The Whale Hotline

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The Whale Hotline Recent Data

Hotline Last Updated:

6/28/09


Blank fields mean no information was provided by caller.

View a series of graphs that show since 1978 when the orcas were seen in the San Juan and Canadian Gulf islands, and in Puget Sound (south of the San Juans).

Also see monthly arrivals and departures of each pod since 1976.


SightDate Time Location Species Count Direction Pod Comments
6/27/2009 19:30 Andrews Bay Orca     J  
6/27/2009 15:30 Flint Beach Orca 15+ W    
6/27/2009 13:25 Iceberg Point Minke 1      
6/27/2009 13:25 Iceberg Point Orca        
6/27/2009 11:30 Bellingham Channel Orca   S    
6/27/2009 10:30 Everett Gray 1     Feeding in the shallows
6/27/2009 5:15 Possession Beach humpback? 1 S    
6/26/2009 17:00 Maury Island Orca 3      
6/26/2009 15:30 Active Pass Orca ~12 E    
6/26/2009 15:30 Eagle Point Orca   NW L  
6/26/2009 15:00 Active Pass Orca ~10 E   2-3 males in group
6/26/2009 14:45 Everett Gray 2     Feeding - saw lots of feeding pits NW of Everett
6/26/2009 14:10 Salmon Bank Orca   NW K  
6/26/2009 13:30 Salmon Bank Minke 2      
6/26/2009 13:00 Otter Bay Orca   N J  
6/26/2009 12:00 Pender Island Bluffs Orca   N J  
6/26/2009 11:17 Orcasound hydrophone array Orca        
6/26/2009 8:30 Spee-Bi-Dah Gray 1      
6/26/2009   Village Bay, Mayne Is, BC Orca     J Seen in the afternoon
6/26/2009   Salmon Bank Minke 2     Foraging
6/25/2009 18:30 Orcasound hydrophone array Orca   N SRs  
6/25/2009 17:00 Hannah Heights Orca     JKLp? All three groups met up - lots of socializing and behaviors
6/25/2009 15:30 Land Bank Orca   N SRs  
6/25/2009 15:30 Land Bank Orca   N then S J  
6/25/2009 13:30 False Bay Orca 16+     2 adult males in group - actively feeding
6/25/2009 12:00 West Beach Gray 2     One large and one smaller whale
6/25/2009   Swirl Island, near Lopez Island Minke 1      
6/25/2009   San Juan Island, W side Orca   N JKLp  
6/24/2009 15:00 West Beach Gray 2      
6/24/2009 11:40 Port Angeles Gray 2      
6/24/2009   Swirl Island Minke 1      
6/23/2009 15:52 Orcasound hydrophone array Orca        
6/23/2009 13:30 Flint Beach Minke 1 E    
6/23/2009 7:30 Swiftsure Bank, Strait of Juan de Fuca entrance Orca   W Lp  
6/23/2009   Swirl Island Minke 1      
6/22/2009 21:30 OR - Siuslaw River Orca 4+     Moving upriver - many seals up there
6/22/2009 17:58 Orcasound hydrophone array Orca        
6/22/2009 17:43 Lime Kiln hydrophone array Orca   S    
6/22/2009 17:15 Lime Kiln State Park Orca     J  
6/22/2009 17:08 Orcasound hydrophone array Orca        
6/22/2009 16:30 Orcasound hydrophone array Orca   S    
6/22/2009 15:15 Turn Point Orca   SW JKpLp  
6/22/2009 14:25 Nodule Point Orca 6-7 N    
6/22/2009 14:00 Boundary Pass Orca   SW JKLp  
6/22/2009 13:40 Bush Point Orca   N    
6/22/2009 12:25 East Point, Saturna Orca 40+ S    
6/22/2009 12:17 Orcasound hydrophone array Orca        
6/22/2009 12:15 Orcasound hydrophone array Orca        
6/22/2009 10:24 Point Roberts Lighthouse Marine Park Orca   S SRs  
6/22/2009 9:07 Coal Docks (Westshore Terminals) Orca   S SRs  
6/22/2009   Coal Docks (Westshore Terminals) Orca   S JKLp  
6/22/2009   Hannah Heights Orca     JKLp  
6/21/2009 21:00 Point Roberts Lighthouse Marine Park - keep Orca     SRs  
6/21/2009 20:05 Hannah Heights Minke 1 S    
6/21/2009 16:10 Boundary Pass Orca     JKL Superpod!
6/21/2009 16:10 Stuart Island, NW side Orca   N JKL  
6/21/2009 16:00 Kellett Bluff Orca   S JKL  
6/21/2009 15:30 West Beach Gray 2      
6/21/2009 15:00 Thieves Bay Orca   S KLp  
6/21/2009 15:00 Turn Point Orca   S JKL  
6/21/2009 15:00 Salmon Bank Minke 3      
6/21/2009 15:00 Mutiny Bay Orca 7-8   Ts  
6/21/2009 15:00 Mutiny Bay Orca 7+ mill    
6/21/2009 14:30 Active Pass Orca   S SRs  
6/21/2009 14:30 Orcasound hydrophone array Orca   N J  
6/21/2009 14:30 Active Pass Orca   S KpLp  
6/21/2009 14:00 Nanaimo Orca 5+ NW   One adult male and 2 calves in group
6/21/2009 13:45 Eagle Point Orca   N J  
6/21/2009 13:30 Kellett Bluff Orca     J Feeding
6/21/2009 13:26 Orcasound hydrophone array Orca     J?  
6/21/2009 13:10 Andrews Bay Orca   N JL12s  
6/21/2009 13:00 Keystone ferry Orca 4 mill    
6/21/2009 12:00 Lime Kiln State Park Orca     JLp  
6/21/2009 11:00 Lopez Island, S end Orca 20+      
6/21/2009 10:55 Salmon Bank Orca     SRs  
6/21/2009 10:30 Eagle Point Orca   N L12s  
6/21/2009 10:30 Flint Beach Orca 12+ W    
6/21/2009 10:30 Iceberg Point Orca   S J  
6/21/2009   West Beach Gray 2      
6/20/2009 20:45 Campbell River Orca 15+ S SRs  
6/20/2009 20:30 Discovery Passage Orca 24-26 S SRs  
6/20/2009 20:20 Bush Point Orca 4-5 S    
6/20/2009 20:10 Quadra Island Orca 15+ S SRs 6 in one group; 9 in another
6/20/2009 18:50 Lagoon Point Orca       milling/feeding - no adult male in group
6/20/2009 18:30 Coal Docks (Westshore Terminals) Orca   N JKp Only K20 and K28 were traveling with Js
6/20/2009 17:30 Tsawassen ferry, BC Orca   N    
6/20/2009 16:55 Point Roberts Lighthouse Marine Park Orca   N SRs  
6/20/2009 16:45 Keystone ferry Minke 1 W    
6/20/2009 13:00 Turn Point Orca   NE J  
6/20/2009 11:48 Orcasound hydrophone array Orca        
6/20/2009 11:30 Andrews Bay Orca   N J Traveling fairly close to shore
6/20/2009 11:00 Lime Kiln hydrophone array Orca        
6/20/2009 7:00 Point Roberts Gray 1      
6/20/2009 5:30 Hannah Heights Orca   S    
6/20/2009   Pedder Bay Orca 3   Ts 49A, 49A1, and 49A2
6/20/2009   Campbell River Orca   S Ts T2s, 14, 20 and 21 ID'd
6/19/2009 20:30 Point Roberts Orca   S   At least one male in group
6/19/2009 20:30 Point Roberts Lighthouse Marine Park Orca   S J  
6/19/2009 19:00 Point Roberts Orca   S J  
6/19/2009 16:00 Parry Bay Orca   W L12s  
6/19/2009 13:30 Constance Bank Orca     L12s  
6/19/2009 10:00 Active Pass, E end Orca   E    
6/19/2009   Port Renfrew Orca   E Ts  
6/19/2009   Sturgeon Bank Orca     J Foraging
6/18/2009 19:10 Race Passage Orca     JKpL12 Only K20 and K38 were traveling with these whales
6/18/2009 11:00 OR - Stonewall Banks Orca 3 S    
6/18/2009   Friday Harbor, entrance to Minke 1      
6/18/2009   Whidbey Island Naval Air Station Gray 2      
6/17/2009 21:00 Hannah Heights Orca   N    
6/17/2009 20:45 False Bay Orca     L12s  
6/17/2009 19:00 OR - Langlois Orca 2+ N    
6/17/2009 17:00 False Bay Orca   E L12s  
6/17/2009 16:25 Whidbey Island Naval Air Station Gray 2      
6/17/2009 13:30 Cattle Point Orca   N L12s  
6/17/2009 10:45 False Bay Orca     L12s  
6/17/2009   Whidbey Island Naval Air Station Gray        
6/17/2009   South Beach Orca 3 W    
6/17/2009   Hannah Heights Orca     Lp  
6/16/2009 18:00 Secretary (Donaldson) Island - keep Orca   E L12s  
6/16/2009 18:00 Flint Beach Minke 1      
6/16/2009 16:00 Otter Point - keep Orca   E L12s  
6/16/2009 14:50 OR - Yachats Orca 5 SW Ts 1-2 males in group; saw them tear a sea lion in half.
6/16/2009 10:00 CA - Fort Bragg Orca 4-6 N    
6/16/2009 9:30 Nisqually Reach Harbor Porpoise 25+ SW    
6/16/2009   Victoria Humpback 2 E   BCY0160 and BCX1057 ID'd
6/15/2009 16:00 Tacoma Minke 1      
6/15/2009 16:00 Otter Bay Orca 2 N Ts?  
6/15/2009 16:00 Beaver Point, Saltspring Island Orca 2 N Ts T20 and T21
6/15/2009 15:30 Constance Bank Orca     Ts  
6/15/2009 11:00 West Beach Gray 2-3      
6/15/2009 9:00 Neah Bay Orca 2+ N    
6/15/2009   Quadra Island Orca     Ts T2s, 90s and 14 ID'd
6/15/2009   CA - Monterey Canyon Orca 8-10     No adult males in group
6/14/2009 14:25 OR - Nehalem Bay Orca 3     Very close to shore
6/14/2009 13:15 Gedney (Hat) Island Gray 1      
6/13/2009 14:45 Joseph Whidbey State park Gray 2      
6/13/2009 10:35 Kingston Orca 3+ S   2 adults in group
6/12/2009 13:10 Pile Point Humpback 1 NW    
6/12/2009 12:30 Land Bank Humpback 1 N    
6/12/2009 11:30 CA - Casper Headlands Orca 4-5 N    
6/12/2009 11:00 Quadra Island Orca 3 N Ts T10s ID'd
6/12/2009 8:40 Richmond Beach orca? 1 S    
6/11/2009 13:25 Eagle Cove Orca        
6/11/2009 11:05 West Beach Gray 1 S    
6/11/2009   Cattle Point Orca     KpL12s K20 and K38 only with L12s - lots of activity
6/11/2009   Deception Pass Humpback 1      
6/11/2009   OR - Nesquin Orca 5      
6/10/2009 17:12 Hannah Heights Orca   N then S KpL12s K20 and K38 only with L12s
6/10/2009 15:30 San Juan Island, W side Orca     L12s  
6/10/2009 13:15 False Bay Orca     KpL12s K20 and K38 only with L12s; actively foraging
6/10/2009 9:48 Salmon Bank Orca     KpL12s K20 and K38 only with L12s
6/10/2009   Halibut Island Orca   N Ts T10s and 2 others
6/10/2009   Seabird Point Orca 2   Ts T20 and T21 ID'd
6/10/2009   San Juan Island, S end (default) - keep Orca     KpL12s K20 and K38 only with L12s
6/10/2009   Point no Point, Kitsap Peninsula Harbor Porpoise        
6/10/2009   OR - Manzanita Orca        
6/10/2009   Victoria Orca 3   Ts T87, 88 and 97 ID'd
6/9/2009 18:15 Active Pass, E end Orca 2 S Kp K20 and K38 only
6/9/2009 17:40 OR - Depoe Bay Orca 8+ S Ts T125, 127 ID'd
6/9/2009 13:00 CA - Point Arena Orca 5      
6/9/2009 12:48 Turn Point Orca 2   Kp K20 and K38 only.
6/9/2009 12:00 Battleship Island Orca 2 N Kp K20 and K38 only.
6/9/2009 10:00 Hannah Heights Orca        
6/9/2009   OR - Depoe Bay Orca 8-9     2 adult males
6/8/2009 19:30 OR - Otter Rock Orca 4 N   1 calf in group. Big show right off shore with a lot of breaching, rolling around, tail slapping, etc. for over an hour before continuing N
6/8/2009 19:00 OR - Otter Rock Orca 4 N   One adult male in group
6/8/2009 17:30 Point Partridge Orca 2 SE Kp K20 and K38 only
6/8/2009 16:30 Ebeys Landing Orca   S    
6/8/2009 14:15 Ediz Hook Orca 2 SE Kp K20 and K38 only
6/8/2009 13:30 Dungeness Spit, 3 mi NE Orca 2   Kp K20 and K38 only
6/8/2009   Sekiu River Gray 1      
6/7/2009 18:30 False Bay, 2 mi W Orca 2 S Kp K20 and K38 only
6/7/2009   Point no Point, Kitsap Peninsula Harbor Porpoise        
6/6/2009 18:30 Joseph Whidbey State park Gray 1 S    
6/6/2009 16:45 Commencement Bay Harbor Porpoise 6+ S    
6/6/2009 14:00 East Point, Saturna Orca 2   Kp K20 and K38 only
6/6/2009 12:16 Joseph Whidbey State park Gray 1      
6/6/2009   Tatoosh Island, 1.5 mi WSW of Orca 6-7     One adult male had tightly curled top to dorsal fin
6/5/2009 16:30 Whidbey Island Naval Air Station Gray 2      
6/4/2009 12:20 Anacortes ferry terminal Orca        
6/4/2009 11:30 CA - Big Sur Orca 2+      
6/4/2009   Powell River Orca 1 N T T14 ID'd
6/4/2009   Whidbey Island Naval Air Station Gray 1      
6/4/2009   Port Townsend Bay Gray 1     Bumped up against the bottom of a boat
6/3/2009 14:00 Hein Bank Minke 3      
6/3/2009   Port Townsend Bay minke? 1     Had also been seeing a gray whale in the same area for the last few days
6/3/2009   Whidbey Island Naval Air Station Gray 2      
6/2/2009 18:30 Sooke Orca 2 W L12s L89 and L22 ID'd
6/2/2009 15:45 Francisco Point, Quadra Island Orca 5   Ts T2s? And T14
6/2/2009 15:23 OR - Cape Meares Orca 2 N    
6/2/2009 15:00 Race Rocks - keep Orca   W L12s  
6/2/2009 14:25 Quadra Island Orca 4-6   Ts  
6/2/2009 14:20 Whidbey Island Naval Air Station Gray 2     One larger, one smaller
6/2/2009 8:45 OR - Depoe Bay Orca 3-4 N    
6/2/2009 7:00 OR - Yaquina Head Orca 5     One male
6/2/2009   Albert Head Orca   W L12s  
6/1/2009 16:00 Dungeness Spit, 3 mi NE Orca 3   Ts Took a harbor seal
6/1/2009 14:20 Whidbey Island Naval Air Station Gray 1      
6/1/2009 10:00 North Beach (cove north of Lime Kiln) Elephant Seal 1      
6/1/2009 8:30 Kalaloch Orca 2 N   One adult male
6/1/2009 7:15 CA - Monterey Bay Orca 3 E   2 adults and 1 calf; heading towards beach where seals/SLs haul out.
6/1/2009   North Beach (cove north of Lime Kiln) Elephant Seal 1     Very vocal - hauled out on beach. Kayaks also on beach.
6/1/2009   Boundary Bay Gray 1      
6/1/2009   Whidbey Island Naval Air Station Gray 2     One larger, one smaller
5/31/2009 20:00 Point no Point, Kitsap Peninsula Orca 6-7 S   Traveling in two groups
5/31/2009 18:32 Bush Point Orca 3 S    
5/31/2009 16:30 Point Wilson Orca 18 E Ts T30s, 100s, 101s, 124s, 90 and 90B ID'd
5/31/2009 13:20 Sequim, 6 mi N Orca ~16   Ts  
5/31/2009 11:00 Jervis Inlet Orca 6-8 NE   One adult and 1 juvenile in group
5/31/2009 11:00 Discovery Island Orca 3 W Ts T12A, 109A, 109A2 ID'd
5/31/2009 10:00 Port Townsend Bay Gray 1      
5/31/2009   Eagle Point Minke 1      
5/31/2009   Middle Bank Minke 1      
5/30/2009 20:00 Port Townsend Bay Gray 1      
5/30/2009 16:30 Hein Bank Minke 2     Foraging
5/30/2009 14:00 OR - Port Orford Orca ~20     Came right up to boat - some rubbed against it
5/30/2009   William Head, 2 mi E Orca 1   T T40 ID'd
5/30/2009   Stuart Island, BC Humpback 1      
5/29/2009 18:00 Port Hardy Orca   E L  
5/29/2009 14:15 OR - Three Arch Capes Orca 2 S    
5/29/2009   Whidbey Island Naval Air Station Gray 1     Feeding close to shore
5/29/2009   Smith Island Minke 1      
5/28/2009 16:00 North Beach (cove north of Lime Kiln) Elephant Seal 1     Smaller animal on shore - beginnings of a molt
5/27/2009 14:15 Whidbey Island Naval Air Station Gray 1      
5/27/2009 13:00 Whidbey Island Naval Air Station Gray 1      
5/27/2009 12:00 Whidbey Island Naval Air Station Gray 2      
5/27/2009 9:30 Spee-Bi-Da Gray 1     Feeding
5/27/2009   Kayak Point Gray 1 N    
Abbreviations:

SRs = Southern Residents

T=Transient orcas
Offs=Offshore orcas
SJI=San Juan Island
BC=British Columbia
VI=Vancouver Island, BC

If you see whales or marine mammal strandings in the Puget Sound and Washington coast area, call the Whale Hotline and report your sighting: 1-800-562-8832 (this number is to report sightings only).
OR e-mail us at hotline@whalemuseum.org. Please give us the date, time, location, species, and if possible, number of animals, and direction they were traveling.

Note: The Whale Museum does not have the resources to confirm the accuracy of the Hotline reports it receives.

© 2005, The Whale Museum. Information contained in the Hotline Update is the property of The Whale Museum, and reproduction or reprinting of Hotline material requires written permission from The Whale Museum.