Census of gray whales in Laguna San Ignacio: February 2, 2016
Today in Laguna San Ignacio: 84 calves, 140 adults for a total of 224 gray whales! Photo by Rob Nawojchik.
Laguna San Ignacio census for 27 January 2016
The third 2016 census in Laguna San Ignacio was conducted today. There are 57 calves and 130 adults, for a total of 187 gray whales. We’re heading their way soon! (Photo by Rob Nawojchik)
Getting ready to migrate south with the gray whales!
Captain Art and the entire Team Searcher are getting excited about our first trip of 2016, leaving on February 7. The first 2016 census in Laguna San Ignacio took place on 14 January and the reserve staff counted 19 calves and 69 adults for a total of 88 gray whales. The second census took place on 19 January and 122 whales were counted: 83 adults and 39 calves. Dr Steven Swartz (www.sanignaciograywhales.org) and his research team will be set up at their research station at the lagoon next week. Stay tuned for all the information from down south as we receive it!
Sunset Magazine – Top 10 Reasons to Cruise Now – Feb 2016
The Searcher family is happy and proud to share the news. Sunset Magazine has featured our Baja Whalewatching Tour as one of the top 10 reasons to cruise for 2016! Click the link below to read all about it…and don’t miss the boat!
http://www.sunset.com/travel/cruise-ship
Top 10 reasons to cruise right now: https://t.co/BPws1N8Vw3 pic.twitter.com/v199WpWKoH
— Sunset Magazine (@SunsetMag) January 12, 2016
Welcome back, gray whales!
The first gray whales have arrived to Laguna San Ignacio, as reported by our colleagues there from Kuyima Tours. We are anxiously preparing for our return migration there too! Our first departure south with a full group of whalewatchers leaves on February 7, 2016.
Mexico Pelagic Birding Tour, day 5 (Dec 3)
Hello all,
We are currently 160 miles off the Baja peninsula and 330 miles from Isla Socorro. We are at the same latitude as the tropic of Cancer and will be in the tropics shortly. The weather is awesome with light winds, calm seas, warm air and the sea temperature is 77 degrees.
We have seen a couple of Masked boobies, a Brown booby, Frigatebirds and plenty of Leach’s storm-petrels associated with our fish oil slick this morning. We are currently travelling after stopping for 2 hours to disperse the fish oil slick. Our plan is to stop again late this afternoon for a couple of hours for more viewing opportunities as we add another slick.Here is a photo of our guests who are enjoying the addition of the shade canopy to the seating area on the stern.
More later,
Team Searcher
A May 31 gray whale sighting
Hello whalewatchers: I had to share the sighting of a northbound gray whale off the Washington coast. Celia and I were on vacation between seasons, visiting the Olympic Peninsula in Washington. We saw a blurb in a guide book about Rialto Beach where you might see gray whales and bald eagles, so we decided to make a visit. We stayed in a gorgeous, forested campground in Mora, close to a tiny harbor called La Push. We went to Rialto Beach, walked, birdwatched, beachcombed, and sat on a big log for a break to scan the horizon. It didn’t take long before I saw a spout! A single whale was out there. We’re sure it was an adult, headed north with the typical migration behavior of three spouts and down for three minutes, and then repeating that pattern.Celia and I gravitate to the ocean when we are on vacation and we almost always see some sort of marine mammal. It was a moment of fate to see a species close to our hearts, a gray whale.
To finish the walk we saw a pair of bald eagles, flying high above the treeline above the beach., just like the brochure said.
Capt Art and Celia
Happy Birthday, Simon!
With love from Mum and Dad in Baja! (click the MORE button)
20 March census in Laguna San Ignacio
78 cow/calf pairs and one lonely single = 157 gray whales
20 February census of gray whales in Laguna San Ignacio
There were 347 gray whales: 151 mothers and calves and 45 singles. A gray whale’s blow is distinctly heart-shaped on a calm day and when viewed from behind (or on Valentine’s Day). Many thanks to Carla Mitroff for the use of her photo.
