Recent Sightings

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

🔴   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

On this cloudy day, whale blows were difficulty to see due to the lack of distinction between the ocean and sky. For most of the day, our observation area  was mono-color.  Thankfully, the ocean was calm and there was little to no wind.

✳️ AT THE POINT ARENA LIGHTHOUSE PENINSULA:

♦️2 northbound gray whales – singles

♦️ 1 foraging gray whale taking long dives and swimming north and  then south  between 250 and 300 yards offshore

♦️ 91 harbor seals

♦️ several long flocks of Aleutian cackling geese flying north – estimated 2,100 geese

♦️ 53 brown pelicans flying north

♦️ 2 black oystercatchers

✳️ AT SAUNDERS REEF:

♦️ no whales seen

♦️ 50 Aleutian cackling geese flying north

♦️ 8 brown pelicans flying north

✳️ TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE 🟰

🔵   299 northbound – includes one mother/calf pair

🔴   382 southbound

🟢   3 foragers

 

The day began with excellent visibility, the ocean was calm and there was a slight wind.  As the day progressed, it became cloudy and we lost the distinction between the ocean and the sky.

🔶 AT THE POINT ARENA LIGHTHOUSE PENINSULA:

🔷 7 northbound gray whales- two sets of two and three singles

🔷 76 harbor seals

🔷 49 brown pelicans flying north

🔶 AT SAUNDERS REEF:

🔷 1 northbound gray whale

🔷 1 osprey

🔷 7 brown pelicans flying north

🔶 TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE  ⏩️

🔵   297 northbound

🔴   382 southbound

🟢    2 foragers

 

The Mendocino Whale Festival continued today at the Point Arena Lighthouse. We were honored to be a part of this event and we thoroughly enjoyed helping many visitors learn about whales and search for whales off the peninsula.  Although there were not many whales in our area, the enthusiasm for finding them was inspiring! Our visibility was limited by haze.

💠 3 northbound gray whales – all singles

💠 approximately 900 Aleutian cackling geese flying north in flocks of 300, 400, 90, 80, and 30

💠 12 brown pelicans – 4 circling around the Lighthouse and 8 flying north

💠 2 black oystercatchers

🔆 TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE 🟰

🔵    289 northbound – includes one mother/calf pair

🔴    382 southbound

🟢    2 foragers