Recent Sightings

Today brought us blue skies, a calm ocean, and a clear view all the way to the horizon.  Blows, backs, and flukes could be seen.

🔶 AT THE POINT ARENA LIGHTHOUSE PENINSULA:

🔺 5 northbound gray whales – two sets of two and one single

🔺  1 gray whale foraging

🔺  1 humpback whale

🔺  6 sea lions swimming north

🔺 2 black oyster catchers

🔺  approximately 40 Aleutian cackling geese flying north

🔺  17 brown pelicans flying south and 38 flying north

🔶  AT SAUNDERS REEF:

🔺  2 northbound gray whales – singles who took long foraging dives while traveling north

🔺  18 brown pelicans flying north

🔶  AT OLLIE’S STRAIGHT:

🔺  3 adult gray whales and one calf going north observed and photographed by Shari Goforth

🔶  TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE ⤵️

🔵   323 northbound – includes 3 mother/calf pairs

🔴   382 southbound

🟢   7 foragers

Mostly cloudy skies created monocolor conditions with no distinction between the sky and the ocean.  The ocean was calm and there was only a slight wind.

♦️♦️  AT THE POINT ARENA LIGHTHOUSE PENINSULA:

🔷 NO WHALES SEEN

🔷 75  harbor seals

🔷 approximately 170 brown pelicans flying north

🔷 3 black oystercatcher

🔷 1 bobcat

♦️♦️  AT SAUNDERS REEF:

🔷 2 northbound gray whales – traveling together

🔷 1 osprey

🔷 49 brown pelicans flying north

♦️♦️  AT GUALALA POINT:

🔷 1 northbound gray whale seen by Shari Goforth

♦️♦️   TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE  =

🔵  312  northbound – includes 2 mother/calf pairs  –

our second mother/calf pair was seen on Sunday, April 4 by Mel Smith who spotted them swimming past Goat Rock along the Point Arena- Stornetta Lands, heading towards the Lighthouse

🔴   382 southbound

🟢   6 foragers

We had an 80% cloud cover day today but the ocean was calm and there was no wind. Although the cloudiness did not allow for much distinction between the ocean and the sky, visibility was very good.

⚛️ AT THE POINT ARENA LIGHTHOUSE PENINSULA :

🔆 No whales seen

🔆 41 harbor seals – in coming tide

🔆 43 brown pelicans flying north

🔆 4 black oystercatchers

⚛️ AT SAUNDERS REEF:

🔆 1 gray whale taking long foraging dives lasting over ten minutes and swimming both north and south

⚛️ TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE ⤵️

🔵   307 northbound- includes one mother/calf pair

🔴   382 southbound

🟢   6 foragers

 

 

 

Observations on this absolutely gorgeous day were from Gerstle Cove at Salt Point State Park. Ocean and weather conditions were ideal- excellent visibility clear to the horizon. Blows remained suspended in the air.

🌊  8 northbound gray whales – one trio, one deuce, three singles

🌊  2 gray whales initially seen swimming north, but then they turned around and swam south and they appeared to take foraging dives as they swam south; they continued south out of our observation view

🌊  18 harbor aeals

🌊  90 Aleutian cackling geese flying north

🌊  approximately 100 brown pelicans flying north

💠 TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE ↘️

🔵   307 northbound – includes one mother/calf pair

🔴   382 southbound

🟢   5 foragers

On this very windy day, the ocean was covered with whitecaps and spray created hazy conditions which definitely limited our visibility and reduced our ability to spot blows.

🔶 AT SAUNDERS REEF:

♦️ No whales seen

♦️ 2 Canada geese – walking along the bluff

♦️ 140 Aleutian cackling geese flying north

♦️ 10 brown pelicans flying south

🔶 TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE 🟰

🔵   299 northbound – includes one mother/calf pair

🔴   382 southbound

🟢   3 foragers