6-24-18 Two Transient Family Groups

Sunday, June 24th
...the SRKWs are still gone out to the open ocean, as far as is known...

...a couple family groups of Transients, T49As and T65As, have been making the 'rounds' - just about literally - spending time in Boundary Pass, Rosario Strait, San Juan Channel and among some of the smaller inner islands of the San Juans...
...today they were encountered off the south of Lopez and eventually came up San Juan Channel, slowly, and eventually made their way into Spieden Channel...
...though they were on the far side of the channel, here are a few images of today...

...one behavior I find very interesting to see is when they surface going backwards...when you see it for the first time you think your eyes are playing tricks on you...but no, they aren't...transients are known to do this when prey is involved...not sure if it is like, "I have the meat, come and get it!"  or  what...

...they still have plenty of food wherever they go, but the SRKWs are having to search for food...the last two days there have been a couple more Chinook salmon in the Albion test fishery...the numbers are dismal - 4 on the 22nd, 3 on the 23rd, and 2 today, the 24th.  However, this is the first time this year that there have been 3 consecutive days of more than one-a-day Chinook salmon...
...some are moving in, which is desperately needed for the future, and the whales need as much as they can get now for their survival into the future...
...it's not an either or...it has to be BOTH...

In addition...

...so please do your part to help recover this ecosystem...