“A very special guest graced the lineup at Black’s Beach in San Diego this past Saturday taking a break from its migration south to Mexico.” Gray Whales reach a length of 50 ft and weigh up to 36 tons, and live between 55 and 70 years.
Tag: whales
Guess.What.Day.It.Is?
Notes:
- Humpback Whales on Hump Day (wrong). SFGate: “Baird’s beaked whales, more than two dozen of which were spotted off the coast of Monterey Bay on Wednesday. ‘This is the largest group of beaked whales I have seen over the last 30 years and I have only seen this species of whale about 10 times in my life,’ said Nancy Black, marine biologist with Monterey Bay Whale Watch. The whales, also known as giant beaked whales, are named for their — you guessed it — giant beaks. They have bulbous heads and long beaks that make them look somewhat similar to a dolphin, except they can grow to 42 feet long as adults. Baird’s beaked whales are rarely seen on whale-watching ventures. They’re a deepwater species of whales that can hold their breath for long periods of time, lingering underwater for up to an hour as they feed on deep-sea fish and squid, explained Black. They’re usually found at depths of around 3,300 feet and rarely swim in shallow waters, according to the American Cetacean Society.” Don’t miss video here. (Thank you Christie!)
- Background on Caleb/Wednesday/Hump Day Posts and Geico’s original commercial: Let’s Hit it Again
Let’s just say…Wow. (28 sec)
Back story here: How Drones Are Helping Scientists Study and Protect Endangered Whales (Thank you Christie!)
SuperPod! (80 sec)
Patrick Webster, who has lived near Monterey Bay for 11 years, is no stranger to sea creatures. But this week was the first time he saw the ocean “come alive,” he said. About 1,000 dolphins were racing along the shore in a “superpod,” jumping in and out of the water while chasing baitfish. “It was one of the most amazing experiences to see the water be alive with squeaking and splashing dolphins,” Webster said. “They’ll hop up and take a look at you, and you can see they’re checking you out.” The dolphins led the boat to several whales that were lunge feeding and bubble netting, which occurs when whales blow bubbles around a school of fish to trap them. The dolphins swam in and out of the whales’ feeding area, picking up their leftovers, making for a spectacular show that Webster captured on video. “They were just going to town,” Webster said. “It’s a super big deal to see so much wildlife all in the same spot…. For the animals, it’s probably just a regular day.”
(Source: Hundreds of dolphins race along Monterey Bay in ‘superpod’, Los Angeles Times, September 7, 2018)
Sunday Morning
After a century, humpbacks migrate
again to Queens. They left
due to sewage and white froth
banking the shores from polychlorinated-
biphenyl-dumping into the Hudson
and winnowing menhaden schools.
But now grace, dark bodies of song
return. Go to the seaside—
Hold your breath. Submerge.
A black fluke silhouetted
against the Manhattan skyline …
Our songs will pierce the dark
fathoms. Behold the miracle:
what was once lost
now leaps before you.
~ Rajiv Mohabir, from “Why Whales Are Back in New York City”
Notes:
- Photo: Humpback Whale in New York Harbor: Day 3 by Bjoern Kils.
- Poem Source: 3quarksdaily