Recent Sightings

gray-whales-are-dying-off-the-pacific-coast-again-and-scientists-arent-sure-why

This important article was written by Susanne Rust, an award-winning investigative reporter specializing in environmental issues. She has been following and reporting about the status of the gray whale population for several years. We had the great privilege of meeting Susanne in 2020.

Observations from the Point Arena Lighthouse peninsula:

✳️ 3 northbound gray whales – two traveling together and one single

✳️ 48 harbor seals

✳️ 3 sea lions swimming north

✳️ 1 red-tailed hawk

✳️ 35 pelicans flying north

✳️ 2 gophers

Observations from Saunders Reef:

✳️ 2 northbound gray whales – both singles

✳️ 7 pelicans flying north

✳️ 1 great blue heron

🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆

TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE: (since November 1, 2024) 🟰

🔷🔷 299 northbound- includes 1 mother/calf

♦️♦️ 391 southbound

🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆🔆

With foggy and soggy conditions throughout the day, we did not observed any whales at the Point Arena Lighthouse peninsula or at Saunders Reef. However, in between rain showers, Shari Goforth did observe 5 northbound gray whales at Gualala Point Regional Park.

At PAL, we observed:

✳️ 33 harbor seals

✳️ 1 red-tailed hawk

✳️ 1 great blue heron

🌊💦🌊💦🌊💦🌊💦🌊💦🌊💦🌊💦🌊💦🌊💦🌊💦🌊💦🌊💦

TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE; (as of November 1, 2024) =

🔷🔷 294 northbound – includes 1 mother/calf

♦️♦️ 391 southbound

🌊💦🌊💦🌊💦🌊💦🌊💦🌊💦🌊💦🌊💦🌊💦🌊💦🌊💦🌊💦

We participated in our community march and rally for Democracy today.🇺🇸

After the rally, Shari Goforth reported seeing two northbound gray whales passing by Gualala Point.

🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸

TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE: (since November 1, 2024) =

🔷🔷 289 northbound – includes 1 mother/calf
♦️♦️ 391 southbound

🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸

With excellent visibility and mostly calm seas at Gerstle Cove, we observed:

* 8 northbound gray whales – one pair traveling together and six singles

* 21 harbor seals

* 1 California sea lion

* 3 black oystercatchers

* 5 brown pelicans flying north

* 1 flock of about 75 cackling geese flying north

* 1 osprey carrying a fish and being escorted by three gulls

🔷🔵🔷🔵🔷🔵🔷🔵🔷🔵🔷🔵🔷🔵🔷🔵🔷🔵🔷🔵🔷🔵🔷

TOTAL GRAY WHALES SEEN TO DATE (since November 1, 2024) =

🔆🔆 287 northbound – includes 1 mother/calf

🔆🔆 391 southbound

🔷🔵🔷🔵🔷🔵🔷🔵🔷🔵🔷🔵🔷🔵🔷🔵🔷🔵🔷🔵🔷🔵🔷