Tag Archives: Scott Mercer

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Scott Mercer wrote this morning:
"I got word this afternoon from Howard Garrett up in Friday Harbor that L Pod showed up in Monterey Bay, was confirmed by premier orca expert Nancy Black who said that they turned around and are headed north. It’s calculated that they could be off here late Monday afternoon. L Pod is part of the badly depleted Southern Residents, so this is not your ordinary orca sighting.
I notified projects at IC Santa Barbara and Bodega so they’ll be aware. If you will put the word out to your Sightings list, that will be very helpful.
Thanks,
Scott"

Good luck! Let me know if you see them and please try to get photos, especially of their tall dorsal fins.

This photo was taken by John Batchelder a few years ago. Thanks to John for allowing me to share it with you here.

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Adrian Bennett was the first to report it. She wrote, “The weather was clear to horizon with big puffy clouds. When the sun rose and hit them, they all turned into pink cotton candy fluffs. As the ocean waves hit the small bank of rocks between Monument Island and the shore, instead of mist, we saw steam! Yes, steam! First time I have seen that since I have been here 20 years.”

Scott Mercer took a photo of this phenomenon from the Physical Gym in Gualala. Scott said it was 33 degrees on their deck.

It’s called Sea Smoke or Steam Fog. It occurs when very cold air moves over warmer water.Thanks to Scott for allowing me to share his photo with you here.

We certainly have had some cold weather here. This morning it was 39 degrees on our deck in Anchor Bay. After a lot of rain, we are having a break today. This coming week looks to be mostly dry and exquisitely beautiful.

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Another x-rated sighting for you. First I showed you mating Bald Eagles. Today, thanks to Paul Brewer, I can show you amorous male Gray Whales. According to whale expert, Scott Mercer, this isn't the time of year for female Gray Whales to mate. They prefer mating earlier in the year in the warm lagoons off Baja. But sometimes the males have other ideas. Here are some photos of a recent encounter just off Gualala - tails, bodies rolling, and a head next another whale are seen in these first three photos.

And here's proof of the male's intent. His male sexual organ has been dubbed the "Pink Floyd."

Unfortunately for the males, the females just want to get away and continue on their northward migration.

Speaking of the migration, this past weekend and Monday many Gray Whales were seen. Conditions were perfect for spotting their blows. It seems like we hit peak migration, which is normal for this time of year. The mother/calf pairs won't be seen off the Mendonoma coast for a couple of weeks yet.

Thanks to Paul for allowing me to share his photos with you here. To see much more of Paul's nature photography, here is his website: http://www.capturingnatureswonders.com/

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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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It's the time of year for us to witness the vanguard of the Gray Whale migration. Scott and Tree Mercer spotted one of the first groups last Sunday, nine Gray Whales, swimming purposefully south. These are the pregnant females hurrying to their birthing lagoons off Baja.

Emily Jordan was out on a boat excursion and near the Point Arena buoy when she spotted these Gray Whales.

We have had a group of subadult Gray Whales feeding off the Point Arena coast, seen nearly every day. They are probably what Emily photographed. Beautiful photos of these cetaceans that we love so much.

Thanks to Emily for allowing me to share her photos with you here.

We have a storm coming in later today, the first rain in many days. We are looking forward to it!