Sunday, December 29, 2019

12-29-19 Pacific White-sided Dolphins

Sunday Dec 29th
...well the day began at about 5:15 a.m. when a very loud humpback whale was practicing his song...that makes it about the 10th time since late October that I have recorded one...every time it's been IN THE DARK!...

...the day continued on, when at about 11:00 a.m. IN THE DAYLIGHT! - a male singing humpback...that's the first time I have recorded one during daylight!!
...scanned and scanned but could not locate...he was distant but I was hoping I could catch a glimpse of his exhale...
...then a bit later I learned there were some humpbacks off Trial Island, and I wondered if maybe that humpback had been in Baynes Channel. (If it had been in Baynes Channel and had come far enough east it is a straight shot to the Lime Kiln hydrophones.)...but I'll not likely never know.

...okay, on about the day...lots of people at Lime Kiln today...brighter than yesterday, flat calm water...someone noticed something, close to shore, coming up island toward the lighthouse...
...at first...hmmmm...
...and then...and then...very short clip and not very clear but...
...here's a bit closer look...the image is actually quite large (click on image to enlarge)...
...see if you can figure out how many were there...
...a couple clues:
  -at least one has an indentation or two along its back, behind the dorsal fin.
  -all those notches, of course.
 
...not common to see LAGS (their nick name - which is the first 4 letters of their long scientific name)...so close to shore, just passing by quietly...

...and now since that singing humpback was out there making some very high pitched sounds in the late morning...I'm now wondering if maybe it was the lags!

...lots of fun and most people there today hadn't ever seen any Pacific White-sided Dolphins before...

...I decided they were a 'good omen' for 2020!