Busy, Busy, Busy!

WOW! What can I say? It has been a wonderful season thus far. The whales and weather have been keeping us busy. I apologize for the delay in updating the blog. I hope to have past and recent sightings things posted soon. We also update sightings and upload photos on our Facebook and Flickr page. Thanks for checking in!

June 22nd and 23rd 2011

This week continued to be great for whale sightings! Both trips on the 22nd and 23rd had the opportunity to show passengers a number of different whales.

It was another beautiful, sunny summer day on Wednesday the 22nd. The waters were calm and the skies were clear. Once the whale watch ventured offshore, passengers had the chance to see three different humpback whales! The first sighting was of two male humpbacks named Gemini and Viper! These two humpback whales were spending a good amount of time at the surface taking several breaths and then lifting their large tails or flukes of the water in order to dive.

Gemini

Gemini diving with Viper at the surface

Soon after watching these two humpbacks, the whale watch came across another familar whale, Triton, a individual we've been seeing since 1981 and first sighted on Stellwagen Bank which is off the coast of Massachusetts. This was our first sighting of Triton this season. Since we tend to see this whale often, it has become one of our Adopt-a-Whales!

When coming back in from the 2nd trip, the boat witnessed an interesting interaction between two male harbor seals. It was a battle royal at the head of the harbor! These two were fighting. Males can become very agressive, especially as mating season approaches. It was quite a sight!




Though a bit cooler and a little choppy, the whale sightings on our two trips were still great! On the first trip we came across Gemini, traveling alone. This is not unsual to see with humpback whales. The associations between humpbacks don't usually last a lifetime, but research shows that certain females will spend almost an entire season together. After numerous looks our time grew short and we had to make our way back to Bar Harbor for the 1:00 trip.


On the second trip we covered some different territory. We first came across a finback whale, but it ended up taking a long dive. But shortly after the finback went down we spotted a humpback lobtailing in the distance. Lobtailing is when the whale takes its tail and smacks it down on the water. So we decided to investigate. On the way, we found a minke whale! As we came closer to where the humpback was located, one whale turned into two! As they lifted their tails in order to take a deep dive, we got a glimps of the tail markings and discovered the two whales were Triton and Viper! Triton's tail is very distinctive, due to the number of rake mark scars. These were the result of a run in with killer whales or orcas. This most likely occured when Triton was young.

Triton

While waiting for them to surface again, one of the whales breached! A very exciting behavior to witness! Overall, a great day on the water!


If you want to view more photos from the 22nd and the 23rd, visit our Facebook and Flickr page!

Photos: Walter Churchill

June 21, 2011

Happy Summer Solstice! It definitely felt like the first day of summer out on the water today! It was a sunny, clear day with calm seas.

It was an eventful day, with the boat seeing two humpback whales! One humpback was a individual named Gemini, a whale first sighted in 1976 and the other was "Viper" first sighted in 1986! They were both hanging out together, spending a lot of time near the boat. Everyone got great looks and it was exciting to see one of Allied Whale's Adopt-a-Whales, Gemini.

"Viper" a male humpback whale

"Gemini" a male humpback first seen in 1976

Today's whales and weather was certainly a great way to keep off summer! Looking forward to what we may see on our next trip!

June 20, 2011

Today the boat started its first 8:30 and 1:00 trips of the season. Both trips had the opportunity to see numerous whales. The sun was shining and there was light breeze making for great whale watching weather.

Zack, senior naturalist, talking about the wildlife seen on the trip

Jillian, research assistant, looking over photographs

Our senior naturalist, Zack, was on both trips today, joined by Allied Whale research assistant Jillian. Both Zack and Jillian were busy as the whale watch sighted 7 to 8 finback whales offshore! A particular individual caught their attention due to the large V-shaped scar on the tail stock. When the finback whale takes a deep dive, it lifts the back high out of the water exposing the tail stock. The research assistants take a series of photos along both sides of the whale in order to capture the chevron pattern and any possible scars or other identifiable markings.




Photos Jillian took on the trip will be uploaded in the database and then analyzed by comparing the photos to those of whales already in the catalog. This way they can learn more about finback whale biology and population. Therefore, when passengers come on the whale watch they help to support Allied Whale's research! So thanks to all that came on today's trip and past excursions.




To see more photos from today's trips check out our Facebook page.

Photos: Walter Churchill

June 19th, 2011

After a day of rain and thick fog kept us from going out on the 18th, it was nice to see the weather improved for today's trip. It was a sunny, hot, and busy day in Bar Harbor! We had folks from two cruise ships aboard our larger whale watch vessel, the AtlanticCat.

Though we had a bit of a bumpy ride offshore, it was well worth it because we saw numerous whales on this trip! A passenger helped spot the first spout which then lead to a couple of more. We had a few finback whales spread out in different directions around the boat. One of which surfaced near the boat a few times, allowing for great looks!

Finback whale coming to the surface

This one individual was easy to recognize due to the shape of its dorsal fin and the scaring along its tail stock. Marianna, one of Allied Whale's research assistants, was photographing the whale. It seems that this whale had be entangled at some point. This is why it is important to photograph this species. The photographs allow researchers to better understand how humans are still affecting whales. Even though they are a protected species, they still do die as a result of human activity whether be boat strike or severe entanglement.

Marianna, one of Allied Whale's summer research assistants, collecting data

Finback whale

Before we knew it, our time had run short and we had to start our way back to Bar Harbor. Along the way, we spotted a few other finbacks! There was certainly a great deal of activity offshore today!


To view more photos from today's trip, become a fan of the Bar Harbor Whale Watch Company page on Facebook!

Photos: Walter Churchill

June 17th, 2011

Another sunny, clear day in Bar Harbor made for a nice whale watch trip. What is great about whale watching off the coast of Mount Desert Island is the opportunity to enjoy such beautiful scenery. Being on the water allows everyone to see much of Acadia National Park and a few lighthouses too!

Egg Rock and Egg Rock Lighthouse with Mount Desert Island in the background

The bird life at Petit Manan remains very active as numerous North Atlantic puffins were sighted. Not only is this island home to nesting puffins, but razorbills and black guillemot as well as arctic, common, and rosette terns. It is also where we see the second tallest lighthouse in the state of Maine.

North Atlantic Puffin flying above the water at Petit Manan Island

While searching offshore the boat was able to find a finback whale, the largest common whale species to the Gulf of Maine. This whale certainly had feeding on the agenda as it took numerous dives. This species is nicknamed the "greyhounds of the sea" due to their ability to swim at very fast speeds, at times traveling 25-30 miles per hour. But everyone had the chance to get a good glimpse at this large cetacean!

Finback whale

To see more pictures from today's trip become a fan of Bar Harbor Whale Watch Company on Facebook!

Photos: Walter Churchill

June 16, 2011

Everyone had smiles on their faces today, as we had a fantastic whale watch trip. The sun was shining and the seas were calm allowing us to see a great deal of wildlife.

While out at Petit Manan puffins were present in large numbers. They were sitting in the water and flying around the boat. Razorbills and murrs were found sitting in the water as terns flew next to and over the boat.

Atlantic Puffin sitting on the water. Notice band on right leg.

Razorbill

Andrew spoke with us today informing us of the current numbers of the birds and the nesting activity. That morning, he and the research interns were working with representatives from US Fish and Game and University of Maine Orono to capture terns to monitor levels of stress hormones. After having the chance to ask some questions and see the birds, we waved good bye to Andrew and made our way offshore.


The water was very calm, at times looking like glass. We spotted pods of harbor porpoise, seals, and pelagic birds. Tiny birds called Wilson storm petrels danced along the surface as they foraged for small planktonic organisms. Suddenly a dark back broke the surface. It was a minke whale! Though this species is known to be elusive at times, this one surfaced close to the boat. With the water's surface being so calm we could see the entire whale's body as it swam below the surface. We could even see the distinctive white bands on the flippers, which are called minkie mittens.

Minke whale taking a terminal or deep dive.

This minke whale allowed us numerous good looks and once it disappeared below the surface for another deep dive we ventured off to do some more exploring. Along the way, we spotted a few more minke whales. Then, we saw a larger blow in the distance behind us. It was a finback whale!

The distinctive dorsal of the finback named "Bolshoi"

When this finback took a deep dive the back rose from the suface exposing the dorsal fin and tail stock. The dorsal fin looked very familiar and after Allied Whale's research assistant Jillian and blog photographer, Walter Churchill, took a few photos we all decided that this whale was "Bolshoi", first sighted in the 1980's! This finback has distinctive nicks on the dorsal and scar on the tail stock, making it easy to identify.

Bolshoi was spending enough time at the surface for us to get great looks. A few times Bolshoi popped up right next to the boat, swimming slowly by before diving taking a deep dive. A couple of minke whales and quite a few gray seals also appeared nearby. We were surrounded by marine life!

"Bolshoi" coming to the surface

Alas, it was time for us to head home. Our day spent offshore was a great one. We had the chance to a variety of marine life and had a gorgeous day on the water as well.


Photos: Walter Churchill

To see more photos from today's trip check out our Facebook page!

June 15, 2011

Today's trip started out with a number of birds at Petit Manan, a nesting island for puffins and other seabirds. The puffin numbers are doing well allowing us the chance to see numerous individuals on this trip.

North Atlantic Puffin sitting on the water off Petit Manan

The journey offshore was successful as well, both with whale and bird sightings. Juvenile northern gannets were seen in both the sky and in the water as everyone sharply scanned the horizon for the blow of a large whale.

Juvenile Northern Gannet

Eventually, after a bit of searching, a blow was spotted. It was a finback whale! It is amazing to think that passengers had the chance to see one of the largest animals known to exist on the planet!

Finback whale

Another great day viewing some of mother nature's amazing creatures!

June 11th, 2011

Though a cooler day on the water on this whale watch trip passengers still ended up being a successful and enjoyable one. Naturalist Christine reported great bird and whale sightings.

Many puffins were seen at Petit Manan Island including the one featured in the photo below.


Passengers also enjoyed hearing about the seabird research from supervisor Andrew. He also informed us that one of the research interns has been working on a blog. If you would like to read their blog, click on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife logo link on the right hand side of this blog page. It features great pictures and information about the puffins and other birds that nest on Petit Manan.

After spending time searching offshore, the whale watch sighted two finback whales. They were able to get numerous nice looks.





The finback whales were not the only marine mammal seen offshore. Grey seals made their appearance too. They always seem curious of the boat.


It was certainly a nice day on the water!

June 10th, 2011

The warm, sunny weather made for a perfect day out on the water. Everyone enjoyed a nice boat ride out to Petit Manan and offshore. There was barely a breeze and at times the surface was a smooth as glass. It certainly felt like summer was on its way today!

As we arrived on the whale grounds our eyes scanned the horizon intensely. We saw a number of birds, including Wilson storm petrels and greater shearwaters. A northern gannet tagged along for a while, flying very close to the boat.

Northern Gannet

Though it took some time, our patience paid off, as we spotted a tail rising out of the water and then disappearing below the surface. It was a humpback whale! Our first of the season! Since it was such a calm day we could also see the long, white pectoral flippers of the whale appear from the depths.

Humpback whale

When the tail was lifted out of the water, our research assistants, Stacey and Jillian, had cameras poised and ready to take a photograph. By taking a photograph of the tail we can attempt to identify the whale. The black and white pigmentation on the underside of the tail or fluke is different for each humpback whale allowing us to differentiate individuals.

As naturalist Christine and the research assistants looked through our boat's humpback whale catalog, they came across a whale named "Tab" and the markings looked very similar. Taking a few looks between the picture on the camera and the catalog we all soon agreed it was a match! Tab was first sighted in 1981 and has been seen multiple times in the Bay of Fundy. Maybe this whale was taking a quick pit stop while on its travels north. It was exciting sighting for me as it was my first time seeing Tab.

"Tab"

Other wildlife sighted included a few small pods of harbor porpoise and a several grey seals. Overall, it was a successful whale watch and exciting one as well as we had the chance to see a different species of large whale and identify the individual we sighted!


Photos: Walter Churchill

June 7th, 2011

Happy World Oceans Day!

Yesterday, June 7th, we certainly enjoyed our day out on the ocean! On today's trip we were happy to have students from Warsaw Middle School, of Pittsfield, Maine, aboard the Friendship V. Though we had a foggy start at Petit Manan Island, we still were able to see the puffins.

As we headed offshore, we were delighted to see the fog disappear! It was sunny, clear, and calm. This was such a relief, as searching for whales in the fog can be challenging. After a bit of searching our patience paid off, as we started spotted a couple of blows in the distance.

We ended up getting good looks at two different finback whales. They we cruising along, taking several breaths at the surface before going down for deep dives. We could keep track of which whales we were watching by looking at their dorsal fins, which are distinctive to each individual.

After taking a closer look at the photos, we noticed that one individual looked very familiar. This whale had a few nicks on the dorsal and a noticeable scar on the tail stock or caudal peduncle. When looking a photos from previous seasons, we were able to identify this whale as Bolshoi, a individual that was first photographed back in the 1980's when the North Atlantic Finback Catalog research started at Allied Whale.

"Bolshoi"

Identifying finback whales is exciting because they allow us to get a better understanding of long term changes occurring on their feeding grounds and in their migratory patterns. This helps to continue conservation and policy efforts that protect this species and their environment. So this was a fun discovery!

Maybe we'll see Bolshoi again on our next trip!

June 6, 2011

We are certainly enjoying this stretch of nice weather and great whale sightings. Puffins continue to be seen a large numbers on Petit Manan. The researchers on the island have been monitoring nests, but no puffin chicks yet! Today we spoke with research intern Jordan, who is currently as senior at the College of the Atlantic. While watching the birds photographer Walter Churchill was able to capture a tender moment between two puffins along with some great shots of puffins and razorbills siting on the rocky ledges of the island.


After our visit to Petit Manan we headed offshore. It took a little searching, but thanks to the sharp eye of guest, Michael Goode of Downeast Nature and Birding Tours, the boat soon found whales. We came across a finback whale, with another not to far away. After some nice close looks the finback went down for a dive, but more spouts were spotted in the distance and we went to take a look. One of Allied Whale's new research assistants, Marianna, was on the boat collecting data, photographing the whales for identification purposes. Today, the whales kept her busy!

Before leaving we were lucky to finish the trip with great looks at three finback whales as they surfaced and swam along side the boat. It was a wonderful way to wrap up a great day on the water!


Photos: Walter Churchill

June 5, 2011

It was such a gorgeous day out on the ocean and we had great wildlife sightings too! Our trip started out with an eventful visit to Petit Manan Island, where we sighted many puffins, razorbills, common murrs, and terns. Andrew, the supervisor at the island, informed us that more terns had arrived during the evening and that overall, the puffin numbers seem to be doing well. A couple of the researchers were in the bird blinds, one of which was checking for banded puffins. Also, many of the passengers had excellent questions to ask of Andrew!


As we left Petit Manan we had a nice ride out to the whale feeding grounds and eventually after some searching we sighted a couple of minke whales. Then a large blow and back was seen in the distance. It was a finback whale! We ended up seeing two to three finbacks and several minke whales, one of which gave us nice close looks! There were many pods of harbor porpoise along with a large number of gray and harbor seals. The whales seemed a bit more spread out today and we taking long dives. With the water being so calm we could tell that there was food around, as many schools of fish started jumping out of the water.



Overall a great day and looking forward to what we see on the next trip! Everyday is a new adventure!


Photos: Walter Churchill

June 4, 2011

Another exciting day of whale watching with the Bar Harbor Whale Watch Company! Naturalist Christine was on the boat today and said that the whale sightings continued to be great. It was also a beautiful sunny day, which always makes for a nice day out on the water.

It was reported that there were numerous puffins, razorbills, and terns sighted at Petit Manan Island. This island is part of the Maine Coastal Island National Wildlife Refuge, which allows puffins and other seabirds to nest without being disturbed by human activity. The only people on the island currently are four researchers conducting a number of surveys and studies on the birds that nest there.

Razorbills sitting on the rocks and puffins in the water at Petit Manan Island

Razorbills on the rocks at Petit Manan

Once offshore, the boat sighted several finbacks and minkes! At one point a pair of juvenile finbacks surfaced near the boat and swam slowly by allowing for close looks!

Finback whale

There were also a few seals spotted as well, including the curious grey seal in the photograph below.

All in all another great day and we can't wait to get back out there again!

Photos: Walter Churchill

June 3, 2011

Another successful puffin and whale watch trip today! Though it was a little chilly and overcast the boat still had a nice day on the water. Zack, senior naturalist, guided this trip and reported great bird and whale sightings. The whale watch also hosted a large group of birders participating in the Acadia Birding Festival.

Zack spoke with Andrew Allyn, the supervisor on Petit Manan Island. This gave passengers the chance to ask Andrew questions and learn about the Island's ongoing research on the nesting birds. Birders were pleased to see many puffins, razorbills, and a few common murrs.

The common and Arctic tern numbers continue to grow as well.

North Atlantic puffins sitting in the water off Petit Manan Island

Offshore, the whale watch had quite a few sightings including several finback and minke whales! Everyone had the chance to get nice looks.

Back and large dorsal fin of a finback whale, thus how it received its common name.

Finback whale. For this side you can see the lower right jaw, which is white.

They are the only known asymmetrically colored mammals.

Overall, another exciting day of whale watching! Thank you to those who joined us on our trip today!

Photos by Walter Churchill.

May 31, 2011

Well, we certainly had an eventful day on the water! Not only was it a beautiful, crystal clear day, we had the chance to see a great deal of wildlife. Our visit to Petit Manan started out with spotting numerous puffins sitting on the rocks, in the water, and flying in the air. Razorbills were present in good numbers, at times flying close the boat, allowing us close looks. Arctic terns filled the air as we spotted some of the researchers out on the island. Biologists with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service were also on the island.



Heading offshore our eyes were glued and focused on the horizon, looking for any signs of whale activity. Suddenly, a blow was spotted in the distance. Eventually, we started spotting numerous blows, at one point we almost losting count! After a weekend of fog we were thrilled to finally see some whales, but we were not expecting to see so many!

We estimated seeing nearly 10 finback whales and 9-10 minke whales! The finbacks were feeding in groups to two and three, along with some solitary whales. Why so many? Captain Larry spotted a thick layer of bait on the fish finder. There seemed to be enough to sustain these large whales, considering a finback whale will consume nearly 6,000 pounds a fish a day!


Northern gannets were diving all around us and we sighted a few small groups of greater shearwaters. At one point, two juvenile finbacks surfaced close the boat, slowly swimming below the surface. It was amazing to have such close looks at these enormous animals! This was truly a trip to remember and our best so far this season. Trips like these make us eager to get back out on the water again!

A big thank you to Walter Churchill for these fantastic photos!

The 2011 Season Has Begun!

After making it through a very long winter, we are excited to be back on the water and eager to see what the 2011 season has in store for us. Trips started going out on Friday May 27th, which was a great way to start the Memorial Day weekend. Mother nature worked with us a bit this weekend, but foggy conditions made looking for whales difficult. However, our visits to the puffin nesting island, Petit Manan, were successful. The puffins are back and their numbers are doing well so far. Offshore we were happy to see many different pelagic birds, including northern gannets, greater shearwaters, Leach's storm petrel, northern fulmars, and phalaropes.Seeing many birds is always a good sign. Birds as well as whales a important environmental indicators. They help us understand what is going on below the surface, where we are unable to see, unless we happen to see something on our fish finder.

There were thousands of phalaropes at Mount Desert Rock. This is a small offshore island, home to Allied Whale's research station, the most remote lighthouse on the East coast, and hundreds of seals. We had the chance to check out the island this past weekend.

But we will not let the fog disappoint us! We have only just begun and it is early in the season. What makes whale watching an exciting experience is that every trip is different. Mother nature is always surprising us! So come join us on a trip! From June 2-5th, participants with the Acadia Birding Festival will be join us on the whale watch. To learn more about the Acadia Birding Festival visit: http://www.acadiabirdingfestival.com/

Look forward to seeing you!