West Seattle, Washington
13 Monday
If you’re by the water watching the sunbreak sunset, you might see Southern Resident Killer Whales – Kersti Muul says J-Pod is southbound from north Elliott Bay, east in the channel. And baby J62 is still “alive and well.”
(Added: Photo by Robin Sinner, from Emma Schmitz Memorial Overlook)
9:58 AM: If you can spare time for Sunday whale-watching, Kersti Muul reports orcas were passing Constellation Park, southbound, a short time ago. That means they’ll eventually have to turn around and head back this way, so keep watch, and let us know if you see them!
10:08 AM: Kersti says they’re now passing Brace Point, “mid-channel.”
1:39 PM: Kersti just texted to report they’re northbound now, headed toward Brace Point, “east in channel.”
2:02 PM: Kersti says thry’re now making a close pass by Lincoln Park.
(Added: Photo by Robin Sinner)
Orcas are in Elliott Bay today, Kersti Muul tells us. Closer to downtown than West Seattle at last report, but that can change fast. She also says there are reports of another group off Southworth on the west side of Puget Sound. Let us know if you see any of these whales!
If you can spare time to whale-watch today, this might be a good time, between waves of showers – Kersti Muul texted to tell us that orcas are currently “northbound from the south end of Blake Island.” Let us know if you see them; thanks again to those who share photos/video of local sightings (westseattleblog@gmail.com)!
8:50 AM: Orcas are in our area again today. Kersti Muul reports sightings this past half-hour or so of orcas seen westbound from Alki Point Lighthouse and southbound near the Fauntleroy ferry dock “hunting right off the dolphins!” (Those are parts of the terminal, not marine mammals.) Let us know if you see them!
9:01 AM: Update from Kersti – orcas are heading toward Brace Point.
11:18 AM: Thanks to Lori Hinton for the video we added above that shows orcas – baby included – just south of the ferry dock!
ADDED: Another video, this one from Greg Dirks, who edited together all the above-water sightings:
Southern Resident Killer Whales from J-Pod are coming into view this morning. Kersti Muul reports they’re emerging from Colvos Passage on the west side of Vashon Island, headed northbound. Let us know if you see them!
For four weeks, transient orcas – the ones that are NOT considered endangered – have been in the area (including that thrilling appearance within feet of West Seattle’s shore on Sunday). Now, Kersti Muul reports, Southern Resident Killer Whales have reappeared in central Puget Sound- J-Pod whales, including calf J62, were southbound, seen approaching Fay Bainbridge State Park, at last report. That’s still a ways north of here, so this is early heads-up depending on how fast they’re traveling. Please let us know if you see them!
3:34 PM: Transient killer whales have been in this area for the better part of four weeks now, notes Kersti Muul, in telling us a moment ago that they’re in Elliott Bay again – north side of the bay, heading southbound quickly. Let us know if you see them (and thanks to those who sent photos on Saturday!).
7:10 PM: Added photos above and below, sent by Bob Spears (thank you!).
7:52 PM: And here’s video by Vineta Jackson showing the orcas so close to shore, they were practically in touching distance (don’t try that, ever, though!):
That was at Don Armeni Boat Ramp (added – Eilene Hutchinson‘s photo below shows the context:)
ADDED: David Hutchinson sent these photos from that same sighting:
12:29 PM: Just in from Kersti Muul, a report of “orcas close to shore northbound, heading toward Me-Kwa-Mooks” (Emma Schmitz Memorial Overlook, 4500 block Beach Drive). Let us know if you see them!
1:15 PM: Now approaching Constellation Park, per Kersti.
5:14 PM: Thanks to David Hutchinson for the photo above, taken today as the orcas left Elliott Bay.
6:57 PM: And thanks to Robin Sinner for sending this photo, also taken today:
3:10 PM: Thanks for the tips! Orcas are back in Elliott Bay. Kersti Muul says they’ve been seen “deep in the bay” from Seacrest, while another tip says they’ve been in view from Jack Block Park. Let us know if you see them! P.S. Kersti says a humpback whale that’s been in the area today is in the bay too.
4:58 PM: Thanks to David Hutchinson for sending that photo as the orcas departed the bay.
12:13 PM: As Kersti Muul observes, we’ve had transient orcas in the area for the better part of three weeks. And now they’re back in view, currently southbound across the Seattle/Bainbridge ferry lanes, she tells us. Let us know if you see them! (And we always appreciate photos.)
5:17 PM: As noted in comments, a big group is now northbound from north Blake Island.
Transient orcas were here for much of the weekend, and they’re still around today; Kersti Muul just texted that a group is eastbound from the north end of Vashon Island. Let us know if you see them! (Here are the photos and video shared with us on Saturday.)
(Added: Photo by Manuel Valdes)
2:27 PM: It’s perfect whale-watching weather if you’re looking out over Elliott Bay – the black fins are easy to spot in the silvery water. And you just might see some – Kersti Muul reports that orcas have been in the middle of the bay this past hour. Let us know if you see them!
5:25 PM: Still in the bay, commenter Bill reports – right off Anchor Park.
6:52 PM: Added above, a photo sent by Manuel Valdes, who says the calf is “T124D4 as ID’d by Brittany Noelle from Kersti’s WhatsApp group.”
7:24 PM: Two more photos, sent by Robin Sinner:
Those sightings were from Jack Block Park.
ADDED: Video from Kelly Howard:
11:24 AM: Thanks to Steven Rice for the photos! Transient orcas are back in our area on this holiday Monday.
He photographed these whales around 9:30 am from Constellation Park (along the “Healthy Street” north end of Beach Drive). The Orca Network had a report of orcas in Elliott Bay about an hour before that.
Since they were headed southbound, they’ll have to turn back this way eventually – let us know if you see them!
11:35 AM: Kersti Muul just told us that some are reported “close to shore along Alki,” heading toward the lighthouse.
12:40 PM: Per a comment, four orcas were near the Fauntleroy ferry dock as of about 10 minutes ago.
8:57 PM: Thanks to Steyn Benade for the video, editing together multiple surfacings
Beautiful day to whale-watch if you can get away from the desk. Kersti Muul tells us orcas are heading this way, SB off south Bainbridge Island.
8:11 AM: Again this morning, orcas are in Elliott Bay, off Seacrest and heading east, reports Kersti Muul.
9 AM: A few minutes ago, Kersti noted in a comment below that the whales have stopped for food off Anchor/Luna Park.
If you have time for whale-watching this morning, a group of orcas has been around the area and Kersti Muul says they’re still in Elliott Bay right now, near the Seattle Aquarium. Let us know if you see them!
2:19 PM: The snow has stopped – for now – and there’s word of whales. Kersti Muul says transient orcas are southbound, passing through north Elliott Bay, close to the city side of the channel. Let us know if you see them!
2:35 PM: Kersti says the whales have gone into the bay.
“Snow whales” is what Kersti Muul dubbed the orca sighting she just texted us about – at least five killer whales headed southbound past Alki Point Lighthouse. Let us know if you see them (despite the murky/snowy weather) too!
Kersti Muul reports a “small group of killer whales” seen in Elliott Bay near West Seattle’s Jack Block Park this morning. Let us know if you spot them!
(Photo courtesy NOAA Fisheries, taken under NMFS Permit #27052 on January 1)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
When researchers got a look at the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales’ newest calves on New Year’s Day, they were off West Seattle.
One of those calves, J61, has died and is being carried by her mom, J35 “Tahlequah,” as shown in the NOAA photo above, the same orca who carried a dead calf for 17 days in 2018. The other new calf, J62, seems “robust” so far, according to the researchers and other experts who just spent an hour talking with journalists on a conference call in which we participated.
(Monday photo of J62, by Tisa Annette, from land near Point No Point)
The federal researcher who was out with the whales on Wednesday was NOAA’s Brad Hanson (who has spoken in West Seattle at The Whale Trail‘s gatherings).
Though researchers weren’t able to get out on the water between December 23 – when J61 was newly born – and December 31, they believe she lived just a handful of days and had died by the New Year’s Eve sighting, at which J35 (who had a still-alive calf between the two who died) was “pushing something around.” They might not get many more chances to observe the whales, as this is the time of year when they depart for fishing grounds elsewhere.
In response to our question about the sighting locations yesterday, Hanson said they first saw J35, with J61 on her head, north of Alki, and left her south of Alki Point – ee explained that they try not to stay with the whales too long, for fear of disrupting them. That’s another reason they won’t be trying to recover J61 for a necropsy – J35 is very attached to her, and by the time she abandons the calf, it will be too late in the decomposition process – even if her carcass was recoverable – for it to be of value.
What’s the difference between the behaviors of the two calves, comparing the original live sighting of J61 and the new sighting of J62? Even before J61 died, J35 seemed to be pushing her around, Hanson said, while J62 appears to be swimming and surfacing “normally.” That calf was seen Wednesday near the Vashon/Fauntleroy ferry lanes. (That’s the second part of this two-part NOAA video package.)
(Video courtesy NOAA Fisheries, taken under NMFS Permit #27052 – view fullscreen here)
They’re not sure yet who its mom is; West Seattle-based researcher Maya Sears reported that it’s “still most closely associating with J19 and J41,” and NOAA’s Candice Emmons says “Most likely J41 is the mother and J19 is the grandmother, given their ages,” and there also was an indication in September that J41 was pregnant.
J61 and J62 were the first J-Pod calves since 2022, when J59 – who is still alive – was born. The first year is the biggest hurdle for calves, researchers say, but the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales – now numbering 73 – have more hurdles than other orcas; the Northern Residents and Transients are both reproducing far more successfully and prolifically, according to the researchers. They don’t know the exact survival rate of Southern Residents, because they believe some calves are being born and dying without researchers ever having seen or learned of them.
(Photo courtesy NOAA Fisheries, taken under NMFS Permit #27052 on January 1)
So what exactly is the carrying-dead-calf behavior about?
The researchers say “grieving, or mourning” is a fair assessment – “we do see this behavior in other long-lived, socially cohesive animals.” It’s probably “social” behavior, they added, as “calves become central to the social nature of the pod.” But it’s not without risks to the bereaved mom – what she’s doing is likely taking a lot more energy, and researchers aren’t certain whether she’s able to forage for food while doing this.
To grow the population, said NOAA’s acting recovery coordinator Grace Ferrara, they are trying a “multi-pronged approach.” Increasing the salmon supply for the Southern Residents is important. So is noise reduction – as part of that, our state’s new rules for boaters took effect – 1,000 yards away from the whales.
They are also working on better ways to monitor the Southern Residents’ health; another participant in today’s briefing was Joe Gaydos of the SeaDoc Society, who was described as taking a lead on developing better tools to assess the whales’ health, while another participant, Michael Weiss from the Center for Whale Research, is working on a database with health information for individual whales.
MORE ABOUT THE SOUTHERN RESIDENTS: Recommended during the briefing was this Orca Network page with information about specific whales and pod-population info.
With everything else going on in the area, we have whales too – multiple tips indicate southern residents southbound and transients northbound off west-facing West Seattle.
Late afternoon whale-watching alert – Kersti Muul reports transient orcas are southbound, mid-Puget Sound off the entrance to Elliott Bay. Let us know if you see them!
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