For the past two days Bigg’s orcas have made the area home. The Northern Residents were absent after leaving past Port Hardy on July 9. The night had been quiet but in the morning of July 10 reports began starting with a lone male being sighted near Donegal Head heading towards the Plumper Islands at 9:29am. This male passed out of view of those watching on Donegal Head heading SW towards Stubbs Island. On reflection, this male was identified as T011A or “Rainy”.
At 12:16pm four more Bigg’s orcas came into view of Donegal Head. These were heading SE. They too then headed SW towards Stubbs Island by 12:35am. Characteristically for Bigg’s orcas they took long dives.
They must have connected with Rainy because by 1:17pm they were all seen going back and forth between Stubbs Island and Donegal Head. It was at this point that Scotty positively identified the T060s as Rainy’s companions.
From the north end of the Plumpers they began moving toward Swanson Island at 2:36pm and just under an hour at 3:32pm they came into view of the Lab as they started to transit Blackney Pass. By 3:56pm they were between Parson Island and Hanson Island about to go out of view. Boats were following. Suzie, at Cracroft Point saw the orcas at 4:09pm when in the entrance to Blackney Pass, almost to Johnstone Strait. One male stayed closer to the Hanson Island side while the others began to move out and eastward. They made only 2- 4 surfacings between dives mirroring their pattern earlier. By 4:17pm, now travelling as one group and with the ebb tide against them, they were opposite Kaikash Creek. A little further along they had progressed enough to be opposite Izumi Rock.
This was the last observation from Cracroft Point. Their story, however, picks up the next day. But first, it is interesting to note that in the morning, around 11:15am, a lot of dolphins scooted north in Blackney Pass. They had come from Johnstone Strait. Afterwards the Cliff research site, Eagle Eye, observed 6 orcas heading west at 1:19pm. Not long after (1:37pm) they were on the Cracroft Point remote camera. They disappeared for a time during a long dive but at 1:54pm they were spotted in Blackney Pass heading north. Moving into Blackfish Sound the count was now 7 with the T060s once again identified. That identification did not account for the numbers of individuals so it was reasoned that the T060s were accompanied by other Bigg’s. There was no mention of Rainy at this point.
They soon moved through Blackfish Sound along the Swanson Island shore. From 3:27pm on they were entering Queen Charlotte Strait while angling NW.
There were no calls on either occasion, just those obliging sightings.
As an added occurrence, the humpback Quartz spent part of his morning trap feeding in Blackney Pass.
