Orca’s world it was today as yet again the family pods were successful in two Beaked Whale predations with Cookie and family amongst the action. Arriving in The Patch we had a similar scene to yesterday as a heavy oil slick was covered in birds and the Orca cruised past with fresh food being carried, the distinctive scent and deep red flesh indicated Beaked Whale. It was great to see Cookie again and our first time for Season 2026, they appear to have been foraging further afield but today knew that food was in The Patch and made sure to make the most of the opportunities. Cruising together with the family throughout the morning was special as they rested and the calves came over to play, continually beelining us and surfing in for belly-up fun. After some good rest they accelerated and the hunt was on as they surged forwards for a thrilling race to the west.
It wasn’t this family though that had located the Beaked Whale, but Valerie and her family pod who had done an excellent job of securing their meal before the other Orca reached them. A glimpse of the beak broke the surface of this unfortunate Beaked Whale before the ocean tinged red and the hunt was completed efficiently. The family was quickly at work preparing and sharing the meal with many members of the pod to feed. Throughout the next hour we enjoyed observing an incredible feeding display as the family fed close to the surface and the Albatross, Shearwaters and Storm Petrels were everywhere! The squawking, plummeting into the ocean and tug of war over food scraps added to the drama as the seabirds made the most of this precious meal opportunity. It is always extraordinary to watch a hunt unfold and then observe the feeding display afterwards, the joy amongst the pod is palpable creating a special day for our Pod Members onboard.
