Recent Sightings

Today’s windy conditions made spotting blows and tracking whales  a bit challenging. The ocean was covered with whitecaps but we did have a clear view all the way to the horizon.

🔆 AT THE POINT ARENA LIGHTHOUSE PENINSULA:

🔺 15 humpbacks – many breaches; some in groups of two

🔺 1 gray whale mother and calf – this pair stayed directly in front of us swimming together slowly for 25 minutes before continuing on their northbound journey; during this time; we observed the calf poop four times!

🔺 1 gray whale forging

🔺 1 sea lion swimming north

🔺 92 harbor seals – 6 mothers with pups

🔺 68 brown pelicans flying north

🔺 2 black oystercatchers

✳️✳️ early in the day we received a report from Mel Smith that he could see humpback whales near the Point Arena Pier bell buoy and many more could be seen way out to the horizon;   Mel estimated about 30 humpbacks were in the area

🔆 AT SAUNDERS REEF:

🔺 3 humpbacks

🔺 47 brown pelicans flying north

🔆 TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE

🔵   339 northbound- includes 5 mother/calf pairs

🔴   382 southbound

🟢   11 foragers

We had excellent visibility today but the wind was blowing at 13 mph from the northwest with gusts of 18 mph.  Whale blows did not stay suspended very long but rather were blown down quickly.
We received multiple reports from community members that humpbacks were being seen today from Fort Ross to Point Arena.

✳️ AT THE POINT ARENA LIGHTHOUSE PENINSULA:

💠 92 harbor seals – 9 pups

💠 1 gray whale foraging close to shore; may be the same forager we observed yesterday or it may be a new recruit

💠 20 humpback whales – mostly singles; some groups of  two’s and three’s; many breaches and tail lobbing

💠 1 great egret

💠 approximately 130 brown pelicans flying north, then circling around the lighthouse; many stopped to rest on the rocks on the north side of the lighthouse

💠 4 black oystercatchers

💠 1 bobcat

✳️ AT SAUNDERS REEF:

💠 12 humpbacks – many breaching and tail lobbing

✳️ TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE 🔽

🔵   337 northbound – includes 4 mother/calf pairs

🔴   382 southbound

🟢   10 foragers

Ideal ocean and weather conditions today at the Point Arena Lighthouse gave us the opportunity to spot blows easily and to observe whale backs, heads, and flukes. It truly was a whale observer’s dream day.

💠 12 humpback whales spanning throughout our observation area and ranging from 2-5 miles offshore; we watched a group of three humpbacks open mouth feeding together

💠 1 gray whale foraging approximately 500 yards offshore

💠 86 harbor seals – including five pups

💠 6 black oystercatchers

💠 1 brown pelican flying north and 6 flying south

💠 1 red-tailed hawk

🟧 NO WHALES SEEN AT SAUNDERS REEF

🟧 On Monday, April 20th, Bill Budge photographed a gray whale mother and calf at the mouth of the Gualala River!

TOTAL GRAY  WHALES SEEN TO DATE ↘️

🔵   337 northbound – includes 4 mother/calf pairs

🔴  382 southbound

🟢   9 foragers

At the POINT ARENA LIGHTHOUSE peninsula, there was poor distinction between the ocean and the sky due to cloudy skies.  There was a significant amount of whitecaps on the ocean.

🔷 1 humpback

🔷 17 harbor seals at high tide – haul out sites underwater

🔷  9 brown pelicans flying north

🔷   4 black oystercatchers

🔶 NO WHALES SEEN AT SAUNDERS REEF

🔶 TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE ⤵️

  335 northbound – includes 3 mother/calf pairs

  382 southbound

  8 foragers

Observations today were at Saunders Reef which is just to the north of Hearn Gulch and to the south of Schooner Gulch. It was an overcast, cloudy day with a light wind.

❇️ 2 northbound gray whales – singles

❇️ 1 humpback about 3.5 miles offshore – flipper slapping

🔆 TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE 🟰

🔵   335 northbound – includes 3 mother/calf pairs

🔴   382 southbound

🟢   8 foragers