Recent Sightings

Today began cloudy but sunshine prevailed for approximately two hours in the afternoon. This created excellent distinction between the sky and the ocean and whale blows stayed suspended and were easy to spot and to track. The ocean was calm and there was no wind or whitecaps. Unfortunately, the clouds returned and our observation area became monochromatic once again.

 

☸️ AT THE POINT ARENA LIGHTHOUSE PENINSULA:

🔆 13 northbound gray whales – seven singles, one deuce, and a group of four displaying courtship behavior for over two hours as they slowly drifted to the north; rolling, flippers, flukes visible

🔆 83 harbor seals

🔆 3 black oystercatchers

🔆 3 American kestrels

🔆 1 brown pelican flying north

🔆 1 bobcat

☸️ AT SAUNDERS REEF:

🔆 2 northbound gray whales – a deuce

🔆 1 red-tailed hawk

☸️ TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE ➡️

🔵  80 northbound          🔴   382 southbound

It was a cloudy, hazy day and a calm ocean. The sky and the ocean were both gray today making blows difficult to detect.

✅ AT THE POINT ARENA LIGHTHOUSE PENINSULA :

💠 4 northbound gray whales – two singles and one deuce

💠 55 harbor seals

💠 2 American kestrels

💠 2 black oystercatchers

💠 1 great blue heron

💠 1 Ferruginous hawk

✅ AT SAUNDERS REEF:

💠 3 northbound gray whales – one single and one deuce

✅ AT OLLIE’s FLAT:

💠 Shari Goforth spotted 4 northbound gray whales first seen passing Gualala Point

✅ TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE  🟰

🔵  65 northbound           🔴   382 southbound

 

 

Observations today were at Gerstle  Cove in Salt Point State Park on an absolutely gorgeous day. It was sunny, a light breeze, calm ocean,  some haziness on the horizon, but overall excellent visibility.

WE OBSERVED:

🔷 9 northbound gray whales – three singles and three sets of two; these whales ranged from one quarter mile to 3 miles off shore; one whale in our last pair breached three times

🔷 26 harbor seals

🔷 1 sea lion

🔷 3 black oystercatchers

🔷 2 American kestrels

🔷 1 Northern harrier

🔶 TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE  🔀

🔵   54 northbound         🔴   382 southbound

Today presented us with ideal observation conditions.  It was sunny, no wind, calm ocean, excellent distinction between the sky and the ocean.  We had visibility all the way to the horizon although as the day progressed, some offshore fog began to appear way offshore.

AT THE POINT ARENA LIGHTHOUSE PENINSULA:

♦️ 14 northbound gray whales – eight singles, one deuce, and one group of four;  backs, heads, and flukes often visible

♦️ 83 harbor seals

♦️ 1 Ferruginous hawk

♦️ 2 American kestrels

AT SAUNDERS REEF:

♦️ 7 northbound gray whales – one single, one group of four, and one deuce; one member of the pair full breached once

☀️🌊☀️🌊☀️🌊☀️🌊☀️🌊☀️🌊☀️🌊☀️🌊☀️🌊☀️🌊☀️🌊

🟩 TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE  🟰

🔵  45 northbound             🔴  382 southbound

 

After the torrential rains of yesterday, fog moved in today reducing visibility along our coast.

AT THE POINT ARENA LIGHTHOUSE PENINSULA:

🟣 NO WHALES  SEEN

🟣 87 harbor seals

🟣 1 American kestrel

We relocated to Saunders Reef where the fog had retreated closer to the horizon:

🔵 5 northbound gray whales – a loose group of three and two singles, backs and flukes were visible

🔵 1 red-tailed hawk

🔶🔷🔶🔷🔶🔷🔶🔷🔶🔷🔶🔷🔶🔷🔶🔷🔶🔷🔶🔷

♦️ TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE  🟰

🔵   24 northbound          🔴   382 southbound