Tuesday, May 17, 2011

All staff,

With a spectacular spring day, the MV Sea Lion and crew (Captain Craig and MikeO) headed north with our special charter of Western States Agency Policy Makers.

Ken Balcomb, of The Center for Whale Research, Kari Koski of The Whale Museums SoundWatch program and me were asked to describe in our view, the process that lead to the new NOAA rules.  We were asked how those new rules would affect the whale watching industry and how they might affect the...

There is only one word that could describe today.  Epic.

The sun was shining and the water was calm.  We headed north on a whim, taking the opportunity to cruise the scenic passes between Saturna Island and Pender Island.  We ended up slightly north of the Coal Docks and found ourselves amid Orcas.  At first I thought they were Transients.  There were two whales cruising west, then three, then a whole bunch more.  They were spread out to the east and west of us and we realized...

Monday found us out in Rosario Straight.  The wind was picking up and there was a little bit of swell and chop, but it didn't deter us from spotting a very spread out group of Transient Orcas.  They were headed south at what seemed like a pretty good speed. There was one big male about 500 yards from us and two smaller whales another 600 or so yards from him.  They had consistent, 4 minute down times and would surface even farther from us every time.  The wind made it a challenge...

I have to say that some of my best whale days have been gross, rainy days.  Today was no exception.

We made our way down the east side of San Juan Island and around toward False Bay.  It was one of those silent, glassy, flat water days.  No seals hauled out, no sea lions on our way south.  We passed a bunch of soggy Cormorants and saw a Bald Eagle sitting on the ground.  When we got closer to Lime Kiln we saw blows way in by the rocks.  Then we saw a few more farther north. Then a...

Leaving Friday harbor we had reports of transients around Hein Bank moving southwest.  We cruised in to the area of Hein Bank about an hour and a half later and realized that the whales had made some distance towards Port Angeles.  Finally the whales came in to site.  Our passengers couldn't have been happier.  We got a few good looks at the group of about 6 whales.  There was a very identifiable male with a tall dorsal that kind of curved at the top.  There was also a very...

First things first...

Happy Mother's Day to all of the wonderful mothers out there who raise us to love and appreciate the ocean and all of the amazing things living in it.

We left the harbor as if on a sheet of glass.  It was calm enough to see a ripple a mile away.  We headed north and around toward Battleship Island in search of giants.  The calm seas and lack of wind afforded us a quick and comfortable ride out into Haro Straight.  As soon as we got past Battleship one of our...

[caption id="attachment_1901" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Mature Bald Eagle in tree"] 

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As seen on a Birding Tour Charter May 2011

Happy Birders on the Birding Charter. Guests are from the Tri Cities.

Mature Bald Eagle in its nest

A Bald Eagle Makes A Kill in Mid-Air- Victum is a Glaucous Winged Gull

Palagic Cormorants with Glacous Winged Gulls

Birder with camera closing in on "THE shot"

A Bald Eagle Makes A Kill in Mid-Air- Victum is a Glaucous Winged Gull

Two Bald Eagle with their Glaucous Winged Gull meal

The Tri Cities Birding Group May 7, 2011

Birders and Bird Leader Barb Jensen

Mike Oster, Lead Naturalist and also a Captain.

Today we had a charter for a group of birders which departed at 9:00. Heading south out of Friday Harbor we almost immediately saw: Pelagic Cormorants,  Brandts Cormorants, Double Crested Cormorants.
There were Black Oyster Catchers on Goose Island and also a HARLEQUIN Duck there.
Out at whale rocks we saw a large group of Stellar Sea Lions basking.
There were several Rhinoceros Aucklets and Pigeon Guillemots.
MARBLED MURLETS!!!! Yes, but had it not been for Barb Jensen I dont know if the rest of of us would have spotted them.

Bald eagles were in trees and nest. But the best was when a bald eagle snatched a Glacous Winged Gull out of the air, BAM! and brought it to shore where its mate was waiting. The eagle that caught is, then began cleaning it - feathers flying.

We also saw a pair of Peregrine Falcons - Up in the rock and trees - another Barb spotting. Someone in the group spotted a Harlequin Duck. What a beauty!

About 3 hours later we pulled back in to Friday Harbor. The day was beautiful - blue skies. Not the rain predicted.

Over and out for now,

Colleen, Naturalist

Tuesday brought sunny skies and calm water.  We headed north from Friday Harbor with reports of whales in active pass as well as faint vocalizations around Lime Kiln.  We were trying to decide which way to start our search when we heard confirmed reports of J-Pod off Moresby Island.  As we slowly approached the area the whales came in to view.  The passengers on board were ecstatic!  The pod was spread out into smaller groups.  Some were in way close to shore, while another group of...

We left Friday Harbor with reports of a Minke Whale in Canadian waters.  Under sunny skies and over glassy water we headed west.  As we approached the area of the last sighting we slowed to a stop and shut down the engines.  The passengers spread out along the rails and kept their eyes on the water.  After fifteen minutes of scanning we saw the small whale surface about a quarter of a mile from the boat.

We watched it surface and saw that it was moving east.  We idled parallel at...