Monika Wieland Shields
@orcawatcher.bsky.social
Killer whale researcher, author, and photographer 🐳
Hockey fan, bird-watcher, part-time crusader 🌟
San Juan Island, WA 🌅
Hockey fan, bird-watcher, part-time crusader 🌟
San Juan Island, WA 🌅
Pinned
A lovely day with lovely people 🫶🏻
Find the beauty in the world. We need it now more than ever - but I promise it’s there.
#salishsea
Find the beauty in the world. We need it now more than ever - but I promise it’s there.
#salishsea
January 11, 2026 at 4:11 AM
A lovely day with lovely people 🫶🏻
Find the beauty in the world. We need it now more than ever - but I promise it’s there.
#salishsea
Find the beauty in the world. We need it now more than ever - but I promise it’s there.
#salishsea
December 18, 2025 at 3:55 PM
December 13, 2025 at 5:19 AM
The fly amanita (Amanita muscaria) mushroom we saw on our walk this afternoon 🍄 I’ve never seen one like this on San Juan Island before!
#fungi #washingtonstate #nature
#fungi #washingtonstate #nature
December 6, 2025 at 10:45 PM
The fly amanita (Amanita muscaria) mushroom we saw on our walk this afternoon 🍄 I’ve never seen one like this on San Juan Island before!
#fungi #washingtonstate #nature
#fungi #washingtonstate #nature
Reposted by Monika Wieland Shields
We're 25% of the way to our year-end fundraising goal!
A generous donor has offered a matching contribution, meaning that any amount you support this week is doubled.
$10 becomes $20, $25 becomes $50, like magic! 🪄
No matter how big or small, your contributions matter 🫶
givebutter.com/obi2025
A generous donor has offered a matching contribution, meaning that any amount you support this week is doubled.
$10 becomes $20, $25 becomes $50, like magic! 🪄
No matter how big or small, your contributions matter 🫶
givebutter.com/obi2025
December 3, 2025 at 12:56 AM
We're 25% of the way to our year-end fundraising goal!
A generous donor has offered a matching contribution, meaning that any amount you support this week is doubled.
$10 becomes $20, $25 becomes $50, like magic! 🪄
No matter how big or small, your contributions matter 🫶
givebutter.com/obi2025
A generous donor has offered a matching contribution, meaning that any amount you support this week is doubled.
$10 becomes $20, $25 becomes $50, like magic! 🪄
No matter how big or small, your contributions matter 🫶
givebutter.com/obi2025
Reposted by Monika Wieland Shields
This year for #GivingTuesday we are raising funds to cover open-access fees for upcoming publications, which ensures our peer-reviewed papers are accessible to everyone for free.
All donations up to $4k will be matched dollar for dollar!
givebutter.com/obi2025
#communityscience #whalesky
All donations up to $4k will be matched dollar for dollar!
givebutter.com/obi2025
#communityscience #whalesky
December 2, 2025 at 4:40 PM
This year for #GivingTuesday we are raising funds to cover open-access fees for upcoming publications, which ensures our peer-reviewed papers are accessible to everyone for free.
All donations up to $4k will be matched dollar for dollar!
givebutter.com/obi2025
#communityscience #whalesky
All donations up to $4k will be matched dollar for dollar!
givebutter.com/obi2025
#communityscience #whalesky
Cold but beautiful out there today! That's the Patos Island Lighthouse in front of Kulshan/Mt. Baker.
#salishsea #onthewater
#salishsea #onthewater
November 30, 2025 at 12:46 AM
Cold but beautiful out there today! That's the Patos Island Lighthouse in front of Kulshan/Mt. Baker.
#salishsea #onthewater
#salishsea #onthewater
A stunning look at Tahoma (Mt. Rainier) from on the water near Bainbridge Island last week
#salishsea #pugetsound
#salishsea #pugetsound
November 24, 2025 at 5:23 PM
A stunning look at Tahoma (Mt. Rainier) from on the water near Bainbridge Island last week
#salishsea #pugetsound
#salishsea #pugetsound
Fall dock walks - Roche Harbor edition
October 23, 2025 at 6:21 AM
Fall dock walks - Roche Harbor edition
I saw my first-ever northern fur seal in the Salish Sea earlier this month! This was out by Race Rocks in BC.
October 19, 2025 at 1:00 AM
I saw my first-ever northern fur seal in the Salish Sea earlier this month! This was out by Race Rocks in BC.
One last September sunset at Smith
September 29, 2025 at 6:11 AM
One last September sunset at Smith
Living a charmed life and not taking one minute of it for granted. September in the Salish Sea = pure magic ✨
🎶 Oh what a night! 🎶
Stay tuned for tonight's edition of Monika's play-by-play to hear how it unfolded, but the way it ended was with a T-Party of 33 Bigg's killer whales in Rosario Strait. Present were the T36A1s, T63, T65, T65A5, T75Bs, T90s, T99B, T100s, T101s, T123s, T124Ds, T137s 🤯
#whalesky
Stay tuned for tonight's edition of Monika's play-by-play to hear how it unfolded, but the way it ended was with a T-Party of 33 Bigg's killer whales in Rosario Strait. Present were the T36A1s, T63, T65, T65A5, T75Bs, T90s, T99B, T100s, T101s, T123s, T124Ds, T137s 🤯
#whalesky
September 24, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Living a charmed life and not taking one minute of it for granted. September in the Salish Sea = pure magic ✨
A little end of summer staycation and a peaceful night on the west side 🔥🌅✨
September 13, 2025 at 7:14 PM
A little end of summer staycation and a peaceful night on the west side 🔥🌅✨
Reposted by Monika Wieland Shields
The Southern Residents were present in inland waters for just 3 days from May through August 2025. Monika takes a moment in this blog post to reflect on just how much things have changed in the last 20 years.
#whalesky #orcas #killerwhales
#whalesky #orcas #killerwhales
Summer Without the Southern Residents
No Southern Residents visited the Salish Sea in May, June, or August 2025. Monika takes a moment to reflect on just how much things have changed over the last 20 years.
www.orcabehaviorinstitute.org
September 2, 2025 at 6:10 PM
The Southern Residents were present in inland waters for just 3 days from May through August 2025. Monika takes a moment in this blog post to reflect on just how much things have changed in the last 20 years.
#whalesky #orcas #killerwhales
#whalesky #orcas #killerwhales
"Think of your energy as if it's expensive, as if it's a luxury item. Not everyone can afford it." -Taylor Swift
August 25, 2025 at 5:16 PM
"Think of your energy as if it's expensive, as if it's a luxury item. Not everyone can afford it." -Taylor Swift
Magical night on the water last night - make sure to have your audio on when you watch the short clip below 🥰
🔊 Audio on to hear the underwater calls of the A25s, a family of Northern Resident killer whales, recorded via our hydrophone while @jayjayfoshizzay.bsky.social was filming this footage during a stunning summer sunset encounter off Vancouver Island, BC 😍
youtu.be/JDLwRvTvoXw
#orcas #whalesky
youtu.be/JDLwRvTvoXw
#orcas #whalesky
Northern Resident killer whales with echoing underwater vocals
YouTube video by Orca Behavior Institute
youtu.be
August 23, 2025 at 1:41 AM
Magical night on the water last night - make sure to have your audio on when you watch the short clip below 🥰
Sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck. Today was one of those days.
August 21, 2025 at 5:28 AM
Sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck. Today was one of those days.
It ain’t an OBI field research trip without a “span” game - in this case Finspan by @stonemaiergames.com 😎🐠
#boardgames
#boardgames
August 15, 2025 at 9:22 PM
It ain’t an OBI field research trip without a “span” game - in this case Finspan by @stonemaiergames.com 😎🐠
#boardgames
#boardgames
Still “Weynton” on whales, but the scenery off northern Vancouver Island is always stunning
August 9, 2025 at 2:14 AM
Still “Weynton” on whales, but the scenery off northern Vancouver Island is always stunning
Reposted by Monika Wieland Shields
Our 2025 T-shirt fundraiser is now live! Snag your limited edition shirt featuring the one and only T49A6 Charlie II by August 22nd.
www.customink.com/fundraising/...
Available in unisex, women's, and youth cuts!
Artwork by @hysazu.bsky.social
#whalesky #orcas
www.customink.com/fundraising/...
Available in unisex, women's, and youth cuts!
Artwork by @hysazu.bsky.social
#whalesky #orcas
August 8, 2025 at 10:52 PM
Our 2025 T-shirt fundraiser is now live! Snag your limited edition shirt featuring the one and only T49A6 Charlie II by August 22nd.
www.customink.com/fundraising/...
Available in unisex, women's, and youth cuts!
Artwork by @hysazu.bsky.social
#whalesky #orcas
www.customink.com/fundraising/...
Available in unisex, women's, and youth cuts!
Artwork by @hysazu.bsky.social
#whalesky #orcas
July 28, 2025 at 2:43 PM
One of my favorite places in the islands with some of my favorite people last night 😎
The best summer nights are those spent on the water 🌅
The best summer nights are those spent on the water 🌅
July 28, 2025 at 4:50 AM
One of my favorite places in the islands with some of my favorite people last night 😎
The best summer nights are those spent on the water 🌅
The best summer nights are those spent on the water 🌅