Gray Whales Count
nonprofit research/education project with ucsb's coal oil point natural reserve, goleta +
american cetacean society–channel islands + cascadia research collective, olympia, wa +
marine physical laboratory, scripps institution of oceanography, ucsd, la jolla
Surveying the northbound migration of gray whales (eschrichtius robustus)
conducted at Coal Oil Point Natural Reserve, Goleta, California with support from
UCSB's Coastal Fund
Count
Day 102 of 105 – 2008 May 08 |
Gray whales north (all, including calves) |
8 |
Gray whale calves northbound |
4 |
Observation: 9 to 5
|
8 hours |
our webpage count and comments are updated every evening to record the days' events. We welcome your questions and comments about our work, and we hope you will check in often. for additional information about the migration, we encourage you to click on links below to Journey North + bbc's world on the move + palos Verdes/acs-la.
Comments |
There has not been a rush of calves, probably because the migration was spread out. What we have seen is a continual push, and that is good. Today, we Counted eight, northbound gray whale, consisting four cow/calf pairs. And like the migration, they did not come all-at-once but were spread out across the day.
What was different about today was the vigorous activity from the natural oil seeps that surround Coal Oil Point, comprising the second largest oil seep in the world after the seeps in the Caspian Sea. For about two hours beginning at ten-thirty, five major seeps were roiling with bubbles and there was a lot of oil on the water.
Our greatest concern with oil right now is for the otters, but the bubbles can create a lot of noise that at the least confuses the whales. One pair popped up calf-first near a seep and we never saw the pair again. Of course, we do not not for sure, but it may be that the whales assumed a low profile to escape the turmoil in the area.
I am sure they made it through just fine and are on their way to Alaska with the others.
What will happen to the otters is a bigger question. Can they tolerate the continual exposure in this area?
We got a scare at around two in the afternoon. All the Otterville residents save two were gone. We scanned and could only find one on the outskirts of where the otters had been in the kelp and another in the waves near the Point. We had not noticed any vessel traffic that might have caused them to dive. We were, however, primarily focused on a pair of whales.
Then around four, just as quickly as they disappeared, they reappeared, and we counted at least twenty-six sea otters.
Early in the day, a dozen bottlenose dolphins traveled west across the Point and there were three calves. One made a perfect, slow-motion, "Sea-World" leap and drew spontaneous applause from the Counters. |
Count to Date
|
Gray whales north (all, including calves) |
643
|
Gray whale calves northbound
|
57 |
Observers record sightings of all cetaceans and sea otters. Only gray whales
on their northbound migration are included in the daily tallies above.
Interested in Counting in 2008?
Contact Michael Smith about volunteering.
2008 Daily Count a PDF (3 pages) record of all the Daily Counts, including today, of northbound, gray whales observed during the 2008 Count.
Project Description a PDF (3 pages) of the research and education project description.
Information about Participating a PDF (1 page) with information about the requirements for Gray Whales Count.
Contact Information Form a PDF (1 page) to be filled in by persons who want to Participate in Gray Whales Count. Mail with Insurance Waiver Form to Michael Smith, Project Coordinator.
Insurance Waiver Form a PDF (1 page) to be read, agreed to, and signed by the Participant and mailed with Contact Information Form to the Project Coordinator.
Map to Coal Oil Point + Regulations a PDF (1 page) with map + directions to Counting site and regulations for use of Coal Oil Point Reserve.
Counters’ Shift Schedule a PDF (1 page) of shift schedule for Supervisors + Observers. This is the final week of the 2008 Count. Make choice and contact Michael Smith for confirmation.
Public Downloads:
2007
2007 GWC Narrative Report a PDF (7 pages)
2007 Daily Tallies a PDF (3 pages) record of all the Daily Tallies for northbound gray whales
observed during the 2007 Count.
2007 Graph a PDF (1 page, tabloid size) of the 2007 season.
2007 Species Totals a PDF (1 page) of the 2006 season summary of all species observed.
2006
2006 GWC Report a PDF (4 pages) of the 2006 field season, including analysis.
2006 Daily Tallies a PDF (3 pages) record of all the Daily Tallies for northbound gray whales
observed during the 2006 Count.
2006 Graph a PDF (1 page, tabloid size) of the 2006 season.
2006 Species Totals a PDF (1 page) of the 2006 season summary of all species observed.
LINKS
to our Partners and Colleagues:
Journey North Gray Whale page offers in-depth information about the gray-whale
migration, including detailed examinations of survey data from the Gray Whales Count
in the Santa Barbara Channel, Palos Verdes, and Piedras Blancas with stories, pictures,
and fun educational activities.
BBC World on the Move takes you to the Gray Whale Page in the British Broadcasting Company's year-long presentation of migrations throughout the world. You can click on recent reports to hear audio of what the BBC is reporting.
Link to Cascadia Research Collective.
Link to Coal Oil Point Natural Reserve.
Link to Marine Physical Laboratory, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UCSD.
Link to Coastal Fund.
Link to Palos Verdes (ACS-LA) daily census report about a day's swim from south.
Adobe Reader if you have trouble downloading or opening the files,
please download the latest, free version of the software. |
