8:11 AM: Again this morning, orcas are in Elliott Bay, off Seacrest and heading east, reports Kersti Muul.
9 AM: A few minutes ago, Kersti noted in a comment below that the whales have stopped for food off Anchor/Luna Park.
I always enjoy Kersti Muul’s careful words when reporting on transient orca visits.
We never hear what that “feeding” or “predation event” involves.
This contrasts with the common descriptions of feeding on salmon (no use of “predation event”) for the resident orcas.
I understand that both orca populations are carnivory predators (feeding is lethal to the prey.)
The sanitized language regarding the diet of transients makes me wonder?
Since their diet is other marine mammals, are they feeding on other orcas & small whales, porpoises, seals or sea lions?
Is this loss of other protected marine mammals desirable for the health of the Salish Sea?
That’s not Kersti’s wording, it’s mine. (Unless you’re describing what she says on her text service, to which we don’t subscribe – she kindly lets us know directly of West Seattle-vicinity sightings.) She says “predation” and sometimes mentions if it’s believed to be a sea lion, fish, other marine mammal. In one recent text to us, she said they’re “on a kill.” – TR
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