T65A's and Tufted Puffins

Today was T65A’s and Tufted Puffins, plus Bald Eagles, Black Oystercatcatchers, and Harlequin Duck Juvenile. I headed north knowing we had some heavy seas to the south in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. We stopped off the see the Black Oystercatcher chick that I have been observing. It is looking more like its parents with actual feathers instead of fuzz and its beak is starting to match the color of mom and dad as well.

We scanned a good bit of territory finding Harbor Seals and Bald Eagles but no Orca or Humpback Whales. Then one of the bigger boats found the Bigg’s pod of T65A’s.

We slowly made our way down there in the heavier seas and arrived just as they made a seal kill. They continued to hunt for a while and we left them doing the same. In a couple of the pics, you can see them skimming the shoreline and all the seals’ attention is riveted to keeping track of where the Orca are at.

Then I made my way around the other side of the island and found about a dozen Tufted Puffins grooming and bathing in the rough water.

It was a bit rough but definitely worth the extra time to get down to them.