Eagle Wing Tours

Rated #1 Whale Watching Tour in Victoria by Tripadvisor since 2007! Lead partner in the award-winning Exploring the Salish Sea education program. #Wild4Whales

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When families get together, everyone loves a party and Bigg’s killer whales are no exception. Breaches like this one are common during these big social gatherings. #Wild4Whales

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This is the sea otter version of a kelp wrap! #Wild4Whales #Wild4Otters

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This is a minke whale, most often seen at this time of year on the shallow banks to the southeast of Victoria, where they feed on small schooling fish. Minke whales are the second smallest of the baleen whales, reaching lengths of up to 10 metres. #Wild4Whales

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Spotted on our sunset tour: grey whale CRC-2702 foraging in the shallows north of Victoria. Documenting sightings like this matters — grey whale numbers have dropped over 50% since 2016, likely tied to Arctic ecosystem shifts from climate change affecting their food supply.

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That little speckled ball of fluff between these two gulls tells us it’s baby gull season at the Mandarte Island seabird colony! #Wild4Whales

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Thanks to years of research that helps us track individual humpbacks by the pattern on the underside of their flukes, we know this is BCY1068, the 2017 calf of Hydra! #Wild4Whales

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Steller sea lions are starting to trickle back into the Salish Sea after trying their luck at the breeding grounds further north. #Wild4Whales

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A close look at the mouth of T077C here reveals that he’s carrying his seal dinner to go! #Wild4Whales

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Good news: Pop Tart (BCY1014), Big Mama's 10-year-old daughter, has been declared entanglement-free! After days of the PWWA fleet tracking her, DFO's rescue team finally got a good look thanks to a sighting report from our crew. 🐋 Whale watchers doing their part on the water.

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When you’re in the middle of a tail-lob marathon, why not throw in a random breach? This is Bandit (BCX2081), the six-year-old calf of Raccoon. (BCX1233). #Wild4Whales

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Neptune (T049A4) spyhops during a play session. Wondering where the actual eye is? It’s just below the front end of the white eyepatch! #Wild4Whales

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The humpbacks have been having their own feeding party west of Victoria. And what’s a humpback party without a few spectacular breaches? This is BCY1068.

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This candy floss blow is brought to you by a Salish Sea sunset and Inky (T037A2). That’s his mom Volker (T037A) beside him. After a full day of partying, it was time for many of the participants to grab a seal meal or two in Oak Bay. #Wild4Whales

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In contrast to all the whale activity, this elephant seal at Race Rocks is doing what seals on land do best—blissfully sleeping the day away. #Wild4Whales

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Sometimes the wildlife viewing begins before we even leave the harbour. This osprey has learned that the speed marker at Victoria’s harbour entrance is a great place to scope for fish. #Wild4Whales

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Raksha (T046B) and Pi (T046B8) turn on the speed in choppy seas as the family races toward another group of whales.

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We can’t ID who this breacher is from this photo, but he or she gets top marks for style! Nice back arch! #Wild4Whales

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Six-year-old Bandit (BCX2081 is on his back here, tail-lobbing. Those white, circular marks on the underside of his flukes are scars left over from barnacles. They’re a handy way for us to make a quick ID!

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Scuttle the humpback (BCX1795) is a local favourite, known for his many antics, including headstands like this one! #Wild4Whales

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For humpbacks, their sole purpose over the summer and fall is to get as fat as possible. This one is working on it, opening its mouth by almost 90 degrees to engulf food and water. It will expel the water through its baleen plates, some visible here beside the pink upper palate.