🎶 Oh what a night! 🎶 Stay tuned for tonight's edition of Monika's play-by-play to hear how it unfolded, but the way it ended was with a T-Party of 33 Bigg's killer whales in Rosario Strait. Present were the T36A1s, T63, T65, T65A5, T75Bs, T90s, T99B, T100s, T101s, T123s, T124Ds, T137s 🤯 #whalesky

Epic evening on the water with 33 Bigg's killer whales. We'll offer a full recap tomorrow, but for tonight, enjoy this shot of two Salish Sea legends: T123A Stanley and T63 Chainsaw. #whalesky #orcas

A few more photos from last weekend's visit with Northern Resident killer whales in Howe Sound, British Columbia! The A25s, A42s, and A94 (12 whales) made an early season trip south, and we couldn't believe that weather and timing aligned for us to be able to see them! #orcas #salishsea #whaelsky

Over this past weekend, we saw more than 50 different individual orcas from three different populations, all within the central Salish Sea! We have so much to share, we will have to take it in pieces. For starters, here's our weekend's "Bigg's Backlit Blows" series 🤩 #whalesky #killerwhales

A peek above the waves from the newest member of J-Pod: this little three-day-old calf traveling next to presumed mother J42 Echo this evening off the west side of San Juan Island. #orcas #killerwhales #srkw #whalesky

16:20 J-Pod Cattle Point heading up island #wssjis #orcas #whalesky

14:20 T65A5 Indy heading north up Presidents Channel off West Beach #wssjis #whalesky #orcas

Today we met up with some Northern Resident killer whales in Howe Sound near Vancouver, BC! 🤯 It was amazing to see members of the A25s and A42s this far south in the Salish Sea, much earlier in the year than they typically visit. We'll have more photos and videos to share soon! #whalesky #orcas

T75Bs and T65A5 northbound past Friday Harbor 17:30 #wssjis #whalesky #orcas

J-Pod has been in Puget Sound for a full week, and it has been an excitement filled visit including the birth of a new calf and a rare trip south of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge! Read more about it here: www.orcabehaviorinstitute.org/orca-updates... #orcas #whaleky #srkw

While J-Pod is making an early season extended visit to Puget Sound, we've had no shortage of Bigg's killer whales in the central Salish Sea. Yesterday we got on the water with over a dozen whales from four different family groups: the T36A1s, T60s, T99s, and T123s! #orcas #whalesky

It’s the last week of Wednesday Whale Wordle! Test your skills one last time by guessing this week's word. 🐋 We hope you had a great summer playing this fun game! Good luck, and let us know how you do in the comments! mywordle.strivemath.com?word=bzlnp

8:50 Biggs milling on a kill north of Sunset Point (north of County Park) #wssjis #orcas #whalesky

After months of almost a total absence of the Southern Residents in the inland waters of the Salish Sea, we've been lucky enough to have multiple days with J-Pod off the west side of San Juan Island over the first half of September. Here are some video highlights! #whalesky #orcas #killerwhales

Yesterday we learned the sad news that J36 Alki lost a calf; @whaleresearch.bsky.social documented her pushing a deceased neonate. Alongside that grief, we find joy in J62 and J63. Read Monika's reflections on this dualism here: www.orcabehaviorinstitute.org/orca-updates... #whalesky #orcas

9/12 at 10:30 J-Pod southbound in Rosario Strait near Cypress Island #wssjis #orcas #whalesky #srkw

9/11 at 12:25 T60D and T60E eastbound in Spieden Channel #orcas #whalesky #wssjis

We interrupt your regularly scheduled September Southern Resident programming to bring you this update from T137A Jack who wanted to make sure you saw this harbor seal he caught all by himself last night in East Sound off Orcas Island. Look at that side eye! 👀 #orcas #whalesky #salishsea

A few moments from yesterday's "westside shuffle" with J-Pod (September 9th) in Haro Strait off San Juan Island 🥰 #whalesky #orcas #srkw

It's week 10 of Wednesday Whale Wordle! Test your skills by guessing this week's word. 🐋 Remember, Whale Wordle is a Wordle game featuring only whale-related words. Good luck, and let us know how you do in the comments! mywordle.strivemath.com?word=rwsutwoov #whalesky

J-Pod spread off the south end of San Juan Island near Eagle Point and South Beach 11:15 on 9/9 #wssjis #orcas #salishsea

Here are a few photos from our short but sweet visit with the Greater L4 sub-group of L-Pod this morning. These 18 orcas were the only Southern Resident killer whales we hadn't seen yet in 2025! It was awesome to catch up with them off the west side of San Juan Island. #whalesky #salishsea

10:00 SRKW at Salmon Bank heading up island - believed to be J-Pod and Greater L4s #whalesky #orcas #wssjis

Here's a look at orca sightings in the Salish Sea for August 2025! Bigg's were present every day, sometimes up to a dozen different groups, while Southern Residents were completely absent. Read the full description of this map here: www.orcabehaviorinstitute.org/sightings-ma... #whalesky

A short clip of our visit with Southern Resident killer whales from L-Pod on Thursday, September 4th off the west side of San Juan Island. It had been 10 months since the L12 and L54 sub-groups had been in Haro Strait! #orcas #whalesky #salishsea

10:15 T101s heading northeast into Haro Strait from Baynes Channel #wssjis #orcas #whalesky

Here are a few more photos from our visit with the L12 and L54 subgroups of L-Pod (15 whales total) off the west side of San Juan Island yesterday, including one of L25 Ocean Sun who is currently the oldest living Southern Resident, estimated to be in her 90s. #orcas #whalesky #salishsea

T75Bs northbound in San Juan Channel aiming for Upright Channel 9/5 at 13:15 #whalesky #wssjis #orcas

I know I'm not the only one who has missed the sight of this familiar fin! That's L87 Onyx today off the west side of San Juan Island. It was awesome to have the L12 and L54 sub-groups back in Haro Strait. It's been 10 months since they were last in this waterway! #orcas #whalesky #srkw

Check out the latest episode of the @afterthebreach.bsky.social podcast which was recorded during our 10th anniversary celebrations this summer! From bad whale movie reviews to our upcoming research plans to live audience Q&A, this episode covers many topics and is guaranteed to bring some laughs.

They’re back! 7:45 on 9/4 J-Pod went north through Active Pass but there are also reports of 10+ whales milling off the south end of San Juan Island #wssjis #srkw #whalesky #orcas

We're back with week 9 of Wednesday Whale Wordle! 🐋 Whale-Wordle is a Wordle game featuring only whale-related words. Try to guess the word and let us know how you do in the comments! mywordle.strivemath.com?word=krfqesy...

The Southern Residents were present in inland waters for just 3 days from May through August 2025. Monika takes a moment in this blog post to reflect on just how much things have changed in the last 20 years. #whalesky #orcas #killerwhales

Who did it better: Newborn orca calf or pink salmon? Yesterday morning we had the chance to spend some time with the T75Bs near Sucia Island. Check out this quick clip that Jason recorded of the newest member of the family, T75B5, breaching alongside a salmon! #whalesky #orcas #killerwhales

During our recent trip to North Vancouver Island, we were able to spend incredible moments with a few Northern Resident killer whale matrilines. Here are some of the highlights captured by Jason! www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIq7... #orcas #killerwhales #whalesky

Last call for sign-ups for our new fall Marine Mammals 101 class! 6 lectures over 6 weeks will cover all the common Salish Sea species. Financial assistance scholarships also available with a deadline of 8/31. Learn more and register here: www.orcabehaviorinstitute.org/whale-univer... #whalesky

📢 Before you sign off to enjoy the three-day weekend, we have an important action alert for you courtesy of the Columbia-Snake River Campaign. Learn more here: columbiasnakeriver.com/hr2073 #freethesnake #nofishnoblackfish #orcas

Last night we got to meet the newest member of the Bigg's killer whale population, a calf designated T75B5! Being only a few weeks old is no excuse not to participate in a hunt - here the little one is alongside mom strafing a harbor seal haul out in the Southern Gulf Islands, BC. #orcas #whalesky

Here's what one day of orca tracking might look like in the Salish Sea. On 8/24 there were 12 different groups of Bigg's killer whales totaling at least 57 animals! Read more about the community science it takes to track whale sightings here: www.orcabehaviorinstitute.org/orca-updates... #whalesky

It's week 8 of Wednesday Whale Wordle! Test your skills by guessing this week's word. Remember, Whale Wordle is a Wordle game featuring only whale-related words. Good luck, and let us know how you do in the comments 🐋 mywordle.strivemath.com?word=kalulw

11:30 3-6 orcas reported southbound off Lime Kiln #wssjis

Northern Vancouver Island backdrops are the best. 10/10, no notes. All photos taken in the Johnstone Strait region of Northern Resident killer whales and humpback whales in August 2025. #orcas #britishcolumbia #whalesky

A few of the other R Clan whales we got to meet in Johnstone Strait on August 23rd. Per OrcaLab, R Clan had not been heard on their hydrophones since August 27, 2020 🤯 I'm still amazed we got to meet some of these whales that hadn't been in the area for almost 5 years. #orcas #whalesky #nrkw

I can't believe we met some members of R Clan of the Northern Resident Community of killer whales this morning - the rarest part of the population to be encountered! Thanks @princeofwhales.bsky.social for getting us there 😍 These three males are brothers R25, R37, and R46 #orcas #whalesky

🔊 Audio on to hear the underwater calls of the A25s, a family of Northern Resident killer whales, recorded via our hydrophone while @jayjayfoshizzay.bsky.social was filming this footage during a stunning summer sunset encounter off Vancouver Island, BC 😍 youtu.be/JDLwRvTvoXw #orcas #whalesky

We've had 9 straight days of Northern Resident killer whales and there's so much data to process! Here A102 Tuzo and A125 Seabrook surface with a Pacific white-sided dolphin near Telegraph Cove, British Columbia on 8/19. It's not unusual for the dolphins to harass the fish-eating orcas. #whalesky

🎶 Sound on 🎶 On August 17th, while out in Blackfish Sound with the A50s (7 Northern Resident killer whales), the seas were quiet and the whales were chatty, leading to some beautiful echoing calls on our recording. #orcas #whalesky

LAST CALL for T-shirts featuring Bigg's killer whale T49A6 Charlie II!! These are available until 8/22 and then they'll be gone! #orcas #whalesky www.customink.com/fundraising/...

It's time for another edition of our Wednesday Whale Wordle - can you guess the whale-themed word? Share your results in the comments! mywordle.strivemath.com?word=ncjwcyi

A99 Alder kelping this morning off the Pearse Islands near Telegraph Cove, BC #whalesky #orcas #britishcolumbia