APRIL 2020 MONTEREY BAY WHALE WATCH MARINE MAMMAL SIGHTINGS LIST

Monterey Bay Whale Watch
List of Marine Mammal Sightings
in the Monterey Bay Region
April 2020

Note — This list includes reported sightings from Monterey Bay Whale Watch trips. Unusual sightings of other marine animals such as Leatherback Sea Turtles and Basking Sharks are also listed, in addition to unusual seabirds such as Albatross and Brown Boobies. California Sea Lions are mentioned only if numbers or behavior are of interest. 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.

Visit our Facebook page for more photos. Date # Type of Animal(s) 4/30 (4 hrs) 46 Humpback Whales Research 100 Pacific White-sided Dolphins Survey 50 Risso’s Dolphins 4/27 (6 hrs) Research Survey 62 Humpback Whales 4/26 (4 hrs) Research Survey (poor weather) 7 Humpback Whales 4/25 (4 hrs) 7 Humpback Whales Research Survey 2 Gray Whales (cow/calf pair) (poor weather) 7 Killer Whales 100 Risso’s Dolphins 4/24 (6 hrs) 13 Humpback Whales Research 4 Gray Whales (cow/calf pairs) Survey 6 Killer Whales 2 Harbor Porpoise 4/22 (8 hrs) 48 Humpback Whales Research 600 Pacific White-sided Dolphins Survey 200 Risso’s Dolphins 500 Northern Right Whale Dolphins 4/21 (4 hrs) Research Survey 14 Humpback Whales 4/20 (10 hrs) 10 Humpback Whales Research 7 Killer Whales Survey 800 Pacific White-sided Dolphins 500 Northern Right Whale Dolphins 4/19 (12 hrs) 71 Humpback Whales Research 2000 Pacific White-sided Dolphins Survey 200 Risso’s Dolphins 4/18 (12 hrs) 4 Humpback Whales Research 3 Killer Whales Survey 1 Minke Whale 4/17 (7 hrs) Research Survey 34 Humpback Whales 4/16 (12 hrs) 14 Humpback Whales Research 21 Killer Whales Survey 1000 Pacific White-sided Dolphins 4/15 (12 hrs) 27 Humpback Whales Research 2 Gray Whales Survey 11 Killer Whales (predation on Gray whale calf) 4/14 (12 hrs) 13 Humpback Whales Research Survey 35 Killer Whales 4/13 (12 hrs) 58 Humpback Whales Research 2 Gray Whales Survey 35 Killer Whales (predation on Gray whale calf) 4/12 (6 hrs) 26 Humpback Whales Research Survey 7 Harbor Porpoise 4/11 (10 hrs) 6 Humpback Whales Research 12 Killer Whales (feeding on Gray whale from April 10 predation event) Survey 400 Risso’s Dolphins 4/10 (10 hrs) 13 Humpback Whales Research Survey 16 Killer Whales (predation on Gray Whale with one Humpback Whale protecting the Gray Whales for a bit while the calf was alive with the mom, then back again later during the feeding event) 150 Pacific White-sided Dolphins 450 Risso’s Dolphins 1 Harbor Porpoise 4/8 (6 hrs) Research Survey 4 Humpback Whales 4/7 (6 hrs) 12 Humpback Whales Research Survey 4 Killer Whales 4/4 (6 hrs) 6 Gray Whales Research 19 Humpback Whales Survey 2000 Pacific White-sided Dolphins 600 Risso’s Dolphins 400 Northern Right Whale Dolphins Feeding aggregation of Humpbacks and Pacific White-sided Dolphins spread over a few miles. Mixed species group of Risso’s, Northern Right Whale Dolphins, and a few Pacific White-sided Dolphins. All photos © 2020 Daniel Bianchetta Humpback Whales and California Sea Lions (April 22, 2020) Humpback Whale tail throw (April 22, 2020) Spyhopping Killer Whale (April 20, 2020) Northern Right Whale Dolphin (April 20, 2020) Humpback Whales lunge-feeding (April 19, 2020) Female (left) and male Killer Whales (April 15, 2020) Black-footed Albatross and Laysan Albatross (April 15, 2020) Spyhopping young Killer Whale and mom (April 15, 2020) Breaching Risso’s Dolphin (April 11, 2020) Breaching Pacific White-sided Dolphin (April 4, 2020) Humpback Whale tail – good ID shot (April 4, 2020) All photos © 2020 Daniel Bianchetta