Recent Sightings

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

Excellent visibility today at the Point Arena Lighthouse peninsula allowed us to observe:

* 23 southbound gray whales – 6 groups of 2 and 11 singles; one was a sub-adult swimming only 500 yards offshore; many whales fluked and backs were often visible

* 51 harbor seals

* 1 Northern harrier

* 1 red-tailed hawk

* 2 American kestrels

* 1 gopher

 GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE = 108 southbound

While hiking along the  bluff trail at the Sea Ranch, 1 southbound gray whale was seen.

Yesterday’s challenging conditions continued today. Winds were blowing 13 mph and gusting to 21 mph. Many whitecaps on the ocean.

At the Point ArenaLighthouse peninsula we observed:

 * 6 southbound gray whales, 2 whales started as singles but eventually, the whale behind caught up to the whale in front and they proceeded swimming south together; the other 4 whales were solo

* 29 harbor seals

 * 1 red-tailed hawk

 * 2 American kestrels

 * 2 black oystercatchers

 GRAY WHALES TO DATE = 85 southbound