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SEPTEMBER 2022 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

September 2022
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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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   Killer Whale identifications by the California Killer Whale Project
Date # Type of Animal(s)

9/30 2:30 p.m. 3 Humpback Whales (friendly)
8 Risso’s Dolphins

9/30 9 a.m. 25 Humpback Whales
5 Killer Whales (Orcas)

9/29 10 a.m. 3 Humpback Whales
3 Mola Mola (Ocean Sunfish)

9/29 9 a.m. 6 Humpback Whales
Many Mola Mola (Ocean Sunfish)

9/28 10 a.m. 2 Humpback Whales
6 Killer Whales (Orcas)

9/28 9 a.m. 15+ Humpback Whales (playful, lunge-feeding)
5 Killer Whales (Orcas – CA51As + CA50B)

9/27 9 a.m. 33 Humpback Whales (breaching, lunge-feeding, tail throwing)

9/26 2:30 p.m. 24 Humpback Whales (feeding, calf ‘Ghost Pepper’ breaching)

9/26 9 a.m. 22 Humpback Whales (breaching, tail throwing, feeding)

9/26 8 a.m. 26 Humpback Whales
All Day 100 Risso’s Dolphins
1 Brown Booby (rare)

9/25 2:30 p.m. 8 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding)

9/25 10 a.m. 25 Humpback Whales
60 Risso’s Dolphins
Bluefin Tuna
Northern Parula

9/25 7:30 a.m. Humpback Whales
Pelagic bird trip 2 Killer Whales (Orcas – CA58s)
(12-hour) Blue Whales
Risso’s Dolphins
Dall’s Porpoise
Harbor Porpoise
Jaegers
Skuas
Black-footed Albatross
. Storm Petrels
Nazca and Brown Booby
Tufted Puffin
Northern Parula

9/24 2:30 p.m. 16 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding, surface active)
1 Thresher Shark (breaching)

9/24 1:30 p.m. 70+ Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding frenzy, breaching, tail throwing)

9/24 9 a.m. 42 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding, breaching, tail-throwing, friendly!)
1 Laysan Albatross (rare)

9/23 2:30 p.m. 25 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding)
1 Brown Booby (rare)

9/23 10 a.m. 21 Humpback Whales
Charter 3 Killer Whales (Orcas – CA39As)

9/23 9 a.m. 46 Humpback Whales
3 Killer Whales (Orcas – CA39As)
40 Risso’s Dolphins

9/22 1:30 p.m. 23 Humpback Whales

9/22 9 a.m. 26 Humpback Whales
40 Pacific White-sided Dolphins
300 Risso’s Dolphins

9/21 1:30 p.m. 8 Humpback Whales
8 Killer Whales (Orcas – CA140Bs + CA39As)
30 Pacific White-sided Dolphins
400 Risso’s Dolphins
30 Northern Right Whale Dolphins

9/21 9 a.m. 20 Humpback Whales
30 Pacific White-sided Dolphins
400 Risso’s Dolphins
50 Northern Right Whale Dolphins

9/20 9 a.m. 9 Humpback Whales
1 Blue Whale

9/19 9 a.m. 40 Humpback Whales
50 Risso’s Dolphins
5 Harbor Porpoise
2 Mola Mola (Ocean Sunfish)l

9/19 8 a.m. 10 Humpback Whales
All Day 10 Bottlenose Dolphins
50 Risso’s Dolphins

9/17 2:30 p.m. 31 Humpback Whales (breaching, lunge-feeding,
tail slapping, pec slapping)

9/17 9 a.m. 52 Humpback Whales( breaching, lunge-feeding,
tail slapping, pec slapping)

9/16 10 a.m. 37 Humpback Whales
3 Harbor Porpoise
5 Mola Mola (Ocean Sunfish)l

9/16 9 a.m. 60 Humpback Whales
4 Blue Whales
40 Risso’s Dolphins
1 Mola Mola (Ocean Sunfish)l

9/15 2:30 p.m. 60 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding, breaching, tail slapping,
tail lobbing, pectoral fin slapping)

9/15 10 a.m. 38 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding, tail slapping)

9/15 9 a.m. 20 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding)
500 Risso’s Dolphins

9/14 9 a.m. 57 Humpback Whales
30 Pacific White-sided Dolphins
860 Risso’s Dolphins

9/13 10 a.m. 45 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding)
1 Red-footed Booby (rare)

9/13 9 a.m. 40 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding)
1 Red-footed Booby (rare)

9/12 9 a.m. 30 Humpback Whales (feeding)
3 Blue Whales
15 Risso’s Dolphins
1 Mola Mola (Ocean Sunfish)l

9/11 1:30 p.m. 31 Humpback Whales

9/11 9 a.m. 27 Humpback Whales
50 Risso’s Dolphins

9/10 2:30 p.m. 10 Humpback Whales

9/10 9 a.m. 20 Humpback Whales
75 Risso’s Dolphins

9/9 2:30 p.m. 19 Humpback Whales
5 Killer Whales (Orcas)

9/9 9 a.m. 24 Humpback Whales
20 Pacific White-sided Dolphins
70 Risso’s Dolphins

9/8 9 a.m. 3 Humpback Whales
2 Killer Whales (Orcas)
1 Blue Whale
300 Risso’s Dolphins (including Casper and nursery pod of calves)
6 Dall’s Porpoise

9/7 2:30 p.m. 5 Humpback Whales

9/7 10 a.m. 10 Humpback Whales
15 Risso’s Dolphins

9/7 9 a.m. 6 Humpback Whales (breaching)

9/6 2:30 p.m. 12 Humpback Whales

9/6 10 a.m. 15 Humpback Whales

9/6 9 a.m. 20 Humpback Whales

9/5 9 a.m. 25 Humpback Whales

9/4 2:30 p.m. 13 Humpback Whales

9/4 9 a.m. 23 Humpback Whales
20 Risso’s Dolphins

9/3 1:30 p.m. 8 Humpback Whales

9/3 10 a.m. 8 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding)
40 Risso’s Dolphins

9/3 9 a.m. 25 Humpback Whales
70 Risso’s Dolphins

9/2 10 a.m. 16 Humpback Whales

9/2 9 a.m. 20 Humpback Whales

9/1 10 a.m. 16 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding)

9/1 9 a.m. 15 Humpback Whales (vertical lunge-feeding and breaching)

Photos © 2022 Daniel Bianchetta

Orcas (Killer Whales) photo by daniel bianchetta
Orcas (Killer Whales – September 28, 2022)

California Sea Lion jumping photo by daniel bianchetta
California Sea Lion jumping (September 27, 2022)

Osprey photo by daniel bianchetta
Osprey (September 30, 2022)

Breaching Risso's Dolphin photo by daniel bianchetta
Mother and Calf Risso’s Dolphins (September 26, 2022)

Pair of Humpback Whales tail-slapping in tandem photo by daniel bianchetta
Pair of Humpback Whales tail-slapping in tandem
(September 26, 2022)

Bluefin Tuna photo by daniel bianchetta
Bluefin Tuna (September 25, 2022)

Two Humpback Whales lunge-feeding photo by daniel bianchetta
Two Humpback Whales lunge-feeding
(September 24, 2022)

Laysan Albatross photo by daniel bianchetta
Laysan Albatross (September 24, 2022)

Breaching Risso's Dolphin photo by daniel bianchetta
Killer Whale (Orca – September 23, 2022)

Breaching Risso's Dolphin photo by daniel bianchetta
Breaching Risso’s Dolphin (September 22, 2022)

Killer Whales photo by daniel bianchetta
Killer Whales (September 21, 2022)

Close-up of large male California Sea Lion photo by daniel bianchetta
Close-up of large male California Sea Lion
(September 19, 2022)

Bottlenose Dolphin photo by daniel bianchetta
Bottlenose Dolphin (September 19, 2022)

Brown Booby photo by daniel bianchetta
Brown Booby (September 19, 2022)

Humpback Whale fluke with Killer Whale rake marks photo by daniel bianchetta
Humpback Whale fluke with Killer Whale rake marks
(September 15, 2022)

Humpback whale lunge-feeding with a massive silver flash of anchovies at the surface photo by daniel bianchetta
Humpback whale lunge-feeding with a massive
silver flash of anchovies (September 15, 2022)

Red-footed Booby (rare) photo by daniel bianchetta
Red-footed Booby (rare) (September 13, 2022)

Blue Whale dorsal fin photo by daniel bianchetta
Blue Whale dorsal fin (September 12, 2022)

Phalarope photo by daniel bianchetta
Phalarope (September 11, 2022)

Humpback Whales breaching and pec slapping photo by daniel bianchetta
Humpback Whales breaching and pec slapping
(September 11, 2022)

Breown Pelicans photo by daniel bianchetta
Breown Pelicans (September 10, 2022)

Breaching Killer Whale photo by daniel bianchetta
Breaching Killer Whale (September 9, 2022)

Humpback Whale baleen photo by daniel bianchetta
Humpback Whale baleen (September 6, 2022)

Humpback Whale next to boat photo by daniel bianchetta
Humpback Whale next to boat (September 5, 2022)

Southern Sea Otter eating a crab photo by daniel bianchetta
Southern Sea Otter eating a crab (September 4, 2022)

Humpback Whales photo by daniel bianchetta
Humpback Whales (September 3, 2022)

Photos © 2022 Daniel Bianchetta

 

Copyright © 2022 Monterey Bay Whale Watch, LLC. No use of the sightings information is permitted without prior approval.

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