August 31 2021 Orcas: A50s, A54s, A35s, A73s, A23s, A25s, A42s + A94, I15 (heard only) Humpbacks: Inukshuk, Black Pearl, Guardian, Apollo Like most days, August 31 began where the previous day left off. At midnight the majority of the orcas who had been around during the day were in the vicinity of the Ecological Reserve vacillating between the eastern boundary of the Reserve to as far west as Critical Point. They were not in a hurry to go anywhere too soon and so the night passed marked by their near constant distant calls. At 12:36am and for twelve minutes after, a few of the A5s went in for a rub at Strider Beach. Dolphin chatter was heard during the time interval it took the whales to slip east into Main Beach for another rub at 12:56am. This rub was for fourteen minutes. Over the next few hours, although they occasionally flirted with going back into Strider, there were no additional rubs and if anything they moved even further east. Calls ended just before 4am but not before a humpback made his presence known in the same area until 4:32am. A few more dolphin calls rounded off the session. By 7:27am, the A5s were back in range of Main and Strider hydrophones and on their way west. Their motivation for reversing their direction was soon revealed. A4 calls were also heard. The A35s and the A73s were back and coming east in Johnstone Strait after having entered via Weynton Pass before 9:22am when their presence was confirmed by the Skana. By then they were already well into Johnstone Strait and approaching the area west of Cracroft Point and the entrance to Blackney Pass. So, to make the picture clear as to what was happening you need to picture these different groups at opposite ends of Johnstone Strait determinedly swimming toward each other. A meeting was in the works! By 9:33am we were made aware of the A30s mixed in with the A5s off the eastern end and were also coming west. The A4s (the A35s and A73s are part of the A4s) prepared in advance for the big meeting by going into Kaizumi Beach for a five minute rub at 9:43am. They continued east from there along the Vancouver Island shore. The remote camera followed them past Izumi Rock. They were much quicker than their counterparts further east as they had the advantage of going with the current. Not too long afterwards they entered Robson Bight. While the A4s were crossing the Bight, the A5s (some of the A42s) started a rub at Strider at 10:52am. The advancing A4s soon joined in and the west bound A30s could be heard in the distance. Scotty was reporting whales spread out from the eastern boundary to Robson Bight. The meeting was on its way! At Strider, we caught a glimpse of A94 (also an A4 whale but now travelling with the A42s) and then a short while later A77 (of the A35s) along with A35 herself. Distant whales could be seen moving west toward Main Beach at 11:08am. The never too far away dolphins got into the act as well as they flanked A35 and her little one A117. We were also keeping track of the scenes below on the Strider underwater camera. Just before a beautiful orca sequence underwater occured salmon swam past. This rubbing session ended at 11:21am. The participants now had a chance to change. Five minutes later the rub resumed with the A23s and A25s taking a turn with the A4s. The A42s pushed on to the west. Noteworthy were the calls made by the A25s, the excited calls, the beautiful, at times, incredible underwater scenes, the constant number of rubs, the whales visible on the surface camera criss crossing each other. On and on and on. Springer, A73 there with her two young ones. A81 and A77 were particularly evident as well. At 12:21pm Springer made her voice known and carried on calling right up to the time the rub ended at 12:38pm. The whales had been rubbing for an hour and eleven minutes and Caroline, for all that time, had been operating the surface camera with a steady hand. The A42s had now advanced west to Kaizumi where they went for another rub at 12:40pm. On the other side of the Strait and basically parallel to the A42s were the A23s. CP could see them advancing, favouring their side, opposite the Baron Reefs. Everyone was now on the same page and moving west. The A4s got to the Bight by 1pm where some went deep toward the Estuary. They were still pretty jazzed up porpoising through portions of the Bight. Off CP, the A23s seemed somewhat undecided. They milled, perhaps foraged, as they wove their way across the entrance to Blackney Pass and beyond. Salmon could be seen sliding across the surface in places. The slack tide was to turn to ebb at 1:39pm so the path west was only going to get easier from now on. Some of the A30s (perhaps the A54s), so far hidden in this parade, crossed in front of Kaizumi at 1:50pm. The A23s, by then were across the rip and moving toward Big Bay, Hanson Island. A5 and A4 calls continued from these west bound groups. The A50s (of the A30s) came in front of CP at 2:25pm to forage and stage themselves before they made their entrance into Blackney Pass sixteen minutes later. The A42s (with A94)at 2:34pm were now reported off Blinkhorn and the A23s were mid strait between Blinkhorn and Telegraph Cove. Our attention was now fully on the whales heading north in Blackney Pass. They took a while to totally commit but once they did so we watched as the A50s, the A54s and then the A73s and A35s travelled north until they cleared our view by 3:21pm. From there we watched their progress on the Flower Island remote camera. The Otter Bay, a DFO boat, conducting side ban sonar scans was operating at the same time as the orca calls in Blackfish Sound. This made for a strange mix, especially when the orcas chimed in with their echolocation as well. A humpback gave a gruff whup. The A4 calls faded off by 4:47pm. We were not quite done. The A5s (the A42s, A23s and A25s) who had gone west earlier, were now in Weynton Pass. From what unfolded later we would understand that the A30s, A35s and A73s would join them there. At 6:21pm, there were again A5 calls in Johnstone Strait. The groups were emerging from Weynton Passage. In one report, the scene in Weynton Passage, with so many whales had actually moved people to tears. Apparently, according to the Skana the A30s (the A54s and A50s) along with the A35s had been between the Plumpers and Bold Head at 3:30pm. They were spread out foraging and then moved slowly down into Weynton Passage east of Stubbs island. They met up with the A23s north of the StephensonÕs and eventually joined up with them. The A25s were just a bit ahead. They were all still northeast of the StephensonÕs when the Skana left them at 6pm. The A30s were heard following the A5s into Johnstone Strait around 7pm - twelve full hours since the whales had first started to come ÒupÓ from the eastern boundary. For a while the calls dropped off but just before 8pm they resumed. From then on it was a steady progression to the entrance of Blackney Pass. By 9:14pm they were preparing to turn into the Pass. The whole crowd was there! A4s, A30s, A5s. They had finally organised themselves into a single procession! So many! Negotiating around an expressive, gurgling humpback they began to file into Blackney. The A4s came first, then the A30s and finally the A5s. They were so many that the A4s were in Blackfish as the A5s were just entering. Newly arrived Emily kept track of the blows, some far, some closer as the whales made their way to Blackfish Sound from 9:27pm to past 10pm. They continued to call in Blackfish. Missing today were the I15s. Kate heard that a group had passed to the west during the night. That is our only clue. Are they done? They have been here so long it is hard to imagine them being anywhere but here. Perhaps they have gone to get someone. Patrick, who has taken over KamillaÕs humpback efforts, had the great satisfaction of identifying ApolloÕs lovely fluke. This is the first time Apollo has been sighted in Blackney Pass by us and a great first for Patrick too. Today was a good day. The sun shone, the whales came and went, the company, human and whale, was great.  OrcaLab 01 Sep 2021 08:37:14 PDT

Superb sounds!! Shift Summaries 2021: August 30 2021 Orcas: A50s, A54s, A23s, A25s, A42s + A94, I4s, I27s, I65s Humpbacks: True to our suspicions, the groups moved steadily across Johnstone Strait from the Vancouver Island shore to Cracroft Point, shortly after midnight. At 12:42am, the first “independent” calls in Blackney Pass told us that they were about to pass through. Kam, on her very last shift at the lab, went outside to listen for blows from the deck and heard many pass by, spread out and travelling fast, at 12:45am. Some of the A30s and A5s passed first, their calls ringing out in Blackfish Sound at 12:51am, and the I15 groups followed suit. All were mixed and seemingly spread out in the Sound for the next few hours, as their calls and echolocation faded but remained audible until just before 4am. Once again, a brief humpback interlude just after 5am marks this the third consecutive night that a humpback has been heard - they are warming up for a songful September, we hope! At 6:41am we began to hear faint A30 calls once more in Blackfish Sound, joined by a humpback in the early morning light not long afterwards. The calls tapered off, and only faint and sporadic echolocation were heard for the next two hours. At 8:44am, Gary on the Skana tipped us that a “lovely” group was imminent. This gave us just enough time to prepare ourselves on deck for one of the most lovely passages indeed. At 8:48am the first fins were in view, and they were close. One large male - Fife (A60) - was most striking amidst a host of smaller fins. He was travelling with the rest of his family, the A23s, along with the A25s and A54s. The A50s were not far behind, slightly further away than the rest, traversing the Pass as a tight group. The I27s and I65s came next, bunched up together, the little baby (I165) nestled safely in between the rest. Just as they were clearing at 9:04am, the I4s came zooming by, travelling quickly to catch up the procession into Johnstone Strait. Although it only spanned fifteen minutes, this was one of the most beautiful scenes we have seen in Blackney this summer. No calls, few boats, just families of orcas travelling together through their historic home waters in the morning glow. It was perhaps most special for lab assistant Kam who - much to our chagrin - left the lab today to return to school. She couldn’t have asked for a better final morning! Kam has been out on the deck from morning to night every single day, determined to document every single humpback in Blackney Pass. Today, she passed the baton onto Patrick, and her final remark while zooming away from the rocks on the Sonic: “Patrick - there’s a HUMPBACK!”, gesturing wildly into Parson Bay. We will miss you Kam, see you next year. Back to the whales. As they entered Johnstone Strait, all seemed to travel east for a little while, passing closely on our remote Cracroft Point camera at 9:25am. However, not long after, they turned to the west. Around the same time, we received a report from Scotty that the A42s with A94 had been heading west off Telegraph Cove, but had now turned east at 9:49am. Perhaps a meet-up was in order! We followed the mixed calls of the large group to the west, and by 11:13am they were mid-Strait between Big Bay on Hanson and the Vancouver Island shore. At this time, we were preparing for a ‘Live Q&A’ with Paul and Helena streamed from the lab to our Explore platform starting at 12pm. We were actually very grateful that the obliging whales stayed clear of the Rubbing Beaches during this time! Naturally, a few technical difficulties arose, during which Quin worked frantically (and successfully) to overcome. He has spent the past week working hard to put this Q&A together from a technical standpoint, and with Suzie moderating questions and Megan helping with the camera, the event was a great success and very well-received. A few reports over the afternoon, and it appeared that the large westbound group managed to get to the entrance of Weynton Passage where they milled for a good while, before eventually turning back into Johnstone Strait again. The A42s with A94 actually spent some of this time in Beaver Cove before heading east past Telegraph Cove again at 2:23pm. Faint calls reached us again at 3:43pm, and by 4:19pm Lucille and Sofia at CP could see a few fins - including A61 - heading east. The rest were fairly silent, until at 4:48pm we were surprised by a rub at Kaizumi! From the calls heard and males seen, we believe that some of the A23s, A42s and I4s were present. The rub was over at 5:01pm and they headed east, shortly replaced by the A54s rubbing minutes later. Their rub was much longer, and we heard some very excited whistles and calls with some great “bubble blowing” sounds as they exhaled and rubbed. All continued east, quickly, and we tracked them moving through Robson Bight, foraging a little, on their way to Strider. The A23s came in first, beginning their rub at 6:06pm. We captured some more stunning footage and audio during this rub, which lasted just shy of an hour. We saw more than the A23s on camera with only A5 calls for a while, so it is possible that members of the A42s also rubbed with them again. The I15 groups all eventually caught up and joined the fray. At 7pm they had had enough, and turned back to the west and into Robson Bight. They seemed to largely stay in the general area of the Ecological Reserve, until just before midnight when another rub at Strider began - but that can be tomorrow’s story! The A25s, previously seen off CP, had slowly crossed the Strait and by 7:48pm we were hearing them closely on Kaizumi. All three came in to rub at 8:14pm and stayed for just ten minutes. We noticed at the end of the rub a sea lion charging into the beach and joining up with a group of five or six of his kind - a turf war, perhaps? The A25s headed east to join up with the large group now in Robson Bight. The only “missing piece” is the possible whereabouts of the A50s whom we did not identify at the rubbing beaches. We did not hear that they had separated from the group while in Weynton Pass, so our best estimate is that they are present in the Strait with the rest, perhaps the rubbing beaches were just a little too crowded! Tomorrow will surely tell.  OrcaLab 31 Aug 2021 13:47:44 PDT Superb sounds!! Incredible rub at Strider continues,-cals, surface and underwater video scenes all amazing!  OL crew 31 Aug 2021 12:26:34 PDT Superb sounds!! Another great rub happening at Strider! OL crew 31 Aug 2021 11:49:54 PDT

Superb sounds!! Amazing A5s on Strider rubbing beach! OrcaLab crew 29 Aug 2021 21:28:12 PDT Superb sounds!! Amazing a5 calls on Strider rubbing beach! Orcalab 29 Aug 2021 21:26:18 PDT Superb sounds!! Amazing a5 calls on Strider rubbing beach! Orcalab 29 Aug 2021 21:26:18 PDT August 28 2021 Orcas: A50s, A54s, I4s, I27s, I65s [A5s east] Humpbacks: Stitch, Argonaut, Ridge, Quartz Just as all the A5s, finally travelling as a complete group, went east out of range, the A30s and the I15s entered Johnstone Strait from the opposite end. Clearly, they had dropped off the A35s and A73s in Queen Charlotte Strait and decided to return. Earlier, we heard the A30s ever so briefly disappear into Weynton Passage heading for the Strait. Once there, from 12:12am to 3:24am, they slowly made their way toward Kaizumi Beach. As the A30s were in the lead they were first to go for an eight minute nighttime rub. The I15s followed at 3:46am doubling the effort with a sixteen minute rub. From there both groups carried on eastward and ended up in Robson Bight by 4:10am. As they crossed the Bight the groups produced a lovely mix of calls. Remember, the A30s belong to ÒAÓ clan and the I15s, ÒGÓ clan, all members of the Northern Resident orca community, but from very different acoustic heritages that have no shared calls in common. Yet, they travel and enjoy time together. Even though they had the intention of continuing east some made time for a seven minute Strider rub at 5:12am. They had been in the Strait for five hours.Calls shifted to the Main Beach and by now it was light enough now to see that they were fairly spread out offshore between the two beaches as they continued east. They really didnÕt go very far because by 7:57am we heard them returning to the west. Two hours later they were back on Strider Beach for a succession of rubs; the first five minute rub began at 9:58am; the second two minute brief rub at 10:06 included some beautiful underwater images; the third was also just two minutes and began at 10:17am. The hurry was to the west. Dolphins showed up as a male orca paced back and forth far offshore waiting presumably for others to catch up. Whales still in view became very distant and we switched to the Robson Bight remote camera and waited for their arrival. Just a few obliged. A50 and her two youngest came duley around the headland and began to cross the Bight around 10:30am. The nearly full grown A84 followed (was he the distant male who had been pacing earlier off Strider? Had he been waiting for Mum?). The whales were so spread out that we still heard close echolocation at Strider while our attention was on following the A50s through the Bight and someone else was also echolocating further west near Kaizumi. Sure enough a quick two minute rub at Kaizumi followed that echolocation at 10:53am. As orcas cleared Kaizumi the scene began to shift towards Cracroft Point. There were calls and Megan could see orcas mid strait heading, of course, west. There was yet another brief two minute rub at Kaizumi by a trailing A30 pair. Obviously these perfunctory rubs were not meant to interfere with the general movement west. It was now 11:36am and in the next half hour whales headed for the entrance to Blackney Pass. Just after noon, a group of whales went out of Megan's view as they headed north. A30 and I15 calls on the Parson Island signalled their intention and by 12:15pm they were in view of the Lab. It turned out to be the A54s and the I4s. As the DFOÕs Otter Bay carried on doing transects of Blackney Pass for their mapping survey project, the A54s and I4s quickly transited the rest of the Passage and were gone by 12:37pm. We knew we were not done because there were still A30 and I15 calls coming from the Strait. Sure enough four minutes later the A50s, I27s and I65s came into view from the south. The others who had already passed were calling in Blackfish Sound by now. This second wave of orcas travelled mid channel together. They too did not waste time and by 12:48pm they disappeared around Burnt Point to follow the others in Blackfish Sound. Patrick stayed on the remote camera and even after the calls faded away by 1:33pm he followed the disappearing fins till 1:37pm. Because the whales were now into Queen Charlotte Strait and out of our range there was a bit of a gap for the next 3 hours. Time enough to look at the dayÕs photos and try to identify who was where and when. Time to carry on observing the humpbacks. Time to do a few chores. At 4:48pm calls resumed as the whales, who had now turned, came back into range. They were still pretty far away but they were coming east. By 5:17pm they were getting close to Stubbs Island. From there they entered Blackfish Sound and headed toward Blackney Pass. The remote cameras were put to work following their progress. Before long, at 5:48pm, they were back in view of the Lab and producing a great mix of calls as they hurried along. They, all the previous I15s and A30s, were all ÒgoneÓ by 6:14pm. By then Megan was already seeing the leading group coming out of Blackney. From there the whales spread out across the Strait. Some foraged, some angled toward Kaizumi on Vancouver Island where they went for yet another rub after zeroing in with strong echolocation. The rub, in very clear, calm waters started at 6:56pm. It was very beautiful and unlike the earlier brief rubs that happened on the western trek this one was sustained for fourteen minutes. Refreshed, the whales quietly headed off to the east as evening began to descend. This time their destination was Robson Bight. Just before 8pm, they were truly in the Bight and engaged in some serious feeding. The calls were wonderful, robust, clear and even strange at times. Both the I15s and the A30s were there. Half an hour later they moved away. The current was close to changing to the ebb and the orcas chose the same path. This brought the ones travelling closer to Vancouver Island back near Kaizumi by 8:52pm and progressively closer and closer by 9:16pm. This time, however, there was no rub. By 9:33pm, the orcas on the Vancouver Island side began to cross and merge with those coming from the east closer on the Cracroft side. Boat Bay remarked that whales were passing their camp at 9:53pm. Likewise, Megan heard blows passing at 10:07pm. A short eight minutes later Mattis, in the camp kitchen and Patrick in his tent heard Òa loud crowdÓ of blows go by to the north. Two minutes later these close blows disappeared around Burnt Point, just to the left of the Lab. Whew! Was that everyone? No calls to go on but at 10:22pm Sofia heard a bit of echolocation in Blackfish Sound. Such energy! How will tomorrow unfold?  OrcaLab 29 Aug 2021 00:26:20 PDT

No calls but orcas nearby August 27 2021 Orcas: A50s,A54s A35s (all), A73s, A56, A23s, A25s, A42s, A94, I4s, I27s,I65s Humpbacks: Guardian, Stitch, Ridge, Squiggle, Black Pearl, Conger Possibly Uni, the seagull Indeed the night began with the orcas who had been in Johnstone Strait were beginning to move into Blackney Pass. By 12:40am, they had fully negotiated their way in and then into Blackfish Sound by 12:59am. Here they would remain until the surprise (or perhaps it was all prearranged?) of the incoming visitors was realised. Calls were non stop as the visit unfolded. The I15s, perhaps the A25s all went out, probably right to the western limit of Blackfish Sound, to greet the incoming whales. We are not sure if the A42s did likewise or stayed in Johnstone Strait. At this “doorway” in came the A4s (the A35s and A73s), more A5s (the A23s) and even the A1s (A30s) by 3:29am. Tomoko in Japan helped Sofia in the Lab understand who she was listening to. First of all the A4s,followed by new and old A5s, A30s, and of course the I15s, with whom Sofia was well accustomed already. There were hints of echolocation so there was a growing promise of the groups slipping down to Blackney Pass. The chatter and the calls woke Helena up who decided that as something new was afoot she was best off in the Lab rather than bed! She arrived at the end of Sofia’s shift but not before she got to listen to the very vocal whales become increasingly excited as the get together got underway. Sofia checked for blows outside but nothing was happening yet in Blackney Pass.The max flooding current was due at 4:32am and just before orca blows were heard outside. Lucille, who’s turn in the Lab had started at 4am, stayed outside to mark the progression of the whales through the Pass. At 4:30am, the blows were opposite Compton Island and six minutes later off Harbledown. The orcas came in wave after wave mostly in their respective groups. The A5s led the way, followed by the I15s, the A4s and finally the A30s. By 4:38am, the lead groups were off Parson Island and so too the majority of the calls, although with so many groups the spread was quite impressive. At 4:43am, for example, with A5 calls off the entrance to Blackney Pass, the A30s were still being heard on the Blackfish Sound system at Flower Island. Before 5am all blows were leaving Blackney in favour of Johnstone Strait. Calls shifted to Cracroft Point where Megan kept track of the blows as they passed starting at 5:19am. Convinced that the parade in Blackney was over, Lucille came back in and took over the job of listening, recording and making notes. With the current in their favour the whales did not take long to travel Johnstone Strait and head for the rubbing beaches. The A25s, just the three of them, went in for a rub first at 6:28am at Strider, and onwards to Main Rubbing Beach at 6:42am. Perhaps it was they who led the parade to Johnstone Strait. It was light by now making identification easier. Later in the day, we understood better which groups were present. The A50s,A54s the A25s, A42s, A23s, all the A35s and the A73s, the three I15s groups. It was the first time that two A35 groups, the A52s and A70s, had been in the area this season. It was good to see them together with their matriline. After the A25s, the other groups indulged themselves at both beaches until 8:15am. These are the details. The early morning light dawned over the rubbing beaches, as the I15s, then A4s and A30s, and possibly the A42s came to join the rub. For nearly two hours, the lab was alive with the sound of chuffing pebbles and we couldn’t believe how many fins were silhouetted against the rising sun. Despite their long absence, it is remarkable how quickly the calls of the A30s start to feel like home. We identified all members of the A50s. The A4 groups were particularly vocal, and we noticed some ‘weeawus’ (Springer’s call) that didn’t sound quite right, perhaps others imitating her to mark her arrival! At 7:36, a rub started at Main Rubbing Beach and the two beaches were simultaneously alive with incredible rubbing action. Around 8:15am, all groups seemed to head west as we heard distinct calls from all matrilines around Robson Bight shortly after. The fog was thick, however, and the I15s, A50s, A25s and A42s must have circled back to the east unseen, as they were all reported around the Eastern Boundary a short while later. The A23s continued west, quickly, as Megan saw A60 on the far shore around Kaikash Creek at 9:37am, and the rest of the group a short while later. The A35s and A73s remained deep in the Bight for a while. At 10:20am, the Cliff could see them all very close together right up to the mouth of the Tsitika River. The phrase “cuddle puddle” was used to describe their calm, intimate grouping! Very, very slowly they travelled west in Johnstone Strait, and Megan at Cracroft Point could see them in a resting line to the east by 11:26am. These three groups remained separate into the later afternoon. The larger group much further east, comprising the I15s, A50s, A25s and possible A42s finally began to pick up pace by midday, and head back west once more. We noted the presence of a large log tow heading east close to the beaches, and wondered if that had ruined the whales’ plans for another rub. Nonetheless, they seemed determined as they zoomed back up the Strait and headed into Robson Bight for a forage. We saw many, many fins enter the Bight on our remote camera, and the Cliff counted over twenty. By this time, 12:30pm, we understood the A4s to still be slowly westing between Cracroft Point and Kaikash Beach, and the A23s had taken Weynton Passage towards Donegal Head, and were now in Blackfish Sound. The movement was slow and the calls faint and sporadic for the next hour. At 1:25pm a report of a mother and baby plus two more fins heading west under the Cliff - we wondered where the convergence of so many whales would happen! At 1:50pm, the westing A50s and I15s had reached Kaizumi Rubbing Beach, and a few individuals came in to rub. A few minutes later, louder A4 calls suggested that at least some of the A35s and A73s might be coming to join them - and they did! For just a few minutes, loud A4 calls and pebble sounds at the beach persisted, before all groups seemingly headed northwest, beginning to spread out across Johnstone Strait. The rest of the afternoon was a mixed bag, at least from our perspective. Most of the whales (A30s, A4s, A5s and some I15s) continued west closer to the Vancouver Island shore, and at some point met up with the A23s (who had come back through Weynton Passage into the Strait) before heading east closer to the Hanson Shore again. A few remained closer to Cracroft Point, as we had I15 calls and a few fins - possibly including I77 - on camera around 3:50pm. Megan at Cracroft Point - simultaneously trying to track, film, identify and provide reports - started to notice a trickle into Blackney Pass around 4pm. Given all of the matrilines, we set ourselves up for having potentially over fifty whales about to come by the Lab! Around fifteen fins came into our view at 4:15pm and it was breathtaking. The tide was against them, but they raced through, porpoising and charging out of the water to buck the current. There was breaching and spy-hopping from some particularly small whales. We identified the A50s and I65s, along with the A52s and the A70s of the A35s (our first sighting of this group in 2021). They were all spread out and fairly far over the other side. We were delighted to also see Springer and her two babies at the tailing end of this group - she even breached right by Parson Light! Given what we knew from earlier, the A70s were likely in this first passing too. It is possible that some of the A54s were here, too. Around this time, 4:40pm, we were hearing continued A5 calls off Cracroft Point, and Megan reported she could see the A25s, A23s and potentially the A42s going east in the Strait. As most of the procession cleared into Blackfish Sound and began to forage, Springer (A73) and her offspring hung back in Blackney Pass, alongside Pine (A90) and her baby. It was sweet to see Springer and Pine travel closely together, with their babies at their sides. They kept changing directions, foraging, coming all the way back to Parson Island at one point. She was waiting… Louder A4 calls signified someone else was on their way, and sure enough at 5:26pm the rest of the A35s entered! We have not seen them since mid-July and we were ecstatic to see Roller (A77), Skagit (A35) and her baby. We noted the continuing I15 calls around Parson Island and Cracroft Point, and finally the last groups - I27s and I4s - came through just before 6pm. The light was turning golden and they passed us mid-channel, ending this incredible procession of Northern Residents at 6:15pm. Their calls peeled away, group by group, as they headed west into the evening. The A23s, A25s and A42s with A94 (confirmed by Scotty - thank you) did not follow suit, and instead carried on east towards the Ecological Reserve. By 6:30pm some were loud and clear by the eastern point of Robson Bight, while the Cliff could see a few more travelling mid-Strait. They must have been spread out, as we could still hear calls in the Bight past 8pm, and others offshore around Strider. Finally, at 8:50pm, the first individuals came into the beach and began to rub - rounding off the day as they had started! We noted at least 7 whales, and Helena identified Current (A79) of the A42s. During this rub, another brief one started at Main Rubbing Beach at 9:02pm, as a few individuals made a pass of the beach before continuing east. By 9:12pm the A5s had wrapped up at Strider, continuing east (with a final pass at Main) and we tracked their dwindling fins and calls into the darkness. A few very distant A30 calls in Blackfish Sound at 9:18pm suggested that they had gone west and come back - “dropping someone off”, perhaps? However, we did not hear them for long. The last calls were the A5s continuing east, altogether, plunging us into an almost unrecognisable silence by 10:15pm.  OrcaLab 28 Aug 2021 15:24:24 PDT

Superb sounds!! August 26 2021 Orcas: A25s, I4s, I27s, I65s Humpbacks: Guardian, Ridge, Black Pearl + Lucky in Johnstone Strait You will have surmised by now that the orcas are very active and involved in a lot of movement. We are trying to keep up with the 5 groups in the area, the A25s, A42s, I4s, I27s and I65s.The A25s and A42s are both from the A5 pod. The others are from the I15s. Not only have they been travelling around a lot they have also been forming and reforming associations with each other so guessing at night who we are listening to can be quite the challenge. August 26 began with groups in several locations. The I27s were in Blackfish Sound after having recently transited Blackney Pass. The I65s had preceded them earlier. The I27s had left the A42s and I4s still in Johnstone Strait. As for the A25s, they had not been seen for the entire previous day. The next couple of hours were tricky. Possibly the A42s and the I4s stopped their western trek together and afterwards at least the A42s seemed to backtrack to the east. Between 12:09am and 12:28am, A5 calls were heard first at Kaizumi and then closer to Robson Bight in quite short order. This movement was complicated by the possible return of the A25s at the same time coming from the opposite direction. Around 1am, an A5 group was in the vicinity of Main and Strider rubbing beaches and a while later an A5 group seemed to progress westward. Ships passing in the night? Several hours later what we do know for certain is that the A25s came in for a brief rub at Kaizumi starting at 6:53am. They came from the east. It was light by then so we had the advantage of the remote camera. The rub was over by 6:57am and we watched as this group of three moved offshore and milled a bit before continuing to the west. At 8:08am, there were again I15 calls and soon after the I27s turned up off the entrance of Blackney Pass. I27 and I107 of this group seemed determined to head into Blackney and even disappeared from view. I77, however, was having none of that and despite a few sharp slaps on the water from one of the other two, he continued to head east mid strait. Leaving the other with no other choice, they reemerged in the Strait and followed him. It was now almost 9am. While searching for evidence of the still westbound A25s, the I65s were located near the top end of Hanson Island. They were eastbound looking like they had just come out of Weynton Passage. There was an addition to their group as they numbered 5 not their usual four. Yet another new combination? The I65s continued east mid strait just as the I27s had before them. As they did so, other whales, possibly the I4s and the A25s, could be seen very close to the Vancouver Island shore also heading east. It was now getting on towards 10am. Should note that throughout the morning dolphins had been flagging the whales, the A25s in particular. At 10:14am there were dolphins off Kaizumi. Everyone, the I27s, the I65s, the I4s and the A25s carried on eastward. At 11:33am, the groups closest to Vancouver Island had rounded the eastern headland of Robson Bight. A rub at Strider followed at 12pm; it looked like I76 plus one other. Their third member could indeed have been the “extra” whale with the I65s. It was only a six minute rub. The A25s were still back nearer Robson Bight. They didn’t get to Strider until 12:39pm. This was also just a six minute rub. With dolphins still in tow A61 left back to the west a minute after the rub ended. The dolphins chatted on. As we tracked A61 west we came across Lucky, the humpback, just west of Strider breaching, pec slapping and rolling around. Lucky is named for the extensive permanent scarring on her flukes made during an escape from not so friendly orcas. She gave a single “whup” after the orcas had long passed her. A61 was more or less mid strait but his niece A85 along with her young one, A121 were close to the Vancouver Island shore nearing Robson Bight by 2pm. There they foraged, spy hopped and even drifted backwards before resuming their westward movement. Three intriguing reports were received around this time. An elephant seal had been spotted between Kaikash and Cracroft Point. These are not common sightings and everyone gets quite excited to see these “seals” come up to the surface after one of their long dives. Almost at the same time was the report of five orcas off the mouth of the river at Sayward. This was followed by a report of five orcas approaching Seymour Narrows at 2:25pm. There were no further details. Getting on past 3pm at least the A25s were still westbound. At 3:49pm a large group of dolphins had gathered off Kaizumi. The dolphins had been chatty on and off, mixing their calls with those of the orcas throughout the day. A61 was last seen heading into the fog just before 4pm. Calls continued to be heard. At 4:47pm, the A25s were heard on the Cracroft Point system and continued to be heard right up to 6:39pm. The I65s had apparently continued east, at least, all the way to the Bush Islets near Forward Bay on Cracroft Island where they were reported heading back west at 4:51pm. They began to come into range of the hydrophones by 7:33pm. Over the course of the next few hours distant I15 calls slowly but steadily became clearer and louder as they neared the Ecological Reserve. There was even a rub (nine minutes long this time) at Strider Beach starting at 9:55pm. Wasting no time, this group approached Robson Bight by 10:18pm. They were moving and soon would be “greeted” by others. Megan, at Cracroft Point, had heard three orcas heading east just after 10pm, returnees from the earlier in the day western trek. Fitting in to all of this, Boat Bay heard three orcas passing back to the west at 10:51pm. Same three, now in step with the I65s? In the mix of calls were a few participating A5 calls, perhaps the A25s. Just before midnight, these groups prepared to come into Blackney Pass on a bid to get to Blackfish Sound where a lovely surprise was waiting for them. Tomorrow’s story!  OrcaLab 27 Aug 2021 11:31:43 PDT

No calls but orcas nearby August 25 2021 Orcas: I4s, I27s, I65s, A42s+ A94 Humpbacks: Guardian, Ridge, Lucky, Corporal Another busy August day, another set of beautiful calls, rubs and footage via our remote systems. In the early hours of the morning, the whales returned from the west, taking Weynton Passage into Johnstone Strait, as we started to hear clear A5 calls at Kaizumi Rubbing Beach just before 3am. Listening from Japan, Tomoko identified at least some of these calls as the A42s. Faint calls at the western reaches of Johnstone Strait suggested that other groups were following. All moved east, echolocating and producing some lovely calls as they foraged and travelled through Robson Bight. By 4:46am the A42s were really clear and loud as they approached the eastern headland of the Bight close to the Vancouver Island shore and hopefully heading for a rub. We didn’t have to wait long, as by 5:20am the A42s had reached Strider Rubbing Beach and began to rub. At 5:31am we heard distant I15 calls approaching the same beach, and a few minutes later members of those matrilines were in the rub too. Given what we know about the groupings later in the day, it is possible that the I4s were here. Just as the trailing whales were finishing their rub at Strider, another rub began on Main Rubbing Beach with clear A5 calls at 5:46am, suggesting that all were still moving east. We caught some very early morning footage of the whales rubbing at both beaches, a little grainy but with some orange sunrise creeping in! Their calls continued to dwindle as they moved down Johnstone Strait and out of our range. The last A5 calls were heard at 7:07am. A report from the Cliff at 6:57am alerted us to another group of five individuals heading east past Boat Bay on Cracroft Island side, and the louder I15 calls on Strider at 7:08am suggested that the I27s and I65s were following the earlier A42s and I4s east, spread out a little in the Strait. We last heard them around 9:25am. A brief Bigg’s interlude, as Lance on the Skana reported the T060Bs at Ledge Point (northwest of Port McNeill) at 9:45am, heading west along the Vancouver Island shore. Once again, the whales diverged, with the A42s and I4s remaining further east for much longer. It did not take long for the I65s and I27s to turn and circle back to the west. Their distinct acoustic signature was picked up off Main Rubbing Beach at 10:40am, and by 10:54am the I65s had made it to Strider, where they very briefly passed over the rubbing beach, just a few chuffs were heard. The I27s were possibly offshore. They continued west, and headed deep into Robson Bight around 11:05am for another good foraging session. Scotty from Prince of Whales confirmed that all except for I107 was in the Reserve at this time; he was just outside of the boundary, foraging by himself. By 1pm they were approaching Kaizumi Rubbing Beach, and we noticed a large DFO test seine boat Western Brave setting its net just offshore of the beach. The whales were particularly vocal as they approached, and we noticed that the DFO boat naturally drifted west, leaving space for the whales to come in. The whales were not deterred and began to rub at 1:36pm. It did not last long, before all made a move to the west. We identified I107, I27, I122, I65 with her baby I165. Our newer assistants are getting pretty good at identifying pixelated dorsals! The I4s and I65s began to cross the Strait angling towards Cracroft Point, spreading out, foraging, and switching directions a lot. By 3:30pm Megan could see I77 and I27 very close to the platform at CP, perhaps 150m off, accompanied by their very loud calls. The I27s all began to forage in the “rip” coming out of Blackney - a very strong flooding current at this point! Eventually, the I65s caught up and began to forage too. Both groups remained fairly chatty, spread out across the Strait and seemingly hungry for a good few hours as they foraged in the rip. Rewinding a little: Around noon, the Skana team had caught up with the I4s all the way east by the Broken Islands, with the A42s and A94 a little ahead. By 1:30pm the A42s and A94 at least had made it again to St Vincent’s Bight, and at 2:40pm they were now westing around Milly Island near Port Neville - after playing in some kelp, apparently! They continued west, and we kept our ears on the rubbing beaches as our eyes were focussed on the whales off CP. There were no reports of the A25s. By 6:10pm, the current had finally slowed down and was approaching slack tide. The whales who had been foraging here for an impressive few hours would finally be able to enter Blackney Pass without too much resistance. By 6:30pm, the I65s had cleared from Megan’s sight at CP, heading into the Pass. We were ready! The I27s did not make a move into the Pass; they stayed off CP angling more to the east. It did not take long for the I65s to reach us, with the first fins in the gap at 6:35pm. They produced some excellent calls as they passed us, spread out somewhat and favoring the further shore. I145 was leading, with I65 and baby I165 in the middle, then I122 bringing up the rear, more mid-pass. As the I65s were in Blackney, we received a report of around 8 whales at the eastern boundary of the reserve, heading west. The 42s and I4s now westbound were imminent! Sure enough, they were rubbing at Strider by 6:54pm. The A42s and A94 came first, with the I4s only a few minutes behind. We were thrilled to identify A94 on our surface camera at 7:11pm. He has been travelling with the A42s for a while now. The rub ended and the whales headed west, reaching Robson Bight by 7:25pm. The lab was a flurry of activity with whales in Blackney Pass, a rub on Strider and calls on almost every hydrophone! By 7:25pm the I65s had cleared into Blackfish Sound and they did not produce many calls as they continued west. The I27s, did not follow them through Blackney Pass but continued east. Meanwhile, the A42s and I4s foraged in the Bight for a while, before heading to Kaizumi for a few brief rubs at 8:18pm. They then crossed over the Strait to forage around CP like the others had done. There were a few moments when we thought they may follow suit through Blackney, but ultimately they headed west in Johnstone Strait. We heard their tapering calls for a couple of hours, and we wondered if they might go through Weynton Passage to join the I65s in Blackfish Sound. Finally, those easting I27s eventually turned around, and at 9:43pm the folks at Boat Bay reported a few blows heading west under their camp in the darkness. By 11:06pm we were hearing their loud calls on Parson Island and a few blows outside. Eventually, some four hours later, they had finally followed the I65s into Blackfish Sound. As the clock struck midnight, we were hearing the tail end of the I27s in Blackfish Sound, and the I4s and A42s in Johnstone Strait, all heading west. We did not see nor hear of the A25s all day. Two theories: either they continued west the night previously after they had passed the lab into Blackfish Sound, or they headed east with the A42s and I4s overnight and remained there, separated, for the day. Tomorrow should hopefully bring some clarity. We were also delighted to see humpbacks ‘Lucky’ and ‘Corporal’ today. Lucky stole the hearts of our assistants in 2017 with a very close bubble-net feeding session in front of the lab, and this is the first sighting in Blackney Pass this year!  Suzie 26 Aug 2021 13:49:02 PDT

No calls but orcas nearby August 24 2021 Orcas: I4s, I65s, I27s, A25s, A42s We have noticed a shift in behaviour of the I15 groups since the arrival of the A25s and A42s. First, what used to be a very predictable group dynamic (I4s and I65s together with the I27s separate) has shifted into a changing mixture of all 5 matrilines. Second, they are now travelling much further east when they pass the rubbing beaches, than they did when the A5s weren’t here. Historically, the A42s have always favoured the east; it is always fascinating to see how patterns change as the different groups intermingle. Anyway, onwards with the day! After a moonlit passing into Blackfish Sound, all groups seemingly headed west for a while as their calls disappeared. Tomoko (listening from Japan!) helped identify the A42s and I15s as they called and echolocated until 1:47am, when they fell silent. A brief humpback interlude in Blackney Pass around 2am, and the night fell silent for a couple of hours. With the flooding tide, the whales very likely took Weynton Passage as we heard A5 calls crisp and clear around Kaizumi Rubbing Beach at 4.20am. They came in to rub in the darkness at 4:36am, and Tomoko noted that at least the A42s were there, while the I15s remained distant. By 4:42am some I15s had joined the rub as both sets of calls were clear among the “chuffs” of pebbles. By 5:08am the rub had ended and the whales headed east in Johnstone Strait. For the next hour or so, all easted through Robson Bight, with lots of foraging heard. Just before 6am we could hear them off Strider Rubbing Beach, and some A5s began to rub at 6:12am. We saw a male on camera in the grey, silky waters who looked like A66. Not many individuals were seen (around 3 total) and by 6:38am they had moved on. We tracked them eastward on Main Rubbing Beach camera and last heard their calls around 7:03am. The I15s at this point were silent and unseen, possibly easting silently or out of our range. By 10:34am at least the A42s had reached St Vincent Bight, which is a fair way east in Johnstone Strait between Adam River and Kelsey Bay. At this point, the day diverges from the whales perspective, so we will follow each grouping individually. At 1:30pm we were hearing mixed A5 and I15 calls on Main Rubbing Beach. We opened up the camera - coming in to rub! Around 4 to 5 individuals were seen rubbing a few times at Main, and at 1:38pm some were rubbing on Strider too. By 1:40pm all had ended their rub at Main and continued to Strider. From our surface and underwater camera, we identified members of the I27s, I65s and A25s. We saw a lovely underwater shot of Cordero (A85) and her baby Twilight (A121) on our underwater camera. Lots of vibrant calls, whistles and echolocation were consistent throughout the rub. By 1:55pm they had all headed west, and we noticed that the A25s were tailing and pointed more offshore. Mere minutes later, the A25s came back! All three came close to the underwater camera and we captured some more really wonderful footage. Perhaps the beach had been too crowded and these three wanted a rub to themselves. They rubbed for around 15 minutes before also eventually heading west after the I27s and I65s. As these groups headed west in the Bight, we noticed a lot of boats hanging offshore and even one inside the boundaries of the Reserve. Fortunately the Wardens were on scene, and asked them to leave, with which they complied. By 3:41pm we could hear their calls off Kaizumi Rubbing Beach, and at 4:10pm one I15 whale came to rub for a brief 2 minutes. We noted that a group of three kayakers were on the water right on the beach - whether they knew that this spot was a significant rubbing site or not, it only further adds to our desire to afford Kaizumi the same protection as the rubbing beaches in the Reserve. At 4:21pm we saw the I65s heading west offshore from Kaizumi. Back-tracking slightly, where did the A42s and I4s get to? At some point they had turned from St Vincent’s Bay and headed back west. They were back at Main Rubbing Beach by 3:41pm and the A42s rubbed very briefly at 3:45pm, before continuing to Strider. Much like the groups before them, both I4s and A42s rubbed at Strider. For ten minutes we heard their ‘chuffs’ and calls, and noted a fairly large group of Pacific White-Sided dolphins present throughout. They continued west at 4pm, and we saw a few breaches as they cleared the corner to Critical Point. By 4:40pm we could see their dwindling fins continuing west in Robson Bight, as they foraged. The earlier I27s, I65s and A25s largely remained close to the Vancouver Island shore between Kaizumi and Kaikash Creek, as the A42s and I4s made their way steadily to catch up. At 5:33pm, we caught the first of many successive “mini rubs” at Kaizumi. We identified the A25s first with some I15s coming second. At 6:05pm, Current (A79) was seen foraging just offshore, telling us that the tailing groups had finally caught up. All were now together and dipped in to Kaizumi for brief rubs around 6:11pm and 6:42pm. From the reports we received, we do not believe that any groups went further west than Kaikash Creek. Most stayed along the Vancouver Island shore for a couple of hours, except the A25s who crossed over first towards Cracroft Point. A61 was only 400m or so from Megan’s platform at 7:26pm, and at 7:42pm she could see all three of the A25s heading east for a while, before they turned back west around 8:13pm. Finally, the I15 groups had also crossed the Strait, not lingering for too long in the rip coming out of Blackney Pass, and by 8:22pm they were headed into Blackney. We heard some great ‘pings’ on Parson Island! The A5 groups followed suit, clearing into Blackney Pass by 8:42pm. We noted the strong ebb current (around 5 knots) and it was a little surprising that it took so long for us to see our first fins from the lab at 8:46pm. We surmised that the leading I15 groups must have been “waiting” for the others, as the groups were more intermingled as they passed. We saw some great breaches in the fading light. The A42s travelled largely as a group, closer to mid-channel, and at 9:02pm they cleared our view along with the A25s, into Blackfish Sound. The I15 groups were further away and took longer to pass, but we identified I76 and I122 just as the day turned to night. All had entered the Sound by 9:20pm. The A5s were particularly vocal as they headed west and foraged, with only a few intermittent I15 calls. Their calls dwindled as the current pulled them steadily westward, and the last faint “trill” was heard at 10:47pm. We were so fortunate to finally see all groups together in Blackney Pass, and it was the perfect round-off to an exceptionally busy day! We also cannot end this summary without saying a proper farewell and huge thank you to our assistants Shelby, Dante and Katie who have been with us throughout July and August. They left in the early morning and we were very sad to see them go. See you next year, we hope!  Suzie 25 Aug 2021 14:03:32 PDT

Superb sounds!! August 23 2021 Orcas: I4s, I27s, I65s, A42s, A94, A25s Humpbacks: Inukshuk, Stitch, Quartz An exceptionally busy day can be summed up as such: Back and forth, brief rubs and lots of foraging! For those who enjoy the detail, as we do, read on... This time, the easting whales did not travel far down Johnstone Strait, as we began hearing at least some of them off Strider Rubbing Beach shortly before midnight. The A5s were first, followed by the I15s after the clock struck twelve. There was lots of foraging amidst their calls, and they then came in to rub at 1:13am. It was only a few minutes, and the A5s were louder with only distant I15 calls, perhaps suggesting that only A5 whales were rubbing. Another rub started at 1:32am, more loud A5 calls, when fast, repeated trills and I15 calls perked up on Main Rubbing Beach. Switching from one station to another, this “conversation” between clans lasted for this second brief rub. Given how the morning unfolded, we are not certain that the A42s had returned; only the A25s. More on that later... True to fashion, their calls dwindled and there was a pause as the whales headed west towards Robson Bight. They seemed to move fairly slowly, picking up on our Critical Point hydrophone at 2:17am. These calls were distant, suggesting they were more mid-Strait, until 3:11am when very close A5 calls told us that some were right on the Point! They foraged, steadily westing, for the next few hours. Loud I15 calls interjected the others at 4:40am, coming from Main Rubbing Beach. A-ha! Leading A5 and I15 whales were around Kaizumi, while this other I15 group was tailing behind, coming back from the east.The Strait was illuminated with calls of varying intensity, spread out across many of our stations, as the day began to break. Our attention was distracted slightly with the sudden announcement of Inukshuk out front of the lab at 6am. The noise was tremendous. Breaching, pec-slapping, bubble-netting, trumpeting, raspberry-blowing; perhaps 100m from shore, at one point. His actions woke almost everyone up, and we were all bundled on deck in our pyjamas in the overcast grey dawn, awe etched into our faces. After a good fifteen minutes, he moved north past Burnt Point and into Blackfish Sound. Back in Johnstone Strait, and the leading groups of A5s and I15s made lots of echolocation and spread-out calls, as they continued west. At 7:27am we saw a group pass Kaizumi, presumably the tailing group given their I15 calls. Minutes later, the I27s were seen of Cracroft Point by Megan. It seemed that the I15 groups “hung back” around CP for a while, while at least some of the A5s continued steadily west. The A25s passed Telegraph Cove at 8:53am and were once again seen foraging in Beaver Cove around 10am. A change in course by some of the I15s shortly after 10am, and for the next 45 minutes we saw a couple of groups (including the I27s) on our Cracroft Point camera, heading east. The A25s were not far behind, passing CP shortly after at 11:07am. The I15 groups, mid-Strait, made a line for Critical Point and entered the Ecological Reserve around midday. Lots more foraging was heard. Eat, rub, rest, repeat! The A25s continued to favour the Cracroft Island shore, and were seen passing the Cliff eastward at 12:16pm. The I15s made a very brief pass at Strider, rubbing only once or twice, before continuing east around 12:30pm. For the next while it looked like all were headed east, we saw several groups and some “porpoising” behaviour as their fins grew smaller on our remote camera. A bout of excited A5 calls on Main Rubbing Beach suggested what was about to happen. Sure enough, the groups turned and headed straight for Main and Strider! Incredibly, both rubs seemed to start at once at 1:19pm. Chuffs, calls and goofy sounds were heard on both sounds, as our assistants followed their fins on three cameras and reported every detail of the rubbing event to our designated ‘scribe’. The rub at Main was only one ‘pass’ of the beach, as seven orcas rubbed and continued west to Strider. Again, the rub was brief, lasting only ten minutes, but we identified A61 and members of the I27s. As it turned out, all groups were present either at the beach or slightly offshore. That’s a lot of whales! They headed west once more. Most were mid-Strait, while some crossed over and hugged the Cracroft Shore past the Cliff at 2:17pm. A mixed group approached Kaizumi Rubbing Beach at 3pm, and gave yet another very brief rub at the beach before continuing westward. A tailing group came by at 3:17pm and followed their leaders with one pass of the beach, too. One more whale came to the beach, at 3:49pm, and had a few brief rubs before also continuing. At this point, all groups were fairly spread out moving steadily west. A few A4 calls signified that A94 was once again with the A42s. By 5:45pm the leading groups had once again reached Beaver Cove, with a tailing A5 group still within the last reaches of our network. They turned, hugging the Vancouver Island shore and Megan counted at least 7 blows in the far distance, before her view was obscured by the evening glare. We had the first real break in calls all day at 6:54pm, faint and in the crossover of our CP/Kaizumi hydrophones. Lulled into false security, silent fins entered Blackney Pass at 8:33pm. Our first orca sighting in days! They were past Parson Bay, heading north, before we spotted them. A very strong 5-knot ebb was drawing them into Blackfish Sound. Very quickly, we identified Surge (A61) in the lead, mid-Pass, with Cordero (A85) and Twilight (A121) in tow. How wonderful to see these whales again! We haven’t seen them from our deck since July 8th, and in the meantime they have been all the way north to BC’s Central Coast, and back down again. They began to echolocate once in the sound. We noted that no others were following in their fast-flowing wake, and predicted that they may take Weynton Passage. Sure enough, faint I15 calls in Blackfish Sound at 9:33pm signified that our theory was at least partially correct. As the hazy, pink moon rose over Parson Island, Quin heard blows out on deck at 10:16pm. Shortly after, faint echolocation and I15-esque calls very faintly on Flower Island, which can hear into Blackney Pass. They counted 12-15 blows and all had cleared into Blackfish Sound by 10:25pm. Either some groups had indeed taken Weynton and tried to come into Blackney but got turned around by the ebb, or some had silently followed the A25s from the Strait or a combination of the two! 10:30pm and we are now listening to their echolocation and mixed A5 and I15 calls, with a humpback thrown in for good measure! It will be interesting to see what happens overnight. Will the groups stay together or will some leave “out west” before the sun rises again?  Suzie 23 Aug 2021 22:34:10 PDT

August 22 2021 Orcas: I4s, I27s, I65s, A42s, A25s, T065Bs Humpbacks: Stitch, Ridge, Tag, Quartz? The excitement continued into the night, as the returned A5 group(s) continued west, past Robson Bight and into silence by 1:26am. We did not hear any I15 calls, so the ÒmissingÓ I4s whom we thought may have gone east with the A42s and A25s were not necessarily present. Around the same time, a humpback gave a few lazy groans, and a little while later some clear Pacific White-Sided dolphin chatter rang through Blackney Pass. These waters are very much alive! For the next few hours, with the flooding tide hindering the general westward movement, the different groups Òtag-teamedÓ their vocals as we heard one group, then another, then the first group again. Keeping us on our toes with brief calls, leaving us to piece together the puzzle! Just before 4am, a very brief bout of distant I15 calls in Johnstone Strait signified that our theory about the I4s could be correct, or that the other I15 groups had entered the western Strait. An hour later, an A5 group began to rub on Strider. It was very brief, lasting only three minutes, before they again headed west. We heard lots of echolocation as they approached the Bight at 5:45am, suggesting a hearty breakfast was in order. Back to the I15s, and at 6:45am we heard their faint and short calls in Blackfish Sound. We believe these to be the I27s and I65s, as they were later identified off Donegal Head around 9:23am. Then, the A5s again piped up at 7:39am having continued west, now likely at the western edge of Johnstone Strait. Lance confirmed the A25s westing from Telegraph Cove just before 9:30am, and the morning was quiet until another update from Lance that they had foraged in Beaver Cove for nearly 50 minutes around midday and were just heading out. Shortly after that report, we heard them on our hydrophones and continued to monitor them for several hours. At 1.30pm they were still only around Blinkhorn, heading east and spread from Vancouver Island to Hanson Island. A slow progression, but not for long. They seemed to speed up and by 1:53pm we could see some distant fins from Cracroft Point, around Kaikash Creek. A single I15 call a few minutes later signified that at least some of those groups were back in the Strait, perhaps aiming to catch up with the A5s. It did not take long for the heading whales to approach Kaizumi Rubbing Beach, and they came in to rub at 2:17pm. Close A5 calls and one distinct A4 call signified that the A42s could indeed be here again, travelling with A94 (of the A24s) as they frequently do these days. Puzzle pieces starting to align! Encroaching I15 calls on Kaizumi only a few minutes later told us that they, too, were possibly headed for a rub. Sure enough, within minutes, they had caught up and we heard equally loud A5 and I15 calls amidst the sound of ÒchuffingÓ pebbles. Although it was only a 15-minute rub, we caught some beautiful sounds of the mingled clans, before all headed east towards the Ecological Reserve. They did not waste time. Making a bee-line for the eastern edge of Robson Bight, we saw them zooming east on our remote camera, alongside some excited and a little ÒgoofyÓ calls, with plenty of echolocation. Both I15 and A5 calls could be heard. They cleared the point without hesitation, and headed straight for Strider. Now was our chance to get some visual IDs! The leading whales arrived at the beach at 3:25pm, and our underwater camera caught some incredible footage of the 5 whales speeding past as they rubbed. A few minutes later, we were thrilled to see the lovely ÒopenÓ saddle-patch of Holly/ Sonora (A42), and the distinct fin of Current (A79) confirming her familyÕs presence with the rest. We could identify all of the I27s, members of the I65s and - we are reasonably confident - members of the I4s too! In recent years, the Northern Residents have begun to favour Strider over the historic Main Rubbing Beach. Today, it felt like a small roll-back in time as at least six orcas came into Main for a good few passes of the beach at 3:40pm. Again, we believe we saw I76, the I27s and loud A5 calls signified some others, too. Worth noting that we did not see Surf (A66) from the A42s, or any of the A25s at the beach. Perhaps they continued straight east, offshore, not indulging in the delights of their kin. We watched the fins get smaller and smaller, disappearing to the east off the Main Rubbing Beach. Their calls dwindled, falling silent at 4pm. By 4:07pm, the Cliff reported that they were all now past the Eastern Boundary of the Ecological Reserve, and we have not seen nor heard from them again. Around the same time, the T065Bs were seen off Blinkhorn, heading east, and by 7:10pm they had made it all the way to the eastern edge of the Reserve. The whereabouts of the I4s over the past few days still remains unknown, as this convergence happened mainly at night. Did they stay out west for a couple of days, or go all the way east with the A5s? Perhaps reports or photographs from those around the Campbell River area are yet to come; perhaps we will have to accept that it will remain just another mystery in the lives of these whales.  OrcaLab 22 Aug 2021 21:50:19 PDT

August 21 2021 Orcas: I27s, I65s, [A42s,A25s and possibly I4s eastern Johnstone Strait] Humpbacks: Tag, Quartz, Stitch, Ridge On the surface of things this day was fairly straight forward, only it was not! The orcas indeed went west the previous evening and spent time in Queen Charlotte Strait over night before turning up mid morning off Donegal Head. At 10:16am Jared reported that they were heading towards Stubbs Island. We began to hear distant calls soon afterward but before 10:30am they were clearly headed into Weynton Passage. An hour later (11:36am) we heard their distant calls as they entered Johnstone Strait and began to head east. Their progress was quite slow. By now, we understood that it was the just the I27s and the I65s. The I4s were not there. Yesterday, we had a hunch that there had been a change that probably began from the time the A42s and A25s headed far to the east the day before. Our biggest question was, did the A42s and the A25s entice the I4s away from their constant companions, the I65s? In their absence the I27s seemed to have stepped in and were now ÒtogetherÓ with the I65s. We had watched for weeks the I27s move to their own drummer, for the most part in the same general area as the others but most times acting and moving quite independently. As this day unfolded we got to see how integrated they were becoming with the I65s. Just after they entered the I27s shifted closer to the Hanson Island side of mid strait. The I65s took the middle road and stayed pretty much together. Then after a forage the I27s fell in step behind the I65s and the two groups proceeded east mid strait. Their distant calls shifted between the hydrophones, first on the far reaching Strider hydrophone to that of Cracroft Point. As they neared the entrance to Blackney Pass they were briefly heard on the Parson Island hydrophone at 12:51pm. Less than half an hour later it was KaizumiÕs turn when the whales began to angle into the beach there. At 1:37pm, both groups went in for a rub. It was a long, long rub of nearly an hour, perhaps the longest rub we have witnessed at this location. Uninterrupted, undisturbed, these two families enjoyed their relaxed time there. At 2:31pm they moved on and resumed their eastern travels along the Vancouver Island shore. Just after 3pm, they entered the Ecological Reserve. The Robson Bight hydrophone picked up their approach and the remote camera soon located their advancing fins. By now they had spread out. From 3:49pm to 4:03pm their calls and echo location were clear, at times intense, and increasingly close as they neared and passed the eastern headland (called Critical Point) of the Bight. Their next ÒstopÓ was Strider Beach for another rub which began at 4:22pm. Again both groups participated. This rub was much shorter, lasting eighteen minutes. The orcas never ventured to the Main Beach just east of Strider but turned back to the west. The Wardens reported at 5pm that they were westbound toward Critical Point. They stopped calling, confounding our ability to track their movements from there. But a final report for the day from the whale watchers mentioned that it looked like the I27s were headed back into Weynton Passage around 8pm. An hour later we heard a single very distant call still in Johnstone Strait which we understood to be very far to the west. We have not yet heard any calls on the other side of Weynton Passage in Blackfish Sound so once again we are left with only a vague sense of their possible location and a guess that they have left for Queen Charlotte Strait once more. If so, their day simply consisted of one turn around the Johnstone Strait ÒboardwalkÓ. A few side notes: the Hanson Island gang got together with the Wardens at Boat Bay. This is a long standing tradition. Quin, Helena, Paul and Kamilla held the ÒfortÓ at the Lab. In the morning, the Wardens piled everyone into their large zodiac for the ride back to the Lab. Everyone had a great time and it was said, it was like visiting cousins, related through the work of observing and caring for the whales. In the morning, before everyone got back, Helena noted the large haul out of Harbour Seals occupying the same rocks used by the Sea Lions later in the Fall. They looked pretty content until an equally large curious kayak group passed by close. When Helena next looked the seals were gone. Pity! Mike Durban drove up and was picked up by Paul in the Sonic early in the morning. Mike is here to help with putting together another underwater camera housing! They need the low tide in the morning to look at the site. They came back to the Lab and got to work right away. It should be an exciting project.  OrcaLab 21 Aug 2021 22:19:54 PDT

August 20 2021 Orcas: I65s, I27s, I4s, [lower Johnstone Strait: A42s, A25s] Humpbacks: Need to really go back a day and talk about humpbacks. Kamilla, who is here as a volunteer, has been totally dedicated to trying to understand the humpbacks who frequent Blackney Pass. She has become so familiar with some that she will take one look, and not necessarily with any visual aid, and easily declare to the rest of us, who it is. She keeps an eye on the Pass throughout the day observing the movements of individuals. This is not easy. To study the humpbacks from land requires long hours of observation, waiting for a good look of either the dorsal fin or if really lucky a fluke presented in just the right way for a photograph. The habits of these whales also tends to confound the land observer as they are most often on the far side of the Pass. The distance makes the task harder, and in the summer, heat waves distort the images. The humpbacks flow in and out of the Pass exchanging places with each other constantly so one has to be on their toes to spot a new arrival. Digital photography and a copy of the good Marine Education and Research Society (MERS) catalogue really help. Even then sometimes we need to reach out for extra help. A case in point. Yesterday, Kam photographed a pair of humpbacks close to each other. She wondered immediately if this was a mum and young one. With only the dorsal fins to go on we began a search of the catalogue for a match. MERS has identified a lot of humpbacks. They have organised the catalogue to show both the underside of the flukes and the dorsal fins for most. Our photo was okay but not close so it would prove difficult. A list of possibles was compiled and then the best guesses were put forward to Jackie Hildering of MERS. Jackie replied immediately to Kam’s email, “Stingray”! A first sighting for this year and she was with a young one whose identity was not yet known and possibly belonging to Stingray. Yea!! If only Stingray had shown her flukes too! She has beautifully white flukes earning her the designation of BCZuk2011#7 (BC for British Columbia, Z for the proportion of white on the tail). She was first identified in this area in 2011. Kam was thrilled to contribute to the 2021 sighting’s list. Great work all round. For those following (and Kam is included here too) the orcas, it proved a quiet night after yesterday’s groups travelled east out of the range of our hydrophones just after 9pm. We had a sneaking feeling that the A42s would draw everyone to their favourite haunts in the lower Johnstone Strait and, heaven forbid, even possibly into the Salish Sea beyond. It was with relief then when just before 6am we heard distant calls. Sure enough the I15 groups were on their way back. By 7:18am they were opposite both the Main and Strider Beaches within the Ecological Reserve. They did not stop to rub but resolutely carried on to the west. As I65 and her young one, I165, rolled past there were some wonderful calls. Before 8am they reached Robson Bight. Close to shore, the I65s curled around the point and into the Bight. They went deep into the Bight skirting the shoreline all the way to the Estuary. We followed them on the remote camera. It was a beautiful morning. No fog, no wind to speak of, just early morning light on the sea partially shadowed by the high mountains of Vancouver Island. On their westward trek they stopped every so often for a bite of breakfast before moving on. This slowed their progress. By the time they neared the Bight’s western headland, the Alert Bay seiner, the Western Moon had motored by to do a test set on the opposite side of the Bight. Everyone, whales included, so occupied for a while, eventually went on their separate ways. The I65s kept going along the Vancouver Island shore and we would learn later from Gary on the Skana that the I27s had opted for the Cracroft Shore and were up to the Sophia Islands by 9:19am. By then the others were passing Kaizumi Beach, still spread out., still somewhat vocal. As they carried on their calls dropped off by 10:37am. We did not hear them again until nearly noon. By then they were fairly far west. At 1:15pm they were reported off Telegraph and Beaver Coves. Their calls would remain distant for the rest of the afternoon. The I27s, independent as ever, did not immediately make it as far as the others. Jared reported that they found them off Big Bay, mid Hanson Island. Later we were able to actually find them on the Cracroft Point remote camera. They were then mid strait, foraging with only a slightly eastward inclination. I77 looked very intent on finding food and was closer to Hanson Island. All this time there was no indication that the A5s (the A42s and A25s) were anywhere nearby. Later, we were informed that they were near Nodales Channel, and not far from Thurston Bay on Sonora Island in the Lower Johnstone Strait at 3:30pm. As the Wardens came to collect our gang for a night at Boat Bay (a long standing annual tradition) around 4pm, the I15s were still in the same general area to the west in Johnstone Strait.Every so often we could make out their distant blows and calls. Finally by 5:30pm both the blows and calls had disappeared. Thinking that perhaps they went into Weynton Pass on the ebb we waited for their calls to come from the other side in Blackfish Sound. It was a long unsatisfying wait. Then at 7:34pm, in the middle of dinner, Momoko (in Japan) heard calls. But there was no joy in finding out where the calls were coming from as they ended as soon as the recording was started. At 9:04pm, pretty much the same story, calls but no source. The night is not over but at this point we still are imagining that the I15 groups elected to continue west into Queen Charlotte Strait, encouraged by the currents and their old habits of late. A humpback,making a few sounds as the moon rose over Blackney Pass, provided a fitting reminder of how this summary started, with a bow to the lovely humpbacks who fill our days with their presence and soon our nights with their songs. OrcaLab 20 Aug 2021 22:04:20 PDT

August 19 2021 Orcas: A42s (?A94), A25s, I4s, I27s, I65s Humpbacks:Stitch, Argonaut, Hunter, Ridge, Stingray (with possible young one!) Not entirely a quiet night. From 1:17am to 2:27am the I15 groups though never close lingered in Blackfish Sound. A not so distant humpback also chimed in around 2am, first with breaths then lovely moaning bordering on the beginnings of song. From the very big to the very small, snapping shrimps punctuated the Blackfish Sound soundscape around 3am. The rest of the night was uneventful. Just after 6am, the I15s came back! For the next half an hour they made their way into Weynton Passage and from there into Johnstone Strait. They headed east. As we waited to track their progress a sea otter swam past the Lab at 9:27am. More common further west we have only ever seen a few sea otters. Classically swimming on his back he had several looks back at all of us staring at him! A few minutes later came word of the I15s in Johnstone Strait just off the southwest corner of Hanson Island. From there they crossed over to the Vancouver Island shore. By 11:13am they were approaching Kaiaksh Creek all the while vocal. In the next hour they moved closer to Robson Bight and approached its eastern headland. A mere fifteen minutes later they were already approaching Strider Beach. The rub for the I65s started at 12:36pm. Surprisingly, the I27s began a rub at the Main Beach at 12:42pm while the rub at Strider continued. Our attention toggled between the two sites. I107, in particular, seemed to enjoy going back and forth along the Main beach. His mum, I27 and brother I77 had preceded him there but now moved further offshore together indicating their intention of going west. I107, as his rub ended at 12:50pm, caught up with the rest of his family, and after some hesitation and changes in direction, they formed a line together and moved toward Strider Beach. By 12:59pm, the rub for the I65s and the I4s at Strider was concluding and they too were moving away. The I27s now had an opportunity to make for Strider where they rubbed from 1:08pm until 1:13pm. The progress of these groups west was probably stayed by the next unfolding events. Cory, on the Discovery Skiff, happened to pass a lone male going in circles way to the west near Weynton Island. Just as we pondered who this might be, at 1:40pm we heard ÒAÓ calls!!!! The I15s, still closer to Strider, answered excitedly and immediately. Reports flowed in. ÒAsÓ were simultaneously heard on the Telegraph Cove hydrophone confirming our impressions that these new arrivals were coming to Johnstone Strait from Weynton Passage. As we strained to hear the calls through the heavy water slop of the strong northwest winds and the persistent boat noise, rumours and guesses abounded in all the excitement. It had been a long time since anyone had seen or heard different groups. Clarity came as the new whales travelled eastward. At 2:06pm they were reported off Blinkhorn and in a hurry! Twelve minutes later the lead group was off Kaikash Creek. Their calls became clearer and we began to understand that we were listening to A5 calls. There had been reports of the A25s (part of the A5s) but this did not account for the number of whales present. The A25s have been travelling mostly with the A23s. But as the whales appeared at Kaizumi Beach at 2:31pm and began a rub a minute later, the consensus was that here was the A42s and not the A23s. The A25s had apparently decided on different travelling companions! No complaints. Way up north, Janie had heard A5s and A30s yesterday so maybe we can surmise that she was hearing the A23s. After these whales crisscrossed the beach, above and just under the surface, for seven minutes, they porpoised away to the east. We did not see A66 participate in the rub but Scotty of Prince of Whales had snapped his picture earlier. As this group neared Robson Bight, the I15s became vocal too. The I15s (possibly the I27s) then turned ahead of the new groups and led them toward Strider Beach. 3:29pm was the start of the next rub session. The I27s were ÒinÓ first. As the I15 calls shifted east toward Main, the A5s were getting ready for Strider. From 3:59pm to 3:44pm both beaches were busy with mostly the A5s but some of the I15s as well. A61 went to his ÒfavouriteÓ Main Beach with two others while the Strider rub was finishing up. The activity at Main wrapped up at 3:49pm. Despite the now ebbing tide, the whales had stayed at the Beaches through the slack tide, everyone went east. They curled their way along the shoreline. The I15s, all this long time they have been in the area have not ventured very far east but perhaps the joy of being with other members of their community who love the eastern parts of Johnstone Strait encouraged them to do so. We can be somewhat reassured that those who go east will eventually return. We will be waiting!  OrcaLab 19 Aug 2021 21:41:10 PDT August 18 2021 Orcas: I4s, I27s and I65s, report of A30s and A5s. Humpbacks: Argonaut, Stitch, Ridge, Guardian, Tag, Quartz, a few unidentified The day started well for our friends and colleagues up north: Janie Wray and her team at BC Whales heard distinct A30 and A5 calls at their Fin Island station at 5:45am! Using their unique and clever triangulation system, they detected that these whales were moving south. We have been wondering where the A30 groups have got to, as we would usually be seeing them much more regularly this time of year. We so hope that they continue south and come this way! It is a long way, but they have been known to do it in just three days... Here at the lab, our day started fairly early, too. We picked up the calls of the I15 groups once again on our Parson Island hydrophone, and a few minutes later we saw our first fins in Blackney Pass. The I27s were first, mid-channel, leading the brigade in the overcast, breezy morning. The I4s and I65s came together at 6:43am and followed suit. We saw a few lovely spy-hops from the tailing group around 7am. They cleared shortly afterwards, and had made it to Bold Head by 8:40am. We waved goodbye to our good friends - the Weinbergs - after their few days with us on Hanson Island. Lots of fun was had by all! Until the next time Linda, Hal, Sarah and Eric. The orcas seemingly did not mill around, taking Weynton Passage into the Strait and back into range of our Cracroft Point hydrophone just after 10am. Perhaps another day of loop-the-loops around Hanson?! Well, they certainly tried. We tracked their calls through to Parson Island, and saw those teeny dorsals in our southmost view at 11:06am. Once again, the I27s led the way and they tried to battle the strong flood for a good while, before admitting defeat and turning back to the Strait by 11:41am. During this time the whales were incredibly vocal. We were to find out later that the I65s and I4s were just out of our view around the corner, closer to Johnstone Strait. We also noted a couple of sea lions diving around them, perhaps a fish foraging frenzy was had by all. On the "CP" remote camera, we spotted the I65s and I4s returning south toward the Strait. Very slowly, they headed southeast; crossing Johnstone Strait towards the Kaikash Creek area. There, a group of Pacific White-Sided dolphins accompanied them for the remainder of the day. At 1:45pm, Patrick caught sight of three fins angling towards Kaizumi Rubbing Beach, and all three of the I27s came in for the briefest rub - just one pass of the beach before continuing their very slow meander to the east. The other groups were not far behind, and followed at 2:21pm. We believe a mixture of the I4s and I65s rubbed, associating still with the dolphins, but neither I122 or I76 - the big males - were seen. They were hanging more offshore, also heading east. They continued their eastward trajectory, and entered the precious, protected waters of the Robson Bight (Michael Bigg) Ecological Reserve shortly before 3pm. They foraged, frolicked and called for the next hour, as they moved ever closer to the hydrophone. In waves, we saw them pass Critical Point and onwards to the rubbing beaches. The I27s were first (of course!) beginning their rub at 4:02pm. It wasnÕt long until the others caught up, and once again we caught some mesmerizing over and under-water footage. Their characteristic ÒsquarksÓ and ÒtrillsÓ rang through the speakers, as the blows were heard from our surface microphone. Although we are well familiar with this incredible behaviour, at no point does it become normalised. Each event we capture on our systems is just as awe-inspiring as the first. All at once, it was decided that the rub was over. The I65s and I4s left first, and a few minutes later the I27s followed. By 4:25pm the beach was empty, and the whales had all turned back to the west. We believe the I4s and I65s must have continued west along the Vancouver Island shore, as we have not seen them since, but we tracked a group of vocals passing through the Bight and past Kaizumi. The I27s, however, crossed over to the Cracroft Island side, favouring it as they often do. We caught sight of them from CP just after 6pm, and it looked like they were angling towards Blackney Pass. I77 teased the entrance to the Pass, but no fins ever came up in our view. We ÔguestimateÕ that they continued west, too toward Weynton Passage. Shortly before 8:30pm, we picked up their calls and echolocation again in Blackfish Sound as they emerged from Weynton Passage and crossed the western end of Blackfish Sound. The ÒexcitedÓ vocals from the I15 groups today will hang over our dreams; wondering if they know something that we donÕt. OrcaLab 19 Aug 2021 05:12:55 PDT