5/04-07/16 Humpbacks Are Returning

Wednesday through Saturday, May 4-7
Here is what the letters mean:
BC = British Columbia
MM = Mark Malleson - temporary ID assigned because there were many new humpbacks coming in to these waters and they needed some way to identify who it was.
The X = mostly black on the underside of the flukes.
The Y = some white.
The Z = majority of white.
And each is assigned a number.
-BCY0160 and MMY0006
...though I was not on scene that day, here is what they look like...

...MMY0006 doesn't have the distinguishing mark that BCY0160 has...I usually look for the long skinny white line on the left fluke for starters and then you have to match up other pieces.  There is an official humpback ID book...

...one afternoon BCY0324 (Big Mama) and her calf, who has the designation, so far, as Calf of BCY0324...

...this is mom...

...and another day two different humpbacks from the previous few days...
...today BCX1069 nicknamed Split Fluke...

...and...no ID in the book for this one...

...I think that so far there have been seven who have returned to these waters so far this spring...