December 2019 Monterey Bay Whale Watch Marine Mammal Sightings List

Monterey Bay Whale Watch
List of Marine Mammal Sightings
in the Monterey Bay Region
December 1-31, 2019

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.

Date	#	Type of Animal(s)
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12/31 2 p.m.	8	Humpback Whales
	2	Gray Whales
	1000	Pacific White-sided Dolphins
	600	Northern Right Whale Dolphins

12/31 10 a.m.	10	Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding)
	1	Gray Whale
	400	Pacific White-sided Dolphins
	120	Risso’s Dolphins
	100	Northern Right Whale Dolphins

12/31 9 a.m.	19	Humpback Whales (feeding, tail slaps, head slaps)
	2	Gray Whales
	1000	Pacific White-sided Dolphins
	35	Risso’s Dolphins
	600	Northern Right Whale Dolphins

12/30 2 p.m.	4	Humpback Whales
	6	Killer Whales
	2	Gray Whales
	75	Pacific White-sided Dolphins
	25	Risso’s Dolphins
	25	Northern Right Whale Dolphins

12/30 10 a.m.	1	Humpback Whale
	3	Gray Whales
	25	Risso’s Dolphins

12/30 9 a.m.	1	Humpback Whale
	8	Gray Whales
	25	Risso’s Dolphins

12/29 2 p.m.	5	Gray Whales
	450	Risso’s Dolphins

12/29 10 a.m.	2	Humpback Whales
	6	Gray Whales
	450	Risso’s Dolphins

12/29 9 a.m.	2	Humpback Whales
	1	Gray Whale
	450	Risso’s Dolphins

12/29 8 a.m.	1	Humpback Whale
All Day	6	Gray Whales
	400	Risso’s Dolphins
	8	Dall’s Porpoise

12/28 2:30 p.m.	3	Gray Whales

12/28 1:30 p.m.	2	Humpback Whales
	1	Gray Whale
	40	Risso’s Dolphins

12/28 11 a.m.	2	Humpback Whales

12/28 10 a.m.	2	Humpback Whales
	4	Gray Whales
	250	Risso’s Dolphins

12/28 9 a.m.	2	Humpback Whales
	1	Gray Whale
	280	Risso’s Dolphins

12/27 2 p.m.	3	Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding)
	3	Black-footed Albatross

12/27 1:30 p.m.	2	Humpback Whales
	5	Black-footed Albatross
	2	Laysan Albatross

12/27 11 a.m.	2	Gray Whales
	250	Risso’s Dolphins

12/27 10 a.m.	2	Humpback Whales (tail throwing)
	2	Black-footed Albatross


12/27 9 a.m.	4	Humpback Whales (breaching)
	1	Gray Whale
	80	Risso’s Dolphins
	2	Black-footed Albatross
	1	Laysan Albatross

12/26 2 p.m.	4	Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding and tail throwing)

12/26 11 a.m.	6	Humpback Whales
	1	Gray Whale
	200	Pacific White-sided Dolphins
	500	Risso’s Dolphins
	300	Northern Right Whale Dolphins

12/26 10 a.m.	16	Humpback Whales
	100	Pacific White-sided Dolphins
	250	Risso’s Dolphins
	100	Northern Right Whale Dolphins

12/26 9 a.m.	9	Humpback Whales
	300	Pacific White-sided Dolphins
	350	Risso’s Dolphins
	180	Northern Right Whale Dolphins
	3	Black-footed Albatross

12/24 2 p.m.	4	Humpback Whales
	1	Gray Whale
	30	Risso’s Dolphins

12/24 10 a.m.	3	Humpback Whales
	800	Risso’s Dolphins

12/24 9 a.m.	3	Humpback Whales
	2	Gray Whales
	25	Pacific White-sided Dolphins
	150	Risso’s Dolphins (including Casper)

12/23 2 p.m.	1	Gray Whale
	6	Killer Whales

12/23 10 a.m.	6	Killer Whales

12/23 9 a.m.	6	Killer Whales
	100	Risso’s Dolphins

12/21 10 a.m.	2	Humpback Whales
	15	Bottlenose Dolphins
	50	Harbor Porpoise

12/21 9 a.m.	2	Humpback Whales

12/20 2 p.m.	4	Humpback Whales
	50	Risso’s Dolphins

12/20 9 a.m.	2	Humpback Whales
	40	Risso’s Dolphins (including Casper)

12/19 2 p.m.	18	Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding and breaching)
	30	Pacific White-sided Dolphins

12/19 9 a.m.	8	Humpback Whales
	500	Pacific White-sided Dolphins
	5	Northern Right Whale Dolphins

12/17 2 p.m.	25	Pacific White-sided Dolphins (incredible social behavior)
	150	Risso’s Dolphins

12/17 9 a.m.	6	Humpback Whales
	150	Risso’s Dolphins

12/16 2 p.m.	3	Humpback Whales
	15	Risso’s Dolphins

12/16 9 a.m.	17	Humpback Whales
	2	Blue Whales
	8	Risso’s Dolphins (including Casper)

12/15 9 a.m.	6	Humpback Whales
	1	Gray Whale
	30	Bottlenose Dolphins
	1	Mola Mola
	many	Sea Nettles

12/14 9 a.m.	5	Humpback Whales

12/13 9 a.m.	5	Humpback Whales
	120	Risso’s Dolphins

12/12 2 p.m.	8	Risso’s Dolphins

12/12 9 a.m.	8	Humpback Whales

12/11 2 p.m.	3	Humpback Whales (breaching)

12/11 9 a.m.	10	Humpback Whales
	100	Pacific White-sided Dolphins
	250	Northern Right Whale Dolphins

12/10 9 a.m.	8	Humpback Whales

12/9 9 a.m.	7	Humpback Whales
	4	Killer Whales

12/8 10 a.m.	12	Humpback Whales
	100	Risso’s Dolphins

12/6 9 a.m.	1	Humpback Whale
	2	Blue Whales (mom and calf)
	20	Risso’s Dolphins

12/5 2 p.m.	9	Humpback Whales (breaching)
	100	Risso’s Dolphins

12/5 9 a.m.	11	Humpback Whales (breaching)
	100	Risso’s Dolphins
	6	Dall’s Porpoise

12/4 2 p.m.	2	Humpback Whales
	12	Killer Whales (including 1 calf, 2 males)
	50	Risso’s Dolphins
	10	Harbor Porpoise

12/3 2 p.m.	6	Humpback Whales
	10	Pacific White-sided Dolphins
	200	Risso’s Dolphins

12/3 9 a.m.	19	Humpback Whales (chin slaps, tail throws)
	10	Pacific White-sided Dolphins
	200	Risso’s Dolphins
	1	Brown Booby

Humpback Whale tail throw, photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Humpback Whale tail throw (December 31, 2019)

Great Egret, photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Great Egret (December 31, 2019)

Southern Sea Otter, photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Southern Sea Otter (December 29, 2019)

Harbor Seal, photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Harbor Seal (December 29, 2019)

Risso's Dolphins by the Blackfin, photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Risso’s Dolphins by the Blackfin (December 29, 2019)

Gray Whales, photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Gray Whales (December 29, 2019)

Laysan Albatross, photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Laysan Albatross (December 27, 2019)

Brown Pelicans by the shore, photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Brown Pelicans by the shore (December 26, 2019)

Humpback Whales lunge-feeding, photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Humpback Whales lunge-feeding (December 26, 2019)

Northern Right Whale Dolphin, photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Northern Right Whale Dolphin (December 26, 2019)

Risso's Dolphin Casper's tail, photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Risso’s Dolphin Casper’s tail (December 24, 2019)

Risso's Dolphin Casper and friend, photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Risso’s Dolphin Casper and friend
(December 24, 2019)

Humpback Whale tail - good ID image, photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Humpback Whale tail – good ID image
(December 21, 2019)

Black-footed Albatross, photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Black-footed Albatross (December 20, 2019)

Pacific White-sided Dolphins, photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Pacific White-sided Dolphins (December 19, 2019)

Running Risso's Dolphins, photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Running Risso’s Dolphins (December 17, 2019)

Breaching Mola Mola, photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Breaching Mola Mola (Ocean Sunfish)
(December 16, 2019)

Casper the albino Risso's Dolphin, photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Casper the albino Risso’s Dolphin (December 16, 2019)

California Sea Lions rafting with some
thermal regulating (December 13, 2019)

Humpback Whale tail, photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Humpback Whale tail (December 10, 2019)

Killer Whales, photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Killer Whales (December 9, 2019)

Humpback Whales, photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Humpback Whales (December 8, 2019)

Southern Sea Otter, photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Southern Sea Otter (December 8, 2019)

Humpback Whale breaching, photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Humpback Whale breaching (December 6, 2019)

Southern Sea Otter by Risso's Dolphins, photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Southern Sea Otter by Risso’s Dolphins
(December 5, 2019)

Brown Pelican in breeding plumage (December 3, 2019)

Risso's Dolphins in front of Monterey Bay Aquarium, photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Risso’s Dolphins in front of Monterey Bay Aquarium
(December 3, 2019)

DECEMBER 2019 MONTEREY BAY WHALE WATCH MARINE MAMMAL SIGHTINGS LIST

MARINE MAMMAL SIGHTINGS IN THE MONTEREY BAY REGION