Thursday, October 23, 2008

A30s left to the north

No orcas present.

Yesterday and today (so far) have been very quiet. The last we heard from the A30s was when they faded off in the distance from Blackfish Sound two days ago.
Helena
23 Oct 2008 16:20:38 PDT

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Distant A30 calls audible

We have been listening to the A30s in johnstone Strait since just before 11am.
Helena
21 Oct 2008 13:25:38 PDT

Distant calls audible.

The A30s are now in Blackfish Sound.
Helena
21 Oct 2008 15:56:45 PDT

Monday, October 20, 2008

A30s still moving around in the area

Distant calls audible.

It has been aa nice day so far, after the storm, wind and rain (well almost after the rain)... the A30s were in Johnstone Strait this morning and left via Blackney Pass. They are now in Blackfish Sound.
Helena
20 Oct 2008 14:46:29 PDT

Distant calls audible.

We had just restarted recording of the A30s in Blackfish Sound when we noticed T14 mid channel, heading north, through Blackney Pass!
Helena
20 Oct 2008 16:42:00 PDT

Distant calls audible.

The A30s are back in Johnstone Strait once again!
Helena
20 Oct 2008 19:21:20 PDT

Sunday, October 19, 2008

No calls but orcas nearby

The A30s are back in Johnstone Strait.
Helena
19 Oct 2008 08:03:10 PDT

Saturday, October 18, 2008

A30s back on track

Distant calls audible.

The A30s are once again off the western end of Blackfish Sound.
Helena
18 Oct 2008 08:42:42 PDT

Distant calls audible.

The A30s are now back in Johnstone Strait. They most likely went through Weynton Pass to get there.
Helena
18 Oct 2008 10:37:11 PDT

Distant calls audible.

We are now hearing distant A1 calls in Blackfish Sound.
Helena
18 Oct 2008 13:57:29 PDT

Friday, October 17, 2008

A30s are vocal in B;ackney Pass

No calls but orcas nearby

The A30s are heading north through Blackney Pas. There is loud boat noise in Blackfish Sound. Once that clears we may hear the A30s again for they have been vocal continuously since 1am! (we lost our connection again but it is back now).
Helena
17 Oct 2008 18:33:04 PDT

Thursday, October 16, 2008

A30s update

Distant calls audible.

We just recently heard the Gs once again, but we were not able to locate the calls. On the 14th, we know, in the afternoon, that the A30s and G17s circled back to Johnstone Strait by 3pm. They then went east to the entrance of Blackney Pass and through to Blackfish Sound by 5:45pm. They were last heard around 6:30pm. Yesterday, the two groups were seen heading into Queen Charlotte Strait around 1:30pm by Jim Borrowman. So we will see how they fare today. It is going to be a very windy day.
Helena
16 Oct 2008 09:18:21 PDT

Monday, October 13, 2008

A30s traveling with G17s around

Distant calls audible.

We've been listening to distant calls on the Flower Island hydrophone since a little before 8am. The calls (A & G clan) are getting louder, so there's a good chance the whales will head into Blackney Pass soon. Probably, they are the A30s & G17s, who came back from a couple of days in eastern Johnstone Strait last evening.
Helena
13 Oct 2008 08:49:31 PDT

While our connection was down today: The A30s and the G17s after a long sojourn off the western end of Blackfish Sound, travelled through Weynton Pass to Johnstone Strait. They then travelled east to the entrance of Blackney Pass. As the tide turned to ebb, the groups moved back to Weynton Pass and then through to Blackfish Sound again, just where the day started!
Helena
13 Oct 2008 18:01:06 PDT

Sunday, October 12, 2008

A30s with G17s in JS

Superb sounds!!

We ae hearing close G17s and distant As in Johnstone Strait. There are dolphins as well. The groups must be coming back from the lower Johnstone Strait.
Helena
12 Oct 2008 18:38:02 PDT

Orcas near mics.

Calls are getting further away. The groups probably carried on west in Johnstone Strait and left via Weynton Passage and are now crossing the top (western) end of Blackfish Sound. Nice calls!
Helena
12 Oct 2008 21:47:46 PDT

Tuesday, October 07, 2008

A30s and Transients in the area

No calls but orcas nearby

Whales everywhere, both transients and residents! The A30s were in Johnstone Strait this morning and may have just come through Blackney Pass headed to Blackfish Sound. Meanwhile, there were also transients in Weynton Pass. Last night, we heard distant A1 calls around 2:15am.
Helena
07 Oct 2008 16:06:16 PDT

Distant calls audible.

We are hearing calls once again in Blackfish Sound.
Helena
07 Oct 2008 19:17:13 PDT

Sunday, October 05, 2008

A30s travel from the Bight to the west

Distant calls audible.

We're hearing distant calls amidst heavy boat noise on the Crritical Point hydrophone, probably from the A30s, who came back into Johnstone Strait around 9pm. (Our internet connection was down at the time).
Helena
05 Oct 2008 02:48:18 PDT

No calls but orcas nearby

Our connection has been unstable today. However, here is a short update of the day's events so far. The A30s disappeared to the east, oast Robson Bight, around 3am. They recently have returned to the Bight (around 10am). Prior to the A30s' return, a small group of transients were in Blackney Pass in the middle of about 500 dolphins, sealions and two humpbacks. In a second, the dolphins and sealion porpoised awy to the west and the humpbacks disappeared. The transients lingered a while longer before sauntering off to the west also.
Helena
05 Oct 2008 11:38:41 PDT

No orcas present.

We heard from the A30s once again earlier this evening. They became quiet after reaching the area off the entrance of Blackney Pass. Meanwhile, the transients of this morning turned out to be the T55s (thanks to Graeme Ellis for the identification and later updates) who apparently made an extensive tour of the whole area, ending up in Blackfish Sound at the same time the A30s were off Blackney Pass in Johnstone Strait. They may have turned back to the west. Also, the Island Roamer found another transient group in Baronet Channel headed toward Knight Inlet. A busy and at times very wet day!
Helena
05 Oct 2008 22:33:48 PDT

Friday, October 03, 2008

A30s heading towards the Bight

Distant calls audible.

We're hearing occasional calls on the Critical Point hydrophone, along with persistent boat noise. Sounds like the A30s have come back into Johnstone Strait, probably via Weynton Pass.
Helena
02 Oct 2008 01:12:01 PDT

No orcas present.

We've heard no calls since early this morning, and don't know what happened to the A30s, who were in Johnstone Strait at the time (around 1:30am).
helena
02 Oct 2008 13:42:44 PDT
No calls but orcas nearby

Just after we posted our last note, we heard (from the Naiad Explorer) that the A30s are foraging in the entrance of Blackney Pass, off CP. They are silent, so far as we know. Some dolphins (about 6) are there too.
Helena
02 Oct 2008 14:04:18 PDT

No calls but orcas nearby

The A30s are slowly making their way to the east in Johnstone Strait & are mid-strait off Kaikash pointing towards the western boundary of the Reserve. They are silent. Meanwhile, the A36 brothers have just been sighted at the "top" of Blackfish Sound & are slowly heading east towards Blackney Pass & Johnstone Strait.
Helena
02 Oct 2008 17:30:52 PDT

Distant calls audible.

We most likely are hearing the A36s in Blackfish Sound while the A30s continue in Johnstone Strait. Dolphins are vocal as well in the Strait.
Helena
02 Oct 2008 19:25:50 PDT

A30s spent the day in Queen Charlotte Strait

No orcas present.

The A30s spent the day in Queen Charlotte Strait after their morning session in Blackfish Sound. They apparently were very spread out the entire time, mostly north west of Lizard Point. After 4pm they were last seen heading west from Bere Point. Thanks to Stubbs Island for the update. No sign of the A36s who we last heard around 10pm in Blackfish Sound.
Helena
03 Oct 2008 17:52:10 PDT

Wednesday, October 01, 2008

A30s travel north trough Blackney Pass

Superb sounds!!

We're listening to close calls & echolocation on the Critical Point hydrophone. After intense boat noise for the past while, there is almost none now, so the A30 calls are clear!
Helena
01 Oct 2008 08:14:34 PDT

Distant calls audible.

The A30s just went north through Blackney Pass. They were altogether mid channel as they went into Blackfish Sound.
Helena
01 Oct 2008 12:09:22 PDT