Tag Archives: Mendonoma Whale and Seal Study

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This is the beautiful sight Gary Levenson-Palmer saw in Irish Beach - a dramatic sunset. It looks rather like a painting!

Thanks to Gary for allowing me to share his photo with you here.

Sunny and warmer today, and the breezes picked up this afternoon. Many Humpback Whales are being seen off our coast. Here's a report from Friday by Scott and Tree Mercer of the Mendonoma Whale and Seal Study:

Friday August 25,2023. Point Arena Peninsula and Saunders Reef.
Foggy, overcast morning but with 4 plus miles of visibility.
NW 8,
Bright sun by noon.
23 humpbacks stretched from the California Coastal Monument to NNW of the Lighthouse.
Lots of breaching, some chin slams, flipper slaps.
None seen at Saunders Reef.
Also
1 Northern harrier
Unknown oyster catchers
hundreds of pelicans both southbound in groups up to 30. Many other pelicans circling and diving for food over the humpbacks.
2 osprey.

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Scott and Tree Mercer, of Mendonoma Whale and Seal, are presenting the 3rd annual Ocean Life Symposium. It begins on Monday, October 25 from 9 am to noon, and continues throughout the week.

You will undoubtedly learn more about Humpback Whales, as photographed here by Craig Tooley. Here is the link to learn about the many learned speakers of this informative event.

https://www.facebook.com/events/845494016135619/

To learn more about the Mercers and Mendonoma Whale and Seal Study, here is the link to their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Mendonoma-Whale-and-Seal-Study-1421926098039236

Thanks to Craig for allowing me to share his photo with you here. To see much more of Craig's nature photography, here is the link to his website: http://www.ruffimage.com

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Scott and Tree Mercer, of the Mendonoma Whale and Seal Study, sit out on the bluffs near the Point Arena Lighthouse most days, looking for Gray Whales and other marine life. The beginning of the southward bound Gray Whale migration was late this year, which caused concern. But yesterday, and again today, Gray Whales are passing by in big numbers. Yesterday the Mercers spotted 63 Grays Whales, and today by 2:00 p.m. they have seen 42. Here's an aerial photo of three migrating Gray Whales taken by Craig Tooley several years ago.

Here's a panoramic view of the Point Arena-Stornetta Lands taken by Peggy Berryhill. It's a great place to whale watch!

Thanks to Craig and Peggy for allowing me to share their photos with you here. To see much more of Craig's nature photography, here is his website: www.ruffimage.com

You can follow the Mercer's daily posts on their Facebook page, which is: https://www.facebook.com/Mendonoma-Whale-and-Seal-Study-1421926098039236/

Quite cloudy today, temps in the low 50s. Rain coming late tomorrow.

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Even while the southward migration of Gray Whales continues, the first northward-bound Grays have been seen. These are the newly pregnant females, and they are heading fast to their feeding grounds in the Bering Sea. They will be eating for two! Scott and Tree Mercer, of Mendonoma Whale and Seal Study, saw their first northbound Gray on Tuesday around noon.

Here is a fun photo taken by Ken Bailey a while ago of what I believe are two Gray Whales, one spouting and the other diving, showing the tail.

Ken also photographed the barnacle-encrusted head of a Gray Whale.

Here is the migration map of the Gray Whales, a journey of about 5,000 miles, one way.

Pretty amazing!

Thanks to Ken for allowing me to share his photos with you here. To see more of Ken's photography, including his wonderful underwater photography, here is the link: http://www.seadreams.org/

To follow the Mercers' daily posts of their sightings, here is the link to their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Mendonoma-Whale-and-Seal-Study-1421926098039236/

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Scott and Tree Mercer are studying marine life off the Mendonoma coast. One of the most productive sites is the bluffs of the Point Arena Lighthouse. Scott recently photographed Tree on the bluffs. She was helping spot whales.

The Mercers post their daily sightings on Facebook at Mendonoma Whale and Seal Study. Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/Mendonoma-Whale-and-Seal-Study-1421926098039236/

They also share their sightings with other research groups, and fortunately with me, for my weekly Mendonoma Sightings column in the Independent Coast Observer. Recent sightings have been young Gray Whales feeding off the coast, and several Humpback Whales about 3 1/2 miles out.

I thank Scott for allowing me to share his photo with you here.