Seward, Alaska
As the sun peeked over the brim of the mountains at a leisurely10:20 am, a pod of ORCA whales abruptly surfaced, spouted, and dove just off Lowell Point Beach State Park.
In the early golden light, their misty plumes shot up, one, two, three, four, five! then dissipated as they dove. Back and forth they hunted, splashing and zigging, seeking winter kings, late silver salmon, and other fish. A baby, its diving arc so much shorter and quicker, followed its stately mother, her tall dorsal fin distinctively notched. How tremendous to see a baby!
After about 10 minutes, the pod traveled out of sight leaving the few scattered beach walkers amazed, delighted, and incredulous. An hour later, I refound their spouts with my binoculars far across the bay with two other groups, totaling about 17. What a thrill to see and hear Orcas in the bay!
Dan Olson, of the North Gulf Oceanic Society, identified the Orcas as resident fish eaters, and the mother as AK17, aka Lou, 20 years old, of the AK pod. He noted she had a calf in 2015 who died in 2016, a second calf in 2018 that went missing in 2020, and a newborn (that we saw) this year.
For more information, please visit:
https://www.whalesalaska.org/salmon-specialist-residents
https://www.whalesalaska.org/photogrammetry-health-research
Never know what you’re going to experience when you’re out birding!
Happy Birding (and whale watching!)
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
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