Monterey Bay Whale Watch
List of Marine Mammal Sightings
in the Monterey Bay Region
December 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.
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|
| Date |
# |
Type of Animal(s) |
|
| 12/30 2:30 p.m. |
1 |
Humpback Whale (breaching) |
|
15 |
Common Dolphins |
|
| 12/30 10 a.m. |
1 |
Humpback Whale |
|
6 |
Gray Whales |
|
| 12/29 10 a.m. |
3 |
Humpback Whales |
|
6 |
Gray Whales |
|
20 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
| 12/28 10 a.m. |
6 |
Humpback Whales |
|
4 |
Gray Whales |
|
200 |
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
10 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
| 12/27 2:30 p.m. |
2 |
Humpback Whales (breaching) |
|
| 12/27 10 a.m. |
2 |
Humpback Whales |
|
10 |
Killer Whales (Orcas – Jagged [CA216B] and friends) |
|
| 12/26 2:30 p.m. |
5 |
Humpback Whales (breaching) |
|
40 |
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
10 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
| 12/26 10 a.m. |
9 |
Humpback Whales (rolling) |
|
200 |
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
280 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
| 12/24 2:30 p.m. |
2 |
Humpback Whales |
|
5 |
Killer Whales (Orcas) |
|
| 12/24 10 a.m. |
5 |
Killer Whales (Orcas) |
|
1 |
Blue Whale |
|
3 |
Gray Whales |
|
150 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
| 12/22 10 a.m. |
2 |
Humpback Whales |
|
1 |
Gray Whale |
|
10 |
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
700 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
| 12/21 10 a.m. |
3 |
Humpback Whales (feeding) |
|
70 |
Risso’s Dolphins (nursery group) |
|
| 12/20 10 a.m. |
2 |
Humpback Whales (friendly behavior, spyhopping,
rolling under the boat, close spouting) |
|
| 12/19 10 a.m. |
4 |
Humpback Whales |
|
9 |
Killer Whales (Orcas) |
|
25 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
| 12/19 8 a.m. |
2 |
Humpback Whales |
| All Day |
9 |
Killer Whales (Orcas) |
|
2 |
Blue Whales |
|
2 |
Gray Whales |
|
200 |
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
200 |
Northern Right Whale Dolphins |
|
| 12/18 10 a.m. |
8 |
Humpback Whales |
|
800 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
| 12/16 10 a.m. |
1 |
Humpback Whale |
|
40 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
| 12/15 10 a.m. |
8 |
Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding) |
|
5 |
Killer Whales reported (Orcas) |
|
| 12/13 10 a.m. |
2 |
Humpback Whales (tail throwing) |
|
5 |
Killer Whales (Orcas) |
|
600 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
| 12/12 2:30 p.m. |
2 |
Humpback Whales (tail throwing) |
|
| 12/12 10 a.m. |
3 |
Humpback Whales (tail throwing) |
|
300 |
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
250 |
Northern Right Whale Dolphins |
|
| 12/11 10 a.m. |
8 |
Killer Whales (Orcas – including one small calf) |
|
| 12/10 10 a.m. |
6 |
Humpback Whales |
|
| 12/9 10 a.m. |
2 |
Humpback Whales mom/calf pair, calf rolling around) |
|
400 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
| 12/8 10 a.m. |
1 |
Humpback Whale |
|
1000 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
1 |
Breaching Mola Mola (Ocean Sunfish) |
|
| 12/7 10 a.m. |
5 |
Humpback Whales (feeding, rolling around) |
|
| 12/6 1:30 p.m. |
3 |
Humpback Whales |
|
8 |
Killer Whales |
|
50 |
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
200 |
Risso’s Dolphins (including Casper) |
|
| 12/6 10 a.m. |
1 |
Humpback Whale |
|
8 |
Killer Whales |
|
300 |
Risso’s Dolphins (including Casper) |
|
| 12/6 9 a.m. |
5 |
Humpback Whales (breaching) |
|
8 |
Killer Whales (Orcas – CA216Bs and CA51As) |
|
1000 |
Risso’s Dolphins (including Casper) |
|
| 12/5 2:30 p.m. |
2 |
Humpback Whales (tail throwing) |
|
| 12/5 1:30 p.m. |
3 |
Humpback Whales (friendly behavior) |
|
5 |
Harbor Porpoise |
|
| 12/5 10 a.m. |
4 |
Humpback Whales (breaching) |
|
150 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
5 |
Harbor Porpoise |
|
| 12/5 9 a.m. |
6 |
Humpback Whales (pec slapping, breaching) |
|
150 |
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
1000 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
2 |
Bottlenose Dolphins |
|
| 12/4 10 a.m. |
3 |
Humpback Whales |
|
4 |
Killer Whales (Orcas) |
|
10 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
| 12/3 10 a.m. |
3 |
Humpback Whales |
|
4 |
Killer Whales (Orcas – hunting, breaching, socializing)) |
|
5 |
Blue Whales |
|
| 12/2 10 a.m. |
3 |
Humpback Whales |
|
11 |
Blue Whales (feeding) |
|
| 12/1 10 a.m. |
7 |
Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding) |
|
|
|
All photos © 2020 Daniel Bianchetta
Gray Whale heart-shaped blow (December 30, 2020)
Gray Whales (December 30, 2020)
Pacific White-sided Dolphin (December 28, 2020)
Spyhopping Killer Whale (December 24, 2020)
Humpback Whale tail throw at sunset
(December 23, 2020)
Risso’s Dolphin and calf (December 21, 2020)
Killer Whales (Orcas) at sunset (December 19, 2020)
Breaching Risso’s Dolphin (December 18, 2020)
Humpback Whale tail (December 12, 2020)
Pacific White-sided Dolphin (December 12, 2020)
Humpback Whale and California Sea Lion
(December 12, 2020)
Chrysaora (Sea Nettle) (December 7, 2020)
White Risso’s Dolphin Casper (December 6, 2020)
Killer Whales (Orcas) (December 6, 2020)
Kingfisher (December 6, 2020)
Breaching Humpback Whale (December 5, 2020)
Southern Sea Otter mom and pup (December 5, 2020)
Blue Whale (December 2, 2020)
All photos © 2020 Daniel Bianchetta |
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Copyright © 2020 Monterey Bay Whale Watch, LLC. No use of the sightings information is permitted without prior approval.
