John C. Conlon

As always June starts off slow in certain regards: not high numbers but high diversity. While the Iceland, Glaucous and Bonaparte’s gulls are pretty much gone, there are still regular sights of gannets. Small groups are regularly seen. Once or twice a week we’ve seen flocks of 100-150 or more.

Scattered individuals of Wilson’s storm petrels were regular over the past several weeks but these and other summer pelagic birds are starting to arrive in higher numbers. On June 15th there were hundreds scattered over southern Stellwagen for a couple miles. We are also getting steady mixed flocks of 20 to 40 sooty and greater shearwaters.

Our first good looks at Parasitic jaegers came on June 11th and some great looks at Pomarine jaeger on the 18th. Both jaegers are mostly readily spotted off Race Point. Unlike the shearwaters and storm petrels, we have to really look for the jaegers. They are nowhere near as numerous and they can be difficult to spot as they move through groups of gulls and terns.

Winds from the eastern quarter brought northern fulmars toward Stellwagen. Several offered steady looks as they flew long narrow loops around the boat on June 15th.

Don’t forget to bring your guidebooks and binoculars!

On June 5th we sailed out into Cape Cod Bay with excellent whale sightings conditions, low winds and calms seas. We observed 13 humpbacks and 3 finback whales. Many of the humpbacks were engaging in active behaviors such as lobtailing, breaching and flipper slapping. We identified Ventisca, Thread, Mayo, Salt, Cardu, Charger, Blackhole and calf, Anvil and calf, Glo and calf and Bolide and calf. Glo and Bolide’s calves were going on high fluking dives and breaching. Breaching takes an incredible amount of strength and energy, so it is always impressive to see such lively behaviors from young whales. Charger was engaging in a different active behavior called lobtailing, whereby Charger was standing on its head with its tail flukes protruding vertically out of the water and was slapping the water with its flukes making large splashes. Although scientists are unsure why whales exude such behaviors, they speculate that it may be a form of communication as lobtailing generates a great deal of noise. Sometimes seabirds will confuse this behavior for a similar feeding behavior called kick feeding. When humpbacks are feeding at the surface is it common for seabirds to aggregate around the whale in hopes that they might catch a fish that the whales have scared up to the surface.

Charger

We headed for Stellwagen Bank on May 6th with fog, light wind and glassy calm seas. Despite the less than ideal whale sightings conditions, we observed 12 humpback whales and 2 gray seals. We identified Wizard, Hazard, and Palette and calf. To our surprise, all five humpbacks became curious of our boat. While we stayed at location, the whales took turns swimming around our boat, allowing us to get within a few feet.  As the whales took deep breaths and exhaled we became completely covered in the whale’s breath. It appears as though humpbacks curiosity is not new, as historical accounts from 1658 describe similar behaviors, as humpbacks would accompany French explorers, making them wary of the whale’s intentions. Now knowing that the whales close boat approach was based more on intrigue than anything aggressive, we were able to appreciate the size and beauty of the animals. Towards the end of the trip the whales changed their behaviors as they began flipper slapping, lobtailing and tail breaching.

Curious Humbpack

On June 7th we had ideal whale watching conditions, with light winds and calm seas. While traveling to Stellwagen Bank we sighted 7-8 humpback whales. One of the humpbacks was Ventisca, a female first seen in 2001. Ventisca quickly became interested in our boat giving us a close boat approach! As she swam around us we were able to observe her unusual pigmentation. Although it is common for Atlantic humpbacks to have white pigmentation on their flippers and ventral flukes, Ventisca’s all white dorsal fin and dorsal flukes are unique. With an excess of white pigmentation it is no surprise that her name means blizzard in Spanish.  Later in the day while on the South West Corner of Stellwagen Bank, we observed 14 humpback whales and 1 finback whale. Many of the humpbacks were displaying elaborate feeding strategies, such as bubble clouds and nets.

Ventisca (dorsal fin)

Ventisca (dorsal flukes)

We left the harbor on June 8th with optimal whale sighting conditions, light wind and glassy-calm seas. While on the South West Corner of Stellwagen Bank we observed 23 individual humpback whales and identified Tracer. The whales were demonstrating a variety of behaviors, including fluking dives, bubble feeding and kick feeding. Later that day we observed 12-16 humpbacks off of Peaked Hill, including Hancock, Seal, Zeppelin and Ventisca. Because most humpbacks reach sexual maturity between 5 and 6 years of age, is it likely that all identified humpbacks were adults as the youngest whale was 18 years old (Hancock). The humpbacks displayed a myriad of active behaviors, including, spinning breaches, lobtailing, flipper slapping and close boat approaches!

Hancock

We steamed out to the Southern Edge of Stellwagen Bank on June 9th with grey skies and calm seas. We observed 16-17 humpback whales and identified Mostaza, Eruption, Citation, Canopy and Jabiru. A diversity of behaviors were observed, with tail breaches, flipper slapping, close boat approaches and lobtailing. Several of the same humpbacks were sighted in the afternoon, however, their behaviors had changed from active playful behaviors to feeding behaviors. Mostaza, Citation and Canopy were all sub-surface feeding, whereby the whales had located a prey patch of sand lance below the surface of the water. When whales are feeding sub-surface you can often see sea birds such as common terns and laughing gulls hovering in the area, waiting for the whales to scare the fish up to the surface from below. Terns are often referred to as  “strikers” because of their extraordinary ability to dive while feeding on schooling fish. The birds use their telescopic eyes while hovering over their prey and then dive into the water.

Canopy

With bright haze and moderate seas we sailed out of Provincetown harbor on June 10th. While on our way to Peaked Hill we observed 16 individual humpback whales. As a general trend, the whales appeared to be conducing high fluking dives, although one whale became curious of our boat. We identified Trident, Wizard, Tongs, Hancock, Rune and Pinpoint. Trident and Wizard both demonstrated signs of curiosity as they traveled around our boat, diving only a few feet below us and popping up on either side of the boat. Rune and Pinpoint, however, were resting at the surface. Because whales cannot fully sleep as they would likely drown, they rest near the surface lying almost motionless. At firs-glance the whales often resemble logs bobbing up and down at the sea surface. In the afternoon, the whales fluking dives continued, however, Nuages, Binary and calf, Mars and calf, Bolide and calf and Springboard and calf demonstrated a variety of active behaviors, including breaching, flipper slapping and lobtailing. Perhaps most impressive, was Mars’s breaching calf. It requires a tremendous amount of energy and strength to breach, so it is always impressive to see young whales display such active behaviors.

Trident

On June 11th we sailed out to Peaked Hill with rain, light wind and moderate seas. We observed 16 humpback whales, 1 finback whale, 5 basking sharks and 3 grey seals. Basking sharks are one of the largest sharks, second to the whale shark. They can reach up to 40 feet in length, although typical lengths are between 20 and 26 feet. Although basking sharks are sometimes mistaken for great white sharks they have several distinguishing characteristics, for instance, basking sharks are filter-feeders. These sharks make a living by feeding on almost microscopic organisms called zooplankton. Unfortunately, many of the basking sharks seen off Cape Cod have scars on their bodies, some from lampreys and cookie cutter sharks and others from vessel strikes. Because basking sharks often moving slowing, feeding on plankton at the surface and are not known to avoid ships, they are especially prone to vessel strikes.

After leaving the basking sharks around Long Point Lighthouse, we encountered several humpback whales including Ivory, Whisk, Draco, Canopy, Ventisca and Glo and calf. Many of the whales were going on high-fluking dives, however, towards the end of our trip the whales began feeding as they found large schools of sand lance. Glo was lunge and kick feeding and others were making bubble clouds and dragging.  Unfortunately, this feeding frenzy was short lived, as the whales soon changed behaviors. Towards the end of the day the whales began to display active behaviors such as flipper slapping, breaching and lobtailing.

Basking Shark

On June 12th we sailed out to Race Point Lighthouse with less than ideal whale sightings conditions as we had limited visibility due to fog. Despite the challenging conditions, we observed 7 humpback whales and 2 harbor seals. Some of the humpbacks appeared to be traveling randomly, which may have been indicative of foraging, while others were maintaining a linear path of travel. Because whales spend approximately 10% of their time at the surface, it is generally difficult to determine sub-surface behaviors, often leaving whales true behavior a mystery.

We left Provincetown on May 29th with light rain and calm seas. We saw a diversity of marine life, with 17 humpbacks, 1 mink whale, 1 harbor seal and 5 gray seals! Many of the humpbacks appeared to be young, possibly juvenile whales. It is common for juvenile humpbacks to appear on the feeding grounds earlier than adult whales, especially nursing mothers who have to wait until their calves are strong enough to endure the long migration back to Stellwagen Bank. Towards the end of our trip we encountered two curious humpbacks that swam around our boat, giving us an opportunity to appreciate the true size of the animals. We also spotted a Wilson’s Storm-petrel, a small dark brown sea bird with a white rump. These birds are trans-equatorial migrants, they breed on the Antarctic coastline and spend the rest of the year at sea (North Atlantic) where they feed on planktonic prey found near the sea surface.

We sailed out to Cape Cod Bay on May 30th with ideal whale watching conditions—clear skies, low wind and glassy-calm seas. We observed 14 humpback whales, 1 finback whale and 1 harbor seal! Many of the whales were traveling linearly and going a high-fluking dives, which made for easy identification. We identified Freefall, Thread, Salt, Cardu, Reflection and calf, Anchor and calf, Palette and calf and Zeppelin and calf. Stellwagen Bank is often referred to as a nursery ground as there is a disproportionately high number of mother and baby whales on the bank. It is likely that Stellwagen Bank’s attractiveness to nursing mothers has to do with the relative abundance of prey, as mothers have high energetic requirements and therefore need to eat as much as possible without expending much energy. It is especially important that nursing mothers get enough food to eat so that they can continue nursing their young, which are dependent on their milk for survival. Female whales nurse their young with their two protractible teats that are located on either side of their genital slit. When the calf is hungry, the female’s nipples will protrude and the calf will grasp the teat between its tongue and upper jaw. The mother will then squirt approximately 120 gallons of her energy rich milk into the calf’s throat. These nursing sessions only last a few minutes, however, they occur roughly 40 times per day! During this time calves will grow quickly, doubling their length by the time they are weaned. The calf will remain associated with its mother for about a year and weaning will begin when the calf is 5 or 6 months old, however, some humpbacks continue nursing after one year. While the calf is associated with its mother it will learn how to feed, in fact, some humpback calves have been observed feeding on Stellwagen Bank such as Scylla’s 2008 calf, Hazard. Once the summer is over the calf will migrate back down to the Caribbean with its mother and eventually the pair will separate and the calf will gain its independence.

Towards the end of the day we observed various humpback feeding behaviors such as bubble feeding, kick feeding and surface lunging! It is thought that humpbacks will only engage in lunge feeding when food is abundant. The whales may approach the prey from underneath or beside and then open its mouth just before surfacing and then lunging through the prey patch. As the humpback lunges, its throat groves or ventral pleats expand, allowing the whale to maximize its food intake. Once the whale’s mouth is full, it will contract its throat groves and press its tongue against the plates of baleen, forcing out the water and trapping the fish inside its mouth.

Lunge feeding

On May 31st we sailed out to the Southwest Corner of Stellwagen Bank where we observed three different baleen species. We sighted 23 humpbacks, 3 finbacks and 2 minke whales! It appeared as though the whales had found a large school of sand lance, as the humpbacks were engaging in various feeding behaviors including kick feeding and bubble nets. Humpbacks create bubble nets by swimming in a circular motion under a school of fish and releasing bubble columns at regular intervals. Once the bubbles reach the surface, they will form a circle around the fish and make the fish concentrate into a tight ball, making it easier for the whales to trap the fish. For the humpbacks to ensure survival they must consume enough food to replenish their depleted blubber reserves. An average humpback will require a ton of fish per day, which equals a million plus calories. The finbacks also appeared to be feeding as they were circling. Circling is a common feeding behavior that is thought to coral sand lance into tight balls making it easier for the whales to catch their prey. We identified several adult humpbacks including: Scylla, Ventisca, Tongs, Jabiru and Abrasion and calf.

On June 1st we left Provincetown with perfect weather; bight skies, light wind and calm seas. Without traveling far we found 25 humpback whales that were engaging in feeding behaviors, including lunging, kick feeding and bubble feeding. Kick feeding is a site-specific behavior, it has only been observed in the Gulf of Maine. Humpbacks will lob tail at the surface sending a shockwave down to a school of fish below; this essentially stuns their prey making it easier for the whales to catch the fish. Sometimes humpbacks will release bubbles under a school of fish after a kick feed and then surface with open mouths. The bubbles may confuse the stunned prey, making them concentrate into a tighter ball to avoid predation. We identified Ventisca, Gumdrop, Stub, Filament, Putter, Tongs, Rune, Trident and Fulcrum, Fern and calf and Bolide and calf.

Kick feeding

On June 2nd we sailed past the Double-crested Cormorants that were nesting on the Provincetown harbor breakwater with grey skies and moderate seas. Double-crested Cormorants are dark-colored waterbirds that are widely distributed across North America. These birds make a living off small schooling fish, and hunt their prey by swimming and diving. Their feathers, however, are not waterproof and they must spread their wings to dry their feathers while on land. Cormorants can be seen feeding in the presence of humpback whales, as they share the same appetite for sand lance. In fact, in 1982 a dead humpback whale was found with six cormorants in its stomach. It is thought that the whale accidentally swallowed the birds while they were stealing fish from inside its mouth.

We traveled out to Race Point and found 16-24 humpback whales and 5-6 finback whales. The majority of the whales were bubble feeding (including Dome, Tongs and Thumper), while one humpback named Pisces became curious of our boat!

Double-crested Cormorants

On June 3rd we steamed out to Race Point with bright skies and moderate seas and came across a large group of 30-36 feeding humpback whales, 5 finback whales and 1 minke whale! The fish that the whales were feeding on appeared to be near the surface as the whales were mostly bubble feeding by creating bubble nets around the schools of fish. Many of the observed surface-feeding humpbacks were employing cooperative feeding strategies by forming large bubble nets around the fish and surfacing together with wide-open mouths. From the boat we were able to see the hundreds of plates of baleen hanging down from the whale’s top jaw. Whales employ different feeding strategies based on the quantity and location of prey. For instance, many of the humpbacks on Stellwagen Bank have scuffmarks on the side of their jaw from feeding on sand lance on the sea bottom. Sand lance will hide in the sandy substrate of Sellwagen Bank to avoid predation; the whales will lean to one side, open their mouths and scoop up the fish. These scuffmarks are usually only found on one side of the whales jaw.

Humpback with scuffmark on right jaw

We headed to Stellwagen Bank on June 4th with grey skies and calm seas. We observed 18 humpbacks, 6 finbacks and 1 minke whale! The whales exhibited a myriad of behaviors, including various active and feeding behaviors. In the morning the whales were breaching with chin breaches and spinning breaches! The afternoon, however, was quite different with kick feeding, open mouth feeding, bubble clouds and dragging! In order to expel the salt water, which whales cannot swallow, humpbacks will swim forward with their tongues pressed against their baleen and their chins out of the water. This dragging behavior forces out the salt water and traps the fish inside the whale’s mouth.  We identified Rapier, Pogo, Fracture, Hazard, Apostrophe, Eruption, Bolide and calf and Fulcrum and calf.

Chin breach