05 April 2008
Comments on the orca report in Santa Barbara Channel, CA by Anthony Lombardi: This sighting has not yet been confirmed as offshores through photo-ID. Anthony believes them to be offshores due to the large group size and temporal proximity to the previous day's sighting at Catalina Island. He said this was the largest pod of killer whales that he had ever seen (20-23+). I've asked him to send me any ID photos: these will verify if it was the same group. We have no documentation of offshore killer whales ever beating up any marine mammals; however, large transient groups of 25-30 have been documented to attack gray whale cow/calf pairs on multiple occasions. However, offshores have been known to make very close approaches to marine mammals, appearing to be especially curious in a manner similar to dolphins approaching (and often interacting with) gray or humpback whales.
Offshores confirmed & ID'd in Santa Barbara Channel, CA: After receiving photos from Anthony Lombardi, Alisa Shulman Janiger was able to confirm this sighting as offshores & ID several of the whales: Two of these are good ID shots: DEFINITELY OFFSHORE KILLER WHALES!! The ones that I recognize include the large male O155, the adult female CA502 (O150), and the female AP73 (all photographed off Pt. Loma on 11 March 2008; CA502 was confirmed in photos taken off Newport Beach on 23 March 2008). This encounter really adds to our record of a very nice series of offshore killer whale sightings off southern California.
Alisa Schulman-Janiger, ACS/LA Gray Whale Census Director
zaterdag 5 april 2008
dinsdag 1 april 2008
Offshores sighted off Catalina Island
15-25 Orcas were sighted off Catalina Island, CA 33.4591°N 118.4939°W, traveling northwest starting at 6:30 am. They were swimming & playing, one had a very large fin. We had folks with us who have lived on catalina island for 26 years and have never seen killer whales here before ever.
Alexandra Winqvist.
These are definitely our offshore whales again! The second image is of CA101 (O87). She was also seen in the previous California offshore killer whale sightings: Pt. Loma on 11 March 2008, and Newport Beach on 23 March 2008. This is the female that I mentioned in earlier reports that I had first seen in Monterey Bay, California in November 1992. I identified at least 27 different individuals from the Pt. Loma sighting. Photographer Bill Lewis believed there to be at least 30 killer whales. Observers from the Newport Beach estimated the number of whales ranging from 30-60. Possibly some of these may have been around since the California offshore sightings in December! Thanks so much!
Alisa Schulman-Janiger, ACS/LA Gray Whale Census Director
Alexandra Winqvist.
These are definitely our offshore whales again! The second image is of CA101 (O87). She was also seen in the previous California offshore killer whale sightings: Pt. Loma on 11 March 2008, and Newport Beach on 23 March 2008. This is the female that I mentioned in earlier reports that I had first seen in Monterey Bay, California in November 1992. I identified at least 27 different individuals from the Pt. Loma sighting. Photographer Bill Lewis believed there to be at least 30 killer whales. Observers from the Newport Beach estimated the number of whales ranging from 30-60. Possibly some of these may have been around since the California offshore sightings in December! Thanks so much!
Alisa Schulman-Janiger, ACS/LA Gray Whale Census Director
zondag 23 maart 2008
Offshores sighted of Newport Beach, CA
23 March 2008, Orca Network reports:
At least 30+ offshore killer whales were sighted around 4:00 pm about six and a half miles off of Newport Beach, CA. I just looked at a few photos: these are at least part of the group that was sighted off of Pt. Loma by Bill Lewis on 11 March 2008. They were in multiple active subgroups spread out over about one and a half miles; several made close approaches to the boats. When last seen about 5:30 pm, they were headed up the coast toward Los Angeles. Initial IDs from photos taken by Cathy Lesnick and Cris Young include: CA502 (O150); CA101 (O87); O231; & AP62 (male).
Alisa Schulman-Janiger, Director, ACS/LA Gray Whale Census and Behavior Project
At least 30+ offshore killer whales were sighted around 4:00 pm about six and a half miles off of Newport Beach, CA. I just looked at a few photos: these are at least part of the group that was sighted off of Pt. Loma by Bill Lewis on 11 March 2008. They were in multiple active subgroups spread out over about one and a half miles; several made close approaches to the boats. When last seen about 5:30 pm, they were headed up the coast toward Los Angeles. Initial IDs from photos taken by Cathy Lesnick and Cris Young include: CA502 (O150); CA101 (O87); O231; & AP62 (male).
Alisa Schulman-Janiger, Director, ACS/LA Gray Whale Census and Behavior Project
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