2009 08-11 SB Channel

Blue Whales and Humpback Whales were seen lunge-feeding, and making close approaches to the Condor Express. An overcast day but there were lots of whales all around.

This Common Dolphin (Delphinus capensis) kept leaping and every time it let out a squeal.
delphinus capensis beak open wide 2009 channel 016
A friendly Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) visits the whalers on board the Condor Express.
megaptera novaeangliae passengers 2009 channel 101
A Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) upside down lunge feeding on the surface. A mouthful of orange-red krill can be seen if you click to enlarge this photograph.
balaenoptera musculus lunge feeding 2009 channel 089
Injured and scarred dorsal fin of a Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) and what appears to be a lamprey eel attached.
balaenoptera musculus wounded dorsal fin lamprey eel 2009 channel 177
Image sequence: 1 of 4. Orange patches of krill (Thysanoessa spinifera) on the surface are about to be consumed by this upside-down, lunge feeding Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus). We are looking directly into the lower mouth in this shot.
balaenoptera musculus lunge feeding 2009 channel 081
Image sequence: 2 of 4. A lunge feeding Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus). The upper jaw/head is on the bottom.
balaenoptera musculus lunge feeding 2009 channel 083
Image sequence: 3 of 4. A lunge feeding Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus). The upper jaw with baleen plates are now visible.
balaenoptera musculus lunge feeding 2009 channel 084
Image sequence: 4 of 4. A lunge feeding Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus). Water is now being expelled from the mouth as krill are strained by the baleen.
balaenoptera musculus lunge feeding 2009 channel 085
Part of a surface patch of krill (Thysanoessa spinifera) with krill jumping out of the water to escape predatory squid (Loligo opalescens) below. The squirts and ripple patterns are from the squid.
krill thysanoessa spinifera attack loligo opalescens 2009 channel 091
Thar she blows! A friendly Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) greets the whalers on board the Condor Express.
megaptera novaeangliae passengers 2009 channel 077
Upside down Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) lunge. The tip of the nose is to the right where some baleen is visible, and the chin is on the left where the ventral pleats can be seen expanded like an accordion.
balaenoptera musculus lunge feeding 2009 channel 076
A Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) closes its mouth and ejects water to extract krill using its baleen strainers. The belly side (with ventral pleats) is to the left, back side (with baleen) is to the right.
balaenoptera musculus lunge feeding 2009 channel 077
Dorsal fin and left side flanks of a Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus).
balaenoptera musculus dorsal fin lateral scar 2009 channel 260
Another look at the happy singing Common Dolphin (Delphinus capensis). Sorry about the anthropomorphism, I know better, but lost control for a minute.
delphinus capensis beak open 2009 channel 011
Upside down lunge feeding Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus). The upper jaw with baleen is on the bottom. Expanded ventral pleats can be seen on the left edge of the photograph.
balaenoptera musculus lunge feeding 2009 channel 090
Leaping Common Dolphin (Delphinus capensis).
delphinus capensis vertical leap 2009 channel 008
Surfin' buddies: A couple of Common Dolphins (Delphinus capensis) surf an open ocean swell alongside a California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus).
delphinus capensis zalophus californianus surfing wave 2009 channel 044
A thick ball of krill (Thysanoessa spinifera) can be see inside the gaping mouth of this lunge feeding Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus). The upper jaw is out of view under water.
balaenoptera musculus lunge feeding 2009 channel 088
This is the tip of the nose of a very friendly Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) and its long, white right pectoral fin can be seen under the water.
megaptera novaeangliae 2009 channel 049
Two Common Dolphins (Delphinus capensis) leaping across the waves.
delphinus capensis two leaping 2009 channel 046
Another shot of krill (Thysanoessa spinifera) leaping out of the water to escape predatory squid (Loligo opalescens) attacking the krill from below.
krill thysanoessa spinifera attack loligo opalescens 2009 channel 088
Uno, dos, tres, cuatro! Whalers on the Condor Express (and one CINC naturalist, hi Keith!) catch the close approach of no less than FOUR Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae).
megaptera novaeangliae four passengers 2009 channel 109
A lunge feeding, sideways Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae). The knobby head is facing the camera, and the lower jaw is arched up in back.
megaptera novaeangliae lunge feeding 2009 channel 102
A Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) closes its mouth around krill-laden seawater and ejects the water to save the krill for dinner.
megaptera novaeangliae lunge feeding 2009 channel 105
Two Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) side-by-side with the larger animal lunge feeding. A curious Western Gull (Larus occidentalis) circles the action from a safe elevation.
megaptera novaeangliae lunge feeding 2009 channel 101
Underwater portrait of a Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) head. Bubbles can be seen escaping from the twin blowholes.
megaptera novaeangliae head 2009 channel 115
There are actually FIVE Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) in this photograph, with the West End and Frasier Point on Santa Cruz Island visible in the background. Whale #5 is hard to see, it's on the left center edge of the picture behind a large fluke print on the surface...only the tip of its dorsal is above water so don't feel bad if you can't see it easily.
megaptera novaeangliae four 2009 channel 229
Another Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) head portrait.
megaptera novaeangliae head diagonal 2009 channel 149
A Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) lays on its side with its pectoral fin and tail fluke up out of the water.
megaptera novaeangliae pectoral fin slap distant 2009 channel 190
A close look at a Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) spouting.
megaptera novaeangliae spout 2009 channel 040
The chin of this Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) shows the beginning of its ventral pleats and lots of barnacles as it is caught in the act of lunge feeding upside down.
megaptera novaeangliae lunge feeding 2009 channel 120
Another lunge feeding Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae), this one shows the knobby head.
megaptera novaeangliae lunge feeding 2009 channel 114
Two Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), one fluking.
megaptera novaeangliae tail fluke waterfall 2009 channel 132
Three Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) show their dorsal fins, side-by-side.
megaptera novaeangliae three 2009 channel 225
Sequence shot 1 of 2. Two Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) are visible. The whole body of the top whale can be seen, including its white pectoral fin glowing under water. The lower whale is completely under water and rising up towards the surface.
megaptera novaeangliae two 2009 channel 076
Sequence shot 2 of 2. Two Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) are visible.
megaptera novaeangliae two 2009 channel 079
An inbound oil tanker "Energy Protector" of the Golden Energy line, transits the southbound ship traffic lane just north of Santa Cruz Island in the Santa Barbara Channel. The whales were about 2 miles south of the lanes today.
vessel oil tanker golden energy 2009 channel 068
LA Times professional video journalist, Sachi Cunningham, was on assignment capturing the action today.
sachi cunningham times video journalist 2009 channel 211
Twin tail flukes of Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) give us a wave.
megaptera novaeangliae two tail flukes 2009 channel 265

© Robert Perry

Mr.Zalophus@gmail.com Please click on the sea lion head logo above to go to my MarineBioPhotography website.

2009 08-11 SB Channel