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MARCH 2021 MONTEREY BAY WHALE WATCH MARINE MAMMAL SIGHTINGS LIST

MARINE MAMMAL SIGHTINGS IN THE MONTEREY BAY REGION

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

March 2021
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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)

3/31 2:30 p.m. 9 Gray Whales
25 Pacific White-sided Dolphins
200 Risso’s Dolphins

3/31 10 a.m. 9 Gray Whales
25 Pacific White-sided Dolphins
370 Risso’s Dolphins
10 Northern Right Whale Dolphins

3/30 2:30 p.m. 5 Gray Whales
1 Humpback Whale
10 Risso’s Dolphins

3/30 10 a.m. 5 Gray Whales
1 Humpback Whale
300 Risso’s Dolphins

3/30 9 a.m. 8 Gray Whales
1 Humpback Whale (breaching)

3/29 10 a.m. 1 Gray Whale (spyhopping)
2 Humpback Whales

3/28 3 p.m. 7 Gray Whales
1 Humpback Whale

3/28 2:30 p.m. 6 Gray Whales
2 Humpback Whales
5 Risso’s Dolphins

3/28 11 a.m. 3 Gray Whales
30 Risso’s Dolphins

3/28 10 a.m. 6 Gray Whales
25 Risso’s Dolphins

3/28 9 a.m. 6 Gray Whales
1 Humpback Whale
50 Risso’s Dolphins
8 Bottlenose Dolphins

3/27 2:30 p.m. 11 Gray Whales
80 Risso’s Dolphins
2 Black-footed Albatross

3/27 1:30 p.m. 3 Gray Whales
120 Risso’s Dolphins
2 Black-footed Albatross

3/27 10 a.m. 13 Gray Whales
150 Risso’s Dolphins
7 Black-footed Albatross

3/27 9 a.m. 17 Gray Whales
100 Risso’s Dolphins (including Casper)

3/27 8 a.m. 12 Gray Whales
1 Humpback Whale
600 Risso’s Dolphins (including Casper)

3/26 2:30 p.m. 4 Gray Whales
1 Bottlenose Dolphin
2 Black-footed Albatross

3/26 10 a.m. 3 Gray Whales
6 Humpback Whales
560 Risso’s Dolphins
2 Bottlenose Dolphins

3/26 9 a.m. 2 Humpback Whales
120 Risso’s Dolphins (including Casper)
5 Black-footed Albatross

3/24 10 a.m. 7 Gray Whales
1 Humpback Whale
250 Pacific White-sided Dolphins
10 Risso’s Dolphins
200 Northern Right Whale Dolphins

3/21 11 a.m. 8 Killer Whales (Orcas)
2 Humpback Whales (breaching)
30 Risso’s Dolphins

3/21 10 a.m. 8 Killer Whales (Orcas)
3 Humpback Whales (breaching)

3/21 9 a.m. 4 Gray Whales
8 Killer Whales (Orcas)
6 Humpback Whales (friendly)

3/20 1:30 p.m. 4 Gray Whales
1 Humpback Whales (juvenile)

3/20 10 a.m. 2 Gray Whales
22 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding)
10 Black-footed Albatross
1 Laysan Albatross

3/20 9 a.m. 6 Gray Whales
17 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding)

3/19 10 a.m. 3 Gray Whales
1 Humpback Whale
100 Pacific White-sided Dolphins
3 Black-footed Albatross

3/17 2:30 p.m. 9 Gray Whales
25 Pacific White-sided Dolphins
1000 Risso’s Dolphins

3/17 10 a.m. 6 Gray Whales
7 Humpback Whales
2000 Pacific White-sided Dolphins
10 Risso’s Dolphins
1500 Northern Right Whale Dolphins

3/17 9 a.m. 7 Gray Whales
6 Humpback Whales
2000 Pacific White-sided Dolphins
10 Risso’s Dolphins
1500 Northern Right Whale Dolphins

3/16 2:30 p.m. 4 Gray Whales
7 Humpback Whales (breaching)

3/16 10 a.m. 4 Gray Whales
10 Humpback Whales

3/14 1:30 p.m. 7 Gray Whales
50 Risso’s Dolphins

3/14 10 a.m. 7 Gray Whales
130 Risso’s Dolphins (including Casper)
3 Bottlenose Dolphins

3/14 9 a.m. 4 Gray Whales
2 Humpback Whales
30 Risso’s Dolphins (including Casper)

3/13 2:30 p.m. 5 Gray Whales
1 Humpback Whale
2 Bottlenose Dolphins
2 Black-footed Albatross

3/13 10 a.m. 5 Gray Whales
3 Humpback Whales (breaching)
30 Risso’s Dolphins
8 Black-footed Albatross

3/12 2:30 p.m. 5 Gray Whales
3 Humpback Whales

3/12 10 a.m. 8 Gray Whales
2 Humpback Whales (friendly)

3/11 10 a.m. 9 Gray Whales (1 friendly)
1 Humpback Whale (breaching)
150 Risso’s Dolphins

3/10 10 a.m. 16 Gray Whales
10 Risso’s Dolphins

3/9 10 a.m. 15 Gray Whales
300 Pacific White-sided Dolphins
90 Risso’s Dolphins
200 Northern Right Whale Dolphins

3/8 10 a.m. 16 Gray Whales
90 Risso’s Dolphins (including Casper)

3/7 10 a.m. 6 Gray Whales
180 Risso’s Dolphins (including Casper)

3/6 10 a.m. 6 Gray Whales
30 Pacific White-sided Dolphins
60 Risso’s Dolphins

3/6 9 a.m. 8 Gray Whales
120 Risso’s Dolphins

3/5 10 a.m. 8 Gray Whales
60 Risso’s Dolphins
1 Elephant Seal

3/4 10 a.m. 4 Gray Whales
9 Humpback Whales
1200 Pacific White-sided Dolphins
55 Risso’s Dolphins (cow/calf, nursery pod)
600 Northern Right Whale Dolphins

3/3 10 a.m. 4 Gray Whales
30 Humpback Whales
2000 Pacific White-sided Dolphins
1000 Northern Right Whale Dolphins
1 Laysan Albatross

3/2 10 a.m. 1 Killer Whale (Orca)
1 Humpback Whale
700 Risso’s Dolphins (including Casper and a small nursery subgroup)

3/1 10 a.m. 3 Gray Whales
1 Humpback Whale
20 Pacific White-sided Dolphins
180 Risso’s Dolphins (including Casper)

Photos © 2021 Daniel Bianchetta

Leaping Risso's Dolphin photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Leaping Risso’s Dolphin (March 31, 2021)

Gray Whale spyhopping photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Gray Whale spyhopping (March 29, 2021)

Humpback Whale photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Humpback Whale (March 29, 2021)

Harbor Seal photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Harbor Seal (March 29, 2021)

Southern Sea Otter mother and pup photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Southern Sea Otter mother and pup (March 27, 2021)

Risso's Dolphin calf with fetal folds photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Risso’s Dolphin calf with fetal folds (March 27, 2021)

Tail of Risso's Dolphin Casper photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Tail of Risso’s Dolphin Casper (March 27, 2021)

Sea Lion photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Sea Lion (March 26, 2021)

Southern Sea Otter eating a crab photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Southern Sea Otter eating a crab (March 24, 2021)

Humpback Whale head photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Humpback Whale head – note barnacles and tubercles
(bumps on top of snout) (March 21, 2021)

Killer Whales photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Killer Whales (March 21, 2021)

Lunge-feeding Humpback Whale photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Lunge-feeding Humpback Whale (March 20, 2021)

Pacific White-sided Dolphin photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Pacific White-sided Dolphin (March 19, 2021)

Southern Sea Otter in kelp photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Southern Sea Otter in kelp (March 19, 2021)

Northern Right Whale Dolphins photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Northern Right Whale Dolphins (March 17, 2021)

Risso's Dolphins including Casper photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Risso’s Dolphins including Casper (March 17, 2021)

Humpback Whale fluke ID photo photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Humpback Whale fluke ID photo (March 16, 2021)

Black-footed Albatross photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Black-footed Albatross (March 13, 2021)

Breaching Risso's Dolphin photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Breaching Risso’s Dolphin (March 11, 2021)

Friendly Gray Whale photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Friendly Gray Whale (March 11, 2021)

Breaching Humpback Whale photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Breaching Humpback Whale (March 11, 2021)

Gray Whale photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Gray Whale (March 6, 2021)

Pacific White-sided Dolphin somersaulting photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Pacific White-sided Dolphin somersaulting
(March 4, 2021)

Laysan Albatross photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Laysan Albatross (March 3, 2021)

Northern Right Whale Dolphin photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Northern Right Whale Dolphin (March 3, 2021)

Killer Whale CA171B Fatfin photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Killer Whale (Orca – CA171B, Fatfin)
(March 2, 2021)

Risso's Dolphins Casper and friend photo by Daniel Bianchetta
Risso’s Dolphins Casper and friend (March 2, 2021)

Photos © 2021 Daniel Bianchetta

Copyright © 2021 Monterey Bay Whale Watch, LLC. No use of the sightings information is permitted without prior approval.

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