
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13:06 - We saw L4s, L47s, J16s, and J17s so I can confirm at least Js and Ls. -Justine Buckmaster, Puget Sound Express
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Seen the J pod today!!! San Juan!! Also seen mama and baby today too!!! -Samantha Whidden
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The orcas were northbound at Eagle Point so we pushed on with a fast beam reach sail and met them at Pile Point. Bringing in the headsail and drifting we watched the J17's plus J38, L82 and L116 were all engaged in foraging. We dropped the hydrophone to listen to thier calls. We saw J35 with her brand new calf, J57, just two weeks old and staying close to mum. K20 passed off shore. We did hear of 2 orcas engaged with a harbor porpoise. We left them to continue North on the flood as they turned South… -David and Barbara Howitt, All Aboard Sailing
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12:38 - Orcas spread from Eagle Point to False Bay. Mostly stalled...moving a bit northish. Some in close to shore, some much farther out. Very nice! Quiet behavior. Hanging in small groups and singles. -Chris Wilson
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11:00 - Southern Residents picked up near Salmon Bank heading NW. -Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute
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~10:00 - Hi there. We spotted a large pod of orcas this morning (around 10am) from Hughes Bay on Lopez Island. About 10-25 or so of them (roughly), various sizes, moving westbound, maybe between 100 and 500 yards offshore. Some playing and breaching. -Kurtis Dengler
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BIGG'S/TRANSIENTS - Sat, Sept 19 - N Strait of Georgia - Thinking of this family a lot the last few days. The last time we saw T102 with them is 5 days ago as of today. He wasn't looking well, fin had lost rigidity and he was coming up sideways with a lean to the right.......I will hold out hope. Seeing them slowly running through the Hole in the Wall yesterday [9/19] was magical.......blows echoing the cliff walls and mom in between her two boys. photo - 9/19 T101, T101A, T101B - photo - "T102 August 19, 2020 Sentry Shoal. Him and Mom have been together all morning behind the boys.....they all met up at Sentry and this guy blew us away with two big breaches"-Nick Templeman, Campbell River Whale & Bear Excursions
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Sat, Sept 19 - Haro Strait (T60s) - 16:45 - Just passed County Park.
16:20 - The rest of the T60s just passed Deadman Bay going north at 16:20! Great spotting Kevin Culmback! -Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute
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10:46 - They're heading northwest near the border. Pointed at Halibut Is. -April Ryan
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08:55 - T60D and T60E northbound at Kellett Bluff. 8:55. -Sara Hysong-Shimazu
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06:50 - Two orcas swimming northbound by the Lime Kiln Lighthouse. -Fred Horn
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HUMPBACKS - Sat, Sept 19 - North Puget Sound - 08:54 - Baleen in Skunk Bay. Sorry cruddy cell phone photo and no tail. I missed it. Ha. The underside of the tail was white. -Tyra Erickson
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GRAY WHALES - Sat, Sept 19 - Northern Saratoga Passage - Gray Whale #2261 was in our neighborhood cove in Oak Harbor, WA three different times today: breakfast, lunch and dinner. He/she made the typical runs along our coastline and headed toward Crescent Harbor. Wow! Talk about carbo-loading! -Greg & Terra Parham, Oak Harbor, WA
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After a three-day break, Gray 2261 has returned! I suppose it might have been here all along and we just couldn't see it because of the smoke, but we didn't hear anything either, so not sure. Two sightings today:
14:30 - Gray 2261 came back southbound this time, and went right for the mudflats. It was feeding, and just creeping along very slowly toward Polnell.
12:30 - Gray 2261 came up from Polnell and fed at the happy meal mudflats, but then headed out into the channel and swam north. -Marianne Parry
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DOLPHINS - Sun, Sept 19 - Central Puget Sound - 19:06 - Hi everyone. A fellow WSF worker caught a picture of an active dolphin/porpoise between southworth and Fauntleroy. Not sure what it is. I know harbor porpoise rarely show that much. Any ideas? [common dolphin -alb] Last I heard the dolphin was still around the Southworth area until almost dark. The dolphin was playing in the prop wash as the ferries were coming in. Time was approximately 5pm 9/19/2020, picture was taken by WSF employee Chris Roswold. He did give permission to use the picture! As of today, have not heard of any activity. Hope that helps. Thanks for your help with identifying it!!! -Wayne McFarland, WSF
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09:35 - I think this is Cinco the dolphin. He has been playing off the Vashon ferry terminal most of this morning according to the ferry workers. -Abbie Rose Fiano
[Dave Anderson, Cascadia Research, notes on Abby's videos: "With a quick look at all the videos, I couldn't make a positive ID from the markings (though that may change later, or with additional pictures or video). That said, the behavior includes some of his trademark moves, and reactions to people watching him. It has to be Cinco. When they were in the South Sound, there was a period where the common dolphins would regularly wake ride the Steilacoom ferries, so this wouldn't be anything new for him."]
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Sun and Mon, Sept 18 and 19 - Central Puget Sound - Hello, I have lived near Puget Sound for 65 years. Have never seen dolphins. I had one follow my boat on Sept 18th @ 4:00 pm for close to an hour. Just south of Des Moines marina. Went to Tacoma the next day and saw a second one, smaller than the other, at mouth of Foss Waterway. I have lots of video. Video link & maps attached. -Richard Becker
[Per Dave Anderson, Cascadia Research Collective: "The one in the first encounter, in the first two videos, is almost certainly Cinco based on behavior and general appearance. On watching the third video, we both had the same immediate reaction of "that doesn't look like anything we've ever seen Cinco do". The body shape and the color don't look quite right, the fluke staying in the water, and little twist just isn't like him. I can't confirm that it's not him, but I don't believe that it's him. That video was great quality, one of the best I've received, but it just wasn't close enough to know for sure."]

September 18
Fri, Sept 18 - E Strait of Juan de Fuca - 18:45 - A pair of orcas passed west to east along North Beach, Port Townsend, on the way to round the Point Wilson bend @ 6:45pm… -Annette Huenke
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GRAY WHALES - Fri, Sep 18 - Possession Sound - 10:26 - We just found gray whales #2262 and #2259 right between SE Gedney and the Snohomish River delta moving slowly north. -Justine Buckmaster, Puget Sound Express

September 17
Thu, Sept 17 - North Puget Sound - 14:30 - Orca sighting Sept 17th 2:30 p.m. a mile or so South of Mukilteo. We turned off motor as soon as we saw the Orcas. -Scott Causbie

September 16
Wed, Sept 16 - Strait of Juan de Fuca - T046B1 hunting a harbour seal south west of Sombrio Point on the afternoon of September 16th. -Mark Malleson
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ORCA NO IDS - Wed, Sept 16 - Puget Sound - 12:15 - We reviewed a video taken at 12:15 by Ken of a pod looking to number 6-7, heading northbound in Colvos Passage, 3 miles north of Gig Harbor (around Point Richmond area?). (secondhand report from Roxane Jackson Johnson and Rachel Blaurock of video by Ken Donald on posted in Puget Sound Whale Sightings FB group)
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~10:00 - Around 10 am, a pod of 6/7 orcas in Commencement Bay close to shore in Browns Point. -Helen LaPorte
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~08:00 - [orcas] From the beach at Browns Point Lighthouse. 9/16/2020. (It was really hard to get pictures with the smoke.) -Patricia Peachy Reynolds
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GRAY WHALES - Wed, Sept 16 - Northern Saratoga Passage - Gray whale off Polnell Shores, feeding. General direction heading north. -Kris Holley

September 15
GRAY WHALES - Tue, Sept 15 - Northern Saratoga Passage - 11:00-11:30 - Gray 2261 (presumably) is passing by Mariners Cove heading south toward Polnell. It wasn't feeding much as it approached from the north but started feeding as it passed my place and approached the happy meal mudflats. It's pretty close to shore but it's just under 1' tide so still pretty far out there. Smoke is thick and bright, but I can see the outline clearly and hear the puffs. As of 11:30, it is at the mudflats feeding, but still moving south as far as I can tell, but it's disappearing into the mist at this point. -Marianne Parry
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UNIDENTIFIED SPECIES - Tue, Sept 15 - Central Puget Sound - ~15:45 - My neighbors and I saw a minke whale very close to shore in front of our condominiums yesterday, Sept. 15, 2020, approximately 3:45 p.m. It was northbound about 1 mile south of the Fauntleroy Ferry in West Seattle. Its dorsal fin and size were distinct compared to the humpbacks, orcas and harbor seals we've seen. A worker on site said he saw it jump twice and described its tail. I saw it roll to the surface as it traveled fairly fast northbound. Moments later I saw splashing/disturbance at the buoy of a neighbor's boat and assumed it was the whale but we did not see it again. It happened too fast for a photo, but it was exciting. -Carolyn Duncan

September 14
Mon, Sept 14 - Strait of Juan de Fuca - 16:38-18:00 - Center for Whale Research Encounter #49: "… They soon confirmed K33 and moved slowly through the area to conclude that the animals were spread out from north to south in a line as they slowly worked their way west with brief foraging dives. The Mike 1 crew was only able to find six animals, K33, K26, L54, L88, L108, and L117. It was likely that the K12's, K14's and L54's were there in their entirety, but with the limited visibility, they were not able to confirm. Perhaps there were some others that were well ahead or behind. …" [See CWR Encounter #49 for full encounter summary and photos.] https://www.whaleresearch.com/2020-49
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14:40 - Per Center for Whale Research Bigg's Encounter #48: "…Mark received a text from Pete Zelen on the Pacific Scout, the Victoria Pilot boat which was westbound near the mouth of the Port of San Juan at that time on their way to Cape Beale. They had passed by a group of westbound Southern Resident killer whales spread out in the fog at 1440. …" [CWR Encounter #48] https://www.whaleresearch.com/2020-48
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ORCA NO IDS - Mon, Sept 14 - 19:20 - Three orcas southbound off southern end of Lagoon Point very near Whidbey side. Moving quickly. -Margaret Marshall
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18:30 - I may have seen one off Driftwood Beach just east of Coupeville ferry terminal around 6:30. if it was, it was at the smoke/fog line and disappeared. -Marilyn Armbruster
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15:03 - Good afternoon. This would be my first sighting, but saw 3 fins moving fast north from Langley. Maybe porpoises… -Kimberlie C de A
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GRAY WHALES - Mon, Sept 14 - Northern Saratoga Passage - ~12:15 - Thanks to a helpful tip, I was on the lookout for Gray, and it showed up maybe 12:15-ish at Mariners cove, arriving from Polnell Point. It cruised by pretty quickly and as of 12:45, I can hear it but it's out of sight to the north. It's staying along Whidbey so far instead of heading into the channel.... Actually, as I write this, I'm hearing louder puffs again so maybe it has turned out into the channel - the smoke is so thick I just can't get a visual. I got a few glimpses of it as it passed by me - it was not very close in, and I could just barely see it in the smoke. It did not appear to be feeding - no fins or tails, and no big noggin' lifting out of the water - just very low-profile and short surfacing. Maybe the smoke is bugging it after all. -Marianne Parry
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Gray Whale #2261 made the rounds through Polnell Point in Oak Harbor, WA today. Do you happen if #2261 is a female or male? -Greg & Terra Parham, Oak Harbor

September 13
Sun, Sept 13 - Haro Strait - 14:50 - 3-4 loud orca exhalations, southbound. Visibility was only 200' and I couldn't see them.
11:40 - I heard K-Pod on the Lime Kiln Hydrophone. (Due to the wildfire smoke, Southern Resident activity was hard to see.)
11:38 - Orcas on LK hydrophone. -Michelline Halliday, SJI
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11:18 - I had J22's -Alan Niles
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13:55 - Burst of louder K calls now.
13:40 - Distant K calls...
13:36 - S2 call (J pod).
13:30 - At least some still near Lime Kiln hps, just heard clicktrain. (And now a boat coming thru 13:32).
13:04 - 13:04 - …hearing K calls on Lime Kiln again at least, a bit distant.
12:38 - An abundance of sweet kitty (K) calls, last several minutes, getting louder.
12:12 - Currently nice echolocation on Lime Kiln to go along with those lovely J & K calls.
11:11 - [SRKW] I did hear one quick call on OrcaLab hydrophone. -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network
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09:38 - There is a report of Orcas in Spieden Channel going west. -James Mead Maya
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BIGG'S TRANSIENT ORCAS - Sun, Sept 13 - San Juan Islands (T65Bs) - 13:15 - [orcas] They're exiting the Wasp Islands and pointed North. -Barbara Howitt
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11:34 - Reported as the T65Bs, with better visibility over there than on the west side of San Juan. -Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute
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11:04 - Bradley Coombe, WSF Marine Ops, emailed report: YAKIMA: Master reports via 800MHz a pod of orca near Canoe Island in Upright Channel heading North-East.
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Sun, Sept 13 - WA Coast - I did a pelagic trip out of Westport. We spotted these orca's approximately 20 miles off coast, in line with Westport and Willapa Canyon. I have a fair amount of pictures of them. I'm attaching a link to a zip file with what I think are the best for ID purposes. I've included some that show groupings/pairings in case that helps. The conditions for photography were fairly poor; please excuse the un-processed images. -Tim Kuhn
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ORCA NO IDS - Sun, Sept 13 - San Juan Island - 15:40 - [time of report] Foggy, but heard then seen single orca off Eagle Point off SJI. Could not tell if solo but in fog only made out one large dorsal. And heard just a single blow. -Max Terror

September 12
Sat, Sept 12 - Strait of Georgia - 09:14 - As of 8 this morning a large group of the Southern Residents were seen heading north off the Fraser River. Visibility and air quality conditions are even worse out there today, so stay safe everyone! -Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute
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BIGG'S TRANSIENT ORCAS - Sat, Sept 12 - Strait of Juan de Fuca - T109B hunting a harbour porpoise south of Nitinat on the morning of September 12th. -Mark Malleson
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Sat, Sept 12 - San Juan Islands (T65Bs) - 13:45 - T65Bs heading south down President's Channel. -Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute
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Sat, Sept 12 - San Juan Islands (T123s) - We headed up into the Strait of Georgia after that, along the outside of the outer islands toward Alden bank. We met up with the T123 Bigg's orca whales on the south end of the bank and settled in for a show. As the whales traveled, they exhibited many behaviors that would be consistent with hunting and we did see a few harbor porpoise swim relatively close to the orca whales. We left the whales as they continued north and headed over to Clements reef to check out a big group of Steller sea lions. Continuing to search the area after that, we received a call the whales had turned south and so we joined them one last time. This time they were getting into a resting pattern as we followed along with them. We waved goodbye to the T123's and cruised the shores of Lummi Island where Captain Scott found us two adult bald eagles perched in the trees. -Tyson, Island Adventures (Anacortes)

September 11
Fri, Sept 11 - Strait of Juan de Fuca to Haro Strait
22:00 - Pretty good on orcasound!
21:52 - [SRKW] Distant calls on Orcasound now. -Michelle Savoie
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18:14 - [SRKW] Some whales heading north towards False Bay. CWR and Giles present. -Karin Roemers-Kleven
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17:05-18:37 - Center for Whale Research Encounter #46: "… We saw our first whale at 1705 off Hannah Heights although it soon disappeared on us. To the south off False Bay, we found J51, J27, and K36 spread out and foraging. J27 and K36 briefly came together before spreading out again. Due to heavy smoke mixing with fog, we had only about a half mile of visibility. A half mile of visibility in Haro Strait would be the best we had for the next week. …" [See CWR Encounter #46 for full encounter summary and photos.] https://www.whaleresearch.com/2020-46
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16:10 - [SRKW] Had one male, swimming SB past the lighthouse.
15:55 - 15:55 KW's spotted on Lime Kiln PTZ Cam, directly off LK lighthouse, northbound. -Fred Horn
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21:00 - Too dark to see, I could hear orcas traveling northbound, most were spread out near and far. One group of 5 were surfacing together; each exhalation followed quickly by another.
15:43-16:40 - 16 orcas, spread out except for two groups traveling southbound from Edwards Point. There were more orcas that I could hear but not see. All southbound.
15:40 - 1/2 mile south of Edwards Point, one large male milling. (Due to the wildfire smoke, Southern Resident activity was hard to see.) -Michelline Halliday, SJI
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16:10 - Five orcas visible 300 yds. off Lime Kiln, heading down island.
15:34 - [orcas] I can hear breaths in the distance at Hannah Heights right now. But visibility is v poor so I cannot see anything. [wildfire smoke] -Michael Noonan
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15:26 - J, K, and Ls on the [LK] hydrophone!! -Valérie B Messier
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22:10 - Report from other thread: many blows and surface percussives from whales passing northbound off Madrona Drive near Snug Harbor.
21:30 - Off the hook vocals on Lime Kiln!! (all three pods)
18:05 - Some very distant calls again on the Lime Kiln hydrophone.
16:07 - Still a few southbound off Land Bank.
15:35 - Visual off Land Bank.
14:25 - Update is of superpod south of Discovery crossing Haro fast aiming for San Juan!
11:00 - Members of all 3 Southern Resident pods inbound from between Sooke and Race Rocks. -Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute
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BIGG'S TRANSIENT ORCAS - Fri, Sept 11 - Srait of Juan de Fuca - 10:18-12:11 - Center for Whale Research Encounter #45: "… Mark spotted a pair of bulls at the edge of their visibility. It looked as though they were pointed towards them so they shut down and waited. What seemed like an eternity, a bull popped up abeam of them working its way back to the original sighting location. They eventually got confirmation of T049A1 but no sign of the other bull. In the reduced visibility it was hard to keep their bearings and every time they thought they had found the other bull it turned out to be T049A1. They decided to end the encounter and make their way towards the Nitinat River bar to get out of the fog. As they were taxiing away T049A3 and T049A4 appeared. Once they got decent pictures for proof of presence the Mike 1 crew ended the encounter at 1211…" [See CWR Encounter #45 for full encounter summary and photos.] - https://www.whaleresearch.com/2020-45
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Fri, Sept 11 - Strait of Georgia (T123s) - West of Sucia we met up with the T123s, a pod of four Bigg's killer whales that frequent Salish Sea waters. Mama Sidney (T123) and her three kids seemed to be scouting for prey, maintaining long down times interrupted by periodic episodes of milling and circling at the surface. They passed by Clements Reef where about a dozen Steller sea lions were playing a life-and-death round of king of the rock (don't want to be the sea lion shoved into the water with Bigg's around), then continued on towards Echo Bay. We got some great looks at this pod when they decided to switch up their direction of travel, and pass by the starboard side. As we were leaving the whales, we crossed paths with two swimming Steller sea lions, and questioned why they were swimming in the direction of the pod of Bigg's. -Sam, Island Adventures (Anacortes)
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GRAY WHALES - Fri, Sept 11 - Northern Saratoga Passage - ~09:00 - I was afraid I'd miss our friend Gray 2261 today because the windows are closed due to smoke and I wouldn't hear it. Luckily, I happened to see it coming down the beach at about 9am. It is moving pretty quickly, feeding more as it got closer to the mudflats. It's heading toward Polnell, as far as I can tell. I'm hoping this smoke doesn't bother Gray too much. -Marianne Parry

September 10
Wed, Sept 10 - Strait of Juan de Fuca - 08:39-17:53 - Center for Whale Research Encounter #44: "… When they were ~5 miles south of the entrance to Port of San Juan (Port Renfrew), Hanna, who was scanning from outside the cabin, motioned to Mark that she had spotted a breach off to the southwest towards an outbound container ship. She figured it was likely a humpback whale, but Mark felt it was a good idea to confirm. When they were within a mile of the ship, it was obvious that there was a large group of killer whales westbound in the outbound shipping lane. They confirmed that they had J pod in its entirety grouped up moving slowly west. Mark took advantage of the calm seas and started scanning with the binoculars while they waited for J's to resurface to see if more members of the Clan were nearby. Sure enough! He spotted a huge number of small blows a couple of miles to the west. After a couple more sequences with J's, Mike 1 proceeded to the west to confirm the others. It turned out to be two large groups of a mix of K's and L's in each, and both groups were heading east towards the J's. The lead group of K's and L's met up with J's, and after a short greeting with visible signs of excitement, the Clan split up into three big mixed groups as the trailing eastbound group arrived. …" [See CWR Encounter #44 for full encounter summary and more photos.] https://www.whaleresearch.com/2020-44
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BIGG'S TRANSIENT ORCAS - Thu, Sept 10 - Haro Strait - It was a pretty cool evening out there watching the T18s, T65Bs, T60D, and T60E pursue a minke whale for nearly fifteen miles before it eluded them. photo - "T65B led the charge with T19 for many miles." photo - "T19 in pursuit." photo - "T60E and T19C" photo - "T18 and T65B2" photo - "T65B2 spyhop" Afterwards, the orcas grouped up and had some social time. -Sara Hysong-Shimazu
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16:20 These whales, the T18s and T65Bs (possibly having joined up with more), are now south of Discovery Island, reportedly chasing a minke whales as they aim back towards San Juan Island. -Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute
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07:30-10:00 - At 10:30 Haley Eldridge callled to report seeing pod of 8-12 orcas in Haro Strait this morning, observed from 07:30-10:00. They first saw and watched the orcas moving southbound from County Park. They then moved down island and watched from Land Bank/Westside Preserve. The pod was more mid channel where they hung out in the middle for a while, eventually moving further offshore and were last seen heading west, directionally, toward Victoria, B.C. Lots of spyhopping, playing, breaching at one point. Too far to see saddles or which ecotype. One large male had distinct backward-looking/leaning dorsal.
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GRAY WHALES - Thu, Sept 10 - Northern Saratoga Passage - #2261 was leisurely feeding around Polnell Point today. He/she doesn't seem to be in any hurry to go to Alaska! -Greg & Terra Parham, Oak Harbor, WA
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11:00-11:20 - Gray 2261 apparently went down to Polnell Shores and then turned around and came back up here! I've been watching him for a good 30 min or so. It came back up to Mariners Cove and then finally decided to head out into the channel. The buffet ran out of dessert apparently - lol. It's now 11:20am and it is heading across the channel toward northern tip of Camano. I can hear the puffs but losing visuals in the haze.
08:20-08:50 - I heard the familiar puff at 8:20am, and watched it feeding southward for about 45 minutes. Today's dance moves were less like ballet and more like a rock concert (classic rock of course) - lots of fins waving in the air and really splashing and churning up the water, with little sideways movement. Progress was much slower than usual, just moving a very short distance between rolls. It appeared to be heading toward Polnell, and Greg and Terra just said they can see it from the beach but still up in my direction (9:25). -Marianne Parry
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MINKE WHALES - Thu, Sept 10 - It was a pretty cool evening out there watching the T18s, T65Bs, T60D, and T60E pursue a minke whale for nearly fifteen miles before it eluded them. Afterwards, the orcas grouped up and had some social time. -Sara Hysong-Shimazu
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DOLPHINS - Thu, Sept 10 - 14:35 - I believe there is a Pacific Dolphin off Apple Tree Point [Kingston]. Not a porpoise, lighter grey, moving fast and porpoising along. Only see one. [Follow up] It was moving pretty fast and away from me. It definitely was not a porpoise. I did not get a good enough look. [to confirm which type -alb]. -Sara Frey

September 9
BIGG'S TRANSIENT ORCAS - Wed, Sept 9 (T37As) - ~17:00 - We were lucky enough to have 3 orcas swim past Skagit Bay (just past Yokeko Point), heading west towards the Deception Pass Bridge Wednesday evening at about 5:00 pm. -Diane Parham
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17:55 - Back through the pass and headed out.
14:22 - I just saw 2 beautiful orcas swim down the Skagit Bay off of Oak Harbor/Whidbey Island. They were headed East and taking their time cruising along. A couple of whale watching boats with tourists was viewing them but giving the precious whales plenty of open space. I wanted to be sure to report it to you! -Trisha Ferreira, Oak Harbor, WA
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18:10 - After tail lobbing along the north side as they headed out Deception Pass, they are now pushing northwest away from shore.
~17:45 - About 545 they headed west in Canoe Pass.
17:15 - Westbound near Cornet Bay headed towards bridge.
15:15 - They turned around. Steady northbound at Borgman Road.
14:10 - They just passed Borgman Road beach access. A couple hundred yards off Whidbey shore steady southbound.
13:30 - [orcas] Still steady southbound passing Dugualla Bay now.
----Today was my fifth time seeing orcas head under Deception Pass - except they tricked me, and headed west out the smaller Canoe Pass. I had to race in my car to the other side, but still managed to get a few photos. T37As. -Rachel Haight
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12:30 - Bigg's Transients T37As off northeast Whidbey south of Ala Spit County Park and Hope Island. Currently stalled, had been southbound. [per ALB]
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Wednesday the ninth, orcas were spotted in the Dewey Beach area having come through Deception Pass and went over to the Hope Island area and then eventually around Hope island where I lost sight. They were in the distance so hard to see how many. At 5:30 that afternoon I spotted them again along the North shore of Whidbey Island by the old ferry terminal. A sailboat was watching them. This time I counted it seem to be at least five. With a juvenile or two. They had it out past Deception Pass where I can no longer see them around the corner of Yokeko point. They were heading to the pass for dinner I'm sure! I'm sure the sighting has been reported and they were so distant I wasn't able to make any possible identifications. But it was still lots of fun! Watching them feed the North Shore of Whidbey was really fun even from across the bay. -Wendy Bents Patterson
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~11:15 - Saw the baby with pod in Cornet Bay around 11:15. Very vigorous and keeping up with the adults. They stopped to do a little fishing before heading down the east side of Whidbey. Fantastic!! -Kristi Lovelady
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09:50 - [orcas] Saw a pod of four (we think) heading towards Deception Pass at 0950 Weds 9/9/2020. -Bill Westman
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DOLPHINS - Wed, Sept 9 - 09:30 - My parents believe they saw Cinco in Gig Harbor at 9:30am today (Sept 9). They said there was only one dolphin, it had a fin, and looked like the dolphins they saw in Tampa. (Hales Passage, not Gig. They're from out of town.) Additional info: [Moving] southeast. Toward Point Fosdick. When I asked my dad about its behavior, he said it was swimming at a leisurely pace and looked almost as if it were looking for fish.

September 8
BIGG'S TRANSIENT ORCAS - Tue, Sept 8 - Active Pass and Strait of Georgia - 18:15 & 19:30 - A group of orcas came tonight at 6:15pm to Lighthouse park on Mayne and into Active Pass. Then another group swam in the Strait of Georgia heading into the sunset toward Saturna Island and the US side at 7:30pm. -Yves Tiberghien, Mayne Island, BC
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Tue, Sept 8 - San Juan Islands (T18s) - We had been following earlier reports of orcas known as the T65Bs who had been southbound along the west side of San Juan Island. When they reached Cattle Point, they made a sharp turn and continued to Hein Bank. At first they seemed out of range for us so we skirted Salmon Bank looking for minke whales. We later realized that the orcas had stopped near the Hein Bank marker and were just hanging out for the last hour. We decided to step on it with the hopes to see them. Unfortunately, as we got closer, they decided to begin travel again at about 6 knots westbound in the opposite direction eventually crossing the border. We came about and decided to head back in towards Lopez Island. Another report came in from the Ferry who spotted orcas near Thatcher Pass. A whale watch boat was in the area and found them southbound along the Lopez coastline. It turned out to be the T18's and they were moving fast in our direction. We continued our course crossing over McAurthur Bank scanning for minkes, but instead found loads of diving birds. As we neared Colville Island, we spotted the blows and tall fins of the two big males. The family of four orcas were traveling together at first but soon separated traveling parallel to each other as they moved westbound. After some nice looks we decided it was time to start making our way back to the barn. photo - "Sailing with T18's Bigg's Orcas" -David and Barbara Howitt, All Aboard Sailing
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18:30 - T65Bs continued west. At around 6:30 PM the T18s were heading west as well. The T65Bs were coming back East (they had gone further west in the strait). They were both on a heading and speed to meet very soon after.----On Tuesday evening, September 8, I was able to spend some time with the T18s in Eastern Juan de Fuca Strait. The matriarchal nature of their culture was fully on display as the big boys T19B and T19C spent time in close proximity with their mother and grandmother. One son would go with Mom and the other with Grandma and after a bit they would switch up. The size of the dorsal fins on these guys is awe-inspiring, made all the more interesting by the left-leaning tendency and thickness of T19B's giant fin. They zigzagged in a northwesterly fashion, which was ironically on a heading in which the T65B's were coming from the opposite direction. We know these two family units have been meeting up over the past week in the San Juan Islands - are these pre-planned meet-ups? All photos taken with 600mm lens and cropped. photos - [IDs: Debbie] "T19B surfaces in perfect synchronicity and in tight formation with his mother T19." -Debbie Stewart
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16:30 - There were 4 or 5 with the attached male as the most identifiable. This would have been at 4:30 PM Tuesday. -Brad Wellman
["The pod was the T18s. This guy with huge leaning dorsal is T19B. The lateral dark scratch on his saddle patch is relatively new." -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network]
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15:41 - Sarah McCullagh T18s southeast side of Lopez approaching Watmough, trending south. -Sarah McCullagh
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15:06 - John Miller, WSF Marine Ops emailed report: C/M reports 3 orca moving East in Thatcher Pass.
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Tue, Sept 8 - E Strait of Juan de Fuca - T65Bs continued west. At around 6:30 PM the T18s were heading west as well. The T65Bs were coming back East (they had gone further west in the strait). They were both on a heading and speed to meet very soon after. -Debbie Stewart
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~12:00 - Saw T65B, B1 and B2 today around noon off Hein Bank. ---Caught up with the T65B family off Hein Bank, heading slowly south. They crossed in front of our bow, heading east and went on a (mostly underwater) hunt. Matriarch T65B, Chunk (b.1993), son T65B1, Birdsall, (b.2011) and 2019 calf T65B2, Nettle. -Bonnie Gretz
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GRAY WHALES - Tue, Sept 8 - Northern Saratoga Passage - ~10:00-11:15 - I just had a long and amazing visit with 2261. Gray came up from the happy meal mudflats to the south of us about 10am (right around high tide, 9'), feeding and showing off, and slowly worked its way right up to our house (southern tip of Mariners Cove). After more feeding and fin-waving, it surprised me and turned around and went back to the mudflats, fed for a good half hour, and then came back up here to our house once again! Double-bonus!! It was still feeding as it moved along, but not as much as the first pass. So awesome - just me and Gray, no boats or nothin'. By around 11:15am, a bunch of crossing boat traffic started showing up, so Gray dove down and headed out into the channel toward northern tip of Camano, where I finally lost sight of it in the smoky haze. Also, my neighbor says he saw it here at Mariners Cove at 7:30am. -Marianne Parry
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MINKE WHALES - Tue, Sept 8 - …we saw two minkes and common murres and a puffin near Smith and Minor Islands. -Bonnie Gretz
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Set out today from Edmonds in thick wildfire smoke that blew in overnight from various parts of the state. We found a very curious Minke whale in the Strait of Juan de Fuca that circled the boat to check us out. -Janine Harles
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DOLPHINS - Tue, Sept 8 - 18:07 - Cinco sighting 6:07 pm Sinclair Inlet 9/8/2020 across from Port of Bremerton headed NE. No photos. [type or individual dolphin ID unconfirmed -alb]

September 7
BIGGS/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Mon, Sept 7 - Boundary Pass (T18s) - ~11:00 - Transients rapidly moving by East Point region of Saturna about 11 am on Sept 7. Photos of three members of the group are included. -James McLarnon, Vancouver
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GRAY WHALES - Mon, Sept 7 - Northern Saratoga Passage - ~15:45-16:00 - Our pal Gray 2261 was back for his third day in a row of pre-happy-hour snacks. It came cruising by moderately close to shore at 3:45-4ish here at Mariners Cove, so about 15-30 minutes later each day. It stopped at our flagpole for a minute to wave, but then continued on to the happy meal mudflats just south of us. It appeared to feed a little bit, but rather than continue south toward Polnell, it turned toward Camano and did an impressive sprint toward Utsalady. That whale can really haul a__ when it wants to - lol! It's so amazing to watch it do the big back arch, followed by that huge tail flip - just wow. -Marianne Parry
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Mon, Sept 7 - Possession Sound - 16:33 - Second gray a bit to the north on delta. Didn't see close enough for ID but likely 2259.
16:32 - #2261, entrance to Skagit Bay.
15:23 - Looks like 2262.
1515: one gray whale between Gedney and Everett. No ID yet. -Renee Chamberland
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11:35 - One Gray whale between Tulalip and Hat Island at this time. -Josh Adams

September 6
BIGGS/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Sun, Sept 6 - Haro Strait (T18s, T65Bs) - Orca Sighting Time: Sun Sep 6 - 14:10 PDT - Sighting Location (Lat/Lon): 48.63665,-123.17167 Number Sighted: 4 -Byron Mutchler (via Whale Alert App)
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They passed Land Bank northbound at 11:30 this morning. photo - T18 and T19C -Cindy Hansen, Orca Network
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11:05 - T18s, with the T65Bs further offshore. -Pete Ancich
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10:59-11:34 - 2 orcas were sighted 1/2 mile south of Edwards Point and were reported to be the T065Bs. Far out, they were northbound. As I watched the T065Bs the T018s appeared close in moving north. I noted that T019B "Galiano" had a new scratch on his saddle patch since last I saw him on 8-3-20. T018, T019, T019B and T019C moved together in a tight group passing Edwards Point. This is a lovely family, the males massive next to the females. -Michelline Halliday, SJI
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10:45 - Report of the T18s offshore of Pile Point aiming for San Juan Island. -Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute
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Sun, Sept 6 - Strait of Juan de Fuca - Flat calm day on the water with Transient Killer Whales (T065A's) today off Victoria! -Paul Pudwell, Sooke Coastal Explorations
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BIGG'S TRANSIENT ORCAS - Sun, Sept 6 - NE of Texada Island, B.C. - 08:20 - …pod of 4 orca we saw in Jervis Inlet (east of Egmont, BC). I'm wondering about the T18s as it looked like at least two big males and one definitely had a "floppy" fin. It was about 8:20am on September 6th, and I heard the T18s were in the Juan de Fuca strait a couple of days later. -Samantha Sampson
[I'd say it's the T101s (mom T101 and her 3 adult sons). I'll do some more looking around and confirm. Prelim is based on the 3 males...the one leaning likely T102, he's oldest and big right leaning dorsal. -Alisa]
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GRAY WHALES - Sun, Sept 6 - Northern Saratoga Passage - 15:30 - Back to our buddy Gray 2261 - it came by Mariners Cove heading south at 3:30pm, feeding a bit at the happy meal mudflats and continuing on toward Polnell. -Marianne Parry

September 5
Sat, Sept 5 - Strait of Juan de Fuca and Haro Strait - 21:15 - All is quiet. I'd guess they are off False Bay or south now. Good night.
20:56 - Still hearing some distant blows in the dark offshore (probably more than a mile) and South toward Edwards Point from Landbank. -Michelle Savoie
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20:00 - Taken off the Land Bank Cliff at 8pm. - Cy Scammell, PNW Protectors - video - https://vimeo.com/455251978 photo - Cy Scammell - L88 Wave Walker
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19:04 - Seeing and hearing them off Eagle Point spread up island past Pile Point...Erin Corra
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20:15 - Much more intense calls repeated suddenly on Lime Kiln.
20:13 - Faint calls getting fainter (confirming southbound?)...
20:00 - Female & juvenile leading two males southbound mid-Haro between Lime Kiln & Victoria skyline. Possible direction change as Kellett tides reverse...
19:39 - Another group farther offshore in Nbound ship lane between Lime Kiln & Discovery.
19:35 - Ship noise [MSC Antonella cargo ship] masking, but seeing breach & spy hops of at least 4 milling off Deadman's.
19:17 - Calls more intense, clear clicks.
19:00 - Faint calls and likely clicks on Lime Kiln hydrophone. -Scott Veirs, Orcasound
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18:45-20:25 - Observed from 1/2 mile south of Edwards Point north towards Landbank. As all 3 pods gathered, 73 individuals traveled leisurely north, some spread out and some in groups. They socialized while milling back and forth; some moving north past Edwards Point. Twice I heard vocalizations as they called to friends and family at the surface. Many floated on their backs or drifted upright. Sea snakes were displayed for companions. Gentle stretching spyhops and a few tail lobs were observed. After sunset at 20:04 they changed direction and moved with purpose to the south. There was celebration in the air. It was communicated all along the shore inviting all watchers to join in. Photographed from shore. -Michelline Halliday, SJI
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15:35-21:45 - Center for Whale Research Encounter #40 (Sequence 2 & 3): " … While we were working this group, we got a call over the radio from "Kestrel" saying that it looked like J35 had had her calf. We left the group and headed about a quarter mile northeast of the other whales to where the J35s were. J35 had indeed had her calf! It had not been there on the morning of September 3rd. Its' dorsal fin was not flopped over so the calf was probably born somewhere between the evenings of the 3rd and 4th. J35, the new calf J57, and J47 were non-directional and made a big circle before slipping back over the Canadian border. We decided to give them some peace and quiet and went to find other whales. … " [See CWR Encounter #40 (Sequence 2 & 3) for full encounter summary and more photos] - https://www.whaleresearch.com/2020-40-2-3
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Orca Sighting Time: Sat Sep 5 - 14:19 PDT - Sighting Location (Lat/Lon): 48.28631,-123.19229 - Number Sighted: 20 - Patrycja (Whale Alert App)
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14:05-17:57 - Center for Whale Research Encounter #40 (Sequence 1): "… As Mark was passing south of Trial Island, he got word that the whale watch fleet saw the incoming group approaching at the southeast corner of Coyote Bank. Mark decided to turn and head for the trailing main concentration of K's and L's, which were now slightly southwest of Race Rocks still spread out and moving slowly east. He started the encounter at 1405 when he came across K21 eastbound leading the procession 1nm south of Race Rocks (48 17.0/123 30.8). There were a few groups that were quite animated and were generally pointed northeast towards Constance Bank. …" [See CWR Encounter #40 (Sequence 1) for full encounter summary and photos] - https://www.whaleresearch.com/2020-40-1
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11:18 - Js picked up again near Hein Bank, likely heading out to meet the others.
08:40 - Several miles offshore of South Beach near the fog line aiming south, lots of splashing there and in the further distance.
07:45 - At least one orca offshore of Eagle Point heading down island. -Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute
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We had Southern Resident Orca inbound [near Sooke, B.C.] (we carefully took a couple pictures from afar to confirm (L Pod). -Paul Pudwell, Sooke Coastal Explorations
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BIGGS/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Sat, Sept 5 - Strait of Juan de Fuca - (T069's) near Sooke, B.C. -Paul Pudwell, Sooke Coastal Explorations
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HUMPBACK WHALES - Sat, Sept 5 - Strait of Juan de Fuca - A whale of a day with around 30 humpback whales south west of Sooke BC today! -Paul Pudwell, Sooke Coastal Explorations
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08:43 - Humpback (solo whale) spotted ~1mile north of Minor Island - heading north. Wasn't able to get pic - only couple puffs - (we under sail heading SW and whale heading north). was humpback with strongly curved dorsal (not "straight up" for sure!). -Ashley Bystrom
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GRAY WHALES - Sat, Sept 5 - Northern Saratoga Passage - Gray Whale #2261 was in our neighborhood this afternoon, entertaining throngs of Labor Day visitors. Thankfully, the boaters were being responsible. -Greg & Terra Parham, Oak Harbor, WA
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17:30 - I saw puffs way out in the channel, presumably 2261, and it was over by the southern end of Utsalady, heading north.
15:10 - Gray 2261 passed by Mariners' Cove heading southbound at a pretty good clip, feeding a bit at the mudflats but not lingering very long. -Marianne Parry

September 4
Fri, Sept 4 - Strait of Georgia - 21:02 - Update that J-Pod was confirmed in the Strait of Georgia this afternoon, so they spent the day up there. Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute
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BIGGS/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Fri, Sept 4 - North Puget Sound/Admiralty to Haro Strait (T37As) - 18:59 - They are in Open Bay by Kellett Bluff/Henry right now. -Mae Cannon
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17:14 - Those will be the T37As. -Ellie Sawyer
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17:10 - 4-5 orcas northbound at Edwards Pt. -Michelline Halliday
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10:55 - The T37As are northbound at the Admiralty Head Lighthouse, close to the Whidbey shore. -Justine Buckmaster
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10:28 - T37As are south of the Keystone ferry heading north. -Trevor Tillman
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09:21 - Mike Waite called reporting 4 orcas northbound, W side Whidbey, probably 100 yds off Lagoon Point housing area. Were very deep in Smugglers Cove, 100-150 yards off shore. Not so fast, but at decent clip. Male and smaller.
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Bonnie at Bush Point B & B called to report just before 9, 2 orcas swam past end of dock and surfaced. They swam up into the cove. My guess is there were more further out.
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HUMPBACK WHALES - Fri, Sept 4 - North Puget Sound - 14:50 - Laurie Baker, WSF Marine Ops, emailed report at 15:08: Humpback reported off Edmonds terminal (per log entry at 14:50)
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14:45 - We just spotted a small humpback whale about a half mile out from Edmonds Marina breakwater. No direction. It was not Two Spot. -Bart Rulon, Puget Sound Express
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09:55 - Humpback whale off Kingston in Fairy Ln., Friday morning. Closer to Kingston, maybe 1/3 distance to Edmonds. Maybe heading south. Ferry slowed to allow it to clear area. -Deb Limb
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Fri, Sept 4 - Hi, just wanted to report that around 15:30 we saw what looked to be a minke whale just off Indian Beach on Camano. It was close, but I have never seen one, so I just wanted to report the possibility in case you get any other similar reports! It was heading north and hugging Camano shoreline. (updated with: I would say that the coloring was more tan. Are there many Steller sea lions up in the Saratoga Passage? It was very large but it was heading away from us so we could only see the girth as opposed to the length.)

September 3
Thu, Sept 3 - Haro Strait - ~22:00 - J-Pod went through Active Pass around 10 PM. -Monika Wieland Shields, OBI
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16:12 - Faint calls and clicks on Orcasound. -
15:54 - At Lime Kiln now headed north. - Cindy Hansen, Orca Network
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14:54 - J19s off of south Land Bank. -Ellie Sawyer
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14:25-15:35 - Over the course of an hour spread out traveling both singly and in small groups, 20+ individuals northbound from Pile Point area towards and past Edwards Point. Many breaches within those groups. At 15:00 J56 Tofino bounced along with a group of seven. J56 breached 10 times. She jumped and jumped, launching herself so high in the air. She aborted a few jumps and flopped over sideways making a big splash. She tail lobbed; big slaps. Practice, practice, practice little Tofino. What a spirited girl.
13:35-14:05 - Blows seen in the Pile Point area trending north. At 13:45 a lone orca, J36 Alki, milling for 10 minutes 1/4 mile south of Edwards Point before returning to the south.
9:45-10:00 - Seeing blows to the south off the Pile Point area. I saw one large male before the group turned S then SW away from the island until out of sight. -Michelline Halliday, SJI
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09:43-12:50 - J19 was foraging offshore by herself while J37 and J49 chased a salmon to the southeast of her. To the south of the J37s, we found J46, J53, and J56 milling and rolling around together. About a quarter mile west of this group, we found another threesome rolling around together. This was J44, J47, and J51 ... [See Center for Whale Research Encounter #29 for full encounter summary and more photos] - https://www.whaleresearch.com/2020-39
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09:50 - Possibly trending out towards Hein [Bank] now.
09:30 - I see many blows offshore of False Bay, appear to be milling, some in a little closer too. -Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute
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10:35 - Group of orcas just off of Eagle Point. Research drone above them.
08:38 - So many breaches I have lost count!! Orca from Eagle Point to Pile Point SJI.
08:26 - Sorry, I have to go to work. But I can still hear them from my home office so yes, they are out there. Some turned back, some hanging, some going more north. very spread out.... and happy. I can hear them breaching.
08:17 - Last update: A LOT of whales.
08:10 - 8:10 update: breaching like crazy. at least 12.
08:00 - Hey! Just saw an orca go by. Heading north from Eagle Point, SJI. Sorry, no more details than that for now. Update: at least 6. Better count coming up in few minutes. -Chris Wilson
["It's very possible Js came down Rosario last night and it could be them!" -Monika Wieland Shields, OBI]
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BIGGS/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Thu, Sept 3 - Haro Strait - 19:13 - T65B matriline north east bound from Beaumont Shoals toward Lime Kiln. -Matt Stolmeier
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Thu, Sept 3 - North Puget Sound/Possession Sound - [17:18 - Point Wilson] - Orca Sighting Time: Thu Sep 3 - 17:18:48 PDT - Sighting Location (Lat/Lon): 48.14428,-122.75472 - Number Sighted: 1. -Nicole C Shore (via Whale Alert App)
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15:19 - Corey Stosich just called to report pod of orcas (several w/one large dorsal) in Everett Bay, near shore Mukilteo, first seen near ferry terminal heading east towards Port Gardiner, downtown Everett. His wife is watching pod from Harborview Park. Navy ship is slowly creeping into port.
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14:42 - Maija Holston, WSF Marine Ops, emailed: MV KITSAP Log entry: Master reports 3-4 orca off Mukilteo Lighthouse - frolicking, maybe moving North. Vessel is unable to depart until orca have cleared the area.
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14:20 - [orcas] Spotted off Mukilteo beach 2:10. Heading north towards Everett. -Elizabeth Johnston
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Thu, Sept 3 - North Puget Sound/Admiralty Inlet (T65As and T137s) - 18:22 - Three orca east of Partridge Point, 6:22 pm, heading west. One large-male? -Cyrilla Cook
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18:06 - Only seeing one and it's heading out to mid channel.
17:57 - Orcas can be seen at Fort Ebey now, 5:57. -Becca Pommer
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16:37-16:50 - Saw the male north of Pt. Wilson past Ft. Worden, pretty far out. Then at about 4:50 saw 2-3 more around the buoy that's out from Admiralty Lighthouse.... northbound. ---Lovely distant glimpses of Transients from Ft. Casey in the sparkling evening light. Just north of Pt. Townsend. -Bonnie Gretz
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15:50 - Allie Hudec called: She and Chris are on the ferry from Port Townsend to Whidbey and are seeing orcas on port side and further off. Looked like heading back out, heading north, but others milling. Right out from Fort Worden in ferry lanes, ferry had to turn wide to avoid.
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16:20 - Jill Hein texted again to report the orca she has eyes on is finally past (west of) Port Townsend. She has only been seeing the male. She reports a lot of sun glare. This guy is just about to Fort Worden.
15:40 - Jill texted: Orcas seem to be milling and slightly drifting south. They are still not at Port Townsend.
15:30 - Jill called: She is still seeing orcas closer to Port Townsend side, appear to be just west of ferry traffic lanes.
15:05 - Jill Hein texted that she is seeing whales from Fort Casey. From her point of view, they're not just passing Port Townsend. A couple of boats with them, 8-10 whales, too far for pics. Northbound.
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13:35 - We saw the T65A pod and T137 pod exiting Puget Sound at Point Wilson, westbound, pretty spread out but on the Port Townsend side. -Bart Rulon
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12:46 - [orcas] Spotted them off of Fort Flagler about five minutes ago! (looked like they were headed north. I spotted five or six, but am not quite sure on the exact number.) -Poulami Wielga
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07:57 - Pod is at least 10 orcas with a very large male. They are still flipping salmon up in the air just north of Kingston. Sorry for the grainy photos, didn't want to get too close.
07:45 - Pod of [Bigg's] orcas feasting mid channel off Rose Point/Eglon. Counted at least 8 so far. I'm a ways away but hopefully one of these photos helps identify the pod. -Tom Rider
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GRAY WHALES - Thu, Sept 3 - Northern Saratoga Passage - 23:15 - We stepped out on the deck late last night and wondered where Gray was hanging out, and it literally answered with a big puff from the "happy meal mudflats" just south of Mariners Cove. It sounded like it was feeding out there, slowly moving toward Polnell. 9/3/2020, 23:15 - assuming it was 2261 but obv couldn't see it.
~12:30 - A Gray (presumably 2261) popped up at the mudflats just south of Mariners Cove around 12:30 today (9/3/20). It was probably a little early tide-wise for a proper feeding because it disappeared around the corner toward Polnell, where I was told that it took off across the channel to Camano. Have a good one! -Marianne Parry

September 2
Wed, Sept 2 - Active Pass/Strait of Georgia 13:29 - [J pod] Currently foraging around the coal docks by Tsawwassen. It was really hard to get a count, they were spread over about a mile and a half and being very erratic. I would estimate about a dozen, though. -Andrew Harpster
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Came off the ferry to Galiano this morning, just in time to see members of J-pod exit Active Pass and head north into Georgia Strait. Multiple breaches, some tail slaps, motoring along quickly. Thrilled to have seen them! All photos taken from the shore of Galiano Island. -Karoline Cullen
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09:00 - There's a report of what is likely J Pod at 9:00 heading north in Swanson Channel up in the Canadian Gulf Islands. -Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute
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BIGGS/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Wed, Sept 2 - San Juan Islands (T65Bs) - 1845 - A couple miles north of Cattle, still southbound.
17:00 - Southbound in SJ Channel aiming for Cattle Pass.
16:20 - [T65Bs] Now westbound in Upright Channel. -Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute
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~16:00 - On The ferry from Anacortes to Shaw, on Sept 2., we were held at the dock on Lopez about 4pm so a group of two adults and a baby could pass behind us. -Linda Carpenter
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15:20 - T65Bs in Thatcher Pass headed toward Orcas [Island]. -Clinton Duckworth
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Wed, Sept 2 - North Puget Sound - ~12:45 - I saw 3 or 4 orcas off Mukilteo Lighthouse Park today around 12:45, they were traveling south. Anne Dubert
[note: depending on what pod is doing, it can easily take orcas up to, and often more than, an hour to reach Edmonds. - Alisa]
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09:45 - 5 orcas, 1 male, 4 female, feeding mid channel in Port Susan in a line between Tillicum Beach and Kyak Point Park. After feeding all 5 breached simultaneously and then multiple times before heading south, still breeching/spy hopping /rolling. Didn't get pictures of the aerobatics but a few photos as they were leaving to follow. Taken from the bluff at Tillicum beach looking east across Port Susan. I've never seen 5 orcas in the air at once completely out tails and everything, couldn't put the binoculars down to pick up the camera. -Paul Belshaw
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09:56 - [orcas] multiple breaching heading southbound. Repost from group chat: At 9:40, 5 orcas reported in Port Susan, midchannel between Tillicum beach and Kayak Point. As of 9:50, sounds like they're on a kill. -Rachel Haight
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We had two orcas in Port Susan sound this morning. It was a bit unusual to see just the two and not the rest of the pod. They looked like they were going after the dolphins. But it was a mother and it appeared to be a half grown baby. Going north. I have not seen them come back but I have not really been in a place to keep an eye out. -Terri Smith, South East Camano Island
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Wed, Sept 2 - South Puget Sound (T65As and T137s) - 20:12 - [orcas] They are getting close to Al's [Market] in Olalla but light is gone. -Noelle Morris
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20:06 - [orcas] Mid Colvos Passage. Almost to [Point] Richmond beach. -Tiffany'and Raymond Iannielli
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~19:40 - Colvos Passage around 7:40pm. Around the Point Richmond Beach area. -Katrina Flowers-Piercy
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18:51 - Spotted here [north of Point Defiance]. Looks like they are heading into the passage right now. Still mid channel. -Jayce Lemmer
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18:52 - Directly between GH and Ferry at Vashon.
18:47 - Looks like they're choosing north into Colvos. Moving fast.
18:44 - [orcas] Mid passage. 2 groups, maybe a pair and a single. -Charlene Engelland
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18:58 - At least a big male, maybe one more, have gone north in Colvos Passage. No longer visible from Old Ferry Landing.
18:40 - [orcas] Visible from Gig Harbor Old Ferry Landing now. Headed north by Pt. Defiance, around Colvos Viewpoint. -Stace Gordon
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18:15 - [orcas] Large group across from Salmon Beach actually heading north now. -Jenna Iams
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18:14 - North of point Evans.
18:12 - [orcas] In the Narrows now. West side. -Jack Sasser
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17:59 - [orcas] One big one across from Salmon Beach and more under bridge 5.59 pm. -Gill Chard
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17:45 - [orcas] Continuing to hang out under the bridge... another two north of the bridge close to Tacoma side, but in no hurry. -Eileen Mccaffery-Lent
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17:50 - Donna Sivers called again to report the orcas are now directly across from them, in front of the power line in middle of the channel traveling with the incoming tide. Mainly wanted to call back to report now clearly seeing at least 2 males with 5 ft. dorsal coming out of the water. Said it's been a wonderful evening, so beautiful. Orcas looked to be having a lot of fun out there.
17:20 - Donna Sivers called to report seeing pod of orcas from their home overlooking the Narrows. There are ~12 orcas just north of Tacoma Narrows Bridge, on east side of Narrows, heading kind of northwesterly. From this distance, can't see if any males. They are just surfacing, traveling.
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18:11 - Heading N Gig Harbor side 6:11.
18:08 - West side of Narrows heading N 6:08.
18:00 - In front of 16-mile marker on Gig Harbor side heading N.
17:11 - [orcas] Heading toward Gold Creek (by Narrows). 5:11 North. -Sharon Myers Andersen
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I thought I'd try and catch the pod by the Narrows Bridge as they left the area yesterday (Wed 9/2), but as they went through on the far side of the water, the quality is not very good unfortunately! It was fun to watch them pass in front of the trains tho, and great to meet other whale watchers too! -Jennifer Swenson
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~17:00 - We saw a pod near the Tacoma Narrows Bridge closer to the Tacoma side. around 5 PM. Very exciting. Viewing from Point Defiance Outer Loop Trail. -Danita Day
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18:46 - Heading north passing Point Defiance.
17:12 - Seeing a group very close to Tacoma, northbound, just north of Narrows Bridge.
16:55 - [orcas] They are under the Narrows Bridge right now. -Ed Rickert
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16:47 - On the far shore. 100 yards from the bridges.
16:26 - [orcas] They're swimming into a very strong incoming tidal current so they're slow. Almost to Titlow… -Amy Bliss-Miller
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16:23 - [orcas] Mid channel, nb, almost to the Narrows. -Amber Stanfill
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16:15 - Was at Titlow Beach when the Orca came through around 4:15pm was there a baby with them. Looks like a lil one in this. -Cherie St.Ours
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16:09 - [orcas] Just passed Day Island headed north to the Narrows. -Charles Steward
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16:33 - Straight off Narrows, way on the Tacoma side moving north toward bridge.
16:04 - [orcas] Can see big splashes via binoculars at Narrows just north of Chambers Bay, Tacoma side. -Mallory Piekarski-Rabinowitz
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16:35 - They are just going under the bridge, mid channel.
16:19 - They are NB headed towards the bridge, mid channel. 4:19.
16:00 - They are just south of Day Island, closer to the mainland. 4:00. NB, I think. -Karen Caldwell
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15:54 - [orcas] Still heading toward Narrows. Still just south of Fox Island fishing pier. -Emily Kennedy
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15:50 - [orcas] Mid channel now between Fox Island and Chambers. -Christina Griffin
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17:00 - We got there about 10:00 and waited all day until they came under at 5:00. Long wait but so many came through!! At least 12!!
15:33 - Seeing blows now off Chambers Bay, spotting from mid span Narrows bridge! 3:33. -Noelle Morris
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15:28 - Appear to be headed into the Clambers Bay Area, between Sunset Beach Fox Island. Still traveling north, at a good clip. Still spread out. 3:28 pm.
15:20 - Off the north tip of McNeil. Still heading north at a fast rate.
15:10 - There are at least 7, including at least one male, passing midchannel between Sunnyside Beach in Steilacoom and McNeil Island. Heading north and moving fast. 3:10 pm. Seen from our home above Sunnyside Beach. (Very spread out. Male was behind the others.) -Tari Poe Norris
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15:29 - Definitely heading from Steilacoom towards direction Chambers Bay, possibly Narrows. grouped back together 3:29
15:02 - [orcas] Watching from Steilacoom, they are coming from Anderson Island, mid channel, seems heading towards Chambers Bay. Very spread out. 6 or 7. -Silke Price
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15:02 - [orcas] They are just past the north point of Ketron. Continuing to head towards Narrows. -Steve McNally
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15:33 - Heading east near southern end of Fox Island 3:33.
15:14 - Mid channel between Sunnyside Beach and McNeil Island.
15:00 - [orcas] Off north end of Ketron now. -Rick Womack
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15:03 - Passing north end of Ketron. Heading north.
14:33 - [orcas] Between Anderson and Ketron, 2:33, heading toward Narrows bridge. -Lane Sample
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~13:40 - We saw a pod cruising by Lyle Point (southeast Anderson Island) last night and about an hour ago [reported at 14:40]. Beautiful. -Andi Bernardoni
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13:29 - [orcas] They put on a show in front of Devil's Head off Johnson Point Dogfish Bight circling a geoduck barge, seal hunting for 5 minutes. Now moving towards Tolmie State Park. -Lorrie Dozier Hall
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13:20 - [orcas] Just saw them pass in front of Tolmie State Park.1:20. -Gale Riordan Glenn
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13:20 - Five(?) orca headed from Johnson Point towards Tolmie State Park. One mom and baby. -Shingo Yamazaki
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13:15 - Just saw 7 orcas pass our beach on Johnson Point heading south to Nisqually. -Alex Player
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12:49 - [orcas] About to pass in front of Zittel's Marina right now at 12:49. -Shawn Bashor
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12:47 - [orcas] Eastbound through the Nisqually Reach. -Cindy Klein
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11:58 - [orcas] Spotted from Joemma Beach Park. Heading south. -Heather Miller
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11:45-12:00 - Case Inlet, mid-channel, heading south between McMicken Island and Herron. At least 1 male, and 2-3 females (maybe more). Now south of Fudge Point at 12:06pm, traveling steadily south. -Dave Berliner
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10:50 - [orcas] They are just north of Herron Island, heading south in Case Inlet. -Jerilyn Evans
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09:20 - Case Inlet by Allyn. Turned - heading south. 1 male, a few females and 2 calves. -Deer Kay
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09:00 - This morning, heading north to Allyn (Case Inlet) and then back South. Moving pretty quickly. Lots of tail slapping. One male, three smaller. -Beverly Lynch McCallum
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12:36 - [orcas] Off of Johnson Point, eastbound through the Nisqually Reach. -Cindy Klein
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09:00-09:15 - Four medium size orcas traveling north inNorth Bay, Case Inlet. Played for about 15 minutes and then traveled back South towards Rocky Bay and Vaughn Bay. They seemed to be having a really good time! -Sue Overton
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09:00 - A female orca spotted in Allyn, Washington at 9am. -Anne Johannsen
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06:30 - [orcas] 9/2. 3 heading south down Case Inlet. Mid channel along Harstine Island. -Liz Wolk
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GRAY WHALES - Wed, Sept 2 - Northern Saratoga Passage - 06:23 - #2261 was back this evening @ Polnell Pt., in Oak Harbor. By the time he/she heads north, most of its buddies will probably be heading south. -Greg and Terra Parham
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18:56 - On 9/2, Gray whale sighted off the tip of Mariner's Cove at 6:56pm. Whale headed across Saratoga Passage to Camano Island then proceeded to feed slowly offshore to Utsalady. -Paula Despins
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[gray] was feeding in our cove [Polnell Shores] this morning. -Greg Parham

September 1
Tue, Sept 1 - Haro Strait (J pod) - 20:09 - [J pod] Also some still very spread out between False Bay and Eagle Point. Everyone slowly heading south. -Chris Wilson
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20:00-20:10 - [J pod] Past American Camp - lost them in the darkness. -Fred Horn
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18:35-19:15 - 18-20+ members of J-Pod traveled from Edwards Point southbound towards Pile Point. They quickly made their way past me in the fading light, activity included porpoising and a few members breaching. Most were spread out except for a group of 3 with possibly J51 Nova and one group of 4 with J31 Tsuchi and J56 Tofino. J26 Mike, very majestically zig-zagged behind. -Michelline Halliday, SJI
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16:10 - [J pod] Still four going N of County Park, many others went down island. -Nan Yates Simpson
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J-40 from September 1st. - Cy Scammell, PNW Protectors
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14:56 - [J pod] Distant calls on OrcaSound, still hearing them on Lime Kiln, also. -Michelle Savoie
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14:50 - Clearer calls on Lime Kiln; still nothing on Orcasound Lab (5 km north of Lime Kiln).
14:35 - No calls on Orcasound Lab hydrophone (5 km north of Lime Kiln) in last 10 min.
14:23 - Confirming SRKW calls... S4s, S1s. (They really make my canary sing down here in Seattle!) -Scott Veirs, Orcasound
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12:20-15:40 - Center for Whale Research Encounter #38: … "Orcinus" arrived on scene at about 1220 and soon got on some whales about 3/4s of a mile off Pile Point. J16, J19, J36, J37, and J49 briefly formed up in a tight group heading slowly down island. J49 was being very active and did several half breaches. Two other females were spread out inshore of this group. A few minutes later, J26 showed up out of nowhere and began chasing a salmon. The group broke up and began milling in the same area. J42 showed up, logged at the surface, and then rolled over to do a pec slap while blowing a raspberry. - [See CWR Encounter #38 for full encounter summary and more photos] - https://www.whaleresearch.com/2020-38
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14:45 - I was able to catch the continuation of J-Pod's vocalizations on the LK hydrophone, lovely varied calls with chortles, clicks and whistles.
13:20-14:35 - 18+ members of J-Pod spread out, moving northbound towards and past Edwards Point, some in small groups including J-31 Tsuchi with J-56 Tofino at 14:10.
13:05-13:20 - 1/2 mile or more south of Edwards Point, J-Pod moving north into my view again, spread out, breaching and slowly moving north.
11:57-12:21 - I/2 mile south of Edwards Point, a large male traveling north was joined by 2 other orcas including a second large male. Too far away to see most activity, the 3 changed direction and breached 4 times before heading south and out of sight. -Michelline Halliday, SJI
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11:34 - It's J Pod!!!!---And just like magic on the morning of September 1st J-Pod emerges from the fog on the west side of San Juan Island, with J19 Shachi leading them up Haro Strait. After putting up the goose egg in August it looks like the Southern Residents aren't ready to completely give up on September just yet! -Monika Wieland Shields, Orca Behavior Institute
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12:15 - 4 or 5 orca still just north of Eagle Point. Milling. Kelping. Includes one little one. No direction.
11:39 - Yep, several orca going north from Eagle Point, SJI.
11:36 - I see it again, maybe two. A big male and?? A bit further out now and headed north.
11:10 - Out of the fog, up island from Eagle Point (and Cove) SJI, just saw an Orca surface. Heading South, close to shore. -Chris Wilson
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BIGGS/TRANSIENT ORCAS - Tue, Sept 1 - North Puget Sound (T37As) - 19:50 - The T37A pod is southbound mid-channel and closer to the Camano Island side seen from Bells Beach area on Whidbey Island. They are very spread out across the channel. -Bart Rulon
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15:19 - Bonnie Gretz called. She and Jill Hein are at Long Point watching the 4 orcas (2 females, 1 male, 1 calf) who exited Penn Cove. This pod is heading southbound towards Camano Island, really slowly far out from Long Point. (Jill thinks is the T37s)
14:50 - [orcas] 4 exiting Penn Cove north side. A distant breach, and could hear them exhale it was so quiet and glass smooth water. Another beautiful day with distant looks and lovely orcas...caught glimpses of them from Long Point as they were leaving Penn Cove, and they headed slowly southeast toward Camano Island. -Bonnie Gretz
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14:40 - At least 4 and are now going past Snakelum Point.
14:23 - Orcas about to blow Coupeville Wharf! (I am across the Cove by Glencairn pier with binoculars.) -Jesse E Chandler
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12:25 - At least two groups/pods of orcas heading north in between Madrona on Camano and Penn Cove, Whidbey. The first group of three are probably at Rocky Point by now. I watched them go after a seal. The water was going crazy and all of a sudden a seal went straight up in the air flipping head over tail about 5 times as it went up and then back down into the water with the whales. Then one of them did a spy hop. Following them a bigger pod of 6 or 7. They are doing the same, disappearing in the water for several minutes at a time. They are closer to the Whidbey side in front of Penn Cove. There might be another pod, but not sure if it joined up with the second pod or not. -Wendy Nelson (Camano Whale Watch)
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Tue, Sept 1 - Strait of Juan de Fuca - Transient Killer Whales in action again today! The (T060's & T109A's) were on the hunt around Race Rocks Lighthouse. We also had the pleasure of visiting a Humpback whale in the fog! -Paul Pudwell, Sooke Coastal Explorations
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Tue, Sept 1 - Central to South Puget Sound (T65As and T137s) - 22:30-23:30 - I was excited to see the post regarding the T's in Case Inlet this morning. Last night, my husband and I were enjoying a moonlit stroll on our beach, 10:30 -11:30 pm 9/1; (southeast end of Harstine on Dana Passage) when a pod of 5 orcas swam southbound then reversed course and headed northbound. We didn't bring our phones. One of them has a very distinctive blow, like a human blowing their nose. It was mystical to see the dorsal fins backlit by moonlight! -Cindy Klein
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19:29 - [orcas] Directly across from Tolmie State Park. Headed west. -Paige Backholm
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19:20 - [orcas] A group was hugging the Anderson Island side up through Nisqually Reach, crossing the passage between Anderson and the bottom of Key Peninsula, then they headed north towards the tip of Johnson Point. We saw them from our house on Dogfish Bight on Johnson Point. -Lorrie Dozier Hall
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19:08 - [orcas] Heading south and west towards Zittel's. We followed them (from afar) from Anderson Island. Breaching, tail slapping and other such activities. Couldn't have asked for a more perfect night. -Candy Burden Hughes
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19:00 - 5 orcas south of Anderson Island. -Mary Kendall
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18:54 - Yep we see four, heading south west now.
18:41 - [orcas] They're at Lyle Point hanging out. -Megan Jourdan
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19:45 - Passing Lyle Pt. now, heading into Nisqually... 6 for sure. Maybe 7. Yes, 6:45.
18:36 - Currently off Cole Pt., Anderson Island, at 6:35pm ... They are playing. -Corey Feldon
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17:00-19:00 - Last night [8/1] between 5 pm and 7pm, there were several orcas between Nisqually Reach and Anderson Island (Lyle Point), heading towards Olympia. There was plenty of spouting and surfacing. Very tall dorsals - I'm guessing based on history that these are Transients. There were at least 5, possibly 6, and it looked like there may have been a baby. I saw them from my yard on Oro Bay. Julie added: I just found out today that my neighbor happened to be out there fishing when the orcas came by, and he said they actually bumped his boat. That must have been a thrill, even for an 82-yr-old. -Julia Roth
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16:22 - Orcas just off Day Island spit. 3 total headed towards Steilacoom. -Larry A. Capps
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18:16 - Southbound, now nearing Oro Bay on Anderson Island. (It seemed to be the whole group!)
17:51 - It's a milling sort of day, big splashes, at least 6.
17:46 - At least 3 split and headed north west again, near East tip of McNeil.
17:32 - Almost at the north end of Ketron Island, southbound, heading toward the west side to pass. So frolicy!!
17:10 - Meandering south, not yet south of Chambers Creek inlet.
17:02 - Drifting south, lots of tails & splashes.
16:54 - Headed west toward Anderson Island from Chambers. Mid water in the darker water now.
16:48 - From Anderson Island, multiple Orca in the center close to Chambers golf course, there was lots of splashing and trail lobs a few minutes ago. ---photo: From yesterday in Chambers Bay, in 2 hours of shooting with 2 cameras, we must have caught more than 2 dozen tail lobs or inversions, and I know we didn't get them all. It was an upside-down sort of day. -Belen Bilgic Schneider
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16:05 - [orcas] Two more just passed the Narrows Park on the Tacoma side, juvi and male going fast with incoming tide. -Amy Bliss-Miller
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16:05 - 2 orcas porpoising south of bridge (SB), still closer to Tacoma side. Viewing from Narrows Park.
15:58 - 15:58 - Just saw a breach north of the bridge, Tacoma side. -Gayle Swigart, Orca Network
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15:45 - [orca] Just saw the single continue south as the others, Fox Island side. Viewing from Hale Passage. -Brooke Casanova
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15:35 - [orcas] Just passed the concrete fishing pier on Fox Island, fast transit south. 3 maybe 4. -Stacey Crofoot
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15:47 - Two more headed southbound, south of Pt. Defiance headed to the TNB. Closer to the mainland side.
15:30 - Single [orca] heading south quickly right under Tacoma Narrows Bridge, right up the middle. -Ryan Campbell
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16:05 - 2 individuals moving fast southbound past Narrows, Tacoma side.
15:29 - [orcas] Just flew past Narrows and Fox Island fishing pier moving south...FAST. -Mallory Piekarski-Rabinowitz
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15:22 - [orcas] Passing Steamers on Fox Island side. -Loba Perkins
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15:50 - Right in front of Chambers Bay.
15:21 - [orcas] They just passed Steamers. -Silke Price
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15:20 - [orcas] Just passing north tip of Day Island. -Teri Fields Mattsen
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15:20 - [orcas] Passing Titlow. Closer to Gig Harbor side. -Sar N Victor Gonzalez
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16:10 - Adult and juvenile headed quickly SB towards Fox Island Pier 4:10.
16:03 - Lone orca NB towards bridge Tacoma side. Surface somewhat close to shore on West shore of Day Island. Surfaced several times.
15:23 - Approaching Fox Island Pier, swiftly. 3:23, SB.
15:16 - [orcas] They are right under the Narrows bridge now. Headed SW at the base of the W tower of the bridge. -Karen Caldwell
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14:50 - [orcas] Heading south approaching Point Defiance. photo - Taken from the Point Defiance Marina, they were traveling from west to east on Vashon side and then headed south at the tip of Owens beach and headed up to the Narrows. -Cherie St.Ours
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14:43 - They are passing the Pt. Defiance ferry. Headed towards Owen Beach... moving at a fast pace. Counted at least 7 individuals. -Candace Gavin
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16:43 - Slowly drifting further away from Chambers. South west of McNeil still. Viewing from Chambers.
16:27 - Male and juvenile off the southwest tip of Fox Island. Looks to be mid-channel or so. Slowly meandering south towards the other group that's down this way.
16:05 - Lots of surface activity. Viewing from Chambers. Tails slaps and spy hops.
15:50 - Viewing 5 or 6 just south of Chambers milling. One male one juvenile and a few females.
14:57 - Just rounded the point of Point Defiance headed south towards Narrows. Traveling very quickly. [Not] quite sure how many, as they were going so fast. Counted at least six.
14:42 - Saw one male dorsal off the southeast tip of Vashon headed west toward the ferry dock. Pretty sure I saw two dorsals all the way out by the yellow buoy, but can't confirm. -Ashley Whitman
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14:18 - [orcas] Just passed Dash Point, Vashon side heading south. -Mollie Segall
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14:10 - [orcas] 3 passed Sandy Shores SB and more hugging mainland at 2:10. -Marlin Black
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15:46 - They are at Pt. Defiance where the lighthouse used to be across from Gig Harbor - this was minutes ago - there is a huge group of seals that hang out there along the rocks.
14:09 - Just passed through East pass heading to Browns Point to the yellow bouy - big sea lion sleeping on top of it - 7-10 orcas. -Dayna Campbell
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13:34 - [orcas] All of them just passed Point Robinson headed south 1:34. -Carly Hanson
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13:38 - Group headed south.
13:30 - Passed Point Robinson now.
13:17 - More coming from the south now!
13:00 - [orcas] 2 just passed point Robinson headed north. Everyone was looking to the north and they came around the point from the south headed north unexpectedly! -Shelby Middling
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~13:00 - So amazing! Thinking this is the same two groups that passed by Vashon around 1pm yesterday! My two-year-old loved it. -Ali Starner Nedrow
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13:43 - Seems like they had a meet up and came back south. Larger group passed Pt. Robinson southbound.
12:57 - [orcas] Northbound from Pt. Robinson. -Caroline Martin Matter
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12:47 - [orca] I spotted a fin from Des Moines pier on Vashon side. North of Des Moines. -Bridget Gallagher
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12:10 - [orcas] Also see from Three Tree. Past the point now but closer to the Vashon side. -Lily Olivier Cohen
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12:00 - Joe Armstrong called to report seeing a pod of 7-10 orcas (range of sizes including couple small and 2 massive) pass by Vashon Island at Pt. Robinson heading south.
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13:40 - Craziest pass ever, lol!!! For 20 minutes some going northbound off Point Robinson, some southbound, very close to shore, all have met up now it seems (T65As and T137s) in a confusing and fun pass headed southbound, still Vashon side loosely grouped.
12:00 - T65A's just passed Dilworth, Vashon side, travel mode south, loosely grouped. --- Craziest pass ever at Point Robinson as we were watching a pod drift down from the north headed southbound so all of our eyes were trained north, then out of nowhere, T137A and T137D surface behind us, super close to shore startling all of us, headed Northbound, they catch up with the southbound pod ahead of us, they all start heading south, and then another sub pod comes charging in from the south again, headed north, they finally all meet up, with all of us yelling and pointing at different directions because they are everywhere going in both directions, then they take down a seal, take their meal to go, and all finally head southbound. Whale soup! SO fun, and kept the adrenaline pumping with all the passes being so close to shore, what a rush! Love those wiley T's!! -Marla Smith
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11:56 - I'm viewing from the north side of 3TP, they just passed Dilworth heading south.
11:45 - [orcas] Heading south on the east side of Vashon. -Megan Hansen
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11:23 - [orcas] I'm at Harper Pier. I see them way off in the distance between Southworth ferry dock and Arroyo Heights. -Jim Pasola
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10:40 - They are committed to headed south down the East side of Blake Island and picking up the pace!
10:20 - Large group of transient orcas including the T137s spread out and southbound just north of Blake Island. (edited: T65As are here too). -Justine Buckmaster
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10:18 - At least 3 KW moving south fast past Restoration Point. One male, female and juvenile. No other information at this time. -Michelle Savoie
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10:05-10:10 - [orcas] Two groups of 3-4 each just passed Restoration Point heading SW toward Blake Island. First group passing Restoration Point around 10:05a Second group passing Restoration Point around 10:10am. -Becca Tiger Musser
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HUMPBACK WHALES - Tue, Sept 1 - Strait of Juan de Fuca - [HB] Whale tales today off Sooke! -Paul Pudwell, Sooke Coastal Explorations. -photo
["MMZ0030 migrates to Mexico !!" - ID: Alethea Leddy]
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GRAY WHALES - Tue, Sept 1 - Northern Saratoga Passage - 15:30 - [gray] Slowly feeding and moving East. Seen from the far east end of Polnell Shores Drive on Sept 1 at 3:30pm. -Suzanne Sewester
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We had a surprise visitor at Polnell Point in Oak Harbor today, 9/1/20! We were on the opposite side of Whidbey Island when a kind neighbor alerted us to its presence. And we thought "whale walking" season was over! -Greg & Terra Parham, Oak Harbor, WA
["From the fluke I can see It's everyone's new buddy 2261." -Alisa Lemire Brooks, Orca Network]
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13:30 - Gray doing leisurely feeding off Hunskor Hill, just east of Mariners Cove. First spotted at 1:30 pm. Moving towards Mariners Cove now. -Paula Despins
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23:38 - I was just finished writing up the email I just sent you from the 5pm sighting when I heard a puff outside! We ran outside and spent a few magical minutes watching and listening to a gray feeding and slowly cruising by Mariners Cove…in the light of the full moon on the water!!! It was incredible! What an amazing whale day!
17:00 - I have a third 2261 sighting to pass along today! We took our little inflatable boat out to go drift and have happy hour down by Polnell Point, and on the way we spotted our pal 2261 spouting way over by the shore by the Polnell Shores boat ramp. I only had my iphone, but zoomed in as well as I could - I can't believe how close to the beach the whale appeared to be! Cool to see it from the water side for a change. It hung out on the north side of the spit heading out to Polnell Point for a good half hour and then started working its way back northward. It was interesting to see the slightly different feeding pattern at this beach. At Mariners Cove, there's usually a lot of pec fin waving with the tail fluke popping up here and there - down at Polnell, there seemed to be more tail fluke and less pec. No clue if that's legit or means anything - lol.
14:00 - Gray 2261 popped up again, southbound, at Mariners Cove, and I've been watching it feeding out in the happy meal mudflats for prob about an hour! It lingered a long time in the vicinity of the rocks that stuck way out in the water and are exposed at low tide (just the tips visible now), and finally headed off toward Polnell Shores rather than heading back into the channel. It was beautiful to watch - no boats, no crab pots, pretty calm water, just a whale and his foodies.
11:50 - A gray just cruised by Mariners Cove about a quarter of the way out into the channel, southbound, and appeared to be heading for either the mudflats or Polnell, but now as I'm watching it in binoculars, it has turned left toward Camano (in line with the beach south of Utsalady) and now appears to be doubling back and heading north toward Utsalady. Must have realized the tide was too low on this side. Enjoy your day! -Marianne Parry