Recent Sightings

Good visibility today until the wind increased in the afternoon creating a haziness offshore.

ALONG THE SALAL TRAIL ON THE NORTH END OF THE SEA RANCH, WE SPOTTED ONE HUMPBACK.

KATE BLOCH ALSO REPORTED SEEING SEVERAL BLOWS IN THIS AREA, BOTH NORTH AND SOUTH OF GUALALA POINT ISLAND.

AT THE POINT ARENA LIGHTHOUSE PENINSULA, WE OBSERVED:

*️⃣ 1 humpback moving steadily south about 1 x 1.5 miles offshore

*️⃣ 79 harbor seals

*️⃣ 1 American kestrel

*️⃣ 1 great blue heron

*️⃣ 24 brown pelicans flying north, 5 flying south, 10-12 feeding

NO WHALES SEEN AT SAUNDERS REEF – lots of spray, whitecaps, sun glare

*️⃣ 1 red-tailed hawk

After 2 days of rain and foggy conditions, we had good visibility today although the wind was blowing 15 mph and gusting to 24 mph. Whitecaps were plentiful

AT THE POINT ARENA LIGHTHOUSE PENINSULA, WE OBSERVED:

💠 9 humpbacks- one duo and seven singles

💠 14 harbor seals – tide still fairly high but receding

💠 5 black oystercatchers resting and foraging on the rocks

💠 1 great blue heron

💠 1 American kestrel

💠 1 red-tailed hawk

💠 1 great egret

💠 53 brown pelicans flying south and 8 circling the lighthouse

🔆 SHARI GOFORTH reported seeing 5 humpbacks at Gualala Point North. One whale breached twice!

We observed today at Gerstle Cove. The conditions varied throughout the day ranging from cloudy to clear skies, some offshore fog, and huge swell and crashing waves. A high surf advisory was in effect.

♦️ 3 humpbacks – all singles

♦️ 3 harbor seals – one swimming in the cove the other two being tossed around by the rough surf at their haul out site

♦️ 1 red-tailed hawk

♦️ 1 adult bald eagle perched high in a tree

♦️ 35 brown pelicans

We were notified by Roberta Chan and Diane Hichwa that up to 16 fulmars beached along the southern end of Manchester Beach. They were all successfully transported to the bird rescue center in Santa Rosa.

We had excellent visibility today all the way to the horizon.

At the Point Arena Lighthouse peninsula, we observed:

🔷 7 humpbacks – all singles

🔷 12 harbor seals – high tide, limited access to haul out site

🔷 1 great egret

🔷 24 brown pelicans flying north and 11 flying south

NO WHALES SEEN AT SAUNDERS REEF

After a very foggy day yesterday, today brought decent visibility. The surf was quite rough.

At the Point Arena Lighthouse peninsula, we observed:

🔆 2 harbor seals swimming in the high surf surrounding their haul out site

🔆 1 American kestrel

🔆 1 red-tailed hawk

🔆 4 black oystercatchers

🔆 16 brown pelicans flying north

🔆 NO WHALES SEEN

🟢 The carcass of the juvenile male humpback whale that stranded last Thursday, October 16th on the southern end of Manchester Beach is now floating in the P’da Hau Garcia River, not far from the mouth of the river.

AT SAUNDERS REEF, we observed:

🔆 3 humpbacks – all singles

🔆 7 brown pelicans flying north