At least some groups appreciate Victoria’s cold, wet weather.

Two pods of endangered resident killer whales, which do not usually return to waters around southern Vancouver Island until late June, were spotted off San Juan Island this week and, as a bonus, they have a bouncing, brand-new baby.

The baby orca, the first of the season, is a member of K Pod and is believed to be between four and six weeks old.

Her mother K14, a 31-yearold whale known as Lea, is experienced, which increases the calf’s chances of survival.

Lea’s first two calves died, but she has since successfully reared 15-year-old Lobo (K26) and five-year-old Yoda (K36).

The sight of the pinkpatched baby playing with its siblings is thrilling researchers at the Center for Whale Research in Friday Harbor, Wash.

“It’s a really good start,” said Kelley Balcomb-Bartok.

Last year, two calves were born in J Pod and two in L Pod.

But even with the mini-baby boom, the total number of southern residents was only 88, not counting Lolita, an L Pod whale who has been in Miami’s Seaquarium since her capture in 1972.

The question now is whether K Pod, which last year had 19 members, lost any whales over the winter.

“It’s easy to spot the new ones, but it’s not so easy to spot the holes,” Balcomb-Bartok said.

Research can spin out for weeks as whales do not stick around to be counted.

“They came in and spent a couple of days, but they may have headed out again now,” Balcomb-Bartok said.

Calves are easily seen because their patches are pink.

“Their skin is very thin and what you see is a kind of blushing,” said Ken Balcomb, Center for Whale Research director. “As they build up their blubber layer they become white.”

J Pod tends to stay around Juan de Fuca Strait for some of the winter, but it is a mystery where L and K Pods spend the winter.

They were seen near Monterey, Calif., in January and off the Washington coast in February.

Last year, there were worries that the orcas were staying off the California coast instead of heading north, but they turned up July 4.

No one knows why they decided to turn up early this year.

“Maybe they enjoy our lousy weather here,” said Balcomb-Bartok.