August 15 was dominated by whale activity and calls in Blackfish Sound, yet the whales remained in that area rather than moving deeper into our hydrophone network.
In the early morning hours, at 5:35am, we picked up sporadic calls from the A50s in Blackfish Sound. These grew steadily clearer until about 6am, then faded again as the whales moved westward. By 7:23am, they had left our hydrophone range altogether.
At 1:05pm, Troy noted a group of Northern Residents at Bere Point just off Malcolm Island, slowly heading back east. By 3pm, A30 calls (?still the A50s) were once again audible in Blackfish Sound. Although they seemed to edge closer to Blackney Pass, they never entered the waters in front of the Lab. At 4:12pm, Alexandra Morton observed them spreading out and moving in different directions in Blackfish Sound, perhaps holding position for salmon moving south with the flood current.
By 5:17pm, we were surprised by loud and excited A5 calls in Blackfish Sound. Soon after, Alex confirmed that the A50s had joined in, with both groups zigzagging together off Flower Island. A highlight from Alex came when A84 was seen balancing a dolphin on his nose, seemingly while foraging – an astonishing display of patience. Several females and juveniles also appeared to be tussling and active.
By 5:45pm, we watched them on our remote sea lion camera, milling about without clear direction before they eventually turned westward. Shortly after, Alex relayed that the A50s were moving north, slowly passing Wedge Island on their way toward Fife Sound. As on the previous three nights, they hugged the edge of the archipelago.
Thanks to Alex’s frequent and accurate reports – as well as those from many others – we are able to piece together a much more complete picture of orca movements, especially in Blackfish Sound. The efforts of these dedicated observers lend such valuable insights.
Meanwhile, the weather turned stormy and rainy throughout the day – pushing us closer together into warm, dry spaces. While not always pleasant, the rain was welcome, as our freshwater resources are precious. The strong winds also helped clear away the thick layer of smoke that had lingered the previous day, carried over from fires burning on central Vancouver Island, which had been a sobering reminder of the vast impacts such fires can have across the region.
– words by Freddy
