BREMERTON — Six killer whales have been swimming in Hood Canal for eight weeks, the longest stay recorded for orcas in that area.

A retired Silverdale woman, Judy Dicksion, has been reporting sightings to the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.

"Judy is basically our eyes and ears over there," said Steve Jeffries, a state marine mammal expert.

These are transient orcas — two adult females, each with two calves — that normally live along the coast. Unlike resident orcas that eat fish, the transients hunt seals and other marine mammals.

Dicksion calls them the "Slippery Six," saying she is sometimes unable to locate them despite her best efforts.