tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22564279972210164942024-03-13T06:42:10.648-04:00Marineland Right Whale ProjectCelebrating 24 years of Citizen science and stewardshipMarineland Right Whale Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09881597274259824673noreply@blogger.comBlogger172125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256427997221016494.post-62054397425515461362024-03-05T12:43:00.001-05:002024-03-05T12:43:11.885-05:00As We Near the End of Our Season...<div style="text-align: center;"><b> <span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Mark your calendars</span></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Saturday, 9 March, will be the final survey day for this MRWP season.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Our season wrap-up meeting will be on Saturday, 16 March, from 12:30 to 2:30 PM in the auditorium at the University of Florida’s Whitney Laboratory in Marineland. Please bring modest portions of finger food and dessert items. We will provide utensils, cups, plates, napkins, and ice; along with, coffee and cold beverages. There will be gear sales, a raffle, and presentations. Come and share stories, photos, good friends, and good food.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Whales over the Horizon</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Consistent with our most recent E-News (16 February), the ocean waters in the Marineland Section have been whale-less. This includes some glorious days with flat seas and light winds, and no whales. There is some good news: 19 calves have been born to date, which is the highest number in recent years.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The whales that are still being reported are to the north of us, off Amelia, Cumberland, and St. Simons islands. As of the 27th, Female #1612, Juno, with her 8th calf; and #2791, Fenway, with her 4th calf, were 8 miles off, just east of Brunswick, Georgia. These females are successfully adding to the population. As to the injured calf of Juno, the Georgia Division of Natural Resources Team deployed a boat and conducted an evaluation on the 27th. We await their report.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">If you are curious about where right whales are being sighted along the East Coast, have a look at WhaleMap.org. The basic map shows sightings during the past two weeks; the Interactive Map allows you to explore other days or time periods.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Blank Spaces on the Chart</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Due to the paucity of sightings this year in our survey area, particularly south of St. Augustine, a chart of sightings for the 2024 season will have many blank spaces. When there are zero sightings, what does that mean ? There are two kinds of zero: sampling zeros, and data zeros. A sampling zero says that there were no whales because no one was looking. A data zero says that people were looking but there were no whales. Yes, many of our days contained data zeros. This is O.K. as it directly contributes to the long-term data set. We will address this point at our meeting on the 16th.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">O.K. one more week to go! Will there be one or more sighting surprises in March? Yahoo!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1nlEbeGCSo4pmYZOSC8WI0nMDcPBdY2m5MsBscRJHqY9EWOrNOrs_2qq727SZYfAD0nxmYieE2Wq7X5XEzpbrC1eISEoB_5tBY_-mNxQJUoBRlgL2s04vGl6x6sTBKes_o7xoUOpLHmTIzkToF85XtA4bdw_H__vyu2_gpsqRKgmaFC798oNEkktpitM/s504/JH-24Feb24%207285.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1nlEbeGCSo4pmYZOSC8WI0nMDcPBdY2m5MsBscRJHqY9EWOrNOrs_2qq727SZYfAD0nxmYieE2Wq7X5XEzpbrC1eISEoB_5tBY_-mNxQJUoBRlgL2s04vGl6x6sTBKes_o7xoUOpLHmTIzkToF85XtA4bdw_H__vyu2_gpsqRKgmaFC798oNEkktpitM/s320/JH-24Feb24%207285.jpg" width="254" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><i>Trish Baker serves up slices of a pecan ring as sustenance to hard-working members of Team 5-S on 24 February 2024. Lillian Crowningshield checks that slices are uniform. (The finger in the frame is Jim’s.)</i></span></div><div><br /></div></div><br /><br /></div><br /><p></p>Marineland Right Whale Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09881597274259824673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256427997221016494.post-37672725620377135572024-02-19T14:29:00.000-05:002024-02-19T14:29:00.673-05:00MID-SEASON SUMMARY<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This installment of the Marineland Right Whale Program’s E-News contains good and bad; happy and sad. Please read on.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Meeting Success</span></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">On Saturday, 10 February, 124 of us gathered in the auditorium at the University of Florida’s Whitney Lab in Marineland. We started with long tables of an excellent pot luck finger-food and desserts array in the atrium. Lots of chit-chat and meeting volunteers from other teams. Whale gear (caps, T-shirts, hoodies, and jewelry) was available for our volunteers.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBpfYbZSWH1R3d1qX-hi_Yt3lrHju3EVDBaBtTVMTehFNaKThQP1THVB7R398W-jtiTtfmqeGAnoUFpsWGlt2ROmlnpO0smfYQE1ZmUqoyO8u-rt8bZWj4MR23Y6dAsUOtobmVJdF2IcJ3pmBtyF-bW9d3LOIJEPHr1gFvSZhQtTOqhPDP72Pbpjmcw8E/s432/food%20sz%20adj.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="432" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBpfYbZSWH1R3d1qX-hi_Yt3lrHju3EVDBaBtTVMTehFNaKThQP1THVB7R398W-jtiTtfmqeGAnoUFpsWGlt2ROmlnpO0smfYQE1ZmUqoyO8u-rt8bZWj4MR23Y6dAsUOtobmVJdF2IcJ3pmBtyF-bW9d3LOIJEPHr1gFvSZhQtTOqhPDP72Pbpjmcw8E/s320/food%20sz%20adj.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQKXUuuGSJKro_0cX_FNYn3AHoa5hlzgMuE2rRR-vOOEfTzmySZbvgvbwSG9y5t1gbcyr9W-JgbsVK0mwiDVmY5dojYSa5PelpKgFI9afJRpHi4c-KyWlcIXDtErgG86aHVSV13oEvm5mhmD1WeQDDEtchjdbjoZSBmWp8uV6mGNc05M5o0Ne2UnAEbvc/s439/DalePeach%20SZ.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="331" data-original-width="439" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQKXUuuGSJKro_0cX_FNYn3AHoa5hlzgMuE2rRR-vOOEfTzmySZbvgvbwSG9y5t1gbcyr9W-JgbsVK0mwiDVmY5dojYSa5PelpKgFI9afJRpHi4c-KyWlcIXDtErgG86aHVSV13oEvm5mhmD1WeQDDEtchjdbjoZSBmWp8uV6mGNc05M5o0Ne2UnAEbvc/s320/DalePeach%20SZ.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ELG64KWdBss_QqPBSx7mDPav7m2pz1j35hqx0X9jkI0tSVkGPRJUj2lzw02Pt53VzHgzXuadAN1e-DPDRSAZu7qiw53lDl6zrwYe-wn1r6YE0xsqkAbBdV2mX8j2cGACxf_Y2IyN7SAKc-60DNMq2X7rSDxD-nq2loESwJJf4IW_QIEJ11jYxCfyIOk/s432/Bryants%20sz.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="382" data-original-width="432" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ELG64KWdBss_QqPBSx7mDPav7m2pz1j35hqx0X9jkI0tSVkGPRJUj2lzw02Pt53VzHgzXuadAN1e-DPDRSAZu7qiw53lDl6zrwYe-wn1r6YE0xsqkAbBdV2mX8j2cGACxf_Y2IyN7SAKc-60DNMq2X7rSDxD-nq2loESwJJf4IW_QIEJ11jYxCfyIOk/s320/Bryants%20sz.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><i>Photos from our mid-season event on 10 February. </i></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><i>(Photos: B. Gough)<br /><br /></i></span></p></div><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">We next migrated into the auditorium for door prizes and an excellent talk by Sara about right whale sightings and the associated analyses. Next, we showed a recent version of “Last of the Right Whales.” (There were a few tears.) This was followed by a video vignette describing the music score underlying the main documentary. Finally, Sara led us in singing the project’s new theme song, “Take Me Out To The Survey.”</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A good day, good people, good energy.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Whales</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Whales, or, absence of whales. Well then, this (so far) has not been one of our big seasons. The handful of whales has been elusive, providing fleeting glimpses before disappearing. The elusivity, combined with poor weather, has kept the drone grounded. On 16 January, Surf Club reported a mother-calf, on 24 January we had a sighting of a yearling (a calf in 2023), and on 4 February, there was a mother-calf off the St. Augustine pier. On 10 February, Catalog #1620, Juno, and her injured calf appeared north of Ponce Inlet.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQRLC-um63ZH4c5ReZQIlFYN0nWDxNFkJaEYvBIPQ9da3Qpfewpcvn5_x0YF6NN3zzWGF6dZBWt_ZMJMo-VOqL8JMvedcod3flZQ9RLoFvBWC3Wz3Dczx7aqqSnYx-oyStfSTvpNI0XIPqtNnWTtWvBeVwS44kJ_BnomMrPxrMRIqLjQSg0WUEH_Qbb0Q/s432/Juno%20calf%203Jan24%20SZII.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="328" data-original-width="432" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQRLC-um63ZH4c5ReZQIlFYN0nWDxNFkJaEYvBIPQ9da3Qpfewpcvn5_x0YF6NN3zzWGF6dZBWt_ZMJMo-VOqL8JMvedcod3flZQ9RLoFvBWC3Wz3Dczx7aqqSnYx-oyStfSTvpNI0XIPqtNnWTtWvBeVwS44kJ_BnomMrPxrMRIqLjQSg0WUEH_Qbb0Q/s320/Juno%20calf%203Jan24%20SZII.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px; text-align: center;"><i>The injured calf of #1612, Juno, from 3 January 2024, Edisto, SC. <br />(Photo: Forever Hooked Charters.)</i></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">For the entire southeastern U.S., 17 mother-calf pairs have been reported, along with about 43 individuals in other categories. Most sightings have been to the north of us. As Frank Schafer Jr. wrote, “Where they are, I am not.” As of 15 February, several mother-calf pairs were still off Amelia and Cumberland islands. Might any of these come our way?</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Next, some sad news. On Saturday, 3 February, a female dwarf sperm whale (Kogia sima) came ashore at Butler Beach. It was taken to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s laboratory in Jacksonville for a necropsy.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Further, during the 2023 season, female #4340, Pilgrim, and her first calf were frequently sighted by our colleagues (Blue World Research Institute) to the south. A year passed. On 3 February 2024, the calf, now a yearling, was photographed off Melbourne from a drone by Joel Cohen of the BWRI. Ten days later, its carcass was reported 20 miles off Tybee Island, GA. It was towed in, and a necropsy performed on the 15th.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Additionally, in New England, the carcass of a 3-year-old, female right whale washed ashore on Martha’s Vineyard, MA, on 28 January. The cause of death is still pending an examination, but the whale has rope deeply embedded in the tissue around the base of its fluke which is an indication of chronic entanglement.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Our Task</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">When the weather is good, the survey planes are flying, and the full complement of volunteers is on duty, there are many days with a whale-less ocean. Not to be dismayed, distressed, depressed, or disappointed. Our job is to cover our section. And, there is always the chance for a sighting surprise (it has happened before). We will continue strong through Saturday, 9 March, our last survey day for this season. Informal lookouts can continue through the end of the month.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p>Marineland Right Whale Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09881597274259824673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256427997221016494.post-77695221076425919692024-01-23T15:38:00.002-05:002024-01-23T15:38:47.645-05:00WHALES !<p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;">The early part of our 2024 right whale season was characterized by frequent poor weather. The sightings by the Florida and Georgia state aerial survey teams suggested that the whales were generally to the north of us. The aerial surveys have reported a total of 13 mothers with calves. But not for us. There have only been a few public sightings of lone juveniles off Flagler Beach and south of Cape Canaveral. </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;">Today, Tuesday, at noon, the phone rang. Paula Smith at Surf Club #2, reported a sighting, perhaps a mother-calf pair. Sara, Jim, and Lorraine soon spotted the whales from Linda Weigman’s condo in Surf Club 3. Mikhail Korhchemkin took photos from his upper balcony in Surf Club 1.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;">We were joined by Tom Green and Laura-Renée Allen as we shifted to the beach walkway in hopes of launching the drone. It was not to be. The rain increased. We retreated.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;">Since it appeared the whales were heading south, we next moved to Bay Drive Park. The rain had stopped. The conditions were workable. But, the whales did not appear. Then the rain returned. On this day, we were unable to launch the drone, and the whales went unidentified. As we called it a day, a magnificent rainbow appeared.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;">We are encouraged with the knowledge that, yes, there is a mother-calf pair in our area. In the coming days, please keep a sharp lookout. We would sure like a second chance at knowing who they are. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0CuhXHjToO-CvIBU702fYWyadfOEvcjhFwxf1-qFKPiD_r-0HoSWN-UFGATQdln8CJRuHLzr9VHxcT9WfKiv8Vn5vRJDILfFh1O38Sxe03AGF_Sb3QWca6RI6yu0jh2dUOK57UwzHwh8Bde372cNPUyPSx5-5Gs7BcDyUhFQdKVqkfsIvAW-oVEufA_8/s504/16Jan24_MK_1882%20SZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="396" data-original-width="504" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0CuhXHjToO-CvIBU702fYWyadfOEvcjhFwxf1-qFKPiD_r-0HoSWN-UFGATQdln8CJRuHLzr9VHxcT9WfKiv8Vn5vRJDILfFh1O38Sxe03AGF_Sb3QWca6RI6yu0jh2dUOK57UwzHwh8Bde372cNPUyPSx5-5Gs7BcDyUhFQdKVqkfsIvAW-oVEufA_8/w320-h251/16Jan24_MK_1882%20SZ.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-lmgE4qGFO01WdI-TYlLaqWJAuQ9IsYfMVxTfLAnG1ihjUjvVL72GebPHoNWzgpHAAapPi5Kbjefpu3Qo31hGbbS9JULjvHnT1I4lSujZtwkKpxc5HVE4KkrD1TJKLRXw1yFEqH4oyl1-q6iiN_ATZePnyyTbaSaD_YMnsy4-irTeWn0qxZ2EBxLg054/s504/16Jan24_MK_1861%20SZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="262" data-original-width="504" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-lmgE4qGFO01WdI-TYlLaqWJAuQ9IsYfMVxTfLAnG1ihjUjvVL72GebPHoNWzgpHAAapPi5Kbjefpu3Qo31hGbbS9JULjvHnT1I4lSujZtwkKpxc5HVE4KkrD1TJKLRXw1yFEqH4oyl1-q6iiN_ATZePnyyTbaSaD_YMnsy4-irTeWn0qxZ2EBxLg054/w320-h166/16Jan24_MK_1861%20SZ.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9JBcf787IckMVz3shGldPrjtXgAKHLSDlX5c4y9jhVnOhSXKlG_3h7Cr-UD-UHA2je9g6nxIvOOt-Eum9zRpHIKNCCuBpI1v_fT0_4MIxFrObirig7NdqyMgxdy8JpO3q03oiLxqWhgDLvm7wvDd3rRiyV1S1ukZsScf5YK6izJWlPS6j6TOPDS7wkBQ/s504/Rainbow%2016Jan24%20SZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="378" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9JBcf787IckMVz3shGldPrjtXgAKHLSDlX5c4y9jhVnOhSXKlG_3h7Cr-UD-UHA2je9g6nxIvOOt-Eum9zRpHIKNCCuBpI1v_fT0_4MIxFrObirig7NdqyMgxdy8JpO3q03oiLxqWhgDLvm7wvDd3rRiyV1S1ukZsScf5YK6izJWlPS6j6TOPDS7wkBQ/s320/Rainbow%2016Jan24%20SZ.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><br /></p>Marineland Right Whale Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09881597274259824673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256427997221016494.post-72934123071366733102023-04-08T21:01:00.000-04:002023-04-08T21:01:03.728-04:00RIGHT WHALE SEASON REVIEW<p> <span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px;"><b>Thank You</b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">The 2023 right whale season in the southeastern U.S. is over, the whales are enroute or have arrived in the feeding grounds to the north. Our data and photos have been submitted to the central repository, the right whale catalog, at the New England Aquarium in Boston. Here, we are cleaning, packing, and storing our gear. Sara departed on Friday, March 31, for her home in Maine. Jim departed for his home on Cape Cod in Massachusetts later that week.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">First and foremost, as we have done for previous years, a huge thank you to our capable and dedicated volunteers. Our mobile teams have logged 4,500 hrs of lookout time, while our condo teams have logged another 1,000 hrs. Then too, there are the educational and outreach efforts―brochures, phone cards, and information was provided to curious citizens, beach goers, walkers, and visitors.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Next, happily, volunteers bring skills. You have taken photographs, flown drones, and made observations. Every contribution enhances our results and makes our volunteer network stronger.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">A monstrously HUGE thank you to everyone.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Season Summary</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">In this, our 23rd season, we had a total of 14 sightings. We had one mother-calf pair, <i>Archipelago</i>, female #3370 with her third calf. We had eight sightings of this pair within five consecutive days, 8 through 12 January. The mother-calf activity, for us, was compressed to one pair and one week.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Beyond that, we had a number of singles. On 10 January, Team 1N sighted the 2022 calf of #3430. It was also seen on 11 January off Beverly Beach. On 31 January, a yearling, the 2022 calf of #2753, was sighted by Team 3 at their first stop, at 8:05 on a Tuesday morning. Finally, a boater reported a sighting off St. Augustine on the morning of 2 February. This individual has been identified as another yearling, the 2022 calf of #1245. As the day progressed, another single, provisionally identified as #4908, a 4 y.o. male, was seen off Marineland, and late in the day, off Flagler Beach. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">This season included a number of beachcast animals. On 26 January, Team 1N discovered an ocean sunfish, <i>Mola mola</i>, off Ponte Vedra. On 11 January, a dead beached female killer whale, <i>Orcinus orca</i>, came ashore at Jungle Hut Road. And, late in the season, on Friday, 24 March, a 16 ft long female Gervais’ beaked whale, <i>Mesoplodon europaeus</i>, beached at South Flagler Beach. Both the killer whale and the beaked whale were recovered by stranding specialists from Hubbs SeaWorld.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><b>The Big Picture</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Based on records compiled by the Florida Fish and Wildlife team, there were a total of 49 right whales (+ 11 calves) in southeastern U.S. waters this season. While there were no large groups as we have seen in some previous years, there was diversity, as 14 males also made the trip to these waters. The 14 sightings by the Marineland Right Whale Project (see below) were a decrease from the previous year. Overall, the population stands at 340 individuals as of the end of 2021 (graph below).</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigw3HSbxPMjQNqeslmBUgCHtolKwcOLZZtOVjvvJ4Mjj6h_hbj06di7iYAXqKFEESA1X6vKli2086qKl75zLEc0cO2_uhreb8InRjuaOfCiUCJNPpMP23VgLJqisfxwVouTVxxxztGZevqARS1phyuOuyhXQYrQKhc0HdGBc23zL47vYrUipPvHtme/s908/1%20MLD%20sights%20cap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="661" data-original-width="908" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigw3HSbxPMjQNqeslmBUgCHtolKwcOLZZtOVjvvJ4Mjj6h_hbj06di7iYAXqKFEESA1X6vKli2086qKl75zLEc0cO2_uhreb8InRjuaOfCiUCJNPpMP23VgLJqisfxwVouTVxxxztGZevqARS1phyuOuyhXQYrQKhc0HdGBc23zL47vYrUipPvHtme/s320/1%20MLD%20sights%20cap.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Verified right whale sightings by the Marineland Right Whale Project during the 23 years of the program. Sightings in the last five years showed a promising increase followed by a disappointing decrease.</span></i></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOBK-N36zphuR_j-ekUafHIJx56Ccu9pN_DqKbDn396ET7xSMhYjJLAkUDPrX5EYyZVss005kGMfpWMBJz3o4Pwt95Rqo7p3Ra51GFJvB7kSBP-7XhwI2B0bZEyCBCgrR3vpmJuds4btFxART1P2KnDqHhKIzJLzg2Nmz9rjFVFhGlICwYopcBn7HI/s950/3%20season%2023%20sights-cap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="611" data-original-width="950" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOBK-N36zphuR_j-ekUafHIJx56Ccu9pN_DqKbDn396ET7xSMhYjJLAkUDPrX5EYyZVss005kGMfpWMBJz3o4Pwt95Rqo7p3Ra51GFJvB7kSBP-7XhwI2B0bZEyCBCgrR3vpmJuds4btFxART1P2KnDqHhKIzJLzg2Nmz9rjFVFhGlICwYopcBn7HI/s320/3%20season%2023%20sights-cap.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">The cumulative sightings of right whales by all groups during the 2023 SEUS season. The yellow symbols are mother-calf pairs. The plot includes resightings of the same pairs/individuals.</span></i><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: 16px;"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3gQGAe7VSVVVG0yHI7vE3PCqgy2sHcnUpgfIAyzNOHmgf9ehKBYD2Wr8sFhIbrF3EYFFB2SxR1nKamMohv-01e4nNk6D-Tj9AUOjoK61r8nhgJN9WDvfD0xdSPqoTprl-M1AZlI-2VYTu1NiwtaXiU8vsh86RKm7F8iiPKF6R60XRq83zy-aGZibe/s720/4%20Pace%20Pop%20Est%202021%20cap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="720" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3gQGAe7VSVVVG0yHI7vE3PCqgy2sHcnUpgfIAyzNOHmgf9ehKBYD2Wr8sFhIbrF3EYFFB2SxR1nKamMohv-01e4nNk6D-Tj9AUOjoK61r8nhgJN9WDvfD0xdSPqoTprl-M1AZlI-2VYTu1NiwtaXiU8vsh86RKm7F8iiPKF6R60XRq83zy-aGZibe/s320/4%20Pace%20Pop%20Est%202021%20cap.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Population estimates for the North Atlantic right whale as of the end of 2021.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></i></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Donations</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">At our season-end party, as we always do, we put out a request for donations. Many responded, and we have $3,500 in hand. Checks continue to appear in our mailbox. But, we’re not quite there yet (we need to raise about $8,000 from the private donations part of our fundraising endeavor). Therefore, if you are willing and able, please write a check for $100 (larger or smaller is o.k. too), made out to Associated Scientists at Woods Hole (or simply ASWH) and mail to Jim Hain, ASWH, P.O. Box 721, Woods Hole, MA 02543. The cumulative effect of your donations help keep this program viable.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Videos</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">The most excellent video that Sara showed at the season-end meeting, “2023 Volunteer Teams,” is available at our YouTube channel, Marineland Right Whale Project.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">As an alternative to searching: the direct link is: <a href="http://youtube.com/@marinelandrightwhaleprojec4079"><span class="s2" style="color: blue; font-kerning: none;">youtube.com/@marinelandrightwhaleprojec4079</span></a></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Another video, done by Flagler College students is being finalized and will be posted shortly on our channel.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><b>And finally,</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Thanks again to everyone. See you in January for our 24th season. Stay healthy.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwcruWrKpomC1Gtkyzg9HP5tLT0iSOH6ENT4fsa-c8CBpQU-JIcS6Yi1y6g6Mq_xeM5Jv40sjU0nTUJh--8Em4tP7iGjs9q-oOUYckyB3VoFTtC4ypPGDMQLTTboYaZxTcAgLNctvEj-7_O4ktms9pP1Xmn-RRZjDGdED8IPi2L7VtoZUSB8NNiBQk/s640/BG-8Jan23-4173_small.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwcruWrKpomC1Gtkyzg9HP5tLT0iSOH6ENT4fsa-c8CBpQU-JIcS6Yi1y6g6Mq_xeM5Jv40sjU0nTUJh--8Em4tP7iGjs9q-oOUYckyB3VoFTtC4ypPGDMQLTTboYaZxTcAgLNctvEj-7_O4ktms9pP1Xmn-RRZjDGdED8IPi2L7VtoZUSB8NNiBQk/s320/BG-8Jan23-4173_small.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px; text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Jim and Sara. (Photo: B. Gough)</span></i></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p></div><br /><br /></div><p><br /></p>Marineland Right Whale Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09881597274259824673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256427997221016494.post-54803150117461424992023-03-13T14:38:00.000-04:002023-03-13T14:38:13.628-04:00END-OF-SEASON EVENT<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> Mark Your Calendars !</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The End-0f-Season Event will be held from 2:30 to 4:30 PM on Saturday, 18 March, in the auditorium at the University of Florida’s Whitney lab in Marineland. Signage will guide you to the auditorium. The first half will be a social hour, with a raffle, gear sales, and more. This will include a “light” pot-luck event. Please bring finger food or desserts. We will provide coffee, beverages, plates, and utensils. At 3:30 we will give a presentation with a look back at the 2023 season. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The event will include images of our volunteer corps, a video by Flagler College students, and a Season Summary . . . analyses, philosophies, and questions. What are we learning and what secrets are the whales withholding?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In these times of a continuing covid pandemic, masks are welcome (use your judgment), but not required.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">We have a network of many wonderful folks! See you Saturday!</span></p>Marineland Right Whale Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09881597274259824673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256427997221016494.post-37698539539633970212023-03-09T17:07:00.001-05:002023-03-09T17:07:48.596-05:00BLUEBIRD DAYS<p><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px;">Gosh! In 20+ years of the program, I can’t remember this kind of weather. Calm seas (often sea state 2, except on Saturdays), light westerly winds, and warm sun. The meteorologists report record warmth. Likewise, water temperatures are warm.</span></p><div style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px; text-align: left;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Synopsis</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px; text-align: left;">Our last mother-calf sighting was from Hammock Dunes, Old Salt Park, and then Surf Club on 12 January . . . catalog #3370, Archipelago, and calf. Since then, we have had reports of fleeting and elusive singles . . . on 31 January, 2 February, and 17 February. A sighting on 23 February went unverified.</div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Our one-and-only mother-calf pair for the season, Archipelago, made a strong showing early on. And then, went absent. The records compiled by the Florida team show that they were sighted periodically in northern Florida and southern Georgia. The most recent sighting was on 15 February, off St. Simons Island, Georgia. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">And, the one and only mother-calf pair, Pilgrim and calf, sighted by our partners to the south, the MRC, was seen by them on 18 and 19 January in Vero Beach, and most recently seen on 9 February, off Cape Hatteras, and heading north.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Indications are that this was an early and warm season, with a smallish number of right whales. (The number of right whales here in the southeastern U.S. is not so different from last year.)</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">But, don’t despair. We have experienced these kinds of seasons before. Remember that, “every day, every season, and every whale is different.” We’ll continue with a strong survey effort for the remaining two weeks, right through 12 March. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Mid-Year Highlights</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">After a hiatus of two years due to the pandemic, we held a mid-year meeting on 11 February. We passed out questionnaires, had a raffle, and had brisk sales of “whale gear.” Jim and Sara gave presentations. The pot-luck “snack buffet” had many treats, two of which were the carved “right whale watermelon” by Greg Tougas and the “right whale cookies” by Carole Adams. Most excellent.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvDEzx7Br0_A4b0z-iR54sCt5-x1eeE3bLgwZj15sgS-WbyCA2nRtDY3rxER_tCFNT3MpgPWJ8V2xyr0kWCFPPwVgQl0c0KRgaX-we87tap0p0YVMHayw3uqLZuNHaU_nu45XiCCNTB4OHiS36tGnBnLyLv7M90EB32X7iAmU54ywfdWP87RBiEYs_/s1500/E150-treats-11Feb23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="585" data-original-width="1500" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvDEzx7Br0_A4b0z-iR54sCt5-x1eeE3bLgwZj15sgS-WbyCA2nRtDY3rxER_tCFNT3MpgPWJ8V2xyr0kWCFPPwVgQl0c0KRgaX-we87tap0p0YVMHayw3uqLZuNHaU_nu45XiCCNTB4OHiS36tGnBnLyLv7M90EB32X7iAmU54ywfdWP87RBiEYs_/w320-h125/E150-treats-11Feb23.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><div style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px; text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Examples of the wonderful treats at our mid-season event on 11 February.</span></i></span></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Mark Your Calendars</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Our last dedicated survey day of the 2023 season will be on Sunday, 12 March.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Student Visit</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">From Monday, 20 February through Friday, 24 February, we mentored a student from New York. Kyriaki (Kiki) Gavriil is a junior, enrolled in a science research program, at Byram Hills H.S. in Armonk, NY. While here, she also visited with the Florida Fish & Wildlife team.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDINak624hqqyvJreko1GBAHYlqTrIxw5A6aMx4o2xBy_V9105_nPD1MDQ7TbS--RZVkyh1u3AayaxPwx6IyXKQXFM8MHtxGdFP4HjMykhNBVpTpKzbyVGVfqAiOWHlmP7Syb7tQzjyBBm0WgTxrAPLpsXkNke0Qsl9heRUoFyMZ6aWTgMjQ6wAamd/s1500/E150-Kiki2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1500" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDINak624hqqyvJreko1GBAHYlqTrIxw5A6aMx4o2xBy_V9105_nPD1MDQ7TbS--RZVkyh1u3AayaxPwx6IyXKQXFM8MHtxGdFP4HjMykhNBVpTpKzbyVGVfqAiOWHlmP7Syb7tQzjyBBm0WgTxrAPLpsXkNke0Qsl9heRUoFyMZ6aWTgMjQ6wAamd/s320/E150-Kiki2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><div style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px; text-align: center;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">During the week of 20 February, we worked with Kyriaki (Kiki) Gavriil, a student from Byram Hills H.S. in Armonk, NY.</span></i></span></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Flagler Video</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">We’re working with Brooke and Macie from the Flagler College digital media and communications program, on a right whale video. Jeff and Sue, along with Glenn from Team 2 were interviewed. Sara was also interviewed. We will likely show this video at the upcoming year-end meeting.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><b>The Numbers</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Currently, the number of calves born this season stands at 12. One died off of North Carolina. The number of “alive” calves stands at 11. Early on in the season, we were hoping for a calf production in the 20s, with a continuing hint of a small rebound. It appears now that this will not be realized. We, along with other investigators, are studying water temperatures and other factors.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Thank You</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">As we wind down for this season, thanks to everyone for your good efforts.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 13.3px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p>Marineland Right Whale Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09881597274259824673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256427997221016494.post-7769365064326557382023-02-02T15:04:00.000-05:002023-02-02T15:04:47.436-05:00THE ACTION PICKS UP AGAIN<div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>A Lull, Then a Sighting</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">On 12 January, we had our last sighting of Right whale #3370, <i>Archipelago</i>, and calf off the Hammock, and later in the day, off the Surf Club. This was followed by a lull of more than two weeks. Then, at 8:05 on Tuesday morning, 31 January, Surveyor Judy Bowman had a sighting at her first stop (the upper deck of the Oceanside restaurant in South Flagler Beach). A single individual, just at the fog line, moving south rapidly. Surveyors Peggy Jones, Elaine Kelley, John & Linda Wilson, Michelle Ross, Tracy Tougas, Pat Cotton, and others responded. Some were rewarded with an active whale just off Gamble Rogers State Park. The whale’s speedy southward movement soon resumed. By getting ahead of the whale, Sara captured a few drone images off High Bridge Rd. (within North Peninsula State Park) before the whale disappeared from sight. The individual was identified as a yearling, the 2022 calf of female #2753 (<i>Arpeggio</i>). The yearling’s gender is unknown, but it has a white belly and chin. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH21JNv9-UKcLa4R7D3OxTxuuBVC1jld2HrcPi-42ehFXwHdEQLRCz4JgYByXRkQRWv3yj44VPNAgEzE7dpXRoVW3irc69pAlMQay0x41Qn3GELRGjRDLyhVwiISJOVD8KHFl04wUqF1mK4PfSzHJhpub6Rl22y4Q4bqCahO5NCt0luFY5Xn8HUxKn/s576/SLE-yrlng-31Jan23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="435" data-original-width="576" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH21JNv9-UKcLa4R7D3OxTxuuBVC1jld2HrcPi-42ehFXwHdEQLRCz4JgYByXRkQRWv3yj44VPNAgEzE7dpXRoVW3irc69pAlMQay0x41Qn3GELRGjRDLyhVwiISJOVD8KHFl04wUqF1mK4PfSzHJhpub6Rl22y4Q4bqCahO5NCt0luFY5Xn8HUxKn/w320-h242/SLE-yrlng-31Jan23.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">This yearling, the 2022 calf of #3370, Arpeggio, was spotted traveling south from Flagler Beach on 31 January. Image: Sara Ellis, research permit 26562.</span></i></div></i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsDLpvSg4dKdS_cZ9SJN0fk_URQmY4Rybi3PNxti37t_3vqI5vA8Ve6z4OV3wAHHLmUyPP6Fhw4B-JkH_tUKtnTZsB2yVmGR_cdauOrxO85V8tGxaHokipe7hSZeMPwxMYoLYxvStBWsZNowPkhazcgkB5h44No3SuV5pQW2RQJLTOSFRSxvunigkP/s1901/31Jan23-Flight%20path%20and%20infoSZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1143" data-original-width="1901" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsDLpvSg4dKdS_cZ9SJN0fk_URQmY4Rybi3PNxti37t_3vqI5vA8Ve6z4OV3wAHHLmUyPP6Fhw4B-JkH_tUKtnTZsB2yVmGR_cdauOrxO85V8tGxaHokipe7hSZeMPwxMYoLYxvStBWsZNowPkhazcgkB5h44No3SuV5pQW2RQJLTOSFRSxvunigkP/w400-h240/31Jan23-Flight%20path%20and%20infoSZ.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-size: small;">The drone automatically records flight data. This map shows the path flown by the drone from the High Bridge Road overlook to capture video and photos used to identify the whale sighted on 31 January.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The Facebook page of the “Mid-Atlantic Baleen Whale Monitoring Project,” describes that this individual was sighted next to the mouth of Chesapeake Bay on 18 January. The page contains a number of interesting photos of the yearling moving through busy shipping channels.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Not Only Whale Sightings</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Our previous post described the killer whale that came ashore on 11 January. Shortly thereafter, a deceased ocean sunfish (<i>Mola mola</i>) was discovered by Survey Team 1 North on Thursday 26 January. It was at their lookout point in Ponte Vedra Beach just north of the Guana-Tolomato-Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve facility. Ocean sunfish are the largest bony fish in the world, reaching up to 10 feet in length; this particular individual wasn’t that big, but was still pretty impressive at 5 feet long. The team reported the sighting to the Fish Kill Hotline of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, who sent out a biologist to take tissue samples. The team stayed with the carcass until then and admired the oddly beautiful creature.</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2SO4kAY33L59qArnctIgmf9jOGjGZjlIoKDy2pt_AzfbhIhxF0p1ooGTLCXbTMFK76vQxqN5eQL1CbaPEiPkbDEHEAgYWCiJz2A305B1a2ZZjPWaIiMd5K9Pin7N2JOjl8z-dUHIl1vkra80EItaNO4JTE9UyzQXWdglg3hHqaZ2-O0IX4k1iJNYL/s720/SL-Mola-26Jan23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2SO4kAY33L59qArnctIgmf9jOGjGZjlIoKDy2pt_AzfbhIhxF0p1ooGTLCXbTMFK76vQxqN5eQL1CbaPEiPkbDEHEAgYWCiJz2A305B1a2ZZjPWaIiMd5K9Pin7N2JOjl8z-dUHIl1vkra80EItaNO4JTE9UyzQXWdglg3hHqaZ2-O0IX4k1iJNYL/s320/SL-Mola-26Jan23.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>A deceased ocean sunfish (Mola mola) was discovered by Team 1 N on Ponte Vedra Beach on 26 January 2023. Pictured, left to right, Tammy Taft, Matt Heck, and Adrienne Cilliers. Image: Shea Lox</i></div></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Community Talks </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">On Saturday, 4 February, Sara will give a talk at Gamble Rogers State Park. This is mostly for new people. The program is free with paid park entry and a reservation is required. Phone (386) 517-2086.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Whales, Weather, Waiting, Watching</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Our years of experience have taught us that the whales and the weather are unpredictable. At this time, the 2023 calf count stands at 11. We would like more. Maybe numbering in the 20s. Although mother-calf pairs are currently absent from our survey area, there are reports to the north of us, off Georgia. Will there be reports of additional calves? Will we see mother-calf pairs in our area, perhaps new ones? All will be revealed. But not on any predictable schedule. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">As always, here’s to <i>“light winds and heavy whales.”</i></span></div></div></div>Marineland Right Whale Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09881597274259824673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256427997221016494.post-35460091551236250472023-01-22T15:34:00.000-05:002023-01-22T15:34:48.879-05:00WE ARE OFF TO A BUSY START<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Two Weeks In</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In Week One of our 2023 season, January 4 through 10, our volunteer sighting network partners to the south, the Marine Resources Council (MRC), had five sightings, all of female #4340, <i>Pilgrim</i>, and her first calf. The first sighting for the Marineland Right Whale Project came on 8 January, female #3370, <i>Archipelago</i>, with her third known calf, off Crescent Beach, heading south. This pair was sighted two more days in a row by the MRWP in Flagler Beach and then Daytona Beach. A single yearling, the 2022 calf of female #3430, was sighted off Ponte Vedra on 10 January.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />Week Two began on 11 January. The single yearling was sighted again off Beverly Beach on the 11th. Singles were also sighted off the Nautilus Condo late in the day on the 17th and on the 18th off New Smyrna Beach and further south off Port Canaveral. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg42ah0xJv-EUaUEWpumQvfVhGMWDbxstbMDBn3mvzLWupTNRV2VroVxJQAKThMDZtVvXnodUe5g__3IhnKEGf-aD6_QBLgUjbcjko7pI7rqWDDfKGxHUn7FZEOe3YTv7RBTLCkmfKp9Nv94r5oMQz0542Ktq_E91EJPNsmyKCELtg-5QBaqyHAMF6g/s504/SLE-SING-11Jan23-59SZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="344" data-original-width="504" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg42ah0xJv-EUaUEWpumQvfVhGMWDbxstbMDBn3mvzLWupTNRV2VroVxJQAKThMDZtVvXnodUe5g__3IhnKEGf-aD6_QBLgUjbcjko7pI7rqWDDfKGxHUn7FZEOe3YTv7RBTLCkmfKp9Nv94r5oMQz0542Ktq_E91EJPNsmyKCELtg-5QBaqyHAMF6g/s320/SLE-SING-11Jan23-59SZ.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;">Occasionally we see juvenile right whales, such as this yearling, which was photographed by drone off Beverly Beach on January 11, 2023. Image: Sara Ellis, research permit 26562.</i></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div><i>Archipelago</i> and her calf turned northward and were sighted by the MRWP off Ormond Beach on the 11th and off the Hammock on the 12th. To the south, Julie and Joel of the MRC continued to monitor Whale #4340 <i>Pilgrim</i>, most recently sighted off Sebastian Inlet on the 18th.</div><div><br /></div><div>To date, there are 10 calves this season. We hope for more. A number in the 20’s would be good. Some days, we have sightings. Other days, we do not. Each day, we wake up and say (with conviction), “Today’s the day.” !</div><div><br /></div><div>The weather for the start of the season has been remarkable. With the exception of two cold and windy days, where we cancelled the dedicated surveys, we’ve had many days with light winds and calm seas. I can’t remember such a frequency of good conditions in Januarys past.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Beach Surprise</b></div><div>In addition to seeing right whales, over the years of our program we’ve had many beach surprises. Animals that have come ashore or washed up include ocean sunfish, pygmy sperm whale, fin whale, and on 14 February 2018 the upper jaw of a humpback came ashore at the Flagler Beach Pier.</div><div><br /></div><div>Most recently, on 11 January, the carcass of a female killer whale <i>Orcinus orca</i>, came ashore at Jungle Hut Road. This is only the third time a killer whale has been found stranded in the southeastern U.S. and the first time in nearly 70 years—so a rare event indeed. Members of the local marine mammal stranding network worked all day to remove the carcass from the beach and transport it to a facility for examination. It is too soon to know the exact cause of death, but early indications are that she was an old female with no injuries, but with signs of illness. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm_ppjKT-LDWEUQ8rlIdYqcoEplvPMl-brAhZdmSm9jp2IIl99ACzrTENj9N9VOj-O3mwDsgUa4A0AZyo4xClezQ14of2VacFRAHgazcAT1vp6fPgF4iNj6mF3GP-qasqV80RDmeSRiaGGhnJmY0I37rM9XzmoiwuewLzqkb3rALO_YtUiM8jdc3-E/s504/E-MG-orca-11Jan23-355crsz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="267" data-original-width="504" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm_ppjKT-LDWEUQ8rlIdYqcoEplvPMl-brAhZdmSm9jp2IIl99ACzrTENj9N9VOj-O3mwDsgUa4A0AZyo4xClezQ14of2VacFRAHgazcAT1vp6fPgF4iNj6mF3GP-qasqV80RDmeSRiaGGhnJmY0I37rM9XzmoiwuewLzqkb3rALO_YtUiM8jdc3-E/s320/E-MG-orca-11Jan23-355crsz.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">We see more than right whales. Here, a beached killer whale, Orcinus orca, off Jungle Hut Road, on January 11, 2023. Image: Martha Garito.</span></i></div><div><br /></div><div><div>We’ve had an eventful start this season. What will the next few weeks bring? As always, let’s all raise a glass to . . . </div><div><br /></div><div>“Light winds and heavy whales”</div></div></span></div>Marineland Right Whale Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09881597274259824673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256427997221016494.post-59874637154151046352023-01-09T12:34:00.002-05:002023-01-09T12:34:56.507-05:00RIGHT WHALE SEASON HAS BEGUN !<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Our first mother-calf for 2023</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Late in the day on Saturday, January 7th, the Florida Fish & Wildlife Team reported a sighting just north of the St. Augustine Inlet, traveling south. It was Right Whale #3370, Archipelago. This is a whale known to us, we sighted her in several previous seasons. We were optimistic. We alerted the teams.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Early the next day, our FWC colleagues called to report a public sighting in Sector One (St. Augustine and Crescent Beach). We alerted Team One. They called back shortly thereafter - whales north of the Crescent Beach Park walkover. Sara flew the drone. Kim Jacomo took photos from shore with our new Nikon Coolpix P1000 24-3000mm camera. We used our One-Call-Now (robo-call) system, and many folks came out to have a look. This is calf #3 for Archipelago. When last sighted today, the pair was just north of the Matanzas Inlet. Here's hoping for additional sightings this season.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSkL4xNKxbQ8jMYB40jOG3fOoku_UIr2uE_e3Ap4XmMfftbHjRzLxaFR55kCjbzxRZv-bOjZpaMQWde2tFNHy9ma86jOlJ8nRt6kK-neehOPl0KacYz_Q59SfI_LzrHSANW-Xk4fOmEavcmj3rxgOcUkohDSyGpOWqGbO--TEPP2McBvtnlhCYr--2/s504/SLE-8Jan23-48sz.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="317" data-original-width="504" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSkL4xNKxbQ8jMYB40jOG3fOoku_UIr2uE_e3Ap4XmMfftbHjRzLxaFR55kCjbzxRZv-bOjZpaMQWde2tFNHy9ma86jOlJ8nRt6kK-neehOPl0KacYz_Q59SfI_LzrHSANW-Xk4fOmEavcmj3rxgOcUkohDSyGpOWqGbO--TEPP2McBvtnlhCYr--2/s320/SLE-8Jan23-48sz.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>#3370, Archipelago, from Crescent Beach Park, 8 January 2023. </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Image: Sara Ellis</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhERrEipYossaTodE2LY7tDbyD1b-xZhJow3ucq3MdK49pcaEJd6-J7Ba5WR0YRP40NFQL_YQi5_70wEdDYI--AwN62msHYcxKUn4LtpsbGz1m0iqqjJh9AzjaVZsmkQNZMeJK0k5l5-tyCz4-M0eLtKyt70mq88l1mqy3IeavkSwxw0PQKwpnmJWCj/s504/DSCN0130SZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="197" data-original-width="504" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhERrEipYossaTodE2LY7tDbyD1b-xZhJow3ucq3MdK49pcaEJd6-J7Ba5WR0YRP40NFQL_YQi5_70wEdDYI--AwN62msHYcxKUn4LtpsbGz1m0iqqjJh9AzjaVZsmkQNZMeJK0k5l5-tyCz4-M0eLtKyt70mq88l1mqy3IeavkSwxw0PQKwpnmJWCj/s320/DSCN0130SZ.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i>#3370, Archipelago, from shore, 8 January 2023. </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Image: Kim Jacomo</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTOSM92Tm7Onjmb-oG5G1KHY-YSDRDzw_gBIpzduLkb4wJzWVVCLMWXBLWIfaT9cg-gTRduKuUJ0gGYr6Uunc6K67hVvCfFPZNL9byzlYML5ln-DNXEf5oK-Fni_NSZS4AcDUq0mG2vaprUsjJBIUzQsmB0jP7PnsiaXZwXe94rP101D8bQfa1VavB/s504/Team%201%20Sunday%20Fun%20Day%208Jan23sz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="378" data-original-width="504" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTOSM92Tm7Onjmb-oG5G1KHY-YSDRDzw_gBIpzduLkb4wJzWVVCLMWXBLWIfaT9cg-gTRduKuUJ0gGYr6Uunc6K67hVvCfFPZNL9byzlYML5ln-DNXEf5oK-Fni_NSZS4AcDUq0mG2vaprUsjJBIUzQsmB0jP7PnsiaXZwXe94rP101D8bQfa1VavB/s320/Team%201%20Sunday%20Fun%20Day%208Jan23sz.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i>Team One, whale sighting, 8 January 2023. Image: Sara Ellis</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div><b>The 23rd Season</b></div><div>The 23rd season of the Marineland Right Whale Project had its kick-off meeting in the afternoon of Tuesday, January 3rd. It was held in the customary location - the auditorium at the University of Florida's Whitney Laboratory in Marineland. We had a good turnout, with 130 both returnees and new volunteers. The dedicated surveys began the following day, on Wednesday the 4th.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Pilgrim, Right Whale #4340</b></div><div>She got by us! On December 30th, staff from the Marine Resources Council (partners in the Volunteer Sighting Network) responded to a call and documented the 9th mother-calf pair for the season. They photographed the pair to the south, near the Apollo Beach ramp, Canaveral National Seashore, in fading light around sunset. Interestingly, the pair (or perhaps in some cases, the female alone prior to birth) went past North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Northeast Florida without being reported. It happens! It reminds us of the nature of our work and the elusive nature of at least some whales. BTW, this is Pilgrim's first calf, she is a first-time mother!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Resources</b></div><div>Along with this blog, other great resources to learn more about right whales and how to spot and report sightings are the Team Handbook, the 2022 annual report (both at <a href="http://aswh.org">aswh.org</a>), and Right Whale News (at <a href="http://narwc.org/">narwc.org</a>).</div></span></div><p></p>Marineland Right Whale Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09881597274259824673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256427997221016494.post-3237549982800705562022-05-01T17:22:00.005-04:002022-05-01T17:22:56.162-04:00SNOW CONE UPDATE<p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Snow Cone, #3560, and calf were last spotted by the Marineland Group on 17 February off Ormond Beach.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Then it got quiet.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>We waited.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Two months and a thousand miles later, Snow Cone and calf were sighted east of Cape Cod by the Center for Coastal Studies aerial survey team.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The sightings came on Saturday, 23 April, and Sunday, 24 April.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Scott Landry, of the Entanglement Response Center, describes that the overall condition and entanglement of Snow Cone seems no better or worse than that of the February sighting. <span class="Apple-converted-space">S</span>cott describes that she is now thinner and the wound around her rostrum is more apparent.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The wrap of rope around her rostrum is complicated by the baleen at the front of her mouth. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Snow Cone is well known.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Recall that Snow Cone lost her first calf in 2020 but reappeared in December 2021 with another calf.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Resilient.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>She was prominently shown in the Last of the Right Whales documentary.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">There is further news from Cape Cod.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>#2360, Derecha, and<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>#2040 Naevus, were sighted in Cape Cod Bay by the CCS team on 13 April. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Of the three mother-calf pairs seen by the MRWP during the 2022 season, all have successfully made the northward migration and appeared in the Cape Cod area.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As for Snow Cone, there is caution and uncertainty about the entanglement, wound, and overall condition.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Feeding was observed for the Cape Cod sighting.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>A good thing.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>However, ongoing monitoring is underway.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>We are hopeful for a good outcome:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>A healthy reproductive female, and an additional member of the right whale population.</span></p>Marineland Right Whale Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09881597274259824673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256427997221016494.post-84937606025852554622022-03-23T20:55:00.000-04:002022-03-23T20:55:41.783-04:00THANK YOU<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr-lpJc2vV1MUETeWX0nUK_INgdOazsfDHvSuW0MzOLCfzfBvHZT7wR_DzIgrMi6KlrMtldu6MKF5giqCPMJB_c1ZQ3wxAz3LRa_8QSX_RE9r2C0KPDczBCBQudMR6XOV7R0P14mA2rn9wefR-G6KIABGRopcVGNhSp3qzz_Xd3LqChDQDNiM-9smP/s359/3pics.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="145" data-original-width="359" height="81" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr-lpJc2vV1MUETeWX0nUK_INgdOazsfDHvSuW0MzOLCfzfBvHZT7wR_DzIgrMi6KlrMtldu6MKF5giqCPMJB_c1ZQ3wxAz3LRa_8QSX_RE9r2C0KPDczBCBQudMR6XOV7R0P14mA2rn9wefR-G6KIABGRopcVGNhSp3qzz_Xd3LqChDQDNiM-9smP/w200-h81/3pics.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As the 2022 season draws to a close (it’s been quiet for two weeks now, probably the whales are gone, headed north, toward Cape Cod and Canada), a huge thank you to the many volunteers and responders that contributed to our results this season.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihhjkr6mYFJrRLK6ObvOK6Tdlj_yno3m2WSaAtCPF-RJrBHPyXIioY-lmhxOygyCbzbUstGAS7UOeR0XMjcfHxJSiaUulO-0BbrCcX8rv-qyJALpbDsn_Mi67WbVRKzF8Wbl2R9p1KgeeMBP3ST9ieRDTVORuTBu93l5OT6EtB5UdzvT6235e4vKY_/s504/EN-MLG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="369" data-original-width="504" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihhjkr6mYFJrRLK6ObvOK6Tdlj_yno3m2WSaAtCPF-RJrBHPyXIioY-lmhxOygyCbzbUstGAS7UOeR0XMjcfHxJSiaUulO-0BbrCcX8rv-qyJALpbDsn_Mi67WbVRKzF8Wbl2R9p1KgeeMBP3ST9ieRDTVORuTBu93l5OT6EtB5UdzvT6235e4vKY_/s320/EN-MLG.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Fo5wEyBqWP3xFQLQk1RUtSg5SuFo3a0w-wH2X5rUzxw3lifTniq4-p1VLSli-6FNEnPEmsVYvKTfH2n_Q6Mq-mjPSQCKNYE2FTx26r9c3gLPJoS1NkQSFzHt8jDNheBGTBzu15ZXmh_bYfM-5Xy7wG2Fch_9OXVcR7BoTu7PPh7ywPoqvePHCxT9/s360/EN-Vinnie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="275" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Fo5wEyBqWP3xFQLQk1RUtSg5SuFo3a0w-wH2X5rUzxw3lifTniq4-p1VLSli-6FNEnPEmsVYvKTfH2n_Q6Mq-mjPSQCKNYE2FTx26r9c3gLPJoS1NkQSFzHt8jDNheBGTBzu15ZXmh_bYfM-5Xy7wG2Fch_9OXVcR7BoTu7PPh7ywPoqvePHCxT9/s320/EN-Vinnie.jpg" width="244" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Video</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Our new five-minute video entitled 2022 Volunteers shows snapshots of our dedicated and capable volunteer corps.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Go to YouTube, and then Marineland Right Whale Project, or, click <span class="s1" style="color: #6666ff;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xk7338_4WgE" target="_blank">here</a></span><span class="s2" style="color: #548dd4;">.</span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="s2" style="color: #548dd4;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><i>Last of the Right Whales</i> film</b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">At our season-end wrap-up event on Saturday afternoon, 19 March, we showed the most excellent film, <i>Last of the Right Whales</i>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Sara and several of our volunteers were prominently included.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The film will likely receive wide distribution; if and when it airs on PBS we will notify you.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>In the meantime, there are wonderful excerpts and featurettes available.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Go to YouTube, search on HitPlay Productions, and then select Videos, or click <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/HitPlayProductions/videos" target="_blank">here</a>, to find nearly two dozen 2-minute clips.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Ones that we particularly like are: the <i>Official Trailer; Meet the NARW Citizen Scientists; Behind the Scenes: Music</i>; and, <i>The Making of LOTRW..</i></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i><br /></i></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">For upcoming screenings:</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">* Cape Cinema (Cape Cod) Dennis, MA, 24 March 2022, 7:00 p.m.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">* Patriot Cinemas, Nickelodeon, Portland, ME, 27 April 2022, time TBA.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">* Salem Film Fest, Peabody Museum, Salem, MA, 26 March, 11:00.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>It is also available for streaming 28 March through 3 April.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Streaming tickets are available <a href="https://watch.eventive.org/salemfilmfest2022/play/621d6b2065338400b61e2282" target="_blank">here</a> for $10.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">As additional dates and locations are added, they will be listed at <a href="http://lastoftherightwhales.com/screenings/">lastoftherightwhales.com/screenings/</a>.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><i>Right Whale News</i> Posted</b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The March 2022 issue of Right Whale News has been posted at www.narwc.org.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Select Right Whale News, and Current Issue from the Menu bar.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Whale Gear</b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The sale of whale gear at our season-end event was vigorous.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>We have some caps, pins, long- and short-sleeved T-shirts, and hoodies left.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>If you would like some of these, come by the office prior to 31 March (call Sara (207) 281-3541, or Jim (904) 923-5050, between 9 and 2, to<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>make sure we are here.)<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Checks or cash only.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD8j5pZsqc2r1Yfq4PZIawYCf4FWPiRD94SsSbDFGKf88sUAiEYELv-E_V7wvAeHE9ydecltjqENHWaJxpg2IRaG0E8sHDl-ae-6orlLxsObU_l5NQgPkqNF7OuRtitK_2glaw9JvZpCk5vK_g9NzipSEuotMTTYHx9aLlZdv5hsIK-sx5BkWqpZzj/s504/EN-hat%20and%20pin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="378" data-original-width="504" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD8j5pZsqc2r1Yfq4PZIawYCf4FWPiRD94SsSbDFGKf88sUAiEYELv-E_V7wvAeHE9ydecltjqENHWaJxpg2IRaG0E8sHDl-ae-6orlLxsObU_l5NQgPkqNF7OuRtitK_2glaw9JvZpCk5vK_g9NzipSEuotMTTYHx9aLlZdv5hsIK-sx5BkWqpZzj/s320/EN-hat%20and%20pin.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Donations</b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Verdana; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">As we have done for many years, we put forward an appeal at the end of the current season.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Throughout the year we apply to foundations and organizations for support.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>This covers the majority of program costs.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>We now appeal to you to help fill the shortfall, typically a few thousand dollars.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>This is not insurmountable.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Just like the rest of the program, the collective effort makes things happen.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Donations are tax-deductible.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Please make checks out to Associated Scientists at Woods Hole, or simply ASWH, and mail to Jim Hain, ASWH, Box 721, Woods Hole, MA 02543.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>We are requesting donations of $100, but any amount is very welcome.</p>Marineland Right Whale Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09881597274259824673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256427997221016494.post-52108193704181618622022-03-07T13:21:00.000-05:002022-03-07T13:21:39.640-05:0015TH CALF OF THE SEASON !!<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Good news! We have a new mother, bringing the total to 15 right whale calves so far ! Female #4180 and her 2nd calf were sighted off North Carolina on 2 March. The calf was just a few days old. A range of birthdays is expected and this is one of the reasons why the right whale calving ‘season’ spans the months of November through April.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Right Whale Talk at Flagler College</span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Flagler College Forum on Government and Public Policy presents a lecture delivered by award-winning reporter and photo- journalist for the Boston Globe, David Abel on 8 March at 7:00 p.m. He will present <i>“Entangled - The Race to Save the North Atlantic Right Whale.”</i> This event at the Lewis Auditorium, 14 Granada Street, St. Augustine, is free and open to the public.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Are We Done ?</span></b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Our most recent sighting was on 22 February at the Flagler-by-the-Sea Campground. The mother-calf pair, <i>Derecha</i> and calf, subsequently swam south. Since then, it has been quiet. Are we done with sightings for the season? Always the optimists, we hope for future sightings and surprises. Please continue look out to sea whenever you are on the coast and keep handy the Right Whale Hotline phone card included in an earlier post just in case you are lucky enough to spot one!</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Last Survey Day</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The final day of dedicated surveys for the Marineland Right Whale Project is Sunday, 13 March. However, we will continue to be available to respond to any sightings called into the Right Whale Hotline.</span></p><div><br /></div>Marineland Right Whale Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09881597274259824673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256427997221016494.post-51792136245467126342022-02-19T20:47:00.001-05:002022-02-19T20:47:51.486-05:00SNOW CONE SURPRISE<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">And this is why we do this.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />On Wednesday, 16 February, Team 2 reported whales off Marineland. There was an east wind, with a sea state of Beaufort 4. The whales, whoever they were, were distant, surfacing briefly, spending time submerged, and moving south quickly. We worked. We worked the sighting down past Surf Club, Washington Oaks, Malacompra, 16th Road, and Varn Park. Sara made five drone flights and expended five batteries. The sea state remained at 4 the entire day. The whales traveled 7 nautical miles in 8 hours. We got neither a close look nor any photos.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />We were to get another chance. On Thursday, 17 February, FWC relayed a report of whales in Ormond Beach, a mother-calf they said. We alerted Teams 4 and 5. By 10:00 we were on the deck of the Cardinal Street Beach Patrol tower-searching. No joy. Then down to Andy Romano Park. Again, no joy. We spaced our volunteer spotters throughout the area. At 10:50 we sighted blows from a lookout point in an empty lot. Sara launched the drone. Some excitement. The video monitor showed the images transmitted back from the drone-<i>Snow Cone</i>!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />We had seen Right whale #3560, <i>Snow Cone</i>, on two previous occasions this season. Additionally, FWC reported that she and calf had been seen fairly regularly from 2 December to 24 January, then they dropped off the radar screen. There was a possible sighting (not 100% confirmed) off Georgia on 12 February. And then-the Ormond sighting.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />You may recall from the email of 14 January, that this remarkable female lost her 2020 calf, and with great resilience rebounded to produce another calf, all while entangled. The images below show the rope going in one side of her mouth, coming out the other side, and trailing behind. <i>Snow Cone’s</i> overall condition seems good, but the wound on her forward rostrum is of concern. Her (male) calf looks both rambunctious and healthy.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhhxQ3Li9lOsVmWrup0CCl-OHn_7l6KoLhiOiQzqmUvSkSx9GKPZRHT_N3VhVpdaeyHay__jlqDcZ8RyXoO9DLGCIjz7LTMiYfFLsY5H28TlrtZsJvQSBBI3dFQ-kjE9BWaftP1NgzD7hayEEZEq5d_re5OtPse3JRz7-liDX_oWdawRkKINYh_5pHe=s576" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="576" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhhxQ3Li9lOsVmWrup0CCl-OHn_7l6KoLhiOiQzqmUvSkSx9GKPZRHT_N3VhVpdaeyHay__jlqDcZ8RyXoO9DLGCIjz7LTMiYfFLsY5H28TlrtZsJvQSBBI3dFQ-kjE9BWaftP1NgzD7hayEEZEq5d_re5OtPse3JRz7-liDX_oWdawRkKINYh_5pHe=s320" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhE9xpunohZ6bX9v-BQ649JzIhfXKaN1MsybDvHpwpq19iLvRhg3PIa8pAOxf75EUnm_iEQJB0329gZAH0NVDaYeNHtGv_CVyDMGb_mskaSxydmzE5VTxU4OYbwo_PigZWA5_eCtIfu_sjNVuI_WEqNMasFEMsgwdlSCQQOSADD9y0k9Y0ogdfHbrom=s576" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="329" data-original-width="576" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhE9xpunohZ6bX9v-BQ649JzIhfXKaN1MsybDvHpwpq19iLvRhg3PIa8pAOxf75EUnm_iEQJB0329gZAH0NVDaYeNHtGv_CVyDMGb_mskaSxydmzE5VTxU4OYbwo_PigZWA5_eCtIfu_sjNVuI_WEqNMasFEMsgwdlSCQQOSADD9y0k9Y0ogdfHbrom=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><i>Snow Cone and calf, 17 February 2022, Daytona Beach. (Photos: Sara Ellis, permit #20626.)</i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4JgxSj-ZPWlYGXIT72dorZvhZrNSvYiwYqdYwRB74AsM6GaRdi5L1EhzN1ek-QAD7sLNcQmJo8p987Nwrs9dk08gVMrfTtAMlpnXN5nBkWlxDkBb8l9IeblPz2bksizW7NJJ_NQyIg7vy0iM1_sWGruQS1e2b6y--USI5Z1BJ3Qx4q9S537PT0mFV=s576" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="576" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4JgxSj-ZPWlYGXIT72dorZvhZrNSvYiwYqdYwRB74AsM6GaRdi5L1EhzN1ek-QAD7sLNcQmJo8p987Nwrs9dk08gVMrfTtAMlpnXN5nBkWlxDkBb8l9IeblPz2bksizW7NJJ_NQyIg7vy0iM1_sWGruQS1e2b6y--USI5Z1BJ3Qx4q9S537PT0mFV=s320" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Responders to the sighting on 17 February 2022. (Photo: Vinnie Palazzolo)</i></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">We will be on alert for additional sightings and photos before the pair heads north. Strong best wishes for survival of <i>Snow Cone</i> and her calf.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />And, oh yes, World Whale Day is this Sunday, 20 February.</span></div>Marineland Right Whale Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09881597274259824673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256427997221016494.post-27557791679134218882022-02-11T11:37:00.000-05:002022-02-11T11:37:08.277-05:00MOVIE NIGHT<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Mark your calendars.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In 2020 and 2021, the Marineland Right Whale Project participated in the making of the Canadian documentary, Last of the Right Whales. Upcoming is an opportunity to view this excellent film.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The Florida premiere will take place at 6:30pm on Wednesday, 23 February, at the historic Sun-Ray Cinema, 1028 Park Street, in Jacksonville. Afterwards, Dinah Pulver, environmental reporter for USA today, will moderate a panel discussion with Sara Ellis, Julie Albert, and Nadia Gordon. Tickets can be purchased online <a href="https://sunraycinema.com/event/last-of-the-right-whales/" target="_blank">here</a>. </span> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEim7msw9_YxHkwJI5W9mTlZOGzpWFcD0Q9bOmI5xi0AeYMtVuOfm1bEMNceVcqlzcFHjzXqGIJqASjcIsZOIRRfUDLL05qBjrSNRJWy4atrtNFIaDoD4eQ76dZpQg7NdgBXK6q3WCxbQXM8RtFYh5Cvt4Kll4NppYTS3vHxyk53cUCGEnpe1ggjXr-N=s504" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="341" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEim7msw9_YxHkwJI5W9mTlZOGzpWFcD0Q9bOmI5xi0AeYMtVuOfm1bEMNceVcqlzcFHjzXqGIJqASjcIsZOIRRfUDLL05qBjrSNRJWy4atrtNFIaDoD4eQ76dZpQg7NdgBXK6q3WCxbQXM8RtFYh5Cvt4Kll4NppYTS3vHxyk53cUCGEnpe1ggjXr-N=s320" width="217" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Masks are recommended.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Watch the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxFcNF1Wj5Q" target="_blank">Official Trailer</a><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Recent Promotion featuring <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqUq8Jh4vUA" target="_blank">Snow Cone</a><br /></span></p>Marineland Right Whale Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09881597274259824673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256427997221016494.post-34868828642846718502022-02-03T20:55:00.001-05:002022-02-05T15:27:23.449-05:00TWO SISTERS<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The two whales in the two days of the second month were interesting.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">At 10:30 on Tuesday the 1st, Mike Adams with Team One at Green St. called. Whales up to the northeast. The spotters included Sue and George Miller. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEii-VtzTCdFkka0f2JmcgRbCrUDxAYTlYu5ecmD9CDFyG_m1wYE5xAuSobz1nUi2AiIOFdO1PnDiDAu09elLoS2s8U5Ao4hJWiB90rlfVoP8MvN18E1v6NRbaYFOScmGQzZRxCiryvCRdThQ5GAjBmtIxaEhdmvw09LynH5PaUta4xPGvlb7MpOYWcF=s504" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="329" data-original-width="504" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEii-VtzTCdFkka0f2JmcgRbCrUDxAYTlYu5ecmD9CDFyG_m1wYE5xAuSobz1nUi2AiIOFdO1PnDiDAu09elLoS2s8U5Ao4hJWiB90rlfVoP8MvN18E1v6NRbaYFOScmGQzZRxCiryvCRdThQ5GAjBmtIxaEhdmvw09LynH5PaUta4xPGvlb7MpOYWcF=s320" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>At mid-morning on Tuesday, 1 February, sharp-eyed Team 1 had a distant sighting. The story unfolded during that day and the next. People, the Beach Patrol, planes, and drones all contributed.</i></div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><i><br /></i></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">We responded, first going to Crescent Beach and then Butler Beach. From Butler Beach, we briefly saw distant blows and backs. And then, nothing. As it was too far and too elusive for us to launch the drone, we relayed the sighting information to FWC and their aerial crew. Shortly thereafter, two whales were photographed from the plane. They were two adult females, #3890, Babushka, and #4190, Curlew. The last two digits of their catalog numbers aroused our curiosity. They were both offspring of female #2790, and . . . they were sisters. There’s more. They are both listed as potential mothers. </span></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The next day, Wednesday the 2nd, Jen with the FWC called. Whales in Ormond-by-the Sea. We alerted responders in the area and got on the road. After several stops with no sightings, a call with the Beach Patrol got us connected. We quickly went to Andy Romano Park in Ormond Beach, but needed to go further south. We got in a single drone flight in increasing winds and sea state. It was the two sisters. Their behavior was similar to the previous day but different from what we generally observe from mother-calf pairs . . . they were surfacing briefly and doing extended submergences. And, they were moving quickly.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEheRzoBINHcXRdW0bYEg0ULBsBDWX-N6gfRiv1a_LirM-zTSwMzkFOZhF9YulpqbzeLmh5rVPHIyJjACloBOp6KeKcnlCP0Uq2nmRrbtDKCeya9Nge93NW7VlzdTHbAyVLHA2u4Wvr9xC-0KlhEi9A1qaI64EiAZjlChltHTZ83QVXEkxClvewVHdR-=s504" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="504" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEheRzoBINHcXRdW0bYEg0ULBsBDWX-N6gfRiv1a_LirM-zTSwMzkFOZhF9YulpqbzeLmh5rVPHIyJjACloBOp6KeKcnlCP0Uq2nmRrbtDKCeya9Nge93NW7VlzdTHbAyVLHA2u4Wvr9xC-0KlhEi9A1qaI64EiAZjlChltHTZ83QVXEkxClvewVHdR-=s320" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>The two sisters, Babushka and Curlew, heading south off Ormond Beach, 2 February 2022. (Drone image, S. Ellis, Permit #20626)</i></span></div></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Afterwards, we wondered . . . do they know that they are sisters? Is there a communication or bonding? Are they both pregnant? Will they both have calves this season?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">We are reminded that there is a lot we don’t know, but our curiosity is piqued.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">And finally, even though our One Call Now system is in place, because of the difficult sighting and deteriorating conditions, we didn’t use it on this occasion.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjUNk_dEEzNiYlsKTW28uDYYIzE8JYgjIVnMgBj7xwVGrd1odctPK9HRwyoFy_1mIYkJAKg7LK0fu_sJ2QUhLyxAA2C9FlBexmpYoKZGZ1Woa6GUeC-wJM_M3sEZ53dZt6i7CJwqF7B1YhDLxzlzMcoMdRyJLcHxNuueL7pVUj5wlKy3jYZtbmhrbe1=s504" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="504" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjUNk_dEEzNiYlsKTW28uDYYIzE8JYgjIVnMgBj7xwVGrd1odctPK9HRwyoFy_1mIYkJAKg7LK0fu_sJ2QUhLyxAA2C9FlBexmpYoKZGZ1Woa6GUeC-wJM_M3sEZ53dZt6i7CJwqF7B1YhDLxzlzMcoMdRyJLcHxNuueL7pVUj5wlKy3jYZtbmhrbe1=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">A short stop on the way home from a sighting. The data are recorded and the images are in the can.</span></div><p></p>Marineland Right Whale Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09881597274259824673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256427997221016494.post-39532304460426922602022-01-25T16:51:00.002-05:002022-01-27T09:56:54.529-05:00DERECHA RETURNS <p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(26, 26, 26); color: #1a1a1a; font-kerning: none;">Things change. We can’t predict. We last saw Catalog #2360, </span><span class="s2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(26, 26, 26); color: #1a1a1a; font-kerning: none;"><i>Derecha</i></span><span class="s1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(26, 26, 26); color: #1a1a1a; font-kerning: none;">, right off the boardwalk here at Marineland, on 10 January. Bill Gough photographed her breaching (image below). The pair swam north.</span> </span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgAerPmkvxSvK0HTf0BI_9EeKu5_eLvf5pOXW3fjPEwzjz7f59qcsYxniTlFnazVILxhQJ4zyEd5iYHbNAxjsB6vvh8QHKOmsYCAePbrQlGcpdFy56phQSgOAxanwdmewJ_gViTGbnD4Y5aRiESwkXrRVpvXurjD3th_x6Ys_1HJ_j9DcBJrwcyaMlq=s504" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="349" data-original-width="504" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgAerPmkvxSvK0HTf0BI_9EeKu5_eLvf5pOXW3fjPEwzjz7f59qcsYxniTlFnazVILxhQJ4zyEd5iYHbNAxjsB6vvh8QHKOmsYCAePbrQlGcpdFy56phQSgOAxanwdmewJ_gViTGbnD4Y5aRiESwkXrRVpvXurjD3th_x6Ys_1HJ_j9DcBJrwcyaMlq=s320" width="320" /></a></div><i style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-align: center; text-size-adjust: auto;"><div style="font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 16px;"><i style="text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Breaching whale, off Marineland, 10 January 2022. (Photo: Bill Gough)</span></i></div></i><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;">Then it got quiet. On 15 January they were seen off Talbot Island, north of Jacksonville. Were they heading north? Well, no. On Sunday the 23rd, the phone rang. Julie Albert with the Marine Resources Council's Right Whale Hotline called with a sighting reported on FaceBook. At about the same time, team member Jim Sullivan reported a sighting from just N of the Flagler Pier. Jim wasn’t on duty. He and his wife were on the way to an anniversary lunch. They kept them in sight until further responders arrived. The FWC aerial team identified the mother as<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><i style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;">Derecha</i><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;">. and calf. On a drone flight, Sara got images of the belly-up calf, showing a spectacular white belly, and identified the gender as female (image below). </span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj38VWowU50k322cAgBKgW0S9OEYH0ArIcMp11tOKJH-5hT4TZ8vNubN_LPEfLl75eKnIP9y_on1SvXZs8KDSqQHvmSX75u8Kyu4cvtai3mWqQKcxw-wYXvtWvVOAHfnlkdv1hMC0CxSdDiuJuLGaUJh0GYjg2O-x9PzBO3aeUCh-VZWdyCwgl0cPB1=s504" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="365" data-original-width="504" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj38VWowU50k322cAgBKgW0S9OEYH0ArIcMp11tOKJH-5hT4TZ8vNubN_LPEfLl75eKnIP9y_on1SvXZs8KDSqQHvmSX75u8Kyu4cvtai3mWqQKcxw-wYXvtWvVOAHfnlkdv1hMC0CxSdDiuJuLGaUJh0GYjg2O-x9PzBO3aeUCh-VZWdyCwgl0cPB1=s320" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><i style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-align: center; text-size-adjust: auto;"><p><i style="text-size-adjust: auto;">The 2022 female calf of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></i><span style="background-color: white; text-size-adjust: auto;">Derecha.</span><i style="text-size-adjust: auto;"> (Photo: S. Ellis)</i></p></i></span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Shortly thereafter, they were sighted from Gamble Rogers State Park. Martha Garito got photos from Highbridge (image below).</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhbcFXBXIspkFdTHX2lWdddF8N37d6-WAkA5YgyjqYlpgIf8aNjY6Xk4HopdVtYGDyREia2ItQXbkRlrrR3Ntm9MaIigNqD367SIsLiR0NAqKWcjdixnmmQ7iY904ZyuMeQydF29fmhqKRXVAzZ7VE1dI2HoD0fwRiF0rn7YOoR7t-64Jqsw4yQU7Af=s504" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="234" data-original-width="504" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhbcFXBXIspkFdTHX2lWdddF8N37d6-WAkA5YgyjqYlpgIf8aNjY6Xk4HopdVtYGDyREia2ItQXbkRlrrR3Ntm9MaIigNqD367SIsLiR0NAqKWcjdixnmmQ7iY904ZyuMeQydF29fmhqKRXVAzZ7VE1dI2HoD0fwRiF0rn7YOoR7t-64Jqsw4yQU7Af=s320" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-align: center; text-size-adjust: auto;"><p><span style="text-size-adjust: auto;">Derecha</span><i style="background-color: transparent; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>and calf off Highbridge, 23 January 2022. (Photo: M. Garito)</i></p></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The next day, Monday the 24th, the phone rang at 07:38. Lou Reinwasser, Team 5 N, called in a sighting from Grenada Park in Ormond. Sara got drone images. <i>Derecha</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>and calf, heading S.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Late in the day, the FWC plane reported<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Snow Cone</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>and calf from Washington Oaks. Shortly thereafter, Donna McCutchan reported them from off Sea Colony. This was another surprise, as they had been last seen up by Amelia Island on Wednesday the 19th. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">So, as of yesterday, we have had two mother-calf pairs in our area > > > the two “remarkable females” described in our previous post.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;">We have seen repeated down-and-up/south-and-north movements from both of these pairs. Both were last seen heading south. What does the future hold?</span> </span></p>Marineland Right Whale Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09881597274259824673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256427997221016494.post-88437971889394664992022-01-14T16:25:00.001-05:002022-02-05T15:12:50.174-05:00TWO REMARKABLE FEMALES<p> <span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;">We have two remarkable females in our area this season―</span><i style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;">Derecha</i><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;"> </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;">and</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;"> </span><i style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;">Snow Cone</i><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;">. Both have a history and a story. As so often happens in life, the story is bittersweet.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><span style="line-height: 18.4px;">Derecha</span></i><span style="line-height: 18.4px;">, Catalog #2360, had her 4th calf in the 2020 season. Of the 10 calves born that season, one, that of #2360,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Derecha</i>, was injured, apparently within days of its birth. The calf was spotted off Georgia on 8 January with injuries that were consistent with a propeller strike. The injury was judged to make it unlikely for the calf to nurse or survive. The calf has not been seen since 15 January. But, just under two years later,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Derecha</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>was seen off Florida on 18 December 2021 with her 5th calf. She has been seen in our area several times since. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Next, Catalog #3560,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Snow Cone</i>, early on had evidence of previous gear entanglements, as her peduncle was scraped and scarred. At the age of 15, female Catalog #3560 had her first known calf in early December 2019. The exact date and location are unknown, but the event likely took place in Georgia in the first half of the month. The pair was seen frequently during the 2019–20 season. They were popular. But there was to be no happy ending.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">After a 2020 season with frequent sightings, the mother-calf pair departed the southeast U.S. and began the northward migration. In the morning of 25 June 2020, a boater reported a floating whale carcass off New Jersey. The dead whale was identified as the male calf of #3560.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It is uncertain whether or not whales grieve or experience pain and emotions, but #3560 might have experienced both.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">She continued on the feeding grounds. Additional trauma was in store. On 10 March 2021, #3560,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Snow Cone</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>was sighted entangled off Cape Cod. Some line was removed but the entanglement was considered serious.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">There is blue sky. On 2 December,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Snow Cone</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>was sighted off Georgia―with a calf ! Like<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Derecha</i>, she had a quick turn-around and a short interval between calves. Remarkable! </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">So, when you see either of these remarkable and resilient females, courtesy and respect are in order.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">You may notice that<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Snow Cone</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>continues to be entangled, and sections of trailing rope can be seen (image below). Folks have asked why is there no intervention or disentanglement? The answer: at this time, there is great caution and reservation against harassing or impacting the mother-calf pair in the case of a young calf, with a priority on nursing and bonding. Then too,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Snow Cone</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is judged to be reasonably healthy. A judgement has been made by those with expertise that the pair will be given wide berth.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGm-lhcQjR0QBsR67tlcRJVLKTniZCcqGa5-YrHEI_p6EzrVlRL-gHH286CNFvbzc791pp1AKZaJi-2flJwtEe6qPOZyAtFCTm5y-rIPjoQHagl1oVOP0vxA_YsgfxOGhawvBvLoqIdaYpu6aXuSDc9O9H7cVnV_5GGCp0Jq3tRhhG9ckJF_tM0raT=s1050" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="985" data-original-width="1050" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGm-lhcQjR0QBsR67tlcRJVLKTniZCcqGa5-YrHEI_p6EzrVlRL-gHH286CNFvbzc791pp1AKZaJi-2flJwtEe6qPOZyAtFCTm5y-rIPjoQHagl1oVOP0vxA_YsgfxOGhawvBvLoqIdaYpu6aXuSDc9O9H7cVnV_5GGCp0Jq3tRhhG9ckJF_tM0raT=s320" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px; text-align: center; text-size-adjust: auto;">Snow Cone<i>, photographed by S. Ellis from a drone on </i></span><i style="text-align: center; text-size-adjust: auto;">13 January 2022, is trailing line (one strand through the mouth) and has a wound on the forward part of the rostrum. (Permit #20626)</i></div></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The volunteer sighting network can contribute to watching and documenting and protecting these remarkable females, as well as others that may surprise us as the season goes along.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">If you plan to spend time on the coast, please carry the phone card from the previous post and call the Marine Resources Council's Hotline number if you see a whale.</span></p>Marineland Right Whale Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09881597274259824673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256427997221016494.post-77317571433995934892022-01-04T13:42:00.000-05:002022-01-04T13:42:10.286-05:00SURVEYS BEGIN<p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The 2022 volunteer sighting network lookouts begin today, Tuesday, 4 January.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">To date, 11 Right whale mother-calf pairs have been reported in the waters of the southeastern U.S. Two of these pairs have been reported in the Marineland vicinity. Others may flow into our area.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In addition, several of the other survey teams to our north have reported reproductive-age females who are potential mothers.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;">On all counts, we are looking for a strong season within our survey area. If you would like additional tips about spotting whales and how to report your sightings, access the Team Handbook from our website,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.aswh.org&source=gmail&ust=1641406823317000&usg=AOvVaw0pRI9kTRw-AkpAFq1kDvd9" href="http://www.aswh.org/" style="color: blue;" target="_blank"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;">www.aswh.org</span></a><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(select from lower left on the home page). <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;">Please download this card and carry it in your wallet.</span> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj3JKDsRqlOlLJIecYZV_fMEr9hhnfhoHuwIm55lg10yt5V5xc_m-fXjv30H6uOZR6OIcDpLYEJ6ywAd4SZGsiHxoz6HgCkv4c5mtufSuE43ZJO-eoQz0pS29FxqHZvniOh4J0Qx63Dckkh_Hb0zJqB8T3YBhy6fTTYi5EECtCBB158e-wYrlZsCMbr=s349" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="284" data-original-width="349" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj3JKDsRqlOlLJIecYZV_fMEr9hhnfhoHuwIm55lg10yt5V5xc_m-fXjv30H6uOZR6OIcDpLYEJ6ywAd4SZGsiHxoz6HgCkv4c5mtufSuE43ZJO-eoQz0pS29FxqHZvniOh4J0Qx63Dckkh_Hb0zJqB8T3YBhy6fTTYi5EECtCBB158e-wYrlZsCMbr=w320-h260" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Marineland Right Whale Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09881597274259824673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256427997221016494.post-39531093519270678802021-12-21T11:40:00.000-05:002021-12-21T11:40:17.841-05:00Season 22 Kick Off<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>PLAN B</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Considering appropriate Covid precautions, the planned January 3 gathering at the Whitney Lab auditorium will not be held. Instead, we will follow the protocols used during the 2021 season. To participate this year, we require everyone to have their shots including booster. If you feel unwell in any way, please stay home until cleared with a test. Wear a high-quality mask. Limit group sizes. Observe distancing. This is challenging. But we did it last year, and we can do it again. Surveys will begin on Tuesday, January 4 at 8:00 AM.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">To offset some of these limitations, we will communicate regularly via email and this blog. We are monitoring Covid closely. If possible, we will hold the mid-year meeting on February 5 and the End-of-year meeting on March 12. Mark your calendar.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Snow Cone</b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">During the 2020 season, Female Catalog #3560, Snow Cone, and her calf were sighted on nine occasions. They were sighted on January 1, 2020 (the “New Year’s whales”) off Ormond, were seen in the fog on February 12 off Gamble Rogers State Park, and reported headed north off North Carolina on April 6. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Her popularity was enhanced when, following on a volunteer sighting on 8 March, she/they became a focus of a right whale documentary being filmed for the Canadian Broadcasting Network (CBC). "Last of the Right Whales."</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">However, there were some dark clouds. Scars and peduncle marks suggested several earlier entanglements for #3560. Then on the morning of 25 June 2020, a floating whale carcass was sighted off New Jersey. The dead whale was identified as the male calf of #3560. It is uncertain whether or not whales feel pain and emotions, but #3560 may have experienced both.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Then, in March 2021, Snow Cone was sighted entangled off Cape Cod. Some line was removed but the entanglement was considered serious. In May 2021, Snow Cone was reported as entangled in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Then, on December 2, she and a calf (#2) were sighted off Cumberland Island, Georgia. Remarkable. Traveling 1,300 miles while pregnant and entangled. Snow Cone still has rope attached to her mouth and trailing from her body (image below). She is challenged―raising and nursing a calf while entangled. Please be on the lookout.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); clear: both; color: #222222; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVKCGiCuLpStvNJVwwZa8yOmENqKrN6M2V5hMICSqtXUnZYY97wfp-eH4PzXaWlDBwIYIAKnPSstvTMlXx9VOKL6CADQ6WFotsqPLEJcDXxuAwzjaIBAevt9e588j5cBS15G8yCbINZQQrU07nM3BVn6FwmleCo9GhpXW2jGaaM3GLYmrQ8uOc25aN=s504" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="504" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVKCGiCuLpStvNJVwwZa8yOmENqKrN6M2V5hMICSqtXUnZYY97wfp-eH4PzXaWlDBwIYIAKnPSstvTMlXx9VOKL6CADQ6WFotsqPLEJcDXxuAwzjaIBAevt9e588j5cBS15G8yCbINZQQrU07nM3BVn6FwmleCo9GhpXW2jGaaM3GLYmrQ8uOc25aN=s320" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">Snow Cone, #3560, entangled and with calf, 6 December 2021, off Florida. <br /></span></i></span><i><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">(Image: FWC, permit #20556)</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Report Posted</b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 18.4px; text-size-adjust: auto;">The 2020–21 report has been posted to<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 16.8667px; text-size-adjust: auto;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.aswh.org&source=gmail&ust=1640189764790000&usg=AOvVaw0Sild1i_E0GHPavh8sSTHt" href="http://www.aswh.org/" style="color: blue;" target="_blank"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;">www.aswh.org</span></a></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 18.4px; text-size-adjust: auto;">. See the items listed at the lower </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;">left on the home page.</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;"> </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;">Select “Right whale report ’21.”</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p>Marineland Right Whale Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09881597274259824673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256427997221016494.post-82052154739851359482021-05-01T17:39:00.000-04:002021-05-01T17:39:41.943-04:00Marineland Right Whale Project Season Summary<div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thank You</span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: verdana;">First and foremost: </span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: verdana;"> </span><u style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: verdana;">Thank you</u><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: verdana;">to our most excellent group of volunteers for their time, effort, energy, ideas, and financial support during the 2021 season. </span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>2021 Summary Video: Second Half</b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;">Our drone pilot and video guru, Sara, has prepared a most excellent video of the second half of the season. </span><span style="line-height: 18.4px;">To view, click on the title below:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://youtu.be/VHoUWdXZvNw&source=gmail&ust=1619989593701000&usg=AFQjCNHnXwVjwduMguC38yMePEejG6sXQQ" href="https://youtu.be/VHoUWdXZvNw" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">2021 Survey Season: Second Half</span></a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Season Summary</b><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">In the 2021 season, the Marineland Right Whale Project responded to 30 right whale sightings. Of these, 24 were mother-calf pairs with identifiable photographs, and 3 were mother-calf pairs whose identities could not be determined. There was also a yearling, a pair, and a trio. Of the mother-calf pair sightings, 21 were of Catalog #4040,</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><i style="font-family: verdana;">Chiminea</i><span style="font-family: verdana;">, a 13-year-old with her first calf. On 24 April, the Center for Coastal Studies in Provincetown reported that <i>Chiminea</i> and her calf had made it safely to Cape Cod Bay. For the MRWP, 2021 was our most successful season in a decade.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Do2ur-jsISM/YI3GfZyfyoI/AAAAAAAAAzg/LFpoCa8rM4YMDkWEyjilSWbF09JWY0RdACLcBGAsYHQ/s912/sightsbyyear21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="662" data-original-width="912" height="290" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Do2ur-jsISM/YI3GfZyfyoI/AAAAAAAAAzg/LFpoCa8rM4YMDkWEyjilSWbF09JWY0RdACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h290/sightsbyyear21.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">Verified sightings by year for the Marineland Right Whale Project. </span></i><i style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">The 2021 season was our most successful in a decade (since 2011).</span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.399999618530273px;"><br /></span></i></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Contributing to these results, the MRWP had 19 days with successful drone flights. The incorporation of drones into our response and identification protocols has considerably enhanced the effectiveness of the program.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Through the collective efforts (including all investigators and research groups) in the Southeastern U.S., 17 new calves were documented in the 2021 season. This was the best calf production in eight years (since 2013). In addition, there were a number of yearlings, adults, and groups. This may hint at a return to the demographics of earlier years, when a diverse group of right whales, in larger numbers, migrated to the Southeastern U.S. As we look to 2022, keep your fingers crossed.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></p>Marineland Right Whale Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09881597274259824673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256427997221016494.post-27633850745960172622021-03-14T16:00:00.001-04:002022-02-11T11:23:32.601-05:00WHALE NEWS: THE GOOD AND THE BAD<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Offspring of Halo returns</b><br /></span></span></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: verdana; line-height: 18.4px; text-size-adjust: auto;">Right Whale Catalog #3546,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Halo,</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is near the heart of our program. We saw her as a calf, with her mother, in the 2005 season. Subsequently, we have seen her, and her calves, in several years since. And, in fact, we (volunteer Becki Smith) contributed to her naming. Last year, in the 2020 season she was seen in the Marineland area, with her 2nd calf, on five occasions (</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: verdana; line-height: 18.4px; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;">see the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://youtu.be/dn9cmJxhdFA&source=gmail&ust=1615836002791000&usg=AFQjCNHqczRTih8H_CxC1otbqvMcOOF1EQ" href="https://youtu.be/dn9cmJxhdFA" style="color: blue;" target="_blank">YouTube video</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>posted </span>on the Marineland Right Whale Project channel). Then, this year, on Wednesday, 10 March 2021, this 2020 calf, now a yearling, was sighted alone just south of the St. Augustine Inlet. In the two following days, the 11th and 12th, it was seen around Ponce Inlet and then the Port Canaveral area. <i>Halo</i><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>and offspring are with us.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></div><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dyRHUeRYjtE/YE5mspKmDmI/AAAAAAAAAy0/wMzzIr4ihG0S__dUlFH9On2UwefqDGx7QCLcBGAsYHQ/s504/NL-FWC_11Mar21-Yof%2BHalo3456.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="432" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dyRHUeRYjtE/YE5mspKmDmI/AAAAAAAAAy0/wMzzIr4ihG0S__dUlFH9On2UwefqDGx7QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/NL-FWC_11Mar21-Yof%2BHalo3456.jpg" /></a><br /><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: verdana; font-size: small; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #050505; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">The 2020 calf of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="color: #050505; text-align: center;">Halo</span><span style="color: #050505; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">, now a yearling, has returned to our area.</span><span style="color: #050505; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="color: #050505; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">What is the value of this excursion?</span><span style="color: #050505; font-style: italic; text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="color: #050505; font-style: italic; text-align: center;">Unknown.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #050505; font-family: verdana; font-size: small; font-style: italic;">(Photo: 11 March 2021 by the FWC aerial team.)</span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="color: #050505;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="color: #050505;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Right Whale Calf #17</b></span></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: verdana;">Right whale Catalog #3593 was spotted with her first calf off Topsail Beach, North Carolina, on 11 March 2021.The sighting was by the North Carolina aerial survey team (see<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.narwc.org/uploads/1/1/6/6/116623219/rwnjan21.pdf&source=gmail&ust=1615836002791000&usg=AFQjCNF3fRIKaeWMYiBpXivN-KT8Cs2QvQ" href="http://www.narwc.org/uploads/1/1/6/6/116623219/rwnjan21.pdf" style="color: blue; font-family: verdana;" target="_blank"><i>Right Whale News</i>, January 2021</a><span style="color: #050505; font-family: verdana;">) 31 nautical miles off the beach. She has a sparse sighting history in the photo-identification catalog and her sex was unknown until this sighting of her with a calf showed that she is female.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="color: #050505;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="color: #050505;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Early in the season, we wished and hoped for 20 calves this season. We, collectively, are inching forward. Will this goal be attained?</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="color: #050505;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="color: #050505;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Bad news for<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Snow Cone</i></b></span></span></p><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: verdana; line-height: 18.4px;">Right Whale Catalog #3560,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Snow Cone</i>, was popular with our group in the 2020 season,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="font-family: verdana; line-height: 18.4px;">when she and her first calf were sighted on nine occasions. She appeared to have a nearshore habitat preference―as does her half-sister,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Chiminea</i>―which brought her and calf into view of many researchers, volunteers, and citizens. This pair gained some notoriety, when, in mid-March, they swam past Miami and into the Gulf of Mexico. They subsequently returned north. </span><span style="color: #050505; font-family: verdana; line-height: 18.4px;">The mother-calf pair is planned to be central to a right whale documentary being prepared by a Canadian film company. </span><span style="color: #050505; font-family: verdana;">But, their story has changed dramatically since last season as</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="color: #050505; font-family: verdana;"> </span><i style="color: #050505; font-family: verdana;">Snow Cone</i><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="color: #050505; font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="color: #050505; font-family: verdana;">appears to be snake bit. </span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="color: #050505; font-family: verdana;"> <br /></span><span style="color: #050505;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <br /></span></span><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In the morning of 25 June 2020, a boater reported a floating whale carcass 4 miles off Elberon, New Jersey. The dead whale was identified as her male calf. The wounds along his head and body were consistent with two different vessel collisions.</span></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;">But wait, there’s more. Just this week, on 10 March 2021 the Center for Coastal Studies aerial survey team came across an entangled whale in Cape Cod Bay. It turned out to be</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;"> </span><i style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;">Snow Cone</i><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;">. Disentangling efforts are underway. The outlook is uncertain at this time.</span> </span></div>Marineland Right Whale Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09881597274259824673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256427997221016494.post-61606980706646435662021-03-09T09:36:00.000-05:002021-03-09T09:36:19.201-05:00FINAL SURVEY WEEK<p><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Weather</b><br /></span></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: verdana;">The wind forecasts for our final week are mixed. Beginning today (Tuesday) we will resume the surveys. There will be moderate east winds for Tuesday through Friday. Then, on Saturday and Sunday (our final two days), we should have light and favorable winds.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Continuing the Lookouts</b><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Our last day of formal surveys is Sunday, 14 March. We are asking our surveyors and opportunistic spotters to continue spending time along the coast looking for any straggler whales. Please take your binoculars if you have them and have the Right Whale Hotline number handy: 1-888-979-4253. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">We will be on call, and will respond when you phone.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Season Summary<br /></b></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Every whale, every day, and every season is different. The 2021 season has been no exception. We will provide a season summary toward the end of March.</span></p>Marineland Right Whale Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09881597274259824673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256427997221016494.post-51731847377576450302021-03-06T16:32:00.000-05:002021-03-06T16:32:19.481-05:00WHALE SEASON – IT’S NOT OVER !<p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It is time for some good news.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Our last right whale sighting was on Monday, 15 February. It was Catalog #1243,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Magic</i>, and calf. In the closing days of February, we chased several reported sightings but were unable to verify them. Early March was quiet, very quiet. We had a solid week of good to excellent conditions. No whales.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;">Here’s the interesting part (you really can’t make this stuff up!). At 8:47 AM on Friday the 5th, Jim sent out an email wondering if there were unaccounted for whales that might surprise us. Minutes later, at 8:49 AM, Julie Albert from Marine Resources Council called with a sighting from Flagler Beach. The caller was the recently elected mayor. She was 100% certain it was a right whale. We went down, flew the drone twice, but had no success with photos. The winds were brisk and increasing, and the sea state was a Beaufort 4+ (numerous white caps). From binocular views, we categorized it as a mother-calf pair, with a large calf. </span> </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CEjo7p2B-zs/YEPywFTmU0I/AAAAAAAAAys/p3VRms4OQpo1e-MQZW3YC8j7a0r-8BAyACLcBGAsYHQ/s504/NL-Flagler-TerryClark-5Mar21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="504" height="216" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CEjo7p2B-zs/YEPywFTmU0I/AAAAAAAAAys/p3VRms4OQpo1e-MQZW3YC8j7a0r-8BAyACLcBGAsYHQ/w320-h216/NL-Flagler-TerryClark-5Mar21.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;"><i>The winds were brisk, and there were abundant whitecaps. We were not able to get images from the drone. However, Terry Clark and others were able to identify the sighting as </i></span><i style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; text-size-adjust: auto;">a probable mother-calf pair, heading south. (Photo: S. Ellis)</i></span></p></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">But wait, there’s more. At 10:03 AM, Katie Jackson from Florida Fish & Wildlife, reported a new mother-calf pair, sighted on 4 March, 25 nautical miles east of Jacksonville (waaaay offshore). It was Catalog #3020,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Giza</i>, with her third calf. This brings the season total to 16 calves.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">And, there’s still more. Up to the north,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Millipede</i>, Catalog #3520, and her calf were sighted off Massachusetts, on Wednesday, 3 March, by the Center for Coastal Studies aerial survey team. Recall that this mother-calf pair was our first sighting for this season – photographed by Martha Garito off the Flagler pier on Monday, 7 December 2020. This pair successfully made the 1,200 mile journey north. The calf is now three months old, and is described as being healthy and independent. This was the first mother-calf pair of the season for the Marineland Right Whale Project, and, similarly, the first mother-calf pair of the season for the Center for Coastal Studies.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The weather and sighting conditions will improve in the coming week for the final days of our survey season (ends Sunday, 14 March). Please keep good watch on the ocean if you are along the shoreline.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p>Marineland Right Whale Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09881597274259824673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256427997221016494.post-84263709659018902192021-02-24T10:21:00.003-05:002021-02-24T10:25:24.570-05:00Magic Sighting and First Half Season Wrap Up<p><span style="color: #222222; font-family: verdana;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34);"><b>Magic Happens<br /></b></span></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: verdana;">On Monday, 15 February, we responded to a sighting from Survey Team 4, in Ormond-By-The-Sea. The whales were off Highbridge Road. We launched the drone. Just in time for the fog to roll in. We then did the only thing civilized people can <br />do—we went to lunch. While at lunch, the phone rang. Earl Sanders had worked south to Ormond Plaza. The fog was lifting and the whales were in view. We went. We flew the drone. We photographed. It was a mother-calf pair, Right whale </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: verdana;">#1243,</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: verdana;"> </span><i style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: verdana;">Magic</i><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: verdana;">, a 39 year-old female with her 7th calf. This was a new pair for our area this season.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Weather</b><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">We have had nearly a solid week of poor weather, wind, and high sea states. The forecast for the coming week, particularly Wednesday through Friday, looks good.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Please scan the water when you are on the coast, for the week, as well as for the remainder of the season. Will we be able to sight additional mothers and their healthy calves? Will we be able to reach our goal of 20+ calves for the season? </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">If you believe you have a whale sighting, please call the MRC Right Whale Hotline at 1-888-979-4253. Consider entering this into your cell phone to have it handy.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Video and volunteers</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Because of constraints and cautions resulting from COVID-19, our interactions and socializations have been much reduced this season. Reduced but not gone. For a video of the first half of the season (runtime 6:03), click here:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><u><span style="color: blue;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://youtu.be/z5Vgkzj6NFs&source=gmail&ust=1614265258395000&usg=AFQjCNFvHJpKcTKiUXz5Ppjn1RzAIZv2_Q" href="https://youtu.be/z5Vgkzj6NFs" style="color: blue;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: verdana;">2021 Survey Season: First Half</span></a></span></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><b style="font-family: verdana;">End of the season</b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">We are in the eighth week of our season. Depending on further whale sightings, the last day will either be 14 or 21 March. We will advise.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">And, as always . . . here’s to light winds and heavy whales.</span></p>Marineland Right Whale Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09881597274259824673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2256427997221016494.post-70154667331021085272021-02-15T14:22:00.001-05:002021-02-18T15:13:10.092-05:00DO WHALES GRIEVE ?<p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Sad news came on Valentine’s Day weekend. On Friday afternoon, the 12th, the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission Survey plane sighted Right whale #3230,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Infinity</i>, and her first calf, near the St. Augustine Inlet. A few hours later, at dusk, a returning sport fishing boat struck something in the inlet and reported that they hit a whale. The next morning, the body of a calf came ashore on the beach at Anastasia State Park. It is believed to be the calf of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Infinity</i>. By the afternoon, a response was in progress, and documentation and measurements recorded. The following day, Sunday the 14th, a necropsy (autopsy conducted on a non-human) was performed and samples taken.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">There have been 14 calves born this season. With this death, 13 remain. The calf came ashore on the 13th. An unlucky day for the whales, and for the dedicated scientists and citizens who study and monitor them. The mother is out there. Somewhere. Is she grieving?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The news coverage provides a good summary (ctrl click on the link) :</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2021/02/13/right-whale-calf-fatally-struck-by-boat-washes-up-on-anastasia-island&source=gmail&ust=1613502037472000&usg=AFQjCNGp4k86CxMGemGgJWMzapZNbQRCwA" href="http://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2021/02/13/right-whale-calf-fatally-struck-by-boat-washes-up-on-anastasia-island" style="color: blue;" target="_blank"><b>Right whale calf fatally struck by boat washes up on Anastasia Island</b></a><b><span style="color: #212121;"></span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">by Brie Isom, News4Jax</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/local/scientists-say-beached-right-whale-calf-had-broken-skull-and-broken-ribs/77-c7cc0141-ebf2-4bb7-8ed7-776c8009999b&source=gmail&ust=1613502037472000&usg=AFQjCNFu-G3zA3gAEzV33S2p_dfwSmMt_A" href="http://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/local/scientists-say-beached-right-whale-calf-had-broken-skull-and-broken-ribs/77-c7cc0141-ebf2-4bb7-8ed7-776c8009999b" style="color: blue; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Scientists say beached right whale calf had broken skull, broken ribs</a><span style="color: blue;"><b><br /></b></span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: verdana;">by Jessica Clark, First Coast News</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: verdana;"> </span></p>Marineland Right Whale Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09881597274259824673noreply@blogger.com