Western Australian Whale Watching is always full of surprises and today was no exception as we sighted competition pods, Sunny the Humpback Calf and Stacka the Southern Right Whale calf along with Bottlenose Dolphins and surface activity. Our morning started with the high intensity of six male Humpbacks competing after a female with speed and one male in particular showing his strength. Lifting his head many times above the surface he would slam his lower jaw down onto the surface creating a large splash and noise to deter the challenging males. Bubble veils, inflated throat pleats and reversals which is a behaviour where the individual will lift their body up and forward before sinking backwards again were all sighted amongst these boisterous males.
The Southern Right Whales were also enjoying their time today as Stacka decided to practice some fluke slapping for his Saturday morning activities. Little Sunny Flynn the Humpback calf was sighted this morning and again this afternoon as his mum seemed to be moving around Flinders Bay trying to find a suitable resting place for them both. The afternoon was filled with many whales in the bay as they continued their migration with some surface activity amongst two pods displaying a great example of the Language of the Whales™ a the pod further ahead tail lobbed to prevent the attention of the two adults travelling alongside us. They didn’t change their directions of movement and to display that they also wanted to move into that area the big white bellied male showed us a magnificent tail lob and fluke slap as he communicated to the pod further ahead and conversation was finished! Another fantastic Saturday enjoying Western Australian Whale Watching in Augusta.
Peduncle Slaps have been sighted on many of our tours over the last week and this amazing behaviour is very impressive with all age groups of Humpback Whales but the more mature the whale the bigger is the resulting splash! We joined a pod of three amigos today as they travelled across Flinders Bay and these three whales were in fantastic health and full of energy. The largest individual demonstrated a perfect Peduncle Slap and you can see how they pivot their head down and then throw their peduncle and tail fluke into the air creating a very loud noise on the surface that other whales can hear from many kilometres away.
We are starting to see the arrival of a few larger and more mature Humpbacks into the bay which is fantastic as we anticipate the arrival of the breeding age male and female Humpback Whales. Also sighted on many Humpbacks arriving in the bay is the yellowish algae that grows happily on the skin of whales while they are in Antarctica but quickly disappears once the whales have moved into warmer waters, similar to a day at the spa! These algae covered whales have only just arrived from their feeding grounds and we love meeting them in Flinders Bay, their first sighting of land after a 2,000 nautical mile journey.
Three Blue Whales alongside our vessel had everyone onboard stunned! A mother Blue kept her calf close to our vessel so she could block the approach of a larger Blue from getting too close. Adding to the moment was amazing bubble veils as she tried to hide her calf behind an underwater screen of bubbles and this behaviour has never before been sighted by Whale Watch Western Australia with Pygmy Blue Whales, but many times sighted with our interactions amongst Humpbacks. The intelligence of these magnificent mammals was on show as the female used our vessel to her advantage to block the approach of the much larger individual who was most likely a curious male, showing that she actually trusted us more than she trusted the other Blue Whale!
It is well noted that Pygmy Blue Whales rarely lift their flukes when diving and you can imagine why everyone onboard was stunned as the younger individual raised his enormous flukes clear of the water below and gracefully dived! Not only did this happen once but several times throughout the day which had us all mesmerized and very grateful to have seen such a beautiful moment of a Blue Whales life. The interaction between the three individuals was very interesting to watch as they showed a social pattern of movement and surface activity rather than all energy focused on feeding. We also sighted two other individuals who were much more focused on feeding close by which had all five Blue Whales sighted on Saturday enjoying perfect conditions in the Perth Canyon.
Bottlenose Dolphins, Australasian Gannets, Wilsons Storm Petrels, Flesh Footed Shearwaters and a beautiful Yellow Nosed Albatross completed an incredible day, but perhaps the most exciting discovery was of the young calf who is just about ready to leave mum and begin his own journey traversing the oceans along local and international coastlines. A new beginning for the little one and a new addition to the Blue Whale population is inspiring to see and we hope that the opportunity arises in the near future to see those beautiful familiar flukes once more
Hearing the name Pygmy Blue Whale often creates thoughts of a miniature whale that traverses the oceans without ever being seen… but only part of that sentence is true! The Pygmy Blue Whale grows up to 24 meters in length and can weigh 90 tonnes making it clear that they are not miniature whales by any standard and although they are large in size their migration patterns and movement through our oceans has allowed these mammals to be one of the most rarely sighted species of whales on the planet.
The Pygmy Blue Whale was discovered as a separate species of whale in 1966 and their history goes back to over 20,000 years ago when a small population was separated by enormous quantities of glacial ice. The situation most likely causing many Blue Whales to have migrated north with the remaining Blue Whales and smaller gene pool that was left behind creating a separate species over time. The Pygmy Blue Whale is a sub-species of the Blue Whale and because of this they share many characteristics and look very similar, however there are a few different physical traits that we can notice when looking carefully.
Overall body shape of a tadpole with larger head and smaller tapering tail/fluke
Broader baleen plates that are also shorter due to their larger head size
When compared to a Blue Whale of the same size a Pygmy Blue is heavier in weight
Appearance of an aquamarine submarine when surfacing due to their lighter shade of grey in comparison with Blue Whales
Pygmy Blues are baleen whales and their main source of food is krill which they will travel thousands of kilometres to reach suitable feeding grounds with high densities of this favoured food source. A large appetite and their enormous size means eating up to 150 tonnes of krill a day is completely normal for a Pygmy Blue Whale! One of only three known feeding grounds that produce enough quantities of krill to feed these mammoth mammals is located just past Rottnest Island on the West Australian coastline, the Perth Canyon. Over the year the canyon attracts hundreds of Blue Whales and many other species of wildlife who feast in the Perth Canyon.
The migratory pattern of the Pygmy Blue Whales of Australia are still being discovered and new information about their mysterious lives is coming to light thanks to the hard work and persistence of researchers all over Australia and the world. Feeding and refuelling in the Perth Canyon during March/April they will then leave the canyon and head north to the tropical waters of Indonesia where it is believed some females will give birth to calves and they will also resume feeding again. During November/December many of these Pygmy Blues can now be detected feeding in the Bonney Upwelling located in South Australia. A round trip of over 10,000 kilometres and an average movement of 25 to 100km per day is cruise control travel for the Blue.
The future is exciting for the Pygmy Blue Whale populations found in Australian waters and we are fortunate to have their most well known feeding ground located so close to the city of Perth, Western Australia. Population numbers of Pygmy Blue Whales are believed to be greater than those of Antarctic Blue Whales and both of these species have been known to share the same feeding grounds. What is truly remarkable is the DNA research that was taken from Blue Whales feeding off Antarctica produced results of six Blue Whales who had both Antarctic Blue Whale and Pygmy Blue Whale in their genetics… the two species had mated and created hybrid Blues!
This incredible discovery is just one of the many inspiring reasons why the Blue Whales of Australia continue to attract the attention of researchers from all over the world as we do all that we can to learn everything possible about these beautiful mammals. Stay tuned as our inaugural Blue Whale Perth Canyon Experience is set to start this weekend and our excitement levels are even bigger than the size of these wonderful Blues to share with you all that we see and learn!
Today’s lesson of the Language of the Whales™ will focus on the very powerful peduncle slap. Pivoting their head down and using their long pectoral fins for leverage a Humpback whale will then push their peduncle upwards with incredible force resulting in the peduncle and fluke breaking the waters surface and landing with an all mighty splash! This behaviour takes a lot of practice when young to perfect and often during the southern migration we can sight many Humpback calves practicing with their mothers.
A peduncle slap is a very aggressive behaviour and will be used to deter predators or threats away if they come too close and this is why we see this type of behaviour most often from a mother with calf. Being incredibly protective, the female will respond to anything that she interprets as a danger to her calf. This may be an obvious threat such as a shark, orca or dominant male Humpbacks but you will also see this response when other species of animals and boats do not treat the whale with respect.
We have also had experiences with younger juvenile whales who will be interacting with our vessel, approaching very close and suddenly will perform a more gentle version of the normally aggressive peduncle slap. This may be interpreted as a more dominant playful behaviour and can also be seen from young calves who are practicing this behaviour with other calves close by or when interacting with other whales.
Although it can be seen regularly with juvenile whales and young calves the peduncle slap is usually reserved by the adults for situations that require a very powerful message. The energy and power that results in a peduncle slap is truly impressive to watch and now that we have learnt the Language of the Whales™ we understand the true meaning behind this incredible surface activity and communication.
What a beautiful day in Geographe Bay to celebrate Fathers Day! Blue skies, sunshine and perfect spring conditions, it was absolutely perfect. We hope all the Fathers around Australia are enjoying time with their families and celebrating the wonderful job they do for the next generation. Two big Humpback whales were enjoying the calm conditions and slowly making their way south after enjoying some rest time here in Geographe Bay and recouping their energy stores.
They will have a big journey to make back to their feeding grounds in Antarctica and after not feeding for 4-6 months and almost completing their 13,000 kilometre round trip they will be awfully hungry by now. These beautiful conditions will help them complete their journey south and both will help protect each other from any possible predatory threats along the way but we are confident these two beauties will be filling their bellies with Antarctic shrimp very soon!
ID Log
Date – 4.9.16
Species – Humpback
Lat – 33 . 32. 01 Long – 115 . 07 . 28
Nickname – Daddy
Notes – Breathe holder pod, slowly moving south
There are a few different reasons why a whale will pec slap and we most often see this behaviour amongst Humpback whales. Pec slapping is a very important way of communication during the most flirtatious time of our Humpbacks social calendar, teaching young calves and deliberately trying to hit each other!
1. Flirty Females
During the winter breeding season female Humpback use pectoral fin slapping as a way of flirting with and encouraging the attention of male Humpbacks. The female whales will lay on their sides lifting one pectoral fin and allowing it to fall to the surface creating a big sound and splash. They will also roll onto their back and lift both pectoral fins out of the water getting double the sound effect this way! This is a very strong message sent to the male Humpbacks in the area who will hear this surface communication from the female and race towards her. Females also release a scent when performing this behaviour and this scent combined with the loud sound of pectoral fins hitting the surface creates an incredible reaction from the male Humpbacks who come from everywhere to meet the female and this is how Humpback competition pods begin!
2. Schools In
On their southern migration back towards Antarctica many Humpback mothers and calves will be sighted. We often witness when interacting with these pods different behaviours being taught by mum to her calf. During these lessons a calf will firstly learn a behaviour and then practice until they get it just right. Pectoral slapping is a very important way for our whales to communicate with each other, especially the next generation of female Humpbacks. Last season we had a young calf practicing her pec slapping for over 30 minutes straight! It is this determination that will help a calf perfect her technique which will be needed as they turn into young adult whales who will begin communicating to each other through this Humpback non-verbal language.
3. Technical Knockout
We have seen in many competition pods and also during playful interaction between Humpbacks a cheeky pec slap that lands perfectly on the whale next to them! When a pectoral fin that is five meters in length and around 1 tonne in weight lands on you it certainly will be felt. Now this usually is not repeated continually like traditional pectoral slapping but still is a way of communicating through slapping their pectoral fins. Humpbacks have perfect control over their pectoral fins and can be incredibly precise when they land them on the waters surface and this precision will be used when wanting to let the other whale next to you to keep their distance and not get too close!
As you can see there are a couple of different situations pectoral slapping will be used and depending on the situation it can be very relaxed, lifting the pectoral up and above the surface and allowing it to fall calmly or sometimes with a little more force and a “flick” of the pectoral fin adds further energy creating an even louder noise, this is used when the whale is wanting to be a little more forceful in their message. Humans will also respond to Humpbacks by waving back… this is always a lot of fun and a very special experience!
After three wonderful months of amazing whale watching it is now time to say goodbye to the lovely town of Augusta and her wonderful community. Our Humpback whales have now left Flinders Bay and it is time to meet the returning migration in Geographe Bay. Thank you to the local businesses and friendly faces in Augusta for your continued support and it was a fantastic season this year in Flinders Bay.
We were very blessed this season to have not only one but two incredibly rare encounters and build a relationship with these two very special whale families. Little Leeuwi the baby Humpback who was born on the 28th of June and his mum shared some very special moments with us. We enjoyed looking out for Leeuwi and seeing him find a way to survive in an environment that is not perfect for a baby Humpback, but he is a true little warrior and although sad to say goodbye we have great confidence in Leeuwi and his mum to make the journey back to Antarctica against the odds.
Pearl the white Southern Right Whale calf and her mum Mother Of Pearl created a once in a lifetime experience for many of our guests with only 5% of all Southern Right births resulting in a white calf. With only 3,000 Southern Right whales estimated in Australian waters to see Pearl this season was a true privilege. We hope in future seasons to come we will re-sight Pearl sporting her news colours, maybe the darkest shade of grey or even looking similar to those dairy cows you see in Cowaramup.
Thank you Augusta for a wonderful season in Flinders Bay, we enjoyed every moment! Look forward to arriving for another fantastic season in 2017 but for now we are waving good bye until next time.
Fun in the sun! Pearl was having so much fun in the sunshine this morning rolling all over her mum, twisting, turning and showing off. We had a beautiful view of her gorgeous tail fluke as she practiced raising her fluke above the surface and it was fantastic to see her character really starting to shine. Mother Of Pearl was also enjoying some relax time this lovely Sunday morning often spy hopping to have a cheeky look about and also joining in with her baby, lifting her enormous fluke up out of the water below and leaving behind a waterfall as she did so!
Many other Southern Right mother and calf pods sighted as well today with a few younger calves around but the good feeling of that sunshine was spreading as we sighted a few baby breaches further along the nursery grounds as the little ones practiced all the wonderful new Southern Right whale behaviour they have learnt from mummy!
Mother Of Pearl was trying to catch a few rays today and tan up her belly in time for our fast approaching Spring… just kidding! Although it certainly did look like she had rolled onto her back to do a bit of sunbathing she seemed to be trying to stop Pearl from having another feed. Since Pearl is starting to grow in size (and character!) she can begin to hassle mum constantly to be fed which is slightly annoying for mum when she is getting more than enough dinner!
Little Pearl was “climbing” all over her mum, deliberately lying herself on top of Mother Of Pearls blowhole and every time mum would surface Pearl would land with a plop on the other side much to our great amusement! We certainly had a good laugh and a lot of fun today watching these two interact with each other and it is really amazing what a young calf will do to try and convince their mum they need more food, although we all know they had a feed only a few moments ago.
Two Humpbacks cruised past the Augusta Marina this morning and on their way to the reef line they met a pod of 5-10 Bottlenose Dolphins who swam over to say a quick hello with the youngest Dolphin in the pod, a young calf, looking very pleased and excited to have met two new giant friends by racing around them at full speed!
ID Log Date – 13.8.16 Species – Humpback Lat – 34 . 21. 12 Long – 115 . 10 . 69 Notes – Breathe holder pod, short interaction with Bottlenose dolphin pod
A blanket of winter rain settled over Flinders Bay today and it was a picture perfect rainy winters day in this beautiful region. For our female Southern Right Whales it was the perfect opportunity to take a few moments to teach their calves some important behaviours and today’s lesson was… head lunging! One little calf repeated and practiced his head lunging over 20 times and definitely improved his technique by the end of his lesson.
A little bit tired he then decided to have a few curious peeks at us by spy hopping and having a good look about before trying to “climb” up the flank of mum as she gently surfaced next to her calf. We love every moment spent with our whales and there is always something very special about watching a baby whale learning and enjoying all these new experiences in their very young lives❤️
We also spent a little bit of time with another mother/calf Southern Right pod who had an “Aunty” with them. This is very special to see as an Aunty whale is an individual Southern Right who will help protect mother and calf. This Southern Right pod of three were also enjoying themselves socialising on the surface with a lot of rolling and spy hopping going on and because they are so large often when they do roll around a bit they will lift their tail flukes above the surface showing off absolutely enormous flukes!
ID Log
Date – 11.8.16
Species – Southern Right
Lat – Undisclosed Long – Undisclosed (Nursery Status)
Notes – Mother and calf pod with aunty
Leeuwi was enjoying exploring Flinders Bay with mum and we sighted him on both our morning and afternoon tours. Lately mum has had a new male escort with her who has helped add a little bit of extra protection for Leeuwi and he is certainly starting to become a character as he gets a bit older now and his personality starts to shine through!
Pearl and Mother Of Pearl were also enjoying some relax time and fantastic to see the quick growth in size and length of Pearl. In the peaceful nursery grounds Pearl is able to practice all of the unique behaviours she will learn from her mum and prepare herself for the long journey back to Antarctica so her mum can begin feeding again.
Beautiful Albatross and Australasian Gannets were also sighted with a lovely looking plane flying over us as we headed back to the marina who must have had a fantastic view of the bay and Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse when approaching the Augusta Airport✈️
ID Log
Date – 10.8.16
Species – Humpback
Lat – 34 . 20. 84 Long – 115 . 13 . 55
Notes – New escort of female (Leeuwi’s Mum)
