Written by Alison
on Jun 26, 2023

Whale Report: June 14, 2023 AM – Bigg’s in San Juan Channel

Whale Report: June 14, 2023 AM – Bigg’s in San Juan Channel

June 14, 2023 -We got really lucky today with a report of Orcas super close to Friday Harbor in the San Juan Islands.  We headed north and took a look at Speiden Island first.  There we saw a few Bald Eagles and some Harbor Seals.  Next we headed towards the killer whales that were now in San Juan Channel.  Just as we arrived we saw a “blood bubble” come to the surface, so we knew they had just made a kill.  It was all very subtle, but the group of 7 Bigg’s, marine mammal eating, Killer Whales were just going back and forth in this one area.  The group consisted of 6 of the 124A martiline including 124A, a 39 year old female, her oldest daughter, 124A1 who is now 27 and has no offspring of her own, her 4th offspring, 124A4 a13 year old female with a young calf, a 7 year old son, 124A6; and her youngest 124A7 who was first seen in late 2021.  Also traveling with them to day was her brother “Cooper” who is a beautiful adult male at the age of 31.  Tail slaps seemed to be the theme of the day and it was fun to watch all the variations of this behavior.  Eventually they grouped up and ventured into Spieiden Channel.  It was time for us to go, so we took a quick run up into Boundary Pass, then Flat Top Island where there were loads of Pigeon Guillemots then back to Friday Harbor.

 

Photographer and Naturalist: Alison Engle – Instagram: @Alisonengleart – Website: www.alisonengle.com

Western Prince Wildlife Adventures – Instagram: @Westernprincewildlife – Facebook: Western Prince Whale Watching

Written by Alison
on Jun 26, 2023

Whale Report: June 14, 2023 AM – Bigg’s in San Juan Channel

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