Recent Sightings

Cloudy conditions persisted through the day creating the dreaded monochrome effect which makes it difficult to distinguish between ocean, sky, and blows. However, the ocean was very calm and that made it possible to observe whale backs, heads, and flukes.

Observations from the Point Arena Lighthouse peninsula:

* 11 southbound gray whales – one group of three, one group of two – these two groups joined together for a short while and five blows were visible at once,
Six singles – three of the singles breached, two breached four times and one breached once

GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE = 352 southbound

* 4-5 sea lions swimming north
* 51 harbor seals
* 1 Ferruginous hawk
* 3 American kestrels

Cloudy conditions today and for part of the time, the ocean, sky, and blows were all the same color. Thankfully, the sun re-emerged and visibility improved.

This morning I spotted a blow very close to shore at the Gualala Point Regional Park beach. We quickly notified Shari Goforth-Eby who was able to photograph this foraging whale. She discovered this whale was in fact Panther, the same two year old whale seen there on Thursday, January 23rd with 11 scars and a deep laceration most likely caused by a boat propeller. Interesting that this young whale is still foraging in the same area. We will continue to look for and monitor his presence and behaviors.

Observations from the Point Arena Lighthouse peninsula:

* 9 southbound gray whales – one group of three, two groups of two, and two singles

TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE = 341 southbound

* 41 harbor seals
* 1 white-tailed kite
* 2 great blue herons
* 2 American kestrels
* 1 Ferruginous hawk
* 1 Northern harrier
* 3 black oystercatchers

Excellent conditions today with great visibility and distinction between the sky and the ocean.

Observations from the Point Arena Lighthouse peninsula:

* 15 southbound gray whales – one group of four, one group of three, two groups of two, four singles

Total whales seen to date = 332 southbound

* 39 harbor seals
* 1 great blue heron
* 2 black oystercatchers
* 2 American kestrels

While hiking along the bluff  trial at the Sea Ranch, we spotted one gray whale foraging north of Walk On Beach. The whale swam north and south and  took long foraging dives about 200 years off shore.  Below please see a video of this whale taken by Janet McElroy. 

Shari Goforth-Eby was the Point Arena Lighthouse and reported seeing 5 southbound grays – two duos and one single.

Later in the day, we spotted 8 southbound grays – 3 duos and 2 singles at the Lighthouse.

 Total grays seen today = 13 southbound and 1 forager

TOTAL WHALES SEEN TO DATE: 317 southbound

* 73 harbor seals

* 1 great blue heron

 * 3 American kestrels

Observations from Saunders Reef:

* 4 southbound gray whales, one group of two and two singles

   GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE = 304 southbound

 Today, we had the good fortune to watch and learn from Orca Network’s Way of Whales conference.