Gray
Whale Migration Update: April 6, 2005
Today's Report Includes:
- Track the Whales: Latest Migration Data
- Analyze the Data
- Field Notes from Alaska: Gray Whales Arriving
- Field Notes from Channel Islands, CA, Observation Post
- Field Notes from Wayne Perryman's Study at Pt. Piedras Blancas, CA
- Ice and Baby Whales: Challenge Question #6
- Don't the Male Whales Count?
- Final Field Notes and Video Clip from Laguna Ojo de Liebra, BCS Mexico
- Size Wise: Try This!
- Humpback or Gray? Discussion of Challenge Question #5
Track the Whales: Latest Migration Data
Make your own graphs using the data at the links below, or print and anayze our graphs. (For background and data collection/graphing materials, see lesson:Tracking Gray Whale Migration from California Observation Posts)
| Gray
Whale Migration Off the California Coast Whales passing per day Feb 1 - Apr 4, 2005 |
Channel Islands Data | |
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| Northbound
and Southbound Los Angeles |
Northbound Los Angeles |
Northbound Channel Islands |
| Data Courtesy of the American Cetacean Society of Los Angeles and Channel Islands | ||
- What is the clearest change you notice at each observation post? Describe how the graphs have changed in the two weeks since our March 23rd update.
- What differences do you notice between the two observation posts? What factors do you think could account for the differences? (Remember to consider the behavior of the whales, the weather, and the observers!)
- We're still waiting for a large pulse of mother/calf pairs to pass on their way north from the birthing lagoons in Mexico. At which site do you expect mother/calf pairs to be seen in greatest numbers? Why?
- When do you predict the largest pulse of mother/calf pairs to arrive at each site? (You may wish to review the order of migration.)
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Gray
Whale Migration Route |
Up in Kodiak, Alaska, 3-4 gray whales were reported off "Surfers Beach" out at Narrow Cape on the morning of 28 March! (The first gray whales of the season were reported by Dave Kubiak of Mythos Expedition on 15 March. On 17 March Dave spotted two more grays, apparently a cow and calf, near Williams Reef, 2.7 miles NE Long Island.) In general the migrating grays will pass between Narrow Cape and Ugak Island on the northbound migration. The excitement is just in time for Kodiak’s Whale Fest celebration! But it’s still weeks until peak time for cow/calf pairs arrivals, usually mid-May through early June. Susan Payne from Kodiak, AK posts the week’s Whale Alerts on the Whale Fest site every Wednesday. Check it out at the link below! You’ll also find links to all the
fabulous events of Whale Fest Kodiak, their annual migration celebration:
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Walrus
on rocks in Seward, AK. Photo Linda Lasota |
In Seward, AK, Jena Kalli of Kenai Fjords Tours' Explorer Programs reports gray whales, too. Jena said, “As far as I know there haven't been any cow/calf pairs. They only unusual thing was a Walrus that was spotted in the bay on Saturday, March 26th. Definitely not a common sight!”
Field Notes from Channel Islands Observation Post
“Most, if not all of the juvenile whales we have seen are single whales,” reports
Michael H. Smith from the ACS observation Post near Santa Barbara, CA.
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Photos Michael H. Smith, taken at the site of the ACS-CI Gray Whale Census. Location: Coal Oil Point Natural Reserve in Goleta, California.
“Many adults seem to be traveling (at least past our position) in pairs, or part or a small group of three or four or five. I say ‘past our position’ because a bit ago, I saw a cow/calf pair that was with but did not seem a part of the whale in front and behind. It is more likely that the whales just happened to be in the same place and for some period of time swam along together. Another thing that you have to realize is that when we say ‘two whales,’ what we really mean is "at least two whales confirmed in that position." There have been many situations when we thought we were tracking a single whale that somehow turned into three! And, it is very difficult sometimes to distinguish a calf. It often appears to be one whale, and all of a sudden (with the help of a 20-power scope), we see that the little guy is tucked in there alongside of mom.” But it’s been a strange two weeks of whale watching:
- March 24: “Very strange day: no rain; no fog; no wind; no waves; few whales; and no excuses. We had good visibility all day. We observed one pair at mid-day, and then, finally at the very end of the day, two groups, widely separated, of five more whales.”
- April 2: “No whales. In three days, three whales have been seen passing the Point. Good visibility, for the most part, especially in the near-shore area. I have no idea what is going on out there. The last two days, with the weather and sea condition, I would have expected at least 30 whales, and we tallied 3?”
Michael continued: “It was zero Beaufort (like
glass) and we certainly should have seen the backs
of whales even
if they did not
blow. When
one of the groups apparently did get by our position,
we caught sight of blows in the sunlight, well past
our position.
I'm
pretty good at
spotting whales, but these got by. And, if these
got by, think of how many might have gotten by in
choppy,
windblown
seas.
“It is surprisingly difficult to do this. I thought it would be much easier;
but it’s difficult to distinguish animals two and three
miles away, and even animals a quarter of a mile away, that
are underwater
most of the time.
It's a challenge, and we do what we can.”
We are grateful to Michael and all the volunteer observers
who are out there every day that we might have migration
news and a
better understanding
of
this mysterious wonder!
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Aerial view of Pt. Piedras Blancas, CA |
Field
Notes from Pt. Piedras Blancas, CA
NOAA biologist Wayne Perryman is the government’s leading expert on gray
whale cows and calves. He reports from his observation post on Pt. Piedras Blancas
(see map) as he conducts his annual cow/calf census: “We
started watches on March 21 and we are seeing about
60 adults and juveniles
a day, when it
isn't raining. We saw our first cow/calf pair on
March 24. We are seeing more juveniles
now as the adult phase of the migration begins to
wind down.
“Last week we saw 9 c/c pairs, which gives us 12 for the season when you
combine them with week #1. Our year is starting out like a ‘normal’ year,
whatever that is. We are predicting a high calf count
this season, based on seasonal ice last spring. We
had such a
spectacular count last year that it
will be interesting
to see how many adult females are left to calve this
season.”
Wayne was surprised at the early pulse of cows/calves
reported passing the ACS/Channel Islands station. "But these are animals after all,” said Wayne, “and
they don't know what the rules are.” YOU might be surprised at Wayne’s
prediction of a high calf count this season, based on seasonal ice last spring.
What’s the connection?
Ice and Baby Whales: Challenge Question #6
When biologist Wayne Perryman saw interesting fluctuations
in numbers of calves born each year, he knew
it was a RESULT. He noted other
significant events:
- High numbers of whales died in strandings in 1999 and 2000, and many whales were thin and undernourished.
- Calf births hit an alarming low in 2000 and 2001.
- Scientists had not seen a large number of dead calves in the lagoons or along the beaches, as they would if the babies were being born and then died for some other reason.
- In 1999 and 2000, some whales appeared skinnier than normal.
- The Bering and Chukchi seas had seen abnormally heavy seasonal ice in years just before 2002.
As a scientist, what would YOU make of all this?
How would you investigate? Scientists
look for correlations
between
variables.
See some of Wayne's
research and look
at some of his fascinating outcomes in
this lesson:
- Cows and Calves and Ice, Oh My!
Then come back and send us your answer to:
Challenge Question #6:
"Do you ever see a year with a long feeding season and a low of number of calves? Do you see a short feeding season followed by a high number of calves? State a hypothesis."
(To respond to this question, please
follow the instructions below.)
Don’t the Male Whales Count?
All the concern about cows and calves because whenever studying a population, knowing the number of males vs. females is important. We asked Wayne if he considers males in regard to the calf counts and projections. He said, "With gray whales, we can identify adult females if they are pregnant or with a calf. Males aren't so easily identified. In general, no one pays all that much attention to males in studies of mammal populations where males mate with several females. Unless the population is so small that there are problems of adults locating each other to mate, there are enough males to go around."
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Photo Keith Jones |
Final Field Notes and Video Clip from Laguna Ojo de Liebra,
BCS Mexico
At Laguna Ojo de Liebra, whale-watching
tour leader Keith Jones has ended
his whale watching
tours
for the 2005
season. Most of
the whales and
tourists are
gone. Back now in the U.S., Keith
shares field notes from his final
3 days of
whale watching
in the warm lagoons:
March 30: The wind was blowing fiercely and it was very difficult to spot whales. We used a technique I refer to as "trolling for whales:" we motor slowly in the areas we know the whales normally hang out. With luck, our motor is heard by one of those whales who enjoys contact and they come and find us. It worked! Our group had several very close encounters with a two-year-old juvenile female who tried to stay close to us, but had difficulty because of our wind drift.
March 31: We went out to the same observation area, which is about 5 to 10 miles from the entrance to the bay somewhat in the center of the lagoon. With no wind, the water was flat and almost like a mirror. We searched for several hours, but it became clear that overnight whales had moved from the inside area of the lagoon to be near the entrance.
April 1: We went to the observation area that includes the entrance to the lagoon. I counted between 15 and 20 whales in the small area we traversed. I guess that there were probably another 20 to 50 whales in the area, but out of my view. These are all that remain at Laguna Ojo de Liebre right now. That day was very exciting with one mother and baby pair continually returning to our boat. The baby enjoyed human contact. He seemed to get a real thrill from our screams as he exhaled and blew water all over us. His mother stayed close, but only approached close enough to touch for moments at time. We enjoyed their company for a very exciting 45 minutes. It was a great way to end my 11 weeks of continuous whale watching.
Keith adds, “I hope every one of you will someday get the chance to experience this thrill. I'm home in the USA, but already thinking about next January and joining the whales once again.”
Keith Jones
Baja Jones Adventures, Laguna
Ojo de Liebre, Baja California
Sur, Mexico
Journey North thanks Keith
for his field reports
from the lagoons!
And
now, jump
into the panga (low motorboat)
again
to watch
Keith’s
video of a young whale breaching
in the lagoon:
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Breaching Baby
Whale |
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Size Wise: Try This!
In the lagoons, the calves
grow rapidly. They
can put on up to 100 pounds
a day while
nursing on
rich mother’s
milk. It is believed
that the calves nurse
for about
7 months.
By about
one year of age,
the gray whale can
reach a length
of 28-30 feet. The
growth rate slows in
the second
year, but
the
whales will continue
to grow for about
30 years!
How big
do they
get to be?
Read on:
Try This! Draw a Life-size Whale
What if your heart weighed
285 pounds (130 kilograms)?
What if your eyeball
was the size of a
baseball? You might be a gray whale!
Use our verbal
clues to draw
a life-size gray
whale and you'll find out just how
BIG these creatures
are!
For directions and
more, see:
Journaling Question:
What advantages do you think
their huge size provides
to whales?
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Humpback or Gray? Photo Keith Jones |
Last time your challenge question came from researcher Michael H. Smith, who asked: “At 2 to 4 miles in the distance, what is an observer looking for to be certain he or she is tracking a gray whale and not a humpback whale?”
Michael explains that the observer is actually looking for what is NOT there: a dorsal fin. “If there is a dorsal fin, it is not a gray whale. Gray whales have a series of low ridges, while a humpback whale has a dorsal fin.” It’s not as easy as it sounds: “The first thing an observer usually sees is the blow of a whale, and both gray whales and humpbacks have a bushy blow of similar height that is propelled through two blow holes. Both species are known to breach (leap out of the water). Their size is similar and coloration is sometimes difficult to distinguish at a distance. The telltale is the dorsal fin, or, in the case of the gray whale, the absence of one.”
How to Respond to Today's Challenge Question:
IMPORTANT: Answer only ONE question in each e-mail message.
1. Address
an email message to: jn-challenge-gwhale@learner.org
2. In the Subject Line of your message write: Challenge
Question #6.
3. In the body of EACH message, give your answer to ONE of the questions
above.
The Next Gray Whale Migration Update Will Be Posted on April 20, 2005.
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2005 Journey North. All Rights Reserved.
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