7-31-16 Short Stays In Search of Salmon

...J Pod and several L Pod whales (about 17 of the group of 19) had come down Rosario Strait stopping off the lower end of San Juan Island...they spent the rest of the day coming part way up island and then heading offshore, changing direction from time to time...
...in the early morning, not knowing at that time where they were, I was at Lime Kiln Pt. State Park, just in case...
...I noticed something...

...a while later...I had to laugh at myself for getting excited about 15 gulls after some bait fish...

...that too has been a sign all season long...very few birds...we used to have lots of activity and each year it has become less and less...not good... 

...late in the day Crewser L-92, Ballena L-90, and the six members of the L47 family group came up, far offshore from the lighthouse and then slowly made their way back down, going against a strong in coming current...

...and while I was putting this together I noticed the tiny nick on the leading edge!

...it looked like they would be gone back out toward the open ocean tomorrow...
...seems to be the pattern this month...in for a couple days and then back out again...