Recent Sightings

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

While hiking along the Pelican Bluff Trail this morning, Janet McElroy and I spotted a juvenile gray whale foraging in the kelp about 200 yards off shore.

Cloudy, gray conditions today created no distinction between the ocean and the sky making it challenging to spot blows. The ocean was calm at first but the wind picked up throughout the day.

At the Point Arena Lighthouse peninsula, we observed:

* 8 southbound gray whales; one breached three times, one did a half breach and another one did a chin slam

* 26 harbor seals

* 1 great blue heron

* 1 red-tailed hawk

* 2 American kestrels

   GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE = 174 southbound

Another day with ideal observation conditions.

At the Point Arena Lighthouse peninsula, we observed:

* 35 southbound gray whales – 21 singles, 4 groups of two, 2 groups of 3, varying in distance from the shore between 1/4 mile to 4 miles

* 59 harbor seals

 * 1 red-tailed hawk

* 1 sea lion foraging 

* 3 American kestrels

* 1 great blue heron

* 2 gophers

TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE:  166 southbound

Thankfully, yesterday’s fog disappeared and we had ideal spotting conditions  today. Very calm ocean, no wind or whitecaps, visibility to the horizon.
At the Point Arena Lighthouse peninsula, we observed:

  * 23 southbound gray whales – 1 group of four, 2 groups of three,  4 groups of 2, and five singles

  * 40 harbor seals

 * 2 red-tailed hawks

 * 1 Ferruginous hawk

 * 1 Great blue heron

 * 2 American kestrels

 GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE:   131 southbound