Tag Archives: breaching

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Richard Kuehn has been enjoying the mother/calf pairs now passing by the Mendonoma Coast. He caught this great photo showing the baleen of a juvenile Gray Whale. The calf's mother is close behind.

A Gray Whale calf shows its baleen with mom close behind by Richard Kuehn

The baleen is a filter-feeder system where the whale takes in water. The whale then pushes the water out and the animals in the water, such as krill, are filtered by the baleen and become food for the whale. However, this calf is still nursing.

Rich saw this calf breach twelve times! Earlier in the day a Gray Whale calf  spyhopped and Rich got that photo too.

CA Gray Whale calf spyhopping by Richard Kuehn

Thanks to Rich for allowing me to share these photos with you here.

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Several Coast residents were treated to the sight of two dozen or so Dolphins obviously feeding, as they stayed for over three hours. Ken Bailey took this photo of what I think are Pacific White-sided Dolphins. However, Jodi Smith, of Naked Whale Research, looked at the photos and she says they are Risso's Dolphins. One can be seen breaching.

Pacific White-sided Dolphin breaching by Ken Bailey

Joel Chaban got a photo of their dorsal fins, which you can see slope backward at the top.

Dolphins feeding at Cooks Beach by Joel Chaban

These Dolphins eat mostly squid and some medium-sized fish.  They are not as acrobatic as Pacific White-sided Dolphins but young Risso's Dolphins can be seen breaching, as in Ken's photo.

To learn more about whales, especially Killer Whales, here is the link to Jodi Smith's Naked Whale Research website: http://www.nakedwhaleresearch.org/

Thanks to Ken and Joel for allowing me to share their photos with you here. To see more of Ken's nature photography, here is his website: http://www.seadreams.org/

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John Batchelder saw a pod of what he thought were dolphins or perhaps Killer Whales. They were Risso's Dolphins and many were breaching. Using his long lens, John got these photos. Risso's Dolphin breaching by John Batchelder Risso's Dolphins by John Batchelder Risso's Dolphins prey on Humboldt Squid and their bodies can be marked by the squids' beaks. The more scars, the older the dophin is. Here is a close-up of a Risso's Dolphin taken by Ron LeValley. Risso's Dolphin 1 by Ron LeValley Thanks to John and Ron for allowing me to share their photos with you here. To see much more of Ron's nature photography, his website is: http://www.levalleyphoto.com/home/

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Before the wind picked up yesterday there were quite a few sightings of Gray Whales, mostly mothers with their calves. Richard Kuehn photographed a calf apparently lunge feeding.

Gray Whale calf lunge feeding by Richard Kuehn

And the young Gray Whale also breached several times.

Gray Whale calf breaching by Richard Kuehn

This is a fun time to be on the Mendonoma Coast! Thanks to Rich for allowing me to share his photos with you here.