||| FROM KOMO NEWS STAFF |||
The first of many Sounder gray whales returning to Puget Sound was seen in the Salish Sea earlier this week.
The whale’s appearance marks the continuance of a recent trend of early arrivals for the North Puget Sound Gray Whales or “Sounders,” according to Cascadia Research and Orca Network (CRON).
CRON said the Sounders are a group of gray whales who annually detour from their migration between the Bering Sea and Baja, California, to spend time in the waters of the Salish Sea.
The whale, known as Little Patch (CRC-53), was first identified and photographed in the Saratoga Passage on Dec. 11, CRON said. Little Patch was first identified in 1991 and has been seen 26 different years since then.
**If you are reading theOrcasonian for free, thank your fellow islanders. If you would like to support theOrcasonian CLICK HERE to set your modestly-priced, voluntary subscription. Otherwise, no worries; we’re happy to share with you.**
