Field Notes 2013
Point Piedras Blancas, California, United States
Reports from Biologist Wayne Perryman
Leader, Cetacean Health and Life History Program

"We are monitoring the number of gray whale calves migrating north each year because we think that the number of calves born is related to weather conditions (ice cover) in the Arctic." —Wayne Perryman

April 22-26: We had 82 c/c pairs for this week and we have seen a lot of pairs rolling through over the week end. Next week should be a good one!

April 15-19: We had 39 c/c pairs during this week, along with 22 adults/juveniles and two blue whales thrown in for good measure. Expect an increase in calf numbers next week. It's too early to compare this count with others, but after next week I think that we will have a feel for the flavor of this year's migration.

April 8-12: We lost about 1/3 of our normal 60-hour survey week to weather, but we did count 24 adult gray whales, 16 juvenile gray whales and 7 cow/calf pairs. I am sticking with my prediction of a drop from last year's numbers, but we can only wait and count'em when we see'em.

April 6: We completed the second week of the shore-based survey of northbound gray whales from the Piedras Blancas Light Station. This week we lost 10 hrs of effort to fog, but still recorded 143 adult gray whales, 51 juveniles and 1 cow/calf pair. Migratory corridor is shifting inshore now and counts of adults and juveniles are winding down. Next: the cow/calf pairs!

April 4: The first cow/calf pair!

April 2, 2013: No calves last week and none so far this week. I expect we will get our first customer over the next few days. Last week yet but we had a steady stream of adults and juveniles.

March 12, 2013: We are gearing up for the start of the 20th counting season. Based on ice last year, I am predicting a significant drop in calf counts this year, but all the news that I hear from the lagoons is pretty positive. So we will just have to see how it turns out.

February 5, 2013: We will start watches on March 25th from the Piedras Blancas Light Station. This will be our 20th consecutive year of calf counts from this lovely site. Last April (2012) the ice cover in the Bering Sea was the most expansive on record, and we are expecting a significant drop in calf production this season. Hopefully, we will be wrong. —Wayne Perryman

Data: SWFSC NOAA