A Vancouver Island black bear foraging for mussels and barnacles in the inlets around Tofino.
Semipalmated plovers on Middle Beach.
These birds stop in at Tofino on their migration northwards to feed. They winter as far south as southern South America, and then nest on gravel bars in Northern Canada and Alaska.
A tufted puffin off Cleland Island. Last year 12 pairs nested on this island.
A black bear feeding on grass just above the intertidal zone, taken over my Mum's shoulder.
As far as I'm aware, these are the first photographs to document the "flick-feeding" behaviour of humpback whales in waters off Tofino. These two worked side-by-side, pushing the water ahead of themselves.
This disorientates their prey, and they then lunge through the edge of the splash zone. This "flick-feeding" technique is a strategy usually used in more northern parts of their range. It's used to feed on krill, which these two were feeding on.
Sea otters have no blubber layer, but instead stay warm with the densest fur of any animal.
For just over a week in mid-May, coinciding with the lowest tides in the month, this coastal wolf was frequently seen on the shoreline of Vargas Island. It's a male wolf, and was occasionally seen with another individual.
T023D "Axle" and one of her 3 offspirng. The T023s had multiple days of visitation in May. T023D was seen most often in a group of 5 with her mother, T023 or "Janice".
A black bear amongst the rockweed in inlets around Tofino.
Taken just before this group was identified as Southern Resident Killer Whales. This is L88, a large male born in 1993. Southern Residents are given names more, and this guy is known as "Wave Walker". Note: as soon as the ID came out we immediately left the scene and focused on other wildlife.
A Steller sea lion thrashing a skate. This is how sea lions break up larger food items. They grab the prey, smash it onto the ocean surface, breaking it into pieces. They'll eat the bits that break off then go back to thrashing.
This blood-bow is from the big skate that the sea lion is feeding on. Big skate are a more common skate species in BC, found in depths of 3-800 metres.
A pair of humpback whales off the coast of Tofino. Note the "splash guard" at the front of both of these individuals. This raised area diverts water away from the blowholes.
On a cool morning off Vargas Island we noticed that you could see this coastal wolf's breath as it panted on the shoreline.
All three of T023D's offspring. Note the scratches on the smallest individual. This scarring is likely a result of interactions with other killer whales, as the spacing between scratches looks correct for killer whale teeth. These interactions were most likely play behaviour rather than aggressive encounters.
A small raccoon forages around the dock in Tofino. They guys have a habit of wiping away anything covering their food, giving the impression of washing their food.
T120, a male Bigg's killer whale. This individual and his mother, T117, raced up the coast after reportedly taking a sea lion at Cleland Island. Thanks to John Forde and Jen Steven for the opportunity to get out with these guys.
A yellow-headed blackbird. Not a bird we expect to see in Tofino, so certainly an exciting sighting. It hung around Wharf Street for almost an hour before flitting away.
A coastal wolf cooling down on Vargas Island.
The T069Ds, heading up the coast off Tofino. The oldest here, T069D, was born in 2001. She travels with her two offspring.
My Mum and Dad, in their element out on the West Coast.
