cvchandler - 2-21-2009 at 01:11 PM
http://www.charleschandlerphotography.com/galwhales.html
I took these around 8-9 am this morning, standing on top of the Cabo. It's a nice observation lookout. I used a Nikon D300 with 200/400 F4 VR lens
with 1.4 teleconverter. The whales were too far away, the pictures are not very good. The mother and baby were very spunky. The baby was trying
very hard to catch air fully.
Here are my questions:
Species?
How did you tell species?
Any good webpages for whale identification?
Likely age of baby?
Why does Mama like to do headstands with tail out of water?
I assume baby likes to copy Mama?
Why does mama sometimes really get physical with her tail beating?
Thanks - I will look forward to learning more!
mulegemichael - 2-21-2009 at 01:38 PM
charles...if you want to get up close and personal with those critters take a trip out to san ignacio lagoon; hundreds of them all around us
performing the same antics....also came right up to the boat so we could touch them..followed us around wanting more attention ....really one of the
more spectacular experiences we've ever had....more facts, from our guide; when a mature grey whale jumps completely out of the water, it burns 5000
calories for the feat...and...if you'll notice when a mature whale jumps out they roll over...that's because the weight of the beast will break it's
own ribs if it comes down on it's stomach...fun facts from the mouth of our guide, daniel, last week...
elgatoloco - 2-21-2009 at 01:44 PM
Humpback whale
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humpback_Whale
Osprey - 2-21-2009 at 01:52 PM
I've been told the humpbacks go up the SOC in the center or on the Mexican coast, then back down on the peninsula side here past East Cape and San
Lucas and back out into the Pacific. We see them here from November to mid April all going south. We have sperm whales here, a blue now and then, lots
of false killer whales, Hinkes, pilot whales and harbor porpoise although I cannot tell the difference between the last two.
Paulclark - 2-21-2009 at 02:13 PM
Humpbacks come to the SOC for the winter to give birth -- Greys go to the lagoons on the West Coast of Baja--you seldom see a Grey in the SOC. Lots
of Humpbacks close to the beach this year from San Jose north, particularly around Salado, Castillo de Arena and Pulmo.
24baja - 2-21-2009 at 07:26 PM
Beautiful Photos
shari - 2-22-2009 at 09:17 AM
woooo hooo what a show you saw!!! this mother humback was tail slapping and breaching which was probably a feeding technique...they slam their tail
into bait balls and eat up...possibly teaching her baby how to do it too...great photos....some humpbacks come into the SOC to calf this time of year.
you often see gray whales teaching the little one to spyhop as well.
Yesterday was a big breach day here...literally tons of gray whales breaching all over the place all day long...way cool.
windgrrl - 2-22-2009 at 09:45 AM
Just wonderful...so glad to see your wonderful shots.
My husband sailed within 20 metres of a whale near shore at the windsurfing venue in Los Barriles in Jan. Of course, I had my back turned because I
was schlogging my gear back in after my last run before returning to Canada!
Saw lots of whales slapping tales in the distance this year!