#l91

L91 Muncher: 1995-

Granddaughter of L21 Ankh

Daughter of L47 Marina

Mother of L122 Magic

Sister of L83 Moonlight, L99 Gamma, L102 Kappa, L107 Lamda, L111 Testudo, and L115 Mystic

Aunt of L110 Midnight

L125 Element and L83 Moonlight

L91 Muncher and K12 Sequim

L122 Magic

K20 Spock, L125 Element, L86 Surprise!, and K27 Deadhead

L91 Muncher, K16 Opus,  L122 Magic, and K35 Sonata

K37 Rainshadow and L91 Muncher

L110 Midnight

L109 Takoda

L105 Fluke and K33 Tika

L87 Onyx

L82 Kasatka

K44 Ripple, L125 Element, and K20 Spock

L72 Racer

K44 Ripple

K43 Saturna

K38 Comet and L106 Pooka

K35 Sonata and K44 Ripple

K37 Rainshadow and K42 Kelp

K35 Sonata, K16 Opus, and L91 Muncher

K27 Deadhead, K36 Yoda, and K12 Sequim

K27 Deadhead

K26 Lobo and K43 Saturna

K26 Lobo, K42 Kelp, K36 Yoda, K27 Deadhead

K26 Lobo

K12 Sequim

Carmanah Rocks

K14s and K16s

J41 Eclipse

J57 Phoenix

L91 Muncher, L122 Magic, and L72 Racer

L72 Racer and L105 Fluke

K35 Sonata, K26 Lobo, and K42 Kelp

J41 Eclipse and J19 Shachi

J58 Crescent 

K34 Cali

L105 Fluke

K33 Tika

Important Note: WDFW has confirmed that J19 Shachi, J36 Alki, and J37 Hy’shqa are in the late stages of pregnancy

J27 Blackberry 

J19 Shachi 

L91 Muncher

K20 Spock 

J41 Eclipse 

NOTE: As far as I know, this encounter hasn’t officially announced as being released by the Center for Whale Research (via email that they send out when they’ve posted an encounter). Because of this, some pictures might be added at a later date if they ever send out an email and I have ID some of the whales to the best of my ability as some of the pictures had no captions, but IDable photos. I’ve done IDs to the best of my ability and if you notice a mistake, feel free to point it out and I’ll fix it asap. 

L86 Surprise! (way back), L91 Muncher (front whale), and possibly L116 Finn traveling behind.

K37 Rainshadow, K26 Lobo, and K42 Kelp

K26 Lobo

K22 Sekiu and K33 Tika

K21 Cappuccino

J38 Cookie, J22 Oreo, J37 Hy’Shqa, and J49 T’ilem I’nges

So, I follow Spirit of Orca’s Whale Watching Blog and they encountered a superpod yesterday. I’d enjoy some help with IDing some of the whales present (I can ID some of them, but not others). Anyone can add onto this post with IDs as they feel fit. 

“What a wonderful day with SuperPod 2020 & baby calf. The second time in a month we have had a Super-Pod and the last one prior to this was in 2016. I got to see the new baby today. We actually saw two babies. The one that is pink in the eye patch and other white parts is the brand new baby of J35 Tahlequah. Captain Sarah McCullagh first spotted the baby calf a week or two ago. Tahlequah is the mom who birthed a baby girl two years ago and it died after a half hour. Tahlequah then went on to carry her baby girl on her head for 17 days before finally letting go. So happy this turned out to be a happy outcome with this calf. The other calf belongs to J31 Tsuchi and her calf born last year is J56 Tofino. It is still small and is among the first calf pics in my blog but it is not as pink as the smaller one. It got the name Tofino because that is where it was first spotted, off Tofino BC.  We also saw a whole slew of other whales including the following but so many more I did not identify. L103 Lapis and calf L123 Lazuli, L72 Racer, L83 Moonlight, J35 Tahlequa, and her calf J57, J31 Tsuchi and her calf J56 Tofino, J26 Mike, J27 Blackberry, J19 Shachi, J22 Oreo and son J38 Cookie, and K34 Cali.  There was lots of foraging for salmon going on and it was nice to see them catching fish. The seagulls were hovering over them after a catch to get any tidbits left behind. There are a few pics of other marine life including Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagles, Steller Sea Lions, and Harbor Seals. I also snapped a shot of our USCG as they flew over in a helicopter. It was both sad and aggravating to see NOAA out there yet again harassing the whales, motoring up over their backs and stabbing them with a 20-foot pike pole to attach a tag on them. I have seen this crew riding the whales wake making them mad where they are slapping their tail flukes showing their displeasure at having a boat over the top of them. NOAA scientists are the only ones who practice this invasive type of study. At least they are no longer using a crossbow with two four-inch bolts shooting it into the whales. The man in the bow of the boat did just that four years ago now, killing one of our endangered species residents, L95 Nigel, a 20-year-old adult male.  NOAA has been charged with the responsibility to assist in the recovery of the Southern Resident Killer Whales, and several species of salmon that are also endangered. They receive millions of dollars each year and they squander it on study after study after study fortifying their careers instead of actually doing something like say put more salmon in the sea so the Southern Resident Killer Whales can survive. They oppose the breaching of the four snake river dams which would also bring back more salmon for their winter food supply but that would mean a loss of millions in the coffers of NOAA and Bonneville Power Administration in maintaining those dams. I have always applauded NOAA’s meteorologists, they do an awesome job at predicting the marine weather and keeping mariners safe on the oceans and even here in the Salish Sea. Even in my early years as a captain, we used to get a weather fax and you would know how good the forecast was by the signature of the man or woman who signed it. You got to know who you could count on for an accurate forecast.  It is a shame these folks are linked to the NOAA fisheries folks who are utterly failing decade after decade with zilch for results in bringing back our endangered species squandering millions of taxpayer dollars every year.”  J31 Tsuchi?

J56 Tofino and J31 Tsuchi

L91 Muncher?

Not sure

J27 Blackberry

J38 Cookie

J35 Tahlequah and J57

J42 Echo?

L72 Racer

J26 Mike?

NOAA being dicks tagging whales

United States Coast Guard

Harbor Seal 

Bald Eagle

Steller Sealions 

Great Blue Heron

K34 Cali?