Monterey Bay Whale Watch
List of Marine Mammal Sightings
in the Monterey Bay Region
May 1-31, 2012
Note — In addition to sightings on Monterey Bay Whale Watch trips, this list includes all reported marine mammal sightings for this region. Unusual sightings of other marine animals such as Leatherback Sea Turtles and Basking Sharks are also listed. California Sea Lions, Harbor Seals, and Southern Sea Otters, which are seen on all whale watching trips, are not included in the list.
These sightings are copyright protected and may not be used without permission from Nancy Black. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use of this information is a violation of federal copyright law, and is subject to prosecution to the full extent of the law.
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|
 |
| Date |
# |
|
Type of Animal(s) |
|
|
|
|
| 5/31 a.m. |
56 |
|
Humpback Whales |
|
|
|
1800 |
|
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
|
|
300 |
|
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
Blue Whale (May 30, 2012)
Photo © 2012 Daniel Bianchetta |
|
15 |
|
Harbor Porpoise |
|
|
|
| 5/30 p.m. |
3 |
|
Humpback Whales |
|
|
20 |
|
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
|
50 |
|
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
|
5 |
|
Harbor Porpoise |
|
|
|
|
| 5/30 a.m. |
20 |
|
Humpback Whales |
|
Killer Whales (May 29, 2012)
Photo © 2012 Daniel Bianchetta |
|
2 |
|
Blue Whales |
|
|
5 |
|
Killer Whales |
|
|
150 |
|
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
|
5 |
|
Harbor Porpoise |
|
|
|
| 5/29 a.m. |
32 |
|
Humpback Whales |
|
|
7 |
|
Killer Whales (predation on Harbor Seal) |
|
|
7 |
|
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
|
|
|
Humpback Whale (May 27, 2012)
Photo © 2012 Daniel Bianchetta |
| 5/28 a.m. |
27 |
|
Humpback Whales |
|
|
1 |
|
Fin Whale |
|
|
220 |
|
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
|
150 |
|
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
|
5 |
|
Dall’s Porpoise |
|
|
6 |
|
Harbor Porpoise |
|
|
|
| 5/27 p.m. |
25 |
|
Humpback Whales |
|
|
1 |
|
Fin Whale |
|
|
20 |
|
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
|
|
|
Fin Whale (May 27, 2012)
Photo © 2012 Daniel Bianchetta |
| 5/27 a.m. |
35 |
|
Humpback Whales |
|
|
1 |
|
Fin Whale |
|
|
80 |
|
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
|
|
| 5/26 p.m. |
22 |
|
Humpback Whales |
|
|
|
| 5/26 p.m. |
35 |
|
Humpback Whales |
|
|
|
| 5/22 a.m. |
40 |
|
Humpback Whales |
|
|
30+ |
|
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
|
|
75 |
|
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
Pacific White-sided Dolphins (May 21, 2012)
Photo © 2012 Sebastian Gorgol |
|
150 |
|
Northern Right-whale Dolphins |
|
|
3 |
|
Harbor Porpoise |
|
|
|
| 5/21 a.m. |
25 |
|
Humpback Whales |
|
|
600 |
|
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
|
75 |
|
Northern Right-whale Dolphins |
|
|
|
| 5/20 a.m. |
5 |
|
Humpback Whales |
|
|
300 |
|
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
|
1200 |
|
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
|
|
| 5/19 a.m. |
3 |
|
Humpback Whales |
|
|
|
50 |
|
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
Humpback Whale ID Photo
(May 19, 2012)
Photo © 2012 Daniel Bianchetta |
|
50 |
|
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
|
|
| 5/18 a.m. |
2 |
|
Humpback Whales |
|
|
25 |
|
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
|
|
| 5/17 a.m. |
1 |
|
Humpback Whale |
|
|
130 |
|
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
|
5 |
|
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
|
|
| 5/16 a.m. |
2 |
|
Humpback Whales |
|
|
40 |
|
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
|
40 |
|
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
|
|
|
Killer Whales (May 14, 2012)
Photo © 2012 Daniel Bianchetta |
| 5/15 a.m. |
4 |
|
Humpback Whales (breaching, tail-slapping) |
|
|
6 |
|
Killer Whales (including a calf) |
|
|
|
| 5/14 p.m. |
22 |
|
Humpback Whales |
|
|
2 |
|
Killer Whales |
|
|
20 |
|
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
|
|
| 5/14 a.m. |
26 |
|
Humpback Whales |
|
|
2 |
|
Killer Whales (hunting sea lion) |
|
|
3 |
|
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
|
|
| 5/13 a.m. |
48 |
|
Humpback Whales (75+ in the area) |
|
Breaching Humpback Whale
(May 13, 2012)
Photo © 2012 Daniel Bianchetta |
|
2 |
|
“Friendly” Humpback Whales |
|
|
30 |
|
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
|
20 |
|
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
|
|
| 5/12 p.m. |
27 |
|
Humpback Whales |
|
|
20 |
|
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
|
|
| 5/12 a.m. |
27 |
|
Humpback Whales |
|
|
75 |
|
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
|
100 |
|
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
|
|
| 5/11 p.m. |
4 |
|
Humpback Whales |
|
Northern Fur Seal (May 11, 2012)
Photo © 2012 Daniel Bianchetta |
|
|
| 5/11 a.m. |
25 |
|
Humpback Whales |
|
|
2 |
|
Gray Whales |
|
|
1 |
|
Northern Fur Seal |
|
|
|
| 5/10 p.m. |
20 |
|
Humpback Whales |
|
|
9 |
|
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
|
1 |
|
Harbor Porpoise |
|
|
|
| 5/10 a.m. |
35 |
|
Humpback Whales |
|
|
15 |
|
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
|
|
|
Risso’s Dolphins (May 7, 2012)
Photo © 2012 Daniel Bianchetta |
| 5/9 a.m. |
5 |
|
Humpback Whales |
|
|
20 |
|
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
|
|
| 5/8 p.m. |
2 |
|
Humpback Whales |
|
|
75 |
|
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
|
20 |
|
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
|
|
| 5/8 a.m. |
8 |
|
Humpback Whales |
|
|
|
| 5/7 a.m. |
25 |
|
Humpback Whales |
|
|
50 |
|
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
|
600 |
|
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
|
|
Sea Otter Mother and Pup (May 5, 2012)
Photo © 2012 Daniel Bianchetta |
| 5/6 p.m. |
25 |
|
Humpback Whales |
|
|
60 |
|
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
|
|
| 5/6 a.m. |
65 |
|
Humpback Whales (120+ in the Bay) |
|
|
1500 |
|
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
|
2 |
|
Harbor Porpoise |
|
|
|
| 5/5 a.m. |
45 |
|
Humpback Whales (100+ in the Bay) |
|
|
1500 |
|
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
|
200 |
|
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
|
|
|
Red-necked Phalaropes around
Humpback Whale (May 5, 2012)
Photo © 2012 Daniel Bianchetta |
| 5/3 p.m. |
17 |
|
Humpback Whales (more in the area) |
|
|
1 |
|
Gray Whale (calf carcass) |
|
|
10 |
|
Killer Whales |
|
|
30 |
|
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
|
|
| 5/3 a.m. |
60 |
|
Humpback Whales (some lunge feeding on krill) |
|
|
2 |
|
Gray Whales (cow, calf under attack) |
|
|
10 |
|
Killer Whales |
|
|
1 |
|
Minke Whale |
|
|
1 |
|
Pacific White-sided Dolphin |
|
|
4 |
|
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
|
|
Copyright © 2012 Monterey Bay Whale Watch. No use of the sightings information is permitted without prior approval.
