Under bright blue skies, sailing through calm waters, we toured through the islands before finding a group of Minke whales near Hein Bank, SW of San Juan Island. Passengers enjoyed non-stop sunshine throughout the day, and with temps in low 80’s (cooler on the water though). Looks like this beautiful weather is supposed to last… Continue reading Whales & Wildlife Report – June 30, 2013
Category: Bellingham
Bird Watching Cruise Report – June 29, 2013
As one would expect of a birding cruise, our primary focus is on waterbirds, and the trip is, of course, full of Auklets and Guillemots and Murrelets and Oystercatchers and Gulls and Terns and Cormorants and Harlequin Ducks and others. This past saturday we also spotted a few Common Murres, just beginning to wander back… Continue reading Bird Watching Cruise Report – June 29, 2013
Whales & Wildlife Report – June 29, 2013
Lots and lots of Orca whales today – all of L pod was spotted just off Kellett Bluff on San Juan Island. Lots of breaching and feeding activity, all on flat calm and sunny skies. What a fabulous day in the islands – can’t wait to get back out there tomorrow on another Whale Watching… Continue reading Whales & Wildlife Report – June 29, 2013
Bird Watching Cruise Report – June 22, 2013
Our June 22 bird cruise was blessed again with pleasant weather, interesting folks, breathtaking scenery, and repeated encounters with the typical summer avifauna of the salish sea. Eagles and Ospreys are still incubating their eggs; we check three active Eagle nests and three active Osprey nests during our cruise, and are eagerly anticipating the sight of young birds any… Continue reading Bird Watching Cruise Report – June 22, 2013
Feeding Time With Transient Orca Whales (June 16, 2013)
It’s not everyday that we get to see the Transient Orca whales, but for guests aboard today’s whale watch we got a great look and the whales were here to impress. As the captain eased the boat on scene, the whales were reluctant, but as the time passed it got a bit more interesting. With… Continue reading Feeding Time With Transient Orca Whales (June 16, 2013)
Bird Watching Cruise Report – June 15, 2013
Our June 15 bird cruise was blessed both with beautiful weather and many interesting encounters. Four different active Bald Eagle nests and three active Osprey nests along our route hold the promise of wobbly-legged fuzzy young soon to come; for now, it is a treat just to see the impressive adult raptors incubating their eggs… Continue reading Bird Watching Cruise Report – June 15, 2013
Whales & Wildlife Report – June 15, 2013
It’s a beautiful, sunny day in the San Juan Islands today. The resident Orca groups were out of range today, but were first on the scene with a group of transient Orca whales up near Sucia Island. We had a good half hour or so with them, with no other vessels around. We followed them… Continue reading Whales & Wildlife Report – June 15, 2013
Whales & Wildlife Report – June 12 & 13, 2013
There weren’t any Orca whales to be found on the 12th or 13th, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t whales out there. On Wednesday we found a group of 3 Minke whales out on the west side of San Juan Island. That was topped by a rare sighting (for this time of the year) of… Continue reading Whales & Wildlife Report – June 12 & 13, 2013
Whales & Wildlife Report – June 10 & 11, 2013
Yesterday was an absolutely beautiful day in the San Juan Islands. Orca whales turned out to be a bit elusive, but we were able to find an active group of Minke whales out on the west side of San Juan Island. Today, passengers on two of our boats had a great time watching a group… Continue reading Whales & Wildlife Report – June 10 & 11, 2013
Bird Watching Cruise Report – June 8, 2013
It is now late spring, and the resident birds of the Salish Sea are primarily focused on one activity now: nesting. Glaucous-winged Gulls have decorated many of the smaller islands and rocks with their twiggy cups. Pelagic Cormorants cram their nests into the narrowest of crannies and crevices on steep and inaccessible (to those lacking… Continue reading Bird Watching Cruise Report – June 8, 2013
