Recent Sightings

Observations from the Point Arena Lighthouse peninsula and from Saunders Reef

Flat, calm ocean, no wind, very good visibility

At PAL:

* 3 humpbacks, slowly moving to the south

* 3 harbor porpoise also swimming south

* 74 harbor seals

* 8 black oyster catchers

* 1 osprey

At Saunders Reef:

*  7 humpbacks;

* one single swimming to the north

* a group of three were very active with flipper slapping, fluking, and one of                         the three breached six times!!

* a second group of three

* 1 sea lion

 

 

 

“Unprecedented numbers of gray whales are visiting San Francisco Bay, and nobody quite knows why”

 by Suzanne Rust

https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2024-07-14/gray-whales-san-francisco-bay

Observations from the Point Arena Lighthouse peninsula

The ocean was quite calm and flat on this cloudy, gray day but we did spot four humpback whales! One was moving  slowly to the north towards three others that stayed mostly in the same area while we observed them.  These whales were a most welcomed sight!

In addition to the humpbacks, we saw:

33 harbor seals

one Northern Harrier

one great blue heron

 

 

Observations from Point Arena Lighthouse peninsula and Saunders Reef

No whales seen at either site

Dense fog at PAL

92 harbor seals

1 red-tailed hawk

 

Observations from the Point Arena Lighthouse peninsula and from Saunders Reef

No whales seen at either site

At PAL:

94 harbor seals

1 great blue heron

7 brown pelicans