Monterey Bay Whale Watch
List of Marine Mammal Sightings
in the Monterey Bay Region
May 2025
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) |
|
| 5/31 10 a.m. |
17 |
Humpback Whales |
|
100 |
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
60 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
2 |
Harbor Porpoise |
|
30 |
Black-footed Albatross |
|
| 5/31 9 a.m. |
4 |
Humpback Whales |
|
6 |
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
| 5/30 2:30 p.m. |
8 |
Humpback Whales |
|
10 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
| 5/30 9 a.m. |
13 |
Humpback Whales |
|
15 |
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
20 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
| 5/29 1:30 p.m. |
9 |
Humpback Whales |
|
6 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
| 5/29 9 a.m. |
14 |
Humpback Whales |
|
50 |
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
30 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
150 |
Northern Right Whale Dolphins |
|
| 5/28 10 a.m. |
7 |
Humpback Whales (cow & calf breaching, pec slapping, tail lobbing) |
|
130 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
| 5/28 9 a.m. |
22 |
Humpback Whales |
|
15 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
| 5/27 9 a.m. |
8 |
Killer Whales (Orcas – CA206s, CA122As, CA122B) |
|
40 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
| 5/26 2:30 p.m. |
19 |
Humpback Whales |
|
15 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
| 5/26 10 a.m. |
9 |
Humpback Whales |
|
100 |
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
100 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
50 |
Northern Right Whale Dolphins |
|
| 5/26 8 a.m. |
30 |
Humpback Whales |
| All Day |
300 |
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
75 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
200 |
Northern Right Whale Dolphins |
|
| 5/25 2:30 p.m. |
5 |
Humpback Whales |
|
| 5/25 11 a.m. |
12 |
Humpback Whales |
|
5 |
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
180 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
4 |
Harbor Porpoise |
|
2 |
Black-footed Albatross |
|
| 5/25 10 a.m. |
12 |
Humpback Whales |
|
10 |
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
30 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
5 |
Harbor Porpoise |
|
5 |
Black-footed Albatross |
|
| 5/24 5:30 p.m. |
3 |
Humpback Whales |
|
| 5/24 3 p.m. |
4 |
Humpback Whales |
|
| 5/24 11 a.m. |
15 |
Humpback Whales |
|
50 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
| 5/24 10 a.m. |
15 |
Humpback Whales |
|
70 |
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
50 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
| 5/24 9 a.m. |
15 |
Humpback Whales |
|
145 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
| 5/23 10 a.m. |
9 |
Humpback Whales |
|
25 |
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
20 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
| 5/23 9 a.m. |
6 |
Humpback Whales (pec slapping) |
|
25 |
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
45 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
| 5/22 9 a.m. |
9 |
Humpback Whales (lunge feeding, friendlies) |
|
15 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
| 5/21 9 a.m. |
12 |
Humpback Whales (pec slapping, tail lobbing, side lunge feeding) |
|
| 5/20 9 a.m. |
35 |
Humpback Whales |
|
20 |
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
150 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
| 5/19 9 a.m. |
13 |
Humpback Whales (double breach) |
|
50 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
2 |
Harbor Porpoise |
|
1 |
Black-footed Albatross |
|
| 5/18 9 a.m. |
18 |
Humpback Whales (feeding) |
|
6 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
| 5/17 9 a.m. |
12 |
Humpback Whales |
|
25 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
| 5/16 9 a.m. |
25 |
Humpback Whales |
|
8 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
8 |
Harbor Porpoise |
|
| 5/15 9 a.m. |
13 |
Humpback Whales |
|
10 |
Harbor Porpoise |
|
| 5/14 1:30 p.m. |
9 |
Humpback Whales |
|
| 5/14 9 a.m. |
26 |
Humpback Whales |
|
20 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
| 5/13 9 a.m. |
25 |
Humpback Whales |
|
50 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
15 |
Harbor Porpoise |
|
| 5/12 9 a.m. |
83 |
Humpback Whales (feeding, tail lobbing, chin slapping, pec slapping, friendly!) |
|
150 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
5 |
Black-footed Albatross |
|
| 5/12 8 a.m. |
30 |
Humpback Whales |
| All Day |
200 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
50 |
Harbor Porpoise |
|
| 5/11 9 a.m. |
26 |
Humpback Whales |
|
| 5/11 8 a.m. |
39 |
Humpback Whales |
| All Day |
150 |
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
200 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
| 5/10 1:30 p.m. |
12 |
Humpback Whales |
|
| 5/10 9 a.m. |
22 |
Humpback Whales |
|
9 |
Harbor Porpoise |
|
| 5/10 8 a.m. |
37 |
Humpback Whales |
| All Day |
90 |
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
30 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
12 |
Harbor Porpoise |
|
| 5/9 10 a.m. |
28 |
Humpback Whales (feeding, breaching, chin slapping, lots of activity) |
|
| 5/9 8 a.m. |
37 |
Humpback Whales (very active) |
| All Day |
30 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
| 5/8 1:30 p.m. |
12 |
Humpback Whales |
|
25 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
| 5/8 9 a.m. |
25 |
Humpback Whales |
|
12 |
Baird’s Beaked Whales |
|
| 5/7 9 a.m. |
17 |
Humpback Whales |
|
150 |
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
50 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
| 5/7 8 a.m. |
27 |
Humpback Whales (breaching, chin slapping) |
| All Day |
400 |
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
350 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
10 |
|
|
| 5/6 9 a.m. |
19 |
Humpback Whales |
|
12 |
Pacific White-sided Dolphins |
|
75 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
1 |
Harbor Porpoise |
|
3 |
Black-footed Albatross |
|
| 5/6 8 a.m. |
25 |
Humpback Whales |
| All Day |
100 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
| 5/5 2:30 p.m. |
18 |
Humpback Whales |
|
| 5/5 9 a.m. |
20 |
Humpback Whales |
|
| 5/5 8 a.m. |
45 |
Humpback Whales |
| All Day |
200 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
| 5/2 1:30 p.m. |
10 |
Humpback Whales (breaching, tail lobbing) |
|
| 5/2 9 a.m. |
6 |
Humpback Whales (1 whale chronic breaching and pec slapping for over an hour!) |
|
| 5/2 8 a.m. |
25 |
Humpback Whales (chronic breaching) |
| All Day |
20 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
| 5/1 1:30 p.m. |
15 |
Humpback Whales |
|
| 5/1 9 a.m. |
25 |
Humpback Whales |
|
50 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
| 5/1 8 a.m. |
40 |
Humpback Whales |
| All Day |
100 |
Risso’s Dolphins |
|
|
|
Photos © 2025 Daniel Bianchetta
 Humpback Whales lunge-feeding (May 31, 2025)
 Black-footed Albatross (May 31, 2025)
 Southern Sea Otter mother and pup (May 31, 2025)
 Ocean Sunfish (Mola Mola – May 28, 2025)
 Pigeon Guillemot (May 28, 2025)
 Killer Whales (Orcas – May 27, 2025)
 California Sea Lions resting (May 26, 2025)
 Humpback Whales double tail throw (May 25, 2025)
 Breaching Humpback Whale (May 24, 2025)
 Humpback Whale pec slap (May 24, 2025)
 Humpback Whale tail throw (May 24, 2025)
 Brown Pelican diving (May 21, 2025)
 Humpback Whale Snowy Owl ID (May 18, 2025)
 Humpback Whale baleen (May 18, 2025)
 Brown Pelican in flight (May 12, 2025)
 Breaching Risso’s Dolphin (May 12, 2025)
 Black-footed Albatross in flight (May 12, 2025)
 Sea Otter eating an Octopus (May 11, 2025)
 Harbor Porpoise (May 10, 2025)
 Humpback Whale feeding with Sea Lions (May 9, 2025)
 Two young Baird’s Beaked Whales and the fluke of a diving Baird’s Beaked Whale (May 8, 2025)
 Northern Right Whale Dolphins (May 7, 2025)
 Pacific White-sided Dolphin (May 7, 2025)
 Risso’s Dolphins (May 7, 2025)
 Southern Sea Otter (May 5, 2025)
 Humpback Whale breaching (May 2, 2025)
 Humpback Whale cow-calf pair arching their backs to dive together (May 2, 2025)
 By-The-Wind-Sailor (Velella Velella – May 1, 2025)
Photos © 2025 Daniel Bianchetta |
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Copyright © 2025 Monterey Bay Whale Watch, LLC. No use of the sightings information is permitted without prior approval.
