It’s been a while since we’ve had photos from Joe Dickinson, but we have some nice ones today, including everyone’s favorite seagoing mammal. His captions are indented. Oh—and keep those photos coming in!
Here are a few photos from a whale watching cruise we did in Monterey Bay a few days ago. Gray whales and orcas had been reported over the last few weeks, the latter sometimes preying on calves of the former, but we saw only humpbacks (Megaptera novaeangliae) and a very large pod (probably 50-60) of common dolphins (Delphinus delphis)The humpbacks were not being very active but we did see a few of the typical flukes-up sounding dives.
In this next shot, you can see a few of the dolphins coming in from the right. Note, also, that we’re not very far off the beach.
The dolphins were very hard to photograph. They move fast and you can’t know when and where they will surface. Moreover, we’re on a small, lurching boat and I was mostly trying to hold the camera in one hand so I could keep a grip on something. Here is the best I managed.
As a diversion while we were cruising at top speed (10 knots?) I watched a gull (probably a juvenile California gull, Larus californicus) effortlessly hold position and repeatedly “attack” the tip of an antenna.
In addition to whales and dolphins, we saw a good number of sea otters (Enhydra lutris). Here is one feasting on about $20 worth of Dungeness crab (Metacarcinus magister). [JAC: it looks very happy, as I’d be if I were eating Dungeness crab.]
Back in harbor (Moss Landing) we watched another otter eating clams while we picnicked on calamari sandwiches. We did not share.
Finally, in the spirit of other readers who count plants as wildlife, here is a California poppy (Eschscholtzia californica) hanging out over the inlet where we saw that last otter, providing, I thought, a pleasingly simple background.
These are wonderful. I’m playing catch-up but I want to thank all your contributors for their recent nature submissions.
Yes! I am always playing catch-up as PCC[E] is so prolific & I have no internet at home (thank goodness or I would never read anything!)…
Did you see the escaped Hippo wandering around in Spain?
https://twitter.com/i/moments/728124822723526656
oops – embedded by mistake! Sorry!
No, I hadn’t heard about this hippo.. I wish circuses would let all these animals go!
http://hlrecord.org/2016/04/where-are-ringling-elephants-really-headed-2/
http://kfor.com/2016/04/29/the-end-of-an-era-ringling-brothers-circus-elephants-retire-this-weekend-after-public-outcry/
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/29/world/africa/33-lions-airlift-south-american-circuses-to-african-sanctuary.html?_r=0
but perhaps not directly into the street!
yeah, for sure!
I had heard of it, but until now I thought nothing of it.
Holy brown trousers! I would not want to be anywhere near that animal!
After passing a ‘Mars’ bar to a 20 – something in the bar, for her rendition of the “Time Warp”, and getting a puzzled look, I think I should retire from “culture”That includes dancing albratrii, ballooning penguins and lying politicians.
Lovely photos, great way to start the morning. Lucky you!
Rescue in Alberta: http://imgur.com/6ALVm0S
Eschscholtzia – what an amazing name!
Amazing pics. I’ve been away from the blogsphere for a while, and ¡Man I enjoy your WEIT!
BTW I’d love to share with you all a few pics of my locusts friends.
Here’s a gallery.
Those are cool! Cheeky ‘hoppers. I think that some of them are using warning colors, so perhaps they taste bad.
Interesting to see that the clam eating otter seems to have brought several clams to the surface and is ‘storing’ them on its belly as it eats them in turn!
Yes, holding food on the chest is pretty common. Even more interesting is a related tool use behavior. They often also bring up a stone and rest it on their chest to use as an anvil against which to pound and crack open shells.
Great pictures. Why is the seagull nipping at the antenna? Perhaps it is just wanting to play with something?
I was guessing that he thought the little black knob on the tip of the antenna was edible.
I wonder if the antenna makes a whistling noise, cutting thru the air. That might make a bird investigate it.
Fabulous pics Joe. Thanks so much. 🙂
The California poppy is lovely.
Wonderful photos, Joe. Just fantastic.
The Monterey Bay is a place very close to my heart (was born in Santa Cruz). It’s truly one of the most beautiful spots on the west coast.
Thanks for sharing the pics!
Poppy is the California state flower, no? Lovely flowers.
Great photos…I’ve been so busy lately, I am just lurking on WEIT, but had to write and say THANKS for the submission.
Great photos. I love that part of the world. Inland, there is also Pinnacles NP and dont forget Punta Lobos!