Orcas (may be) approaching cameras. The Orcas decided to grace us with their presence again today! We had our first group enter the pass at 7:32pm. We think they were the I27s including one male, I77, and two smaller females. They moved very fast with the assistance of the current and were very, very chatty! They were followed closely by a second group, which we believed to be the I65s. There was one sprouter and three females. They made sure to put on a show for us with multiple breaches and peck slaps - it was clear that they were having fun! About 10 minutes behind the first two groups, a large third group entered the pass with the I4s in the lead followed by the A50s and A54s. They were also very chatty and stayed together for most of their journey across the pass until a commercial shipping vessel plowed through their travel line and split them into two groups. It was very disheartening to see such disruptive and dangerous behaviour taking place so close to the group. They were silent for the rest of their time in Blackney Pass after the encounter with the vessel. They did chirp up again in Blackfish Sound where they currently are.   Orcalab 31 Jul 2019 20:39:07 PDT Orcas (may be) approaching cameras. Lovely vocals along with close visuals on our Cracroft Island camera.  Orcalab 31 Jul 2019 15:20:11 PDT Distant calls audible. We started hearing faint A30 and I15 calls in Blackfish Sound around 5am and we are now hearing A30 calls becoming louder and clearer.   Orcalab 31 Jul 2019 11:35:40 PDT

Distant calls audible. At 11:50am we began to hear distant A5 calls on the Critical Point hydrophone. We then heard calls on the Cracroft Point hydrophone indicating that the group that was travelling west this morning had turned around. They continued east, spread out across the Strait, and at least some of them approached The Robson Bight. By 3:55pm we heard echolocation the Critical Point hydrophone. At 4:00pm we received an update from the CP outpost that one of the groups had turned at the Sophias and we guess the others turned then as well. At 5:07pm we heard loud and clear calls on the Cracroft Point hydrophone. At around 5:30pm we found Orcas in Blackney Pass heading north. They were still well spread out but we did have A30, I15, A23 and A25 calls. They passed the lab very fast and by 6:30pm the last group had cleared from our view. Maybe they have gone to join the rest of the A30 and I15 group that passed the Lab this morning heading north. Orcalab 30 Jul 2019 19:03:28 PDT No orcas present. At 5:10am we began to hear I15 and A30 calls on the Parson Island hydrophone. Megan and TJ, at the CP outpost, confirmed that I15's were in front with the A30's not far behind. Both groups took Blackney Pass and by 5:30am they were opposite Orcalab heading north. As the groups entered Blackfish Sound we continued to hear calls until 6:30am when they became very faint and finally ceased by 6:50am. At 7:35am we heard faint A5 calls on the Cracroft Island hydrophone and our CP outpost confirmed that they were seeing a small group headed west close to the Cracroft Island side. It looked like they may take Blackney Pass but by 8:05am it was evident they would continue in the Johnstone Strait. By 8:30am, with weather conditions deteriorating, we lost sight of the group on our Cracroft Island camera. Orcalab 30 Jul 2019 10:45:19 PDT Distant calls audible. The other groups are back! A30's and I15's are at Robson Bight. Another group of A30's are joined by the A5's off Rubbing Beach. Orcalab 30 Jul 2019 03:57:24 PDT Superb sounds!! A30's are foraging in the Bight. They sound extremely excited and are vocalizing extensively. A humpback may be joining the fray. Orcalab 30 Jul 2019 02:45:43 PDT Distant calls audible. We are hearing at least A1 calls (possibly the A30s) on the Critical Point hydrophone. They may have come from the east, we will update further as we get more information. Orcalab 30 Jul 2019 01:13:52 PDT

No orcas present. the A5 group (Possibly A23s plus some of the I15s) who was at rubbing beach around 15:00, looked like going east after that. The 2nd group (mix of A30s, A25s and some of the I15s) far behind from the 1st group, passed CRPT to the east mid straight to CI side around 16:40. They were totally silent at that time. We were waiting and trying to find them on Rubbing beach Cam, but never get to find them. We believe they continued to the east.  Orcalab 29 Jul 2019 18:34:23 PDT Orcas rubbing on the shore bottom. One of the A5 group, possibly the A23's are rubbing. Another group is following behind. Orcalab 29 Jul 2019 15:58:17 PDT Distant calls audible. Last night's whales are coming back from Queen Charlotte Strait. It looks like the A54s, A23s, A25s, I4s, A50s, I27s and I65s are still hanging together and taking Weynton Pass to get to Johnstone Strait. OrcaLab 29 Jul 2019 12:13:15 PDT Orcas near mics. Yesterday evening the various groups had been fairly spread out as they moved westward in Johnstone Srait. Just before 11pm they turned and shifted toward the east and the Ecological Reserve once more. Most if not all of the groups were in the eastern part of the Reserve before 2am. Restless, the whales once again began a western movement an hour later and a swing round to the entrance to Blackney Pass. And now, orcas are actually in Blackney heading north. An A30 group first with some of the I15s. Others, the A5s and more A30s are just about to cross into Blackney. Dolphins are accompany the whales in the Pass. OrcaLab 29 Jul 2019 04:58:34 PDT Distant calls audible. Since our last update, the A5s turned and headed east! They were in Robson Bight, but we picked up their calls on Rubbing Beach around 11pm. The I15s and A30s also turned and travelled east down Johnstone Strait, and we soon picked up their calls on Rubbing Beach too. We are still hearing them all at Rubbing Beach - and will keep listening! Orcalab 29 Jul 2019 01:53:26 PDT

Orcas near mics. A bit of a postscript. There were more A5 calls at Robson Bight just a short while ago and we found one large male movie back and forth off the point. It may have been A61 but the light was poor. We are no longer working the cameras and are concentrating solely on the hydrophones. We may yet get another following group. It seems right now that the whales are continuing west. OrcaLab 28 Jul 2019 21:43:21 PDT Multiple pod calls audible. These lovely calls (http://www.orca-live.net/community/) are from the A5s are in Johnstone Strait . We began to hear them at 7:19pm and soon after watched as they moved through the Bight to the west. The Ecological Reserve team, camped at Boat Bay, let us know that others were headed up the Cracroft shore around the same time. And since then we have heard A30 and I15 calls in addition to the A5s. The groups are moving toward the CP camp and Kaikash Creek and beyond. lovely evening. If you care to go to explore.org (OrcaLab) and select either the CP camera or Parson Island Rock camera.  Orcalab 28 Jul 2019 21:13:39 PDT No calls but orcas nearby At around 10am this morning, we got a report that there were 10-12 suspected Biggs whales heading west at Boat Bay, mid straight. Another report said that there was another group of 4 orcas heading West just East of the reserve. Megan at Cracroft spotted a very large group with at least two males and ten females at 11:23am and the lab was able to locate the group on the CP camera at 11:35am. They continued West, with no vocalizations and were seen later in Bauza Cove hunting Dall's Porpoises. Still waiting to hear some vocalizations! In other news, we heard some Resident vocalizations earlier this morning. We believe they were heading East at that time. Orcalab 28 Jul 2019 13:12:48 PDT Distant calls audible. They made their way to the east as far as the reserve. Sounds like some of the A30s are with some of the I15s and A5s, off RB. the rest of the A30s and I15s are still in CRPT hydrophone range near the Bight. Orcalab 28 Jul 2019 04:02:49 PDT