Recent Sightings

Visibility today was once again excellent but there was a slight wind.

Early in the day we received word from our friend and photographer extraordinaire, Ron Bolander, that he was watching several whales and whale activity such as breaching at the Lighthouse.

Observations from the Point Arena Lighthouse peninsula:

* 16 southbound gray whales – two pairs and 12 traveling solo

         GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE = 269 southbound

* 66 harbor seals

* 3 red-tailed hawks

*4 American kestrels

* 1 great blue heron

Grateful for another day with excellent visibility, no wind, calm ocean, excellent distinction between sky, ocean, and blows.

At the Point Arena Lighthouse peninsula we observed:

* 28 southbound gray whales – 1 loose group of four,  1 group of  three, 6 groups of two, and  9 singles – one whale breached three times, another half breached once and full breached twice,  most fluked, and backs and heads were also visible

* two foragers were present and swam slightly north and slightly south for nearly two hours taking long dives

* GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE = 253 southbound

 * 70 harbor seals

* 1 great blue heron

* 1 red-tailed hawk

* 2 American kestrels

Excellent conditions today for observing.

At the Point Arena Lighthouse peninsula we spotted:

* 25 southbound gray whales – one seen by Shari Godorth-Eby breached three times , 1 group of 4, 1 group of 3, 3 pairs, and  12 singles

* we also watched one forager slowly swimming north and south between 200 and 600 yards off shore for 90 minutes

* 75 harbor seals

* 1 black oystercatcher

* 1 red-tailed hawk

* 1 great blue heron

* 2 American kestrels

     GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE:   225 southbound

Two southbound gray whales were seen about 4 miles off of Saunders Reef this morning by Shari Goforth-Eby. They took multiple blows.

At the Point Arena  Lighthouse  peninsula, we observed:

 *16 southbound grays- 9 singles, 2 pairs, and 1 group of three

* 8 harbor seals swimming about their haul out sites

* 1 kingfisher

* 2 red-tailed hawks

* 3 American kestrels

* 1 great blue heron

   TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE = 200 southbound

The morning clouds disappeared into a sunny day with excellent visibility.

At the Point Arena Lighthouse peninsula we observed:

 * 8 southbound gray whales – 6 singles and 1 pair

* 6 harbor seals

* 2 American kestrels

* 1 White-tailed kite

     GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE = 182 southbound