Recent Sightings

Observations today at Gerstle cove in Salt Point State Park.
Choppy seas with at south southeast wind of 10 mph gusting up to 18 mph. Good visibility.

*️⃣ 13 humpbacks – one duo and ten singles seen at Gerstle Cove;
one seen on our drive home between Salt Point State Park and Stewart’s Point just 500 yards from shore

*️⃣ 5-7 harbor seals bottling and bobbing around the rocks at their haul out site at high tide

*️⃣ approximately 20-30 brown pelicans diving into the ocean to feed:
36 flying south

*️⃣ 1 Northern harrier

*️⃣ 1 red-tailed hawk

*️⃣ 1 Osprey diving for fish; on second attempt caught a small fish

🔺 Doug Forsell reported seeing 6 humpbacks from Iversen Point

🔺 Shari Goforth reported seeing 2 humpbacks, including one breach, at Gualala Point North

Ocean was calm, good visibility with patches of offshore haze.

At the Point Arena Lighthouse peninsula, we observed:

🔷 5 humpbacks – all singles

🔷 6 harbor seals swimming around their haul out sites at high tide

🔷 6 black oystercatchers

🔷 4 black turnstones

🔷 10 brown pelicans flying south and 3 flying north

The ocean was very calm today but the sky was cloudy.

NO WHALES SEEN AT SAUNDERS REEF

❇️ 15 brown pelicans flying south and 4 flying north

AT THE POINT ARENA LIGHTHOUSE PENINSULA:

❇️ 6 humpbacks – all singles

❇️ 1 harbor seal swimming around the haul out site which was completely submerged at high tide

❇️ 12 black oystercatchers resting on a rocky ledge

❇️ 1 great egret flying

❇️ 2 great blue herons

❇️ 3 American kestrels

❇️ 1 white-tailed kite

❇️ 7 brown pelicans flying south and 6 flying north

At Gerstle Cove today we saw two humpbacks before the thick fogged rolled in and reduced visibility to zero! We also saw one great egret.

There was better visibility in Gualala and Shari Goforth spotted 5-7 humpbacks at Gualala Point North.

After a very foggy day yesterday making observations impossible, today brought ideal observation conditions. Unlimited visibility, calm ocean, excellent distinction between ocean, sky, and blows.

AT SAUNDERS REEF:

🔷 no whales seen

🔷 46 brown pelicans flying north

AT THE POINT ARENA LIGHTHOUSE PENINSULA:

🔷 9 humpback whales – one group of three; one group of two; four singles: side by side breaching, chin slapping, backs and dorsal fins visible; only one whale fluked

🔷 90 harbor seals

🔷 117 brown pelicans flying north; many diving into the ocean to feed along with the humpbacks

🔷 1 red-tailed hawk

🟣 SHARI GOFORTH reported seeing 7 humpbacks off Pacific Drive in Gualala; one group of four surfacing together, multiple blows, lots of flashing bodies then diving, some fluking;
The second group seen consisted of a duo and a single in closer

🟣 DIANE HICHWA reported whales seen from the Sea Ranch Lodge