Recent Sightings

There was a light wind and some whitecaps at the Point Arena Lighthouse peninsula on this sunny, clear day with very good visibility.

🔆 17 northbound gray whales – ten pairs and seven singles; 8 of these whales were less than one quarter mile offshore and the others were between one and two miles out

🔆 76 harbor seals

🔆 5 black oystercatchers

🔆 1 Northern harrier

🔆 3 American kestrels

🔆 36 brown pelicans flying north and 1 flying south

⚛️ AT SAUNDERS REEF:  wind was stronger and whitecaps were more numerous

🔆 1 northbound gray whales passing just behind the reef

⚛️ TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE  ⏩️

🔵   199 northbound          🔴   382 southbound           🟢   2 foragers

Observations today were at Gerstle Cove in Salt Point State Park. The day began with excellent visibility with a light wind and some whitecaps at about 3 miles offshore.  Unfortunately, the winds picked up consistently and considerably as the day progressed and the whitecaps became larger and more numerous.

♦️ 7 northbound gray whales – one deuce and five singles

♦️ 17 harbor seals

♦️ 3 osprey often seen hovering over the ocean; a bald eagle flew directly at one osprey, the osprey turned and showed the eagle its talons and then flew off with the eagle close behind but with no further interaction between the two

♦️ 1 American kestrel

♦️ several flocks of Aleutian Cackling geese flying north ranging in size from approximately 200 geese to 30 for a total of about 520 geese

♦️ several flocks of brown pelicans flying north – approximately 160 total and 13 flying south

♦️ 5 black oystercatchers

♦️ 1 garter snake

🔷 TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE  🟰

🔵   181 northbound          🔴   382 southbound          🟢  2 foragers

 

 

 

Windy with considerable whitecaps today but visibility was quite good.

🟣 AT THE POINT ARENA LIGHTHOUSE PENINSULA:

🟩 11 northbound gray whales – three groups of two and five singles

🟩 77 harbor seals

🟩 approximately 35 brown pelicans flying north and 5 flying south

🟩 1 American kestrel

🟣 NO WHALES SEEN AT SAUNDERS REEF – stronger winds

🟣 TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE ⏬️

🔵 174 northbound          🔴   382 southbound          🟢  2 foragers

 

With significantly less wind and fewer whitecaps compared to the previous two days, blows were detectable as were heads, back, and flukes.

✅ AT THE POINT ARENA LIGHTHOUSE PENINSULA :

🔷 26 northbound gray whales – 15 singles, four groups of two’s and one loose group of three

🔷 67 harbor seals

🔷 2 black oystercatchers

🔷 51 brown pelicans flying north and 1 flying south

✅ TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE ➡️

🔵   163 northbound          🔴   382 southbound          🟢   2 foragers

High winds at the Point Arena Lighthouse peninsula created numerous whitecaps. Blows were batted down very quickly and whales were difficulty to follow in the rough sea.

💠 3 northbound gray whales – one deuce and one single

💠 17 harbor seals – outgoing tide

💠 3 brown pelicans flying south and 14 flying north

💠 1 great blue heron

🔶 NO WHALES  SEEN AT SAUNDERS REEF

🔶 TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE  🟰

🔵   137 northbound          🔴   382 southbound          🟢   2 foragers