Gray
Whale Migration Update: May 4, 2005
Today's Report Includes:
- Track the Whales: Latest Migration Data
- Analyze the Data: Fill in the Blanks
- Field Notes from ACS Channel Islands Observation Post
- Counting Whales: Challenge Question #9
- End-of-Season Notes from Keith “Baja” Jones
- Journey North for Kids
- Hitchhiking With Whales: Video Clip and Lesson Link
- What’s Up North? Discussion of Challenge Question #7
- Ice and Other Polar Mammals: Discussion of Challenge Question #8
- Year-End Evaluation: Please Share Your Thoughts
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, see lesson:Tracking Gray Whale Migration from California Observation Posts)
| Gray
Whale Migration Off the California Coast |
Channel Islands Data | |
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Whales passing per day Feb 1 - May 2, 2005 |  |
| Northbound Los Angeles |
Northbound Channel Islands |
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Northbound
and Southbound
Los Angeles |
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| Data Courtesy of the American Cetacean Society of Los Angeles and Channel Islands | ||
Analyze the Data: Fill in the Blanks
Today, let's look at the day-to-day migration patterns suggested by the data. Follow the data and graph links above to fill in the blanks below. According to data collected during the past two weeks:
- At the LA post, as many as ___ whales were seen in a day, and as few as ___ whales were seen in a day.
- At the CI post, as many as ___ whales were seen in a day, and as few as ___ whales were seen in a day.
- The biggest difference in the number of whales observed from one day to the next was on the dates of ___ and ___. There were ___ whales seen the first day and ___ seen the next day. (Answer for LA post and for CI post.)
- What do you think could be causing the data to fluctuate so widely from day to day? List as many variables as you can think of.
- Do you think gray whale migration is as different from day to day as the data suggest? Why or why not?
- Do you think this method of observing migration gives us an accurate picture of day-to-day migration patterns? What limitations do you see, if any?
- Do you think the data give us an accurate picture of overall migration patterns? Why or why not? What limitations do you see, if any?
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Michael H. Smith, Research Director of the ACS-CI Census |
From the ACS Channel Islands observation post, wonderful field notes from Research Director Michael H. Smith make us feel as though we are there. Here’s a sampling of Michael’s daily “word pictures” telling what he and the ACS volunteers at Coal Oil Point have seen in recent days:
April 24, 2005: A gorgeous morning with excellent visibility, and then the winds came. 3.5 hours of observation: no gray whales.
Apr 25, 2005: At the end of the day, two adults slowly escorted a calf with an entourage of bottlenose dolphins, which surfaced and dove together around the Point. Six hours of observation: 6 gray whales, including 2 calves.
Apr 26, 2005: Rather than a highway, it is more like a country road...a couple of family pairs a day. Eight hours of observation: 5 grays including 2 calves.
April 27, 2005: Before it rained on our little parade, we enjoyed a mother and calf who were taking their time along the kelp across our position. (It took them an hour and eleven minutes to swim the two miles from Campus Point to Coal Oil Point.) 4.5 hours of observation: 3 grays including 1 calf.
April 28, 2005: Unstable skies made for a spectacular setting with puffy clouds, rain in the distance (thank you), and surprisingly flat seas. Six hours of observation: 4 grays including 1 calf.
April 29, 2005: Another beautiful day. Our pairs chose to travel past our Point about 500 meters apart on their journey north. Six hours of observation: 4 gray whales and 2 calves.
April 30, 2005: Slow is beautiful. Two cow/calf pairs frolicked in the kelp and rolled with bottlenose dolphins from Campus Point. Almost two hours later they passed the Point and cruised along the surfline of Ellwood Beach, where the calves breached 8 times. Slow, but exuberant. Six hours of observation: 8 gray whales and 4 calves.
May 1, 2005: May Day in our Channel produced spring winds instead of gray whale calves. Six hours of observation: 2 gray whales and no calves.
May 2, 2005: I believe it is winding down. This is our last week; we are reaching the end of the migration.
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Observation Post Above the Santa Barbara Channel. Photo MHSmith |
How do you imagine the volunteers feel as the migration tapers off and the end is near? Do you suppose they have mixed feelings? This was the first-ever ACS census from the Channel Islands observation post, and we hope they’ll be back next spring! The counting began on January 29 and faithful volunteers have been at Coal Oil Point every day since then. Counting at the ACS post in LA began way back on December 1! We are grateful to all the volunteers who show up to count the whales so we might know a little more about this magnificent species. THANK YOU!
Now, we ask you to use the clues in the field notes and what you’ve learned this season to go back to the question from above. Send us your answer to:
Challenge Question #9:
“As you view the season’s data, what do you think could be causing the data to fluctuate so widely from day to day? List as many variables as you can think of.”
(To respond to this question, please follow the instructions below.)
End-of-Season Notes from Keith “Baja” Jones
Our friend Keith wraps up news from the Mexican birthing lagoons with these words: “The whale watching season officially closed April 15th this year. It wasn’t because all the gray whales had already left Laguna Ojo de Liebre, but rather because there no more tourists were coming to town to go whale watching. I had a report from some fishermen that there were still a couple of gray whales hanging around until at least April 25th.”
Despite the few lingering whales, Keith still believes this spring’s gray whale migration had turned around and begun the northward trek earlier than normal by about 10 days. Keith tells us, “Interestingly, the blue whale migration off of Loreto also turned around earlier than normal. One day we saw two mother and baby pairs of blue whales and then the next day we couldn't find a blue whale and never did see another one. Again, they left the Loreto area at least a week or 10 days early. And finally the humpbacks that migrate to the ocean just off of Puerto Vallarta in Banderas Bay also began their migration north a couple weeks early.” Keith wonders, “Do all these whales know something about the weather that we don't?”
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Chelsea
(age 5) kneeling by Baleen |
Journey North for Kids
Believe it or not, this is a photo of something in every gray whale’s mouth. (Chelsea is standing by it to show you the size.) The fuzzy-looking white thing is a small chunk of baleen that was taken from a gray whale that died. How does a mouth full of baleen help a whale? Take a photo journey of whale antics and you’ll find out this answer--and more questions too!
Hitchhiking With Whales
Imagine carrying a load of hitchhikers on your back that can weigh several hundred pounds! Gray whales do this all their lives, and even the new calves have already picked up hitchhikers. Grays are infested with more parasites and hitchhikers than any other cetacean. Who's riding, and why? Take a close look at this video clip to see the freeloaders.
| See barnacles on gray whales! What changes do you observe as the whales get larger and older? |
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(Viewing
tips) |
Then come back and read more about the hitchhikers you can see--and those you can’t see! Why are they there? Do they harm the whales? How do they get there? And how do they end up helping scientists who study gray whales?
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Try This! Writers Workshop: Expressive
Writing
How did students feel about parasites such as lice before reading
the nonfiction article? How did their thoughts or feelings about
these organisms change after
reading the article? Invite students to write a paragraph to express their
thoughts about barnacles, whale lice, and/or other parasites. (NOTE:
Click on the link
to the Reading and Writing Connection at the top of this short nonfiction
selection on Hitchhikers. You'll find more strategies, activities
and teacher tips such as this one!)
What’s Up North? Discussion of Challenge Question #7
Last time we said the gray whale makes the longest migration of any mammals. We asked you to think about other ways their migration differs: “How does the gray whale’s main purpose for migrating northward differ from the purpose of other Journey North species?”
Feeding and breeding are the two survival purposes that propel migrations. Can you think of any other Journey North species whose main reason to migrate north in spring is to EAT instead of to HAVE BABIES? (No!) The gray whales go south in winter to have their babies in warmer, safer places, while other JN species go south to find abundant food. In spring, what’s up north for them? The whales go north to their rich feeding grounds, bringing their new babies with them; other species go north to find territories on which to have and raise their young.
Ice and Other Polar Mammals: Discussion of Challenge Question #8
"What polar mammal that, unlike the gray whale, feeds more successfully when sea ice is present? Explain."
Iselin Middle School 7th graders did a great job with this answer! Abby S. Abbey, Emily and Alexandra explain: “The polar bear feeds more successfully when sea ice is present. You see, polar bears are so well insulated, they tend to overheat. Colder temperatures and sea ice actually helps the polar bear. Not only that, but a polar bear can easily shake off sea ice or anything that gets in its fur.” The bears also walk and hunt on the sea ice for prey such as seals. Without sea ice, they’d be sunk!
Year-End Evaluation: Please Share Your Thoughts!
Please take a few minutes to share your suggestions and comments in our Year-End Evaluation. The information readers provide is critical for planning new initiatives and for improving Journey North. We'd appreciate your help. THANK YOU!
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Journey
North |
How to Respond to Today's Challenge Question:
IMPORTANT: Answer only ONE question in each e-mail message.
1. Address
an e-mail message to: jn-challenge-gwhale@learner.org
2. In the Subject Line of your message write: Challenge
Question #9.
3. In the body of EACH message, give your answer to the question
above.
The FINAL Gray Whale Migration Update Will Be Posted on May 18.
Copyright
2005 Journey North. All Rights Reserved.
Please send all questions, comments, and suggestions to jn-help@learner.org
