West Seattle, Washington
30 Tuesday
(Added 8:57 pm, photo by Jamie Kinney)
6:12 PM: Thanks to Jay for the tip! He says orcas just passed Dilworth on Vashon Island’s eastern shore, northbound, so they could be visible soon from west-facing West Seattle.
7:02 PM: Eastbound – toward West Seattle! – in the Fauntleroy ferry lanes, says Kersti Muul.
Orcas are visible off West Seattle again – heading northbound along the east side of Blake Island at last report. Thanks to Kersti Muul for the tip!
Thanks to Kersti Muul for the tip! Orcas are in the area again, just seen southbound off Blakely Rock, across the Sound from Alki. Let us know if you see them!
Transient orcas, seen in the area a few days ago. are back – reported off Fay Bainbridge State Park and heading southwest about an hour ago, so you’d definitely need binoculars, but this is a heads-up to be on the lookout. (Thanks to Kersti Muul for the tip!)
Thanks to David Hutchinson for sending photos from orcas’ visit to Elliott Bay on Thursday evening.
These were transient orcas, not the Southern Residents.
Unlike the resident whales, transients’ food sources include other mammals – seals, sea lions, even other whales.
David’s photos were taken from Duwamish Head and the Alki promenade.
Orcas are in the area again! The tip comes from Kersti Muul, who says whales are “milling on north en of Blake Island.” Let us know if you see them!
Thanks to Donna Sandstrom from The Whale Trail for calling with word that orcas are northbound off Brace Point, south of Fauntleroy. They’re not currently close to our side of the Sound, though, so take your binoculars.
1:03 PM: Heads-up for whale lovers – Kersti Muul shares the news that southbound orcas were reported mid-channel off Shilshole about half an hour ago, so unless they change their direction, they could be in view now, or soon, off West Seattle. Let us know if you see them!
1:57 PM: Kersti says they’re “Visible with binocs from Alki and Sunset overlook.”
Thanks to Kersti Muul for the tip to keep an eye out for orcas today – as of a short time ago, “Orcas are northbound again at entrance to Colvos Passage. Two groups today – one went south and is at Pt. Defiance.” That’s Tacoma, so you might not see them any time soon, but Colvos Passage is along the west shore of Vashon Island, so if those whales continue heading northbound, they will be in view from here. Let us know if you see them!
7:19 PM: Two tips in the past ~20 minutes report a whale northbound off west-facing West Seattle, toward Fauntleroy at last report. No report yet what species. Let us know if you see it!
7:45 PM: Humpback, says tipster Scott.
7:51 PM: Just got a call from Donna Sandstrom of The Whale Trail, who says it’s a juvenile humpback, moving quickly, should be off Alki Point soon.
Thanks to Kersti Muul for word that there’s a humpback whale in the area, seen in Elliott Bay off Duwamish Head, a few hundred yards out. (If you’re not sure how to ID a humpback, check out this page from The Whale Trail‘s species guide.) Let us know if you see it!
(WSB file photo of Jeff Hogan presenting Killer Whale Tales at a local school)
Learning can be fun … and free … AND focused on fascinating wildlife. Here’s an update from Jeff Hogan of West Seattle-based educational nonprofit Killer Whale Tales:
I have added two additional classes to our weekly lineup: Fish and Chips (what are whales eating and where it is coming from) and the Orca Acoustic Game Show (Learn individual whale calls and win prizes!) .
Classes are open to students of all ages and are designed to meet Washington State Science Standards. A full description and registration information is available here. All classes are being offered, as always, at no cost to the participant!
(Still time to get in on “Game Show” at 12:30 pm today!)
Up for some evening whale-watching? Kersti Muul sends word that transient orcas are in view off Constellation Park (south of Alki Point) right now – “on a kill,” so no particular direction. Let us know if you see them!
A baleen whale has been making its way slowly northbound along West Seattle’s west-facing shores. The person who texted us from The Arroyos said it looks like a gray; now it’s off Point Williams in Lincoln Park, where Kersti Muul says that’s just been confirmed. If you’re near, or north of, there, be on the lookout!
(WSB file photo of Jeff Hogan presenting Killer Whale Tales at a local school)
From Jeff Hogan of Killer Whale Tales:
Hi Neighbors: My West Seattle-based non-profit, Killer Whale Tales, is offering free online classes for students learning at home. (In fact, if you have kids in the area’s schools, I may have already visited with them…) I am offering multiple classes for a limited number of students in each session until we all get back to school. Even if you don’t live in WS we would love to have any kids that you know join us for this science-based activity. Sign up at this link and check back for other classes coming soon.
And yes, we meet WA States Next Generation Science Standards!
Thanks to Bretnie for the tip – orcas, northbound, off Blake Island!
(Added: Photo by Hobey Grote)
Thanks to Kersti Muul for the tip – transient killer whales are in the area, southbound off Fay Bainbridge State Park (map) at last report. Closer to the west side of Puget Sound, though, so you’ll definitely need binoculars.
Kersti Muul reports transient orcas are headed up the west side of Vashon – hard to know how visible they’ll be from here when they emerge by north Vashon, but we’re publishing this heads-up anyway!
(Photo by David Hutchinson, from January visit of Southern Resident Killer Whales)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
“We saved these whales once … we can do it again, but the clock is ticking.”
With warnings like that one, The Whale Trail‘s executive director Donna Sandstrom is doing everything she can. But the Southern Resident Killer Whales need more help, she explained at The Whale Trail’s midwinter gathering in West Seattle.
She offered specifics, as well as inspiration from a special guest, Maya Sears, who recapped the whales’ most-recent visits to our area.
The exhilaration of those visits is tempered by the increasing odds they will someday be just a memory.
Since The Whale Trail’s last gathering, another resident orca has vanished and is presumed dead, L41. That makes four lost in the past year. “That’s a lot.” This distinct population of killer whales is down to 72, only one above their historic low of 71
“So,” she said, asking aloud the logical question for everyone in the room, “why isn’t anything happening?”
(Calf J56 and mother J31, photographed by Mark Sears. permit 21348)
Amid the exhilaration of Southern Resident Killer Whale sighting in recent weeks, there’s been the crushing news of one more SRKW lost. What now? Be at The Whale Trail‘s midwinter gathering tomorrow night to hear/talk about it. Here’s the announcement:
“Whale Trail MidWinter Gathering featuring SRKW Updates”
When: Thursday February 20, 7:00 – 8:30
–Doors open at 6:30
Where: C&P Coffee Company, 5612 California Ave SW
Cost: $5 suggested donation; kids free
Advance tickets: brownpapertickets.com
Presented by The Whale TrailJoin us for a midwinter gathering of marine mammal friends and fans in West Seattle. Whale Trail Director Donna Sandstrom will review the current status of the endangered southern resident orcas, and ongoing efforts to protect them.
With the loss of L41, the southern resident population has been reduced to just 72 individuals.
Despite the widespread attention on J, K, and L pods, why has so little progress been made?Donna will also share the Whale Trail’s vision and priorities for 2020. Learn how you can help, and make a difference for the southern residents before it’s too late.The presentation will be followed by an informal gathering of Whale Trail friends and supporters. Everyone is welcome!
(Photo by Kersti Muul)
5:03 PM: Just got word from Kersti Muul– “orcas visible from Alki, southbound, mid-channel” – let us know if you see them!
5:49 PM: Kersti says it appears to be the same transient orcas – the T46s – that visited on Sunday.
(Added: Photo by Jim Borrow)
8:03 AM: Ready for some Sunday whale-watching? Just got a call that southbound orcas are visible off Alki Point. Let us know if you see them!
8:39 AM: Still SB – see comments.
(Added: Photo by Robin Sinner, first posted in comment section)
10:50 AM: Thanks for all the updates! And for the visuals (adding)!
Watch SRW orcas off our Alki Beach this morning, full moon and fine fishing! @OrcaSOS @orcanetwork @jeffrey_ventre @SyTheAuthor @SylviaEarle @westmarginpress @westseattleblog @LyndaVMapes @MacKidsBooks @Voice_OT_Orcas @WendellMinor @Orion_Magazine pic.twitter.com/jtTmkJkB6j
— Brenda Peterson (@BrendaSPeterson) February 9, 2020
ADDED 3:37 PM: Adding more visuals.
(Thanks to Erin/Elton for sending the link to that video. Haven’t yet heard word of the orcas heading back northbound – please let us know if YOU have!)
ADDED 9:25 PM: Thanks to Kersti Muul for sharing some spectacular photos – here are three:
As she and others have noted, today’s visitors were transient orcas (Bigg’s Killer Whales), not the southern residents.
Early alert from Kersti Muul: 9 or 10 orcas are headed this way, southbound. And visibility has improved, so if they make it this far south, you should be able to see them. They were off Kingston as of about half an hour ago. Updates as we get them.
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