July 16th, 2023, 10:30 - We saw Neowise, Slice and Zorro during the morning tour
On today’s tour, we were graced with three humpbacks and many other species that are native to our coastlines! The first set of humpbacks that we came across were Neowise (KEX0068) and Slice (BCX1057 calf 2021). These two were having a grand old time while we spent some time with them, getting up to all sorts of exciting behaviour! We saw some very exuberant surfaces leading to some acrobatics! Fast surfaces where they dove, throwing their tails high into the air, and we even managed to see one of them throw their body fully out of the water in a behaviour called breaching!
After our exciting time with Neowise and Slice was up we continued our search and came across a very well-known humpback in the Salish Sea: Zorro (BCX0380)! Zorro was travelling by himself today, doing what was likely feeding dives since we spotted him at the high productivity area of halibut bank. Zorro is arguably the easiest humpback around to ID, thanks to them missing the entire left fluke of their tail.
The humpbacks that spend their time in the Strait of Georgia usually migrate to Hawaii or Mexico during the breeding seasons, which is the longest migration of any mammal both terrestrial and aquatic! Some humpbacks travel over 5000 miles to get to their breeding grounds. They will breed and calf in these more tropical climates before making the trip back to temperate waters here in BC. While at their breeding grounds, the males have been recorded to sing in long vocalizations, which isn’t recorded in the females.
After leaving Zorro behind, we also spotted our chubby harbour seals hauled out near Entrance Island which got spooked and rushed into the water. Harbor seals and the most abundant marine mammal we have along British Columbia’s coastline. They have mottled coloration which helps them blend into the barnacles, algae and rockweed which cover the shores they tend to haul out on. They need to blend in since there are lots of other animals that are trying to put them on the menu. This includes Transient Orca, Bald Eagles, and further north, even wolves get in on the action. They are relatively small, making them an easier target. They do have some adaptations to help protect them though, including sharp teeth and an enzyme in their saliva that can cause really bad infections. Today though, they were being lazy and just chilling on the rocks.
After seeing the Harbour Seals, we went to the bluffs and ended the day with some super interesting Bald Eagles. One of them was getting harassed by a gull near the seal haul out, and then we saw the family near the bluffs again.
It was a great day with lots of action from all the wildlife. The onboard naturalists Vanessa Vereschahen and Aly Kohlman captured some amazing photos during the tour which you can see below!
Neowise preparing to dive. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.
Slice’s dorsal fin just out of the water. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.
The other side of Slice’s dorsal fin. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.
Slice’s face sticking out of the water just behind Neowise. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.
Neowise doing a tail lob. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.
A close-up of the Barnacles on Neowise’s underside. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.
The underside of Neowise’s tail flukes. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.
Slice getting ready to dive. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.
Full breach! Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.
Neowise preparing to dive again! You can tell it’s Neowise from those distinct scars on the top side of his flukes. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.
Zorro diving! You can see he is missing half his flukes but is still doing well. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.
Zorro’s dorsal fin. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.
Another look at the underside of Zorro’s tail flukes. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.
Neowise or Slice doing a tail flick! From this angle, it’s nearly impossible to tell. Photo by Aly Kohlman.
One of our whales heading straight at us! That raised lump is their nostrils. Photo by Aly Kohlman.
Neowise preparing for an excited dive with Slice’s rostrum still out of the water behind him. Photo by Aly Kohlman.
Slice preparing to dive. Photo by Aly Kohlman.
Slices rostrum raised out of the water with Neowise swimming by in front. Photo by Aly Kohlman.
One of the whales preparing to do a chin slap. Photo by Aly Kohlman.
Neowise lifting up his tail flukes, Slice is still hanging out in the background. Photo by Aly Kohlman.
Harbour seals glaring at us from the shoreline. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.
Three harbour seals! did you know their eyesight has adapted to see shades of black and white, if they do see colour it’s not great quality! Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.
Steller sea lions sunning on a buoy! Photo by Aly Kohlman.
A Turkey vulture, since this species of bird is a notorious scavenger their stomach PH is 0.2 which is 100 times more concentrated than humans! Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.
Two cormorants at Gabriola Bluffs! Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.
A Cormorant taking off from the water. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.
The juvenile bald eagle sulks on the rock as a seagull approaches. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.
A young bald eagle with their melting feathers. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.
The bald eagle preparing for flight as the gull flies over head. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.
A yelling match between the Eaglet and seagulls! Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.
A sea gull annoying the eaglet. Photo by Vanessa Vereschahen.
Bald Eagle staring from their rock. Photo by Aly Kohlman.
A bald eagle parent with their two eaglets! Photo by Aly Kohlman.
The eaglets spreading their wings! Photo by Aly Kohlman.
A bald eagle with their unlucky prey returning to the nest. Photo by Aly Kohlman.