K's and L's return to San Juan Islands
with new baby in K-pod, June 3, 2008


photo by Erin Heydenreich. This photo was taken under MMPA permit #532-1822.
Members of J-, K- and L-pods travel up the coast of San Juan Island, June 3, 2008.
This is the first encounter with the K's and many of the L's since they were photographed off Monterey California January 27, 2008 and Sekiu, Washington, February 29, 2008.


photo by Kelley Balcomb-Bartok. This photo was taken under MMPA permit #532-1822.
The left eyepatch and a faint saddle are visible on the newest member of Kpod observed June 3, 2008. The new calf was swimming near two reproductive females (sisters K14 and K16) but spent most of it's time in close tactile association with K14 and her offspring K26 and K36.


photo by Kelley Balcomb-Bartok. This photo was taken under MMPA permit #532-1822.
An exuberant new calf in Kpod lifts it's head in a "spyhop" while playing with several members of it's immediate family just below the surface.


photo by Kelley Balcomb-Bartok. This photo was taken under MMPA permit #532-1822.
The new young calf surfaces between K14 (background, born 1977) and her second offspring K36 (foreground, born 2003). K14's oldest offspring, K26 (male, born 1993) was also playful and tactile with the new calf.


video by Kelley Balcomb-Bartok. CLICK ON IMAGE TO BEGIN.
(May take a few moments to load — 3.9 mb file)



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Encounter #14
June 3, 2008
J, K, and L pods
Platform: Orca
Departed Snug Harbor: 10:51 a.m.
Begin Encounter: 11:24 p.m.
Start Lat: 48° 31.981 N
Start Long: 123° 10.009 W
End Encounter: 3:58 p.m.
End Lat: 48° 41.81 N
End Long: 123° 14.51 W
Returned to Snug Harbor: 4:32 p.m.
Observers: Kelley Balcomb-Bartok and Erin Heydenreich

Having not been seen since January 27, 2008 off Monterey, California, and Sekiu, Washington, February 29, 2008, members of Kpod and Lpod returned to the San Juan Islands June 3, 2008. The whales were first reported off the south end of San Juan Island at around 8 a.m., then slowly travelled north up the coast of the island in tight social groups. Center for Whale Research staff encountered the whales off Bellevue Point as they swam in three large, tight and tactile groups very close to the shoreline. Staff confirmed that members of Kpod and Lpod were among the playful social groups, though it has not been determined yet if all the whales from the Southern Resident population were present. During the encounter a small calf was observed swimming in close proximity to sisters K14 and K16, both reproductive age females. Later in the encounter staff determined that the calf was indeed a new calf in K-pod, and observed the calf primarily travelling very near K14 and her older offspring K26 and K36.

POSTED: 6:00 p.m. June 3, 2008