Category: Daily Observations

Shari Goforth received the following update on the gray whale with scars  she photographed yesterday at Gualala Point Regional Park Beach: Mark Sawyer:  There’s a match to a 2023 calf, known as “Panther”. The images I matched to, and the additional info, comes from the GEMM Lab at OSU. They saw Panther in October, with…

This foraging gray whale was seen not more than 150 yards off the beach at Gualala Point Regional Park.  Fortunately, Shari Goforth was alerted by friend and neighbor, Laverne Hancock,  who spotted the whale from her home early this morning.  I met Shari on the bluff trail above the beach and we watched this gray…

Visibility today was once again excellent but there was a slight wind. Early in the day we received word from our friend and photographer extraordinaire, Ron Bolander, that he was watching several whales and whale activity such as breaching at the Lighthouse. Observations from the Point Arena Lighthouse peninsula: * 16 southbound gray whales –…

Grateful for another day with excellent visibility, no wind, calm ocean, excellent distinction between sky, ocean, and blows. At the Point Arena Lighthouse peninsula we observed: * 28 southbound gray whales – 1 loose group of four,  1 group of  three, 6 groups of two, and  9 singles – one whale breached three times, another…

Excellent conditions today for observing. At the Point Arena Lighthouse peninsula we spotted: * 25 southbound gray whales – one seen by Shari Godorth-Eby breached three times , 1 group of 4, 1 group of 3, 3 pairs, and  12 singles * we also watched one forager slowly swimming north and south between 200 and…

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…

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…

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 …

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…

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…

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,…