These past few days have been unexpectedly quiet. Usually at this time of year, our waters are filled with calls from many different families, so the noticeable break in both calls and presence made for a rather unsettling end to August and beginning of September. Humpbacks provided most of the company on the 30th, with a few calls on Flower Island late that evening and another lone humpback call reaching Strider Rubbing Beach in the early hours.
August 31st started much in the same fashion, with a couple more humpback calls before dawn. Things became a little more interesting orca-wise that afternoon when a steady stream of echolocation began on Flower Island. Around the same time, 9 Northern Residents were reported north of Malcolm Island and later travelling west.
By the evening, the A34s (-62s) were reported to be spread between Lizard Point and Foster Island, slowly working their way east through Queen Charlotte Strait. Olivia watched them from Donegal Head until darkness eventually swallowed them from view around 8:46pm. The A34s weren’t the only orcas around though. T049A1 was also in the area, travelling with T166A and her new calf near Telegraph Cove.
September arrived with voices carrying through Johnstone Strait, a welcome sign that the orcas were sticking around! A34 calls began on Strider Rubbing Beach at 6:45am on the 1st, sometimes fading almost completely before growing clearer again. Calls popped up independently across Cracroft Point, Critical Point and Strider, suggesting the 34s were fairly spread out through the Strait.
Meanwhile, T049A1 had continued his solo tour of the area. Reports first placed him near Bells Rocks, westing towards Blackney Pass, before Alison at Cracroft Point caught sight of him close to the kelp off the rip. He then turned east and came quite close to the platform! He later appeared off Donegal Head, heading west into Queen Charlotte Strait.
The A34s were doing some wandering of their own. Three Northern Residents were reported around the Weynton entrance before five confirmed A34s were seen heading north through the passage. A34 and A55 were initially missing from that little procession, but by 11:35am the family (-62s) had regrouped into two tight groups and emerged from Weynton into Queen Charlotte Strait. They spread out again by early afternoon.
And tucked amongst all the orca reports was a lovely surprise, a minke whale in Blackney Pass! Despite minkes being notoriously slinky and difficult to photograph, Naomi managed to get a picture of its dorsal – a massive round of applause!
By the morning of September 2nd, the A34s (-62s) were still very much in the area. Nine Northern Residents were reported around Telegraph Cove, and shortly before 10am, an N4 call reached Flower Island. From there, the 34s became increasingly vocal. Calls grew more excited, echolocation picked up, and Olivia spotted the 34s in western Blackfish Sound travelling towards Swanson.
They spent the next several hours working back and forth through the area, filling Flower Island with alternating bouts of calls and echolocation. By late morning, they were west of Donegal Head before turning back towards Weynton around 12:42pm. The hydrophones became particularly entertaining in the early afternoon, with A12 specials mixed among some wonderfully buzzy and funky calls. A55 was confirmed alongside the rest of the family, after a little uncertainty over his whereabouts earlier in the day.
By 3:37pm, the 34s looked ready to head east from Bold Head, only to spread out once again amongst a crowd of Pacific White-sided Dolphins. They spent some time foraging off Swanson before taking Weynton passage at 4:42pm and returning to the Strait.
From there, we followed their voices east. Calls reached Kaizumi Rubbing Beach, then Strider Rubbing Beach, where they continued chatting on and off into the evening. Nine whales were then reported off Telegraph Cove around 6:30pm, while sporadic calls kept reaching Strider well after dark. Just before midnight, one last distant bout of calls and echolocation brought the 2nd of September to a close.
Four unusual days indeed and not quite the chorus we are used to as August gives way to September, but the A34s (-62s) made sure the Strait never fell completely silent. Perhaps the quiet days are giving way for more familiar voices heading our way soon? We can’t help but hope. For now, we’ll keep enjoying those beloved A12 specials ringing through the headphones.
