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Archives – The whale news network 2007The whale news network: a weekly compilation of the "whale-watching" experience in the St. Lawrence Estuary and Gulf. Thanks to all the network collaborators! Here are all the weekly bulletins for 2007. You may obtain information on specific topics by using the "find" function in the "edit" menu of your browser ( Example : search for the word "dolphin" to discover where and when dolphins were spotted by the whale news network). You can consult the Whale news network archives of
other years.
11 January 2007, vol. 11 no1 Seals patiently waiting for pack ice to form St. Lawrence seals have recently made headlines. They can be found in the hundreds along the shoreline in places such as Pointe-aux-Outardes on the North Shore and at Saint-Fabien-sur-Mer and La Pocatière on the South Shore. Very large groups of harp seals have arrived offshore from Les Escoumins where they will winter over; some of these groups were spread out over a distance of one nautical mile. With the mild winter that we've experienced to date, there is still no ice on the St. Lawrence. As a result, seals—marine mammals that take advantage of ice floes to rest, mate and give birth—have been passing the time on often snow-strewn sandy beaches. The Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network (1-877-722-5346) received several calls over the Holiday season concerning the unusual presence of seals along the shore. Rest assured, it is quite normal that these animals come completely out of the water to stretch out on land. They are simply waiting for the pack ice to form. Take advantage of these sightings, as they will likely be transitory! One less minke whale On December 23, 2006, the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network received a call; the carcass of a whale had just come ashore at Rivière-au-Tonnerre. Witnesses described an eight-metre-long whale with a black back and a lined, white belly; there were white hairs in its mouth (baleen) and, the clue that clinched species identification, white patches on the pectoral fins. A minke whale had just concluded its earthly voyage on a Lower North Shore beach. Due to the fact that the carcass is far from any human habitation and that it does not represent a nuisance to local shore dwellers, the ministère du Développement durable, de l'Environnement et de Parcs du Québec chose to let nature take its course. Spring tides moved the whale a few metres at the beginning of the month, yet it was still stretched out on the beach of the bay on Monday, January 8, 2007. Two lively minke whales Two other minke whale sightings worth mentioning: on Saturday, January 6, a minke whale was spotted at Barque Cove and Yves Cove in the Les Escoumins area. The whale was swimming in circles near the surface. It was possibly in feeding mode; according to local sealers, the stomachs of captured seals are full of capelin! The minke whale is a migratory species that usually leaves the St. Lawrence at the onset of winter, yet some individuals may dawdle if they find a worthy food patch. A minke whale was also noted in Gaspé Bay last week. Again, let's take advantage of what Mother Nature sends us; these sightings are likely ephemeral! 18 January 2007, vol. 11 no2 It's just like summer… well, almost! After a lull in St. Lawrence whale sightings since the end of November, they are now surfacing all over the place. On January 11, a sealer from Les Escoumins reported a fin whale between the Pilot's wharf and the ferry dock. Two beluga whales were also seen in this area. On the Gaspé Peninsula, more specifically near Cap-aux-Os, two blue whales and a fin whale were also seen on January 11; one of the blue whales was a fluker. The blows of three great whales had been noted in the same area over the Holidays. Could these be the same whales? Finally, six whales have been tantalizing residents at Anse-à-Beaufils since the weekend. Locals have been seeing short blows and the animals appeared to be swimming westward in a group, sometimes in tight formation and at other times more dispersed. A moose also contributed to the overall marine diversity by swimming across the Saguenay Fjord early in the week. While these sightings may be reminiscent of summer, the thermometer is quick to bring us back to reality! The bitter cold temperatures of recent days have left their stamp on the scenery; it is definitely winter! Frazil is now visible throughout the St. Lawrence as sea fog rises above the surface—not to be confused with the blows of great whales! A sure sign t that winter has arrived at last: an icebreaker has sailed up the Saguenay Fjord. 25 January 2007, vol. 11 no3 The Gaspé Peninsula has been invaded… … by whales An innkeeper from Cap-aux-Os spotted two blue whales… while he was on the phone to a member of our team. He had also had the good fortune of watching a minke whale and two humpback whales in the preceding days. Meanwhile, the area between Percé and Newport has been literally invaded by whale blows; seven blows of two dissimilar heights were seen one half of a nautical mile offshore from Anse-à-Beaufils. There were also as many as six whales in the Pabos area, one of which was in the habit of bringing its tail out of the water. Up to 10 blows were spotted between Cap d'Espoir and Sainte-Thérèse-de-Gaspé on January 22. The following day an even dozen were counted in this same area, three of which belonged to fin whales that were a mere 500 metres from shore. Minke whales were also noted on Thursday, January 23 within 500 metres shore near Sainte-Thérèse-de-Gaspé; there were four of them in all and they appeared to be feeding. On January 24 a minke whale was seen swimming between Chandler and Grand-Rivière. … by mystery One particular sighting attracted the attention of several Gaspé residents as well as a few researchers. Several reports of a V-shaped blow, like that of a right whale, have been called in since the beginning of the week. Two such blows were reported as recently as Thursday morning. As a result, the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network contacted the Centre d'Étude et de Protection de la Baleine Noire du Saint Laurent (CEPBaN), on the Gaspé Peninsula, and the New England Aquarium. Efforts were made to validate these sightings; they remain unconfirmed. … by food Whale watchers are unanimous: the presence of whales at this time of the year is uncommon. After consulting the Whale News Network archives, the most common trend is an occasional great whale sighting in late December off Les Escoumins and Percé. The month of January is generally a poor time for whale sightings; observations are almost exclusively of ice and seals. The question on everyone's lips is: will these cetaceans spend the entire winter in the Gulf? This is difficult to predict. In winter, the St. Lawrence remains rich and full of life beneath the surface. Some species of fish, such as Atlantic tomcod, sand lance and halibut are in the midst of their reproductive period. Krill has a life span of over two years and is abundant in our waters, even in winter. Consequently, the St. Lawrence has what it takes to satisfy the appetites of these giants who, so far at least, do not have to contend with ice cover. …by uncommon events Whale blows are not the only things worthy of mention on the Gaspé Peninsula. This week a harp seal decided to wander onto a secondary road at the limit of an ice-covered bay near Chandler. It finally made its way back to the water three days later. And, finally, an Atlantic white-sided dolphin was discovered stranded on the beach in the Mont-Louis area. The carcass was recovered by the Réseau d'observation de mammifères marins (ROMM). Tissue samples will be extracted and the skeleton will eventually be mounted for educational purposes. 1 February 2007, vol. 11 no4 The St. Lawrence … rich Ten whale species choose it as their summer feeding grounds. With the combined contributions of tide, currents and the specific topography of the sea floor, food proliferates and attracts ocean-going giants. Some even prolong their summer sojourn, as was the case recently: the blows of large rorqual whales were spotted again this week off Grande-Rivière and Cap-d'Espoir on the Gaspé Peninsula, and off Les Escoumins on the North Shore.…diverse A variety of bird species spend the entire summer on these waters, also taking advantage of abundant prey that includes vast schools of fish or swarms of zooplankton. Few species winter over, yet those that do tend to be plentiful. Greater scaups presently number in the hundreds in the bay and off the tip of Islet Point in Tadoussac. This is but one of several duck species that spend the winter in the area. Others include black ducks, goldeneys (Barrow's and common), old squaws, red-breasted mergansers, as well as a few common mergansers and scoters. The Prince Shoal area is situated at the head of the Laurentian Channel where a deep-water upwelling brings 4°C water to the surface. This creates an ice-free zone, referred to as a polynia. The presence of zooplankton attracts fish. All of these factors put together generate ideal conditions for animals that are searching for ice-free, prey-rich waters.…complex The deep-water upwelling generates a sufficient temperature difference between air and water for the formation of condensation. In winter, the St. Lawrence is often hidden by what is locally known as “sea smoke”; in summer fog is a relatively common occurrence. This week, several whale watchers had trouble spotting whale blows through this heavy “smoke”.…ever changing The beginning of February has brought ice along the shores of the St. Lawrence. It is not yet vast enough to be referred to as pack ice. Even so, seals are making use of it. Last Monday an observer took the time to watch a small seal drifting down river on a piece of ice at the mouth of the Saguenay. Harp seals, a northern species, will also take advantage of this ice—that should thicken with time—for pupping and mating. Large groups of harp seals were spotted this week in the Les Escoumins area. According to a local sealer, one of these groups was the largest he's seen in the past three years.8 February 2007, vol. 11 no5 From the wild blue yonder While few are those who collaborate with the Whale News Network in this the cold season, the small harvest of information is exceedingly interesting! Our eyes are turned to Sept-Îles this week where our whale watchers have the blues! It was a member of the Mingan Island Cetacean Study (MICS) who reported a portion of an aerial survey that was carried out last February 2 over the icy waters of the St. Lawrence. First to attract the attention of the researchers were harp seals. An estimated thousand of these pinnipeds were on the pack ice off Sept-Îles, dispersed in groups of 50 to 200. They could also be clearly seen from shore in Gallix. Further west in the ice floes off Port-Cartier, the greatest of the giants broke the surface of the water: a blue whale. The whale went through three relatively short breathing cycles before diving beneath the ice. Using photographs of the animal, members of the MICS team managed to identify this individual from among the 389 blue whales on file for the St. Lawrence. The whale in question is B091. According to MICS data, this whale was observed in 1986 off Mingan, in 1988 off Sept-Îles, and in 1999 off Nova Scotia. B091 is the first blue whale to be photographed and identified in the middle of winter in the St. Lawrence. The following day two blue whales swam by Gallix at a distance of three nautical miles from shore. Then, on Wednesday, February 7, a blue whale was seen surface feeding. “What a show!” exclaimed our loyal whale watcher. Every winter our collaborators report blue whale sightings in different parts of the St. Lawrence: in the Estuary, along the Gaspé Peninsula or in the Sept-Îles area. These whales appear to be taking advantage of an abundant food source, all the while running the risk of becoming trapped in the ice. Acoustic monitoring has allowed U.S. researchers to listen in on blue whales from the Grand Banks of Newfoundland all the way to Bermuda. In spite of this, the winter behaviour of these giants is still relatively unknown 15 February 2007, vol. 11 no6 The cold of winter It took its time getting here, but no doubt about it, winter has finally arrived! The weather of the past few weeks has forced those courageous enough to venture out along the shores of the St. Lawrence in search of bird, whale or seal sightings to bundle up. If cold winter temperatures sometimes make life a bit difficult for us land mammals, what's it like for marine mammals? Even when air temperatures fall way below the freezing point, St. Lawrence water temperatures remain relatively stable from season to season. As a result, in the St. Lawrence whales live in an environment where the temperature hovers around a constant 4°C, winter or summer. However, due to the fact that water conducts heat 25 times faster than air, maintaining a 37°C body temperature is quite a challenge! Marine mammals use several strategies to accomplish this feat. They all possess insulating layers: thick coats of blubber, beneath their skin that shield internal organs from the surrounding environment. As a bonus, seals also come equipped with thick fur. Marine mammals can also limit heat loss by controlling blood circulation. They have heat exchange systems in parts of their bodies that are not protected by a protective layer, such as cetacean fins and tails or seal flippers. Heat contained in arterial blood (that moves from internal organs towards the extremities) is recovered by vein blood (that moves from the extremities towards the internal organs). Seabirds that winter over at our latitudes have plumage to help them resist the winter cold. In addition, the skin on their feet contains an antifreeze protein that stops them from freezing their feet as they walk on ice and snow. They are also in possession of a heat exchange system similar to that of marine mammals. Actually, when it comes right down to it, winter in the St. Lawrence can be quite cosy! 22 February 2007, vol. 11 no7 Beluga whales of the world A GREMM employee noticed a group of ten dispersed and milling beluga whales while crossing the St. Lawrence between Matane and Godbout aboard the Camille Marcoux ferry at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, February 17. The white whales were moving slowly in the ice-free waters of the Estuary. Beluga whales are basically the only cetaceans navigating these waters at this time of the year. The beluga whale is an Arctic species. As such, it is adapted to its environment; its white coloration provides it with camouflage in the ice floes, it uses its dorsal crest to break through thin ice and its exceptional vocal and auditory capabilities facilitate complex navigation though the pack ice. So, if beluga whales are northern animals, where else is it possible to observe them? Beluga whales have an essentially circumpolar range: over 100 000 beluga whales inhabit the Arctic Ocean and its attendant seas. These include the Okhotsk Sea (between the Russian mainland and the Kamchatka peninsula north of Japan), the Bering Sea, the Gulf of Alaska, the Beaufort Sea, Baffin Bay, Hudson Bay and, finally, the St. Lawrence, which is the southern limit of its worldwide range. There are thirty populations in all. In summer, these populations are separate, each approaching estuaries to which they are faithful. Winter ranges are often contiguous or overlap. For management purposes, seven beluga whale populations have been defined in Canada, These are: 1) the St. Lawrence Estuary population, 2) the Ungava Bay population, 3) the eastern and 4) western Hudson Bay populations, 5) the Cumberland Bay population 6) the eastern high Arctic-Baffin Bay population and 7) the eastern Beaufort Sea population. The St. Lawrence Estuary, the Saguenay Fjord and western Hudson Bay (near the Churchill River, Manitoba) are areas that are well known as good places to observe beluga whales in their natural environment. In the St. Lawrence, however, the beluga whale is protected within the limits of the Saguenay—St. Lawrence Marine Park where it is unlawful to approach them within 400 metres. They can also be observed in the Kenaï River, Alaska and in the Qikiqtarjuaq area in northeastern Canada, off Baffin Island. Certain beluga whale populations have been heavily decimated. Such is the case of the St. Lawrence population (approximately 1000 individuals) and the threatened Cook Inlet, Alaska population, which is geographically and genetically isolated. In the 1970s, approximately 1300 beluga whales lived in Cook Inlet. Thirty years later there are a mere 280 survivors. Contrary to other cosmopolitan species such as the minke whale, the beluga whale's range is limited. We are exceptionally fortunate to be able to observe this animal in our waters! 1 March 2007, vol. 11 no8 The Gaspé Peninsula in February: few sightings, numerous observers Year after year, the month of February is synonymous with dearth. This winter is no exception. Apart from the odd white, beluga whale back breaking the surface of the vast St. Lawrence and the winter birds that embellish the scenery, there is nothing much moving out there. Still, this does not mean that our collaborators are idle, far from that. Many of them keep both eyes riveted on the horizon, constantly searching for signs. When life surfaces, they hasten to contact the Whale News Network team. This week we are proud to spotlight our winter collaborators from the Gaspé Peninsula in order to pull them out of the shadows in this the quiet time of the year. Every day André Berthelot and Adéodat Lelièvre study the waters off Saint-Thérèse-de-Gaspé. These sailors are fortunate to work and live on the edge of the Gulf at an altitude that gives them breathtaking views of the area. Mr. Lelièvre, who describes himself as an old salt, is nearing 80 years of age and has navigated the Gulf for over 30 of those. He has been fascinated by these animals—that he qualifies as “impressive and without malice”—since he was a young boy heading out to sea aboard his father's fishing boat. He will long remember the great rorqual whale that he freed from a fish net. He is now president of the Sainte-Thérèse-de-Gaspé port authority, work that he does on a volunteer basis and which allows him to keep an eye on the whales. He notes observations in a daily journal. Contrary to Mr. Lelièvre, Mr. Berthelot's interest in whales was more gradual. This retired naval electrician became hooked, so to speak, through contact with captains working in the whale-watching industry. His encounter with three right whales in the summer of 2006 left its mark and he is now working for a local initiative, the CEPBaN (Centre d'Études et de Protection de la Baleine Noire du Saint Laurent). Stéphanie Pieddesaux is another veteran whale watcher. She is a biologist by trade and has worked for several organizations studying marine mammals. She is presently working for ROMM (Réseau d'observation de mammifères marins). Ms. Pieddesaux adopted the Gaspé Peninsula as her place of residence over a year ago. This devout whale watcher now covers the coast from Rivière-au-Renard to Grande-Rivière. Wherever she goes, she scans the horizon in the hopes of spotting a whale blow, behaviour she describes as obsessive! At Cap-aux-Os, looking out onto Gaspé Bay, there is a youth hostel. Mr. Gilles Shaw, the man who runs the hostel, has been watching whales from his office window for the past 20 years… without even trying! Mr. Shaw is an outstanding ornithologist and an avid outdoorsman. “When you live on the Gaspé Peninsula, you have no choice but to watch whales!” he stated plainly in explanation of his interest for these giants. Mr. Shaw has been spoiled this past winter. In mid-January he spotted a blue whale in Gaspé Bay. A few weeks ago, nearly 200 seals—including a number of harbour seals—were present along the shore. He was quite excited to announce that pack ice in the Bay is starting to break up: sightings will soon be increasing. We would like to extend a warm thank you to these invaluable collaborators! Next week we will spotlight North Shore whale watchers as we wait for sightings to become more numerous and for the rest of our observers to pick up their binoculars along the shores of the St. Lawrence or at sea. 8 March 2007, vol. 11 no9 The North Shore: hardy whale watchers The North Shore is a great place to observe marine mammals. With its underwater canyon—the Laurentian Channel—that follows the coast and teems with life, whales couldn't ask for a better place to be during the feeding season. Some of them even choose to prolong their stay into the winter months. Not surprising, then, that ardent whale watchers from the Tadoussac-Les Escoumins region attentively scan the waters of the Estuary, even in the cold months between December and March. A bird-watching Gremmlin Tadoussac is a village that is situated at the confluence of the Saguenay and St. Lawrence rivers. Renaud Pintiaux, research assistant for the Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals (GREMM), has been a Tadoussac resident for over 10 years. In the summer, he navigates throughout the area contributing to a research project on the behavioural ecology of beluga whales. In winter he wanders up and down the coast scanning the water's surface in search of signs of seals, whales and, especially, birds. The weather never slows him down! He is often the first to report the spring arrival of minke whales to this area. The Bouchards of Bergeronnes Further east along the North Shore is the village of Les Bergeronnes. Edilbert and Victor Bouchard have owned a secondary residence on the water's edge just east of Bon Désir Bay since the 1970s. Edilbert, is a technical engineer, recently retired, and also a serious ornithologist. He learned about birds from the best: his brother Adalbert. Yet, the presence of whales does not leave him indifferent: “When you watch a bird in flight and a whale surfaces in the background, you have no choice but to look at it as well!“. Victor is the director of the Corporation touristique des Bergeronnes. This organization manages an exceptional whale-watching site—Cap-de-Bon-Désir—in partnership with Parks Canada. He refers to himself a sporadic observer who has a lot of chance for exceptional sightings. The Bouchards are keen observers who always have a story to tell, much to the delight of our writing team! The adventurer and the giants Yet even further to the east is the village of Les Escoumins, birthplace and home of Mr. Donald Tremblay. Every winter for the past 49 years he has been perpetuating a long family tradition as he heads offshore to go sealing. From December through March he braves the elements aboard his small boat. Mr. Tremblay has always had an interest in the whales he sees while on the water. This winter he set a record for his latest sighting of a great whale on January 29. He reports that on February 28 he spotted a group of around 20 beluga whales swimming in a circle, possibly feeding on a school of capelin. Next week: the final portraits of our winter observers followed by an overview of recent whale sightings. Thanks again to all of our valued collaborators for their generosity and loyalty! 15 March 2007, vol. 11 no10 Committed observers In order to complete the presentation of our winter observers, here are the portraits of two committed observers: Jacques Gélineau and Guylaine Lejeune, residents of Gallix, near Sept-îles on the North Shore. These ambassadors have always taken environmental battles very seriously “to preserve the planet and its inhabitants”. They are involved in several issues, either as private citizens or as elected municipal officials. But what about the whales? It was in 1989, as he was visiting the Mingan Island Archipelago, that Mr. Gélineau met Richard Sears, MICS founder and blue whale research pioneer. From that point on he participated in marine mammal research, a commitment that has lasted for the past 17 years. Mr. Gélineau criss-crosses the Gulf of St. Lawrence from April to November photographing rorqual whales. He now has a bank of 300 whale photos, in his words; “a modest contribution” to the MICS research programme. His photographs also serve the domains of art and culture: in 2006 he presented an exhibit on whales at the Musée régional de la Côte Nord in Sept-Îles. He is currently preparing another exhibit, on birds this time. Ms. Lejeune holds down the fort at their main observation post, which also happens to be their home. She is responsible for several rare winter blue whale sightings. Both of them intend on pursuing this adventure for many years to come, promising to frequently pass along any news! Springtime whales Over the past few weeks some of our winter observers called in with voices full of hope due to occasional sightings of cetacean backs here and there after several weeks of flat calm. On March 4 a large blow and a dark back with a dorsal fin were spotted in the ice-free waters off Saint-Maurice-de-l'Échouerie on the Gaspé Peninsula. On March 7 the blows of five whales were noted 2.5 nautical miles off the shore at Sainte-Thérèse-de-Gaspé. Meanwhile, beluga whales are regularly observed from Les Bergeronnes to Les Escoumins along the North Shore. As spring approaches, the waters of the St. Lawrence are freeing themselves of ice cover and whales are progressively returning to feed. 22 March 2007, vol. 11 no11 Spring break (up) On March 13 the Canadian Coast Guard posted a notice to warn those visiting or living along the shores of the Saguenay River that spring icebreaking operations would be starting on March 20 at 8:00 a.m. Due to exceptionally mild weather this past winter, the groundfish ice-fishing season in the Fjord was prolonged until March 19. Annual icebreaking operations are aimed at breaking up the ice cover in the Saguenay Rivers as well as the mouths of its tributaries in order to prevent the formation of ice dams and resulting flooding. Icebreaking is being carried out this year by the CCGS Terry Fox, one of five specialized icebreakers under the direction of the Canadian Coast Guard, a department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. On Monday afternoon less than one hundred ice-fishing shacks remained on the ice in Ha! Ha! Bay; more than 1200 shack owners proceeded with the removal procedures last weekend. Spring fishing For the past two weeks, early-rising coastal residents of Tadoussac may have noticed a fishing boat leaving the dock to navigate the shallow waters of the area. The boat in question is fishing for sea urchins. The green sea urchin belongs to the echinoderm family, which also includes starfish and sea cucumbers. Sea urchins have been fished in Quebec waters since 1994 for their gonads, considered a delicacy by some. The fishing season is linked to their annual reproductive cycle; gonad quality varies considerably over the course of the season. Urchin fishing takes place mostly in early spring and for the duration of autumn in Quebec. Urchin fishermen had suspended fishing activities in the Tadoussac area since December due to difficult conditions. This type of fishing involves either diving (as is the case in Tadoussac) or whelk traps. Only urchins of 50 mm or larger—excluding spines—may be harvested. Fisheries and Oceans Canada officials have confirmed that there is presently no quota or Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for this species. DFO envisions the possibility of controls for this fishery by means of new management measures. Measures for 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 will be discussed with the industry at the meeting of the invertebrate consultative committee on April 3. Spring… really? Spring sprung on Tuesday, March 20 at 7:08 p.m. Hard to believe, given the cold temperatures of early March and the recent snowstorm! Fortunately, the odd whale sighting gives us a speck of hope. Two large whales were spotted plying the waters in Gaspé Bay through the winter fog on March 8. 29 March 2007, vol. 11 no12 Spring and its ramifications Well, it's here. Spring has finally arrived with its equinox tides, avian harbinger species and increasingly numerous sighting reports confirming that the whale season has once again begun! The March new moon March 18 was the date of the new moon. Lunar phases depend on the relative positions of the sun, moon and earth. These three celestial bodies are in alignment for the full moon and new moon phases. Their combined effects provoke extreme tides that can transform coastal scenery for several days. This effect is even stronger during the spring and fall equinox. One observer reported that Tadoussac Bay beach was so exposed that he was able to walk where “no man has walked before”! He wandered among dozens of starfish and thousands of mussels. At one point, the Tadoussac—Baie-Sainte-Catherine ferry had to cease operations for over one hour; the tide was so low that the ferry could not dock. This was a first! A bird's eye view of spring Seasoned ornithologists had been waiting on their arrival as a confirmation of spring: brants, ring-billed gulls and eider ducks. Ring-billed gulls were spotted, around March 14, by an observer from Les Bergeronnes. Then, on March 20, eider ducks were noted off the Tadoussac sand dunes. Finally, on March 25, brants arrived en masse. Approximately 250 of them were seen off Les Bergeronnes, with a hundred more arriving on March 29. These avian harbingers of spring arrived a few days later than they did last year: Brants had already landed in the Estuary by March 16, 2006. Double-crested cormorants should be the next species to put in an appearance! Waiting on beluga whales at the mouth of the Saguenay Brants are not the only species that is late; beluga whales are taking their time as well. In 2006, the first beluga whale was spotted at the mouth of the Saguenay on March 22. Up until now, the only thing white seen floating at the surface are large blocks of ice! On the other hand, white whales were reported on several occasions in the Les Bergeronnes and Portneuf-sur-Mer regions. On March 24, a group of kayakers were even surprised by a group of 30 adult and young beluga whales in the Crapaud Point area, near Les Bergeronnes. These areas are occupied both winter and summer by beluga whales. There she blows! The blow of a large whale was reported at the mouth of Portneuf River on March 24. A blue whale with a calf has been reported in Gaspé Bay, along with two other whales during the same week. Our observers hope to soon see these whales at closer range and in better conditions in order to identify their species. 5 April 2007, vol. 11 no13 Spring fishing… the sequel The snow-crab fishing season opened on Thursday, March 29 at 5:00 a.m. in zone 17, which extends from Trois-Pistoles to Rivière-à-Claude on the South Shore and from Les Escoumins to Pointe-des-Monts on the North Shore. Due to the cold weather and high winds, crab fishermen got off to a late start and were only able to make their way offshore at around 9:45 a.m. The first crab deliveries arrived the following day, to the great delight of connoisseurs. In response to a request by fishermen to Fisheries and Oceans Canada, which adopted this measure in order to bolster resource renewal, this season's quota is down 25 percent over last year's. Scientists estimate that snow crabs are entering into a low productive period in their life cycle. End of season is set for midnight, July 15. Some crab fishermen are also veteran whale watchers; we patiently await their sighting reports! A bird's eye view of spring… the sequel Last week we wrote: “Double-crested cormorants should be the next species to put in an appearance” Well, they have arrived! Our collaborator from Les Bergeronnes spotted three of them on the reefs of Bon Désir Bay on Sunday, April 1. Upon their return from their wintering grounds along the U.S. East Coast (as far south as the Gulf of Mexico), double-crested cormorants invade all areas of the St. Lawrence. They are particularly numerous on its islands, highly prized as nesting sites. Colony sizes vary and can be as high as 1500 pairs per colony in the St. Lawrence Gulf and Estuary. Beluga whale carcass… the first of 2007 On the morning of April 4, the GREMM team received word that a beluga whale carcass had been discovered at Grand-Étang, near Chéticamp, Nova Scotia. This is the first beluga whale carcass to be reported in 2007. While the carcass was in an advanced state of decomposition, its coloration was sufficiently visible for it to be identified as an adult animal. The annual range of the St. Lawrence beluga whale population extends from the middle Estuary to the Gulf. Therefore, it is quite surprising to see this species in Nova Scotia waters; its range is usually limited to the Quebec portion of the St. Lawrence. It was the Marine Animal Response Society (MARS) that contacted GREMM. The Society, also known as the Nova Scotia Stranding Network, is dedicated to rescue, education and research on marine mammals in Nova Scotia. As we go to press, MARS , in collaboration with Lena Measures, who holds a Ph.D. in marine parasitology and is a Fisheries and Oceans Canada specialist in marine mammal health in Quebec, is hoping to recover tooth, skin and blubber samples, pictures for individual identification purposes and basic data such as gender and body length. The analysis of beluga whale carcasses enables researchers to discover contaminants and diseases that threaten their health. Keep an eye out as you walk the shore, beaches become increasingly exposed as the snow melts; spring could reveal the dead… 12 April 2007, vol. 11 no14 Trips and blows Four blows were spotted this week off Port-Cartier. Three to five large rorqual type whales are present near Percé, on the Gaspé Peninsula. On Saturday, April 7 one of our collaborators reported seeing two whales blowing side by side. One of the blows was smaller than the other, possibly an adult with a calf. The following Monday, despite high winds, several blows were visible from shore. The animals moved behind the famous Percé Rock and then swam rapidly in front of Bonaventure Island. Witnesses believe they observed two blue whales and maybe a humpback whale. These two species apparently have very different winter habits. A veteran whale watcher from Cap-aux-Os reported this week that this past winter was an exceptional one for blue whale sightings. Not a month went by without at least one of these animals being spotted in Gaspé Bay. He goes so far as to affirm, happily, that we can now say that some blue whales spend the entire winter in the St. Lawrence. In fact, no one knows exactly where blue whales go in winter; they apparently scatter in the Atlantic Ocean. Humpback whales, on the other hand, follow well known migrations: they feed in cold, food rich waters over the summer and swim back to warm, tropical waters in winter for mating and calving purposes. During a recent study of a Southern Hemisphere humpback whale population, researchers recorded the longest seasonal movement of any mammal, an 8 300 km trip. These same researchers put forward the improbable notion that the purpose of this voyage is to ensure a more rapid growth of newborn calves: less energy to fight the cold means more energy for growth! In hopes of seeing them Beluga whales do not undertake long migrations. Instead, they carry out seasonal movements. The St. Lawrence population occupies a portion of the Estuary centred on the mouth of the Saguenay River. In the fall, beluga whales progressively leave this area, moving further downstream to spend the winter near the mouth of the Estuary and in the northern portion of the Gulf. With the onset of April, these whales have slowly begun re-integrating their summer headquarters. On April 11, a Whale News Network collaborator wrote, “the first beluga whales have arrived in Saint-Irénée. I am observing them as I write these lines, three individuals that are swimming upstream, as usual, along the underwater canyon that parallels Jureux Creek, just to the west of the village. In the past they would swim this circuit daily, in the afternoon, right up until they left in the fall. They appear to be loyal to their habits, although last year there were around ten of them.” Late in the afternoon on March 25 a mysterious sighting from the Tadoussac—Baie-Sainte-Catherine ferry has raised hopes that beluga whales will soon be back in the mouth of the Saguenay. “We saw a flash of sun reflection on the water followed by three close blows.” Time to break out your binoculars; whale sightings in the St. Lawrence will only become more frequent as the days get longer! 19 April 2007, vol. 11 no15 They're back! After the endless snowstorms that recently covered the province of Quebec, spring has finally arrived. That is, at least, if you use the return of minke whales to our waters as a reference point; they're back! Minke whale sightings have become increasingly frequent since April 12 when a minke whale was spotted at the mouth of the Saguenay River. The following Sunday another minke whale was seen in Gaspé Bay while two more were noted at the mouth of the Saguenay. On Wednesday, April 18, GREMM employees sighted a minke whale plying the waters just off the Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre in Tadoussac. From whence do they swim? The minke whale is a migratory species. Some of them have been seen as late as the month of December at the mouth of the Saguenay. One individual was even spotted in late January 2002 in an ice-free zone off Sept-Îles. However, these sightings are exceptional. Minke whales swim towards warmer waters with the arrival of winter, only to return to colder, northern waters the following summer. Minke whales have been noted as far north as the edge of polar ice cap. While the winter range of North Atlantic minke whales is not very well known, we do know that it stretches west as far as the Caribbean Sea and east to the Strait of Gibraltar. Sound recordings have revealed that minke whales swim through the deep waters of the eastern and northeastern Caribbean Sea in winter. Male or female? The minke whale is a baleen-type whale that can be found in all oceans of the Northern Hemisphere. A very similar species, the Antarctic minke whale, as well as a sub-species known as the dwarf minke whale, swim the waters of the Southern Hemisphere. Minke whales are often observed in coastal waters and are described as solitary animals. Nevertheless, they are sometimes seen in groups of two or three at a time and, occasionally, groups numbering in the hundreds can be observed on feeding grounds in the higher latitudes. It has been noted that, in certain areas, females tend to be coastal in their habits while the males swim further offshore. Practically all minke whale carcasses found on the shores of the St. Lawrence have turned out to be female. The few living animals that have been sexed, while swimming on their backs, thus exposing their ventral slits, have also turned out to be female. It is therefore suspected that the minke whales of the St. Lawrence are nearly all female. Could the St. Lawrence be “too coastal” for the males of this species? In the end, for the delighted whale watchers happy to see them back, it really makes no difference! 27 April 2007, vol. 11 no16 Leviathans wander the St. Lawrence Around noon on Saturday, April 12 coastal whale watchers from Les Escoumins witnessed an incredible scene: two to four sperm whales were seen plying the agitated waters of the Estuary. One of the Leviathans was still blowing and diving deep in the same area the following Sunday, Monday and Wednesday. A unique appearance Since 1991, at least one and often several sperm whales have swum up the St. Lawrence Estuary three or four times per season. Their visits are often short. The sperm whale is the largest representative of the toothed whales. It measures between 11 and 18 m in length and weighs from 20 to 60 t. The female of the species is smaller than the male. The sperm whale is in a category all on its own; it has a square head, a grey, ridged skin and a distinctive oblique blow. The sperm whale frequently takes up to 30 breaths, after which it raises its tail high in the air to dive for 30 to 90 minutes at a time! Unidentified In 1991, GREMM researchers photographed and identified one of the first two sperm whales it encountered. This animal, who became known as Tryphon, has returned to the Estuary on a regular basis ever since. A total of 23 other sperm whales have since been identified. Last Wednesday, a GREMM researcher photographed the mysterious giant from shore; unfortunately the distance was too great for identification purposes. High-spirited teenagers? Who are these sperm whales that pay such short visits to the Estuary? They form short-lived associations and are solitary animals, characteristics that lead researchers to believe them to be young males. During the hunting era, whalers had noted a type of sexual segregation; female sperm whales remained in the warm, deep waters of the lower latitudes, while males tended to swim the colder, shallower waters of the higher latitudes. Around the age of six, males apparently leave their family units to migrate towards the poles, where food is more abundant. This annual migration may allow young whales to grow in favourable feeding conditions and avoid sexual competition until they attain a competitive size. They likely return periodically to join the females for mating purposes once they reach their late 20s. 3 May 2007, vol. 11 no17 What to expect in May A few whale-watching tour companies have begun activities in the Tadoussac area, but on the Gaspé Peninsula, boats will only begin to head offshore in early June to encounter these giants of the sea, already easy to spot from the shore. So, what should one expect to see during an excursion onto the St. Lawrence in the Tadoussac area in early May? Well, fin whales appear to be more present than minke whales. Quite a surprising turn of events for many whale watchers! A fin whale was spotted on Wednesday between Tadoussac and Les Escoumins swimming rapidly downstream. A few veteran whale watchers spotted the animal in question from the shores in Les Escoumins last Saturday evening. The fin whale is the second largest animal on the planet. It averages 20 m in length for an overall weight of around 40 t. Their tall, powerful blows give them away from a long way off. Minke whales are also present, but atypically rare! One of these whales was noted in Tadoussac Bay on Tuesday, while employees at the Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre were thrilled early in the week when a minke whale surfaced near the rocks beside the Centre. Resembling a fin whale by its dark colour and the form of its dorsal fin, it is nonetheless much smaller—six to nine metres in length for six to eight tonnes. Its blow is therefore much more subtle. Sea urchin fishermen working in the area also report a large number of beluga whales. These gregarious, white whales are easy to spot due to the contrast of their skin with the dark waters that surround them. The white back of a beluga whale shining in the sun is visible from a great distance. This species is also quite easy to observe from the shore, especially at the mouth of the Saguenay Fjord through which they pass on a daily basis. The St. Lawrence beluga whale population is endangered and protected within the limits of the Saguenay—St. Lawrence Marine Park. Patience! These wonderful sightings are just the beginning. 10 May 2007, vol. 11 no18 An impression of déjà vu On Tuesday, May 8, a veteran tour boat captain cruising the St. Lawrence Estuary between Tadoussac and Les Bergeronnes searching for marine mammals encountered a fin whale five nautical miles off Cape Bon Désir. According to him, it was not just any fin whale! It turns out it was likely Capitaine Crochet, a regular visitor to the region that has been returning every season for at least the last 13 years. This female fin whale is easily recognized by her strongly curved dorsal fin that resembles a hook, hence the name—Capitaine Crochet is French for Captain Hook. On this particular day, Capitaine Crochet appeared to be feeding, swimming in circles at the surface. The tour operator in question observed her for a duration of three or four breathing cycles. Capitaine Crochet has recently been included in the “Adopt a whale” campaign organized by GREMM (Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals) for the continuation of scientific research work on the Estuary's fin whales. This summer resident is very loyal to the region and is often among the first fin whales to arrive in the spring. She was even present during the lean seasons between 2000 and 2005, when fin whales were few and far between in the Estuary. In 2001 she was accompanied by a calf. Here's hoping that other old acquaintances will soon be returning as well! 17 May 2007, vol. 11 no19 Two tiny big whales Several whale watchers in the Cap-aux-Os area of the Gaspé Peninsula have been reporting a blue whale accompanied by a calf in Gaspé Bay since mid-April. This is an exceptional sighting; only 15 blue whale calves have been observed in the St. Lawrence since 1979. The Mingan Island Cetacean Study (MICS), founded by Richard Sears and based in Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan, is specialized in the study of the blue whale. Members of this group were on site to document and identify this pair of rorqual whales. The results of their work will soon be on line on the MICS Website: www.rorqual.com. In August of 2004, GREMM researchers identified a blue whale accompanied by a calf in the Estuary. Researchers from MICS and the Mériscope confirmed the identity of the mother as B108. This pair had been seen off the Gaspé Peninsula earlier in the season. Therefore, if the same scenario were to repeat itself this year, keep an eye out on the surface of the Estuary! A fin whale calf in the Tadoussac-Les Bergeronnes area Several tour operators recount the sighting of a young fin whale swimming in a synchronized manner, to side or the other of an adult. While the Estuary cannot be considered a calving ground for this species, fin whale calves are more frequently observed here than blue whale calves are. Some female fin whales appear to find it to be a great place to wean their offspring. GREMM has been the curator of a fin whale photo-identification catalogue since 1986. In total, six female fin whales have been identified as being accompanied by calves in that time and the number of calves sighted by GREMM researchers varies between 0 and 6 per season. Here are the females that are on file as mothers in the GREMM catalogue: Perroquet- three calves, Triangle- three calves, James Bond- one calf, Capitaine Crochet- one calf, Corsaire- one calf, Caïman- three calves. In the same area, three minke whales are spotted regularly surface feeding near the shore. “And thousands of ducks carpet the shoreline and the sky“, according to an observer from Les Bergeronnes. Species observed include common eiders, surf scoters, oldsquaws and scaups. 24 May 2007, vol. 11 no20 For great observations: patience and time, or good luck! Birds and whales are his passion. With determination, one of our loyal observers chose to spend Monday, May 21 on the rocks at Cape Bon-Désir. After five hours of observation: 176 northern gannets flying from east to west… that comes out to around one gannet every 90 seconds. This left him enough time to count them and still keep an eye out for other signs of life. Skyward were black-legged kittiwakes, while in the water approximately 15 beluga whales and two surface feeding minke whales were swimming nearby. Gannets are usually spotted a few at a time during the summer. He had never seen so many of them at once in the area. Why had they come? Could it have been for the food? The birds were regularly seen diving into the sea near the cetaceans. Or could it have been the northeast wind that had been blowing hard a few days earlier? A different observer from Les Escoumins just happened to be in the right place at the right time. While passing briefly near the Marine Environment Discovery Centre (MEDC), he spotted a group of between 10 and 20 beluga whales out of the corner of his eye. The fire-pink bellies of minke whales In Sept-Îles Bay, two minke whales were noted just off the mining wharf, while three others were spotted in the bay on the same day. All were surface feeding; carrying out typical manoeuvres, lateral arcing lunges that displayed their throat pouches, either white or distended, full and pink. Near Islet Point in Tadoussac on May 23—in the words of an obviously impressed whale watcher—“A minke whale leapt into the sky six times in a row with seemingly inexhaustible energy, revealing its entire torpedo-shaped body, falling sometimes on its belly, sometimes on its back, splashing the entrance to the Fjord, its belly fire-pink”. Notes from the Gaspé Tour operators working around Bonaventure Island report a humpback whale and a group of three or four minke whales. A minke whale has been seen swimming within 300 m of shore every day of the week near Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, to the delight of a local innkeeper. He also mentions a grey seal in the area. Capelin is rolling and attracting significant attention A small, sardine-like fish named capelin deposits its eggs on beaches at this time of year. It was observed rolling in the surf at Saint-Irénée, Portneuf-sur-Mer, Sept-Îles and Uashat. At the low end of the food chain, this species is of great interest to several fish and marine mammal species. Numerous beluga whales were swimming very near the beaches where it was noted rolling on Coudres Island. Biologists are also quite interested in this fish, which is biologically very significant for the ecosystem. As a matter of fact, a capelin hotline exists for observers to report sightings of rolling capelin; simply dial 1-877-Çaroule. 31 May 2007, vol. 11 no21 Tryphon is back, but what exactly is he doing here? Tryphon, the first sperm whale to be spotted in the Estuary, in 1991, has been seen eight times since, both early and late in the season. At around 8:00 a.m. a GREMM researcher spotted him as he was diving off Les Bergeronnes only to appear 40 minutes later off Les Escoumins. From aboard Le Bleuvet, the GREMM research team managed to positively identify him. Two hours earlier an observer from Les Bergeronnes had seen him dive and reappear 45 minutes later near the airstrip. This whale was named after Professor Tryphon Tournesol (French for sunflower) from the well-known comic strip Tintin. Tryphon, the whale, has two notches on the trailing edge of his tail in the shape of sunflower seeds. Sperm whales are usually found far offshore near abyssal depths. So, what is Tryphon doing here? He is believed to be a male searching for food in an area of minimal competition. Males of this species tend to swim the colder waters of the higher latitudes, while females live in the warmer, southern waters. Rorqual whales have arrived on the North Shore! On the North Shore, be they minke, fin or blue, everyone's talking about the rorqual whales, not to mention the beluga whales and the seals. A fin whale with a calf and a group of around 20 harp seals have been reported near Cape Granite. Large numbers of brants, razorbills and terns can be found offshore. Meanwhile, near Les Bergeronnes, a female eider duck was seen with its four chicks, escorted by two other females and a dozen males who were making quite a ruckus. Two humpback whales were seen near Baie-Comeau shoreline and around 15 beluga whales were spotted off Pointe-des-Monts. Whale watching is difficult in the Sept-Îles area due to strong southwest winds. Yet, two minke whales were observed near the marina wharf and capelin is rolling on the shore at Brochu. The food chain is in action on the South Shore as well Observed from shore at Gaspé: harbour seal colonies where young can be seen—pupping began in mid-May— along with a dozen scattered minke whales. Seven or eight unidentified large blows have been noted in Gaspé Bay. South of Percé two minke whales were seen surface feeding, while the profusion of krill has made for poor visibility for divers and capelin rolling on the shore has not gone unnoticed by the plentiful gannets that are filling up on them. At Sainte-Thérèse-de-Gaspé fishermen have reported minke whales swimming through the shallows near lobster traps. Humpback and fin whales are easy to spot while the identities of the blows further offshore remain mysterious. 7 June 2007, vol. 11 no22 Autumnal weather in the spring limits North Shore sightings Weather conditions were quite variable this week throughout the Gulf with an alternation between calm, sunny, yet cold, days and days when strong winds, rain and fog brought back autumnal souvenirs for many a whale watcher. However, on the sunny morning of May 31 an observer from Gallix mentions seeing two surface-feeding minke whales along with a group of seven harbour porpoises, “…show-offs who seemed as happy as bunch of school kids on the first day of summer vacation, two large rorqual whales crossed paths in the distance and a great blue heron flew by on the horizon.” Great whales are the trend along the Gaspé Peninsula Our loyal land-based observer from Gaspé glimpsed two side-by-side blows—one smaller than the other—on June 1. He reported the sighting to a tour boat operator who confirmed the animals were, in fact, a blue whale cow/calf pair. Just such a pair has been seen on several occasions in the area since early spring. In the following days the same observer reported up to eight blue whales, two minke whale and a dozen unidentified large blows further offshore. He also notes a dozen fin whales swimming in groups of three to four at a time, four nautical miles off Rivière-au-Renard. This same observer had reported a similar observation at about the same time last year. Dark days for beluga whales The Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network has recorded four deaths since early spring. April 4: a decomposed beluga whale carcass comes ashore in Cape Breton. The Marine Animal Response Society (MARS) collects samples for analysis. April 27: a decomposed carcass found beached on the Portneuf-sur-Mer sandbar is also sampled. May 23: a dead beluga whale is reported drifting off Granite Cape. It is towed to Tadoussac and then transported to the University of Montreal's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Saint-Hyacinthe where a necropsy is performed. This carcass, which appeared to be very fresh, was in fact in an advanced state of decomposition internally. Detailed microscopic analyses were required to determine cause of death. May 27: a carcass in very fresh condition is transported to Saint-Hyacinthe where a necropsy is performed. The macroscopic examination did not reveal an obvious cause of death. Further analyses are being conducted. [The carcass recovery programme is directed by Fisheries and Oceans Canada and supported in part by the Saguenay—St. Lawrence Marine Park. The St. Lawrence National Institute of Ecotoxicology is responsible for carcass recovery.] 14 June 2007, vol. 11 no23 Land-based whale watchers and whales: eye to eye With its sumptuous scenery, the St. Lawrence is a venue for experiences both spectacular and intimate. Spectacular in the contrasting ocean colours and their rich luminosity, intimate for those who live or work on the shores of this still wild setting. Land-based whale watchers consider themselves even more as privileged witnesses when whale visits become a daily occurrence. Accordingly they offer us these fleeting moments: every morning two minke whales feed at the water's surface just offshore from a chalet in Les Bergeronnes where our observer also observes a group of around 15 beluga whales swimming upstream towards Tadoussac. Within 100 metres of shore, the sperm whale known as Tryphon swims by to spy on divers who are getting ready on the rocky shore near Les Escoumins and 20 metres from a resident who is a neighbour to Cape Bon-Désir. Campers at Pointe-des-Monts, notice a fin whale accompanied by a calf and several minke whales. On the water, whale watchers see large rorqual whales every day Tour operators in the Gulf and Estuary now head to sea on a daily basis. Last week was sunny, although a northwest wind lowered temperatures to 10°C for a day or two. Minke whales are present in all areas from Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan to Tadoussac and all around the Gaspé Peninsula. Large groups of beluga whales are scattered throughout the Estuary. Every day, whale watchers in Gaspé observe a blue whale, while those in Percé see four of them four nautical miles from Rocher Percé. Solitary fin whales can be seen in Tadoussac, Les Escoumins, at Pointe-des-Monts and off the Gaspé Peninsula. Along with those in Pointe-des-Monts, two reports have come in of a fin whale with a calf: one in Tadoussac and the other in Percé. As for humpback whales, two were seen by a fisherman 50 nautical miles northwest of the Magdalen Islands and one near Percé. 21 June 2007, vol. 11 no24 Harbour porpoises: rock and roll on the North Shore Many of our regular observers report seeing either solitary or small groups of harbour porpoises this week. Sept-Îles, on the other hand, is a different story. Shore dwellers near the beach area are simply at a loss for words. Several hundred harbour porpoises swam to within 10 metres of the shore, probably following the abundant capelin. Being the smallest cetacean—measuring on average 1.6 m and weighing around 60 kg—harbour porpoises are easily recognizable, although nearly ideal weather conditions are necessary to detect them. Such was the case this week when beautiful warm, sunny, calm days were the rule. Small animals, with a triangular-shaped dorsal fin placed squarely in the middle of their backs and a short, beakless snout, porpoises rarely approach boats. Their rather rapid swimming movement gives the impression of a rolling motion at the surface. Yet, it is their distinctive blow that frequently signals their presence. Local fishermen often refer to them as “puffing pigs”. Beluga whale herds Members of this gregarious species, that resides year-round in the waters of the St. Lawrence, tend to gather together. The Rimouski-Forestville ferry encountered over 50 beluga whales swimming in a southwesterly direction on two separate occasions, smack dab in the middle of the River. A herd made up of approximately 100 animals spent three hours one nautical mile off the Les Escoumins wharf before swimming on upstream. Whale watchers at the Marine Environment Discovery Centre (MEDC) in Les Escoumins, who are so close to the shore they can almost dip their toes in the water, were very fortunate this week. A dozen hyperactive beluga whales—adults and juveniles—came within five metres of the shore to hunt! Beluga whales become segregated in summer. Females and their young generally use the upstream portion of the Estuary while adult males tend to swim in the central and downstream areas. Nature explodes along the Gaspé Peninsula Weather in the Gaspé Peninsula was changeable this week with strong west and northwest winds limiting offshore tours and sightings. Fortunately, whale watchers in this area do not have to go very far to get their fix. Four minke whales, two fin whales and two blue whales were seen swimming beneath clouds of seabirds in Gaspé Bay. Approximately 15 large blows off Cape Gaspé attracted the attention of land-based whale watchers. According to a loyal observer from Percé, “nature is exploding in the water around Percé”. Two minke whales and a blue whale have been “stuffing themselves” behind Bonaventure Island and northern gannets, their bellies to full to fly, often regurgitate their meals. 28 June 2007, vol. 11 no25 It’s a feast! Whale watchers are unanimous throughout the Gulf and Estuary: “there is heaps of food!” and then some. Seven of the 13 St. Lawrence cetacean species can be observed, along with three seal species, all evenly distributed throughout the territory. There have been many reports of minke whales breaching and surface feeding in the Tadoussac area. Nautical rumours from Sept-Îles mention a killer whale in the region. Beware of counterfeits! It is very easy to mistake a minke whale for a killer whale when it is surface feeding. Picture, if you will, the minke whale breaking the surface and rolling onto its side. During this manoeuvre one tail fluke—vertically oriented and perpendicular to the surface—slides along above the water before disappearing. The similarity with a killer whale dorsal fin is striking. This is a common mistake. That said, keep an eye out anyway. Although killer whales are rare in our waters, two representatives of this species did visit the Estuary in 2003. Krill, or macro zooplankton, were reported at the surface in the middle of the day near Portneuf-sur-Mer and Tadoussac. Krill usually rise to the surface at night. Meanwhile, whale watchers in Sept-Îles took a late-night tour on the water and caught sight of a harbour porpoise swimming through a fluorescent-green bioluminescent constellation. In the Mingan area, observers from the Mingan Island Cetacean Study (MICS) watched two humpback whales swimming near shore from the comfort of their front deck. These whales tend to swim further offshore, beyond the archipelago. Case in point: nine of them, including two cow/calf pairs, have been noted offshore near Anticosti Island, along with several minke whales and fin whales. Some new arrivals have also put in an appearance: white-beaked dolphins, five of which were mentioned this week. Also, there were around one thousand harp seals scattered about in groups of one hundred at a time. Light wind conditions made whale watching relatively easy off Gaspé and Percé this week. Despite rainy days, whale watchers remained vigilant. Numerous representatives of the three large rorqual whales continue to be seen and tour operators do not have to go very far to observe them. They (the humpback whales especially) are often grouped together in bays or near the shore. Blows, blows and even more blows are often visible on the horizon, further offshore.
5 July 2007, vol. 11 no26 Beautiful beluga whale encounters Conditions are great for watching beluga whales all the way from Saint-Siméon to Forestville. They are gathered in herds that are sometimes so numerous that they attract attention as they pass, even when whale watchers are already occupied with observing the great whales. On certain gloomy days, when the sky and the sea meld into one grey-black continuum, the image is rather striking: all of those pure white or grey (the younger animals) backs that emerge like bubbles at the surface of a boiling pot. They gather by the dozen, sometimes by the hundreds. The best sightings can be made from Noire Point at the mouth of the Saguenay Fjord and at Sainte-Marguerite Bay, further upstream. Being an endangered population, offshore observations are limited to a minimum approach distance of 400 metres. The nicknames of the great whales The MICS (Mingan Island Cetacean Study) team has reported approximately 50 fin whales north of Anticosti Island, with Zipper among them, just as many minke whales and a dozen humpback whales, including three cow/calf pairs, notably Tic Tac Toe with a calf! The situation remains stable off the Gaspé Peninsula, as much for the weather as for the presence of large rorqual whales. The roving MICS research team has identified a fair number of the humpback whales in this area, including Splish, Irisept, Leprechaun and two juveniles, one of which is Gaspar. The first humpback of the season has arrived in the Tadoussac area. It turns out to be the young Pi-rat, who was named during its lengthy stay in the Estuary in the company of Gaspar in 2006. Fin whales—either in pairs or on their own, including the loyal Capitaine Crochet—are very active near Tadoussac at high tide. While waiting for the sun When bad weather sticks around, outings, and consequently sightings, may become less frequent. Such was the case for whale watchers in the area between Baie-Comeau and Mingan. Yet, bad weather notwithstanding, there were a few great surprises. In the Sept-Îles archipelago a pair of harbour porpoises, a mother with its 50-cm-long calf, were seen leaping on the waves and swimming, curious, near boats, not typical behaviour for this timid St. Lawrence cetacean. A small group of whale watchers in Baie-Comeau spent two evenings in the port; two minke whales were surface feeding between the ferry docks “displaying their bellies, with capelin rising all around them and going crazy”. 12 July 2007, vol. 11 no27 Young'uns… High season is upon us and our Whale News Network maps reveal a variety of marine mammals throughout the St. Lawrence. The weather is variable, to say the least: sun, rain, fog and cold, sometimes all in the same day. This week many of our observers reported young whales. Beluga whales born in the summer The analysis of data collected by GREMM between 1989 and 2005 confirms that the calving period for St. Lawrence beluga whales begins in June, accelerates and then reaches a plateau in mid-August. Newborn calves, which are very dependent on their mothers, bond to form pairs that are particularly sensitive to human activities—such as boat traffic or offshore construction—that could disturb them, scare them, separate them or injure them. Since the tourist season follows essentially the same growth curve and plateau as beluga whale births, distance and caution are required for these small whales with their wrinkled, chocolate-coloured skin. They are present in the middle Estuary, at the head of the Laurentian Channel and in the Saguenay Fjord. Exuberant young rorqual whales As with all young mammals, whale calves learn about life by exploring their environment. A young and very curious fin whale in Sept-Îles spent three hours swimming around an immobile inflatable boat while its mother remained at a distance. Their curiosity and inexperience can expose them to certain dangers, such as when they explore fishing gear and boats up close. Evidence of this behaviour is written in the marks and scars that often etch their bodies during the wonder years. Games serve the same learning purpose. The exuberance of certain whale calves may be linked to play, feeding behaviour or social interaction. In the Tadoussac area, a young “breacher”, a fin whale, impressed many with its unusual and repetitive performances. As for young humpback whales, champions of aerial manoeuvres, they have been seen breaching and lobtailing. In Gaspé and off the western tip of Anticosti Island six young humpback whales were seen with their mothers, not to mention five young fin whales. The Whale News Network on Radio-Canada! You can now listen to our weekly bulletin, in French! Josiane Cabana (GREMM) takes to the airwaves on the première chaîne during the radio show “À voile ou à vapeur/i” animated by Jean Lemire and Josée Blanchette every Sunday between 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. and then on “Vent du large” animated by Richard Daigle every Tuesday around 3:30 p.m. in eastern Quebec. 19 July 2007, vol. 11 no28 Inshore whales… A quickly changing weather forecast, strong winds and storms offer up scenery and rainbows straight out of a Hollywood blockbuster! While waves may be a bit wild in certain whale-watching sectors, inshore scenery is well worth observing. A kayaker paddling near Les Escoumins encountered three humpback whales, while a young boy eating breakfast in Les Bergeronnes observed a fin whale—which was also eating—leaping out of the water as far as its belly button. Minke whales at the mouth of the Saguenay are pretty much a given this year; whale watchers at Noire Point see at least four per day, often breaching and surface feeding, while others skirt the rocks off the Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre (CIMM) in Tadoussac. Whale watchers who remain sheltered in bays along the Gaspé Peninsula have no regrets as they continue to observe many large rorqual whales. …and offshore birds The Gulf of St. Lawrence is often visited by offshore seabird species during the summer. Wilson's storm petrels, with their dark plumage and the silhouette of a swallow, walk on the water and feed on planktonic crustaceans and small squid. Although a rare occurrence, some northern fulmars make their way as far upstream as the Estuary. Fulmars are grey and resemble gulls. Yet, with their wings that remain rigid in flight, they alternate rapid wing movements with graceful gliding over the water's surface. Both of these species sometimes follow fishing boats and whales. As for birds that nest in the Estuary, large numbers of eider ducks are present in the Mingan area, both near the coast and around the islands themselves. One observer from Sept-Îles is pleased to note that the young eider chicks are growing up; being much stronger and swimming faster, they are now able to avoid predators. When these chicks were younger and swimming in large groups surrounded by adult females, gulls could often be seen hovering nearby waiting for the right moment to strike, diving and capturing a slow or isolated chick in their beaks. Emergency Response Network: three cases of accidental entanglement The Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network (1-877-722-5346) received three reports of whales entangled in fishing gear. A whale was spotted caught in lobster fishing lines south of Anticosti Island. When fishermen returned to the area, the whale had disappeared; it had either freed itself on its own or it simply sank with the fishing gear. A dead humpback whale was found caught in ropes off Labrador. While near Blanc-Sablon a minke whale freed itself on its own; unfortunately it left with an injured mouth. The Network's mission is to find solutions in order to reduce these very accidents for the benefit of the whales, but also for the fishermen who lose, or recover, damaged gear. 26 July 2007, vol. 11 no29 Environmentally friendly excursions in the Gaspé Peninsula At the ticket office of the excursion companies of the Gaspé Peninsula, when the tourists ask the famous question: “Are there any whales today? ”, the answer they get is: “Look in front of you, right here, around the wharf! ”. Every day of this week, the four rorqual whale species and harbour porpoises have been spotted swimming around, sometimes very close to the shore. Some rorqual whales have also shown their bellies when they jumped out of the water as was the case with a certain minke whale or with the calf of a well-known humpback whale called H573. The calf breached for about 35 minutes. Additionally, a blue whale was seen showing its tail as it dived, a behaviour observed in only a minority of individuals of this species (less than 20%). Such good observations for so little fuel consumed! On the northern side of the Forillon National Park, between the Anse-au-Griffon and the Cap-des-Rosiers, about 20 large rorqual whales (blue and fin whales) were observed gently blowing little clouds over their heads. And what if it was a hybrid? In the Tadoussac area, two captains have observed fin whales that looked quite odd to them, so odd in fact that they thought they were dealing with a hybrid fin/blue whale. Cross-breeding between these two genetically related species is very rare but possible, only five cases (three females and two males) have been documented up to now. One of these females was carrying a fetus, showing that these animals could be fertile as are the hybrids polar/brown bears but contrarily to the mule (donkey/horse hybrids) which cannot reproduce. In the case of this potential blue/fin whale hybrid, pictures and observations from a team of the GREMM has dissipated all doubts: it is simply a fin whale. The captains, however, had good reasons to believe they were dealing with a hybrid: this fin whale was actually swimming along with a blue whale for about two hours and the strange light of the stormy day colored the whale in a very blue whale-like fashion. Sainte-Marguerite Bay: a busy season for the beluga whales In the Saguenay Fjord, the Sainte-Marguerite Bay represents a privileged summer habitat for the beluga whales. From the lookout, observers of the Saguenay—St. Lawrence Marine Park noted that, up to now, the number of beluga whales present in the area is quite high this season, and that, since the beginning of June and despite the fact that the month of July is not over yet. This week, groups of 10 to 30 individuals with a high proportion of grey calves and juveniles have been spotted daily. They were especially active, surveying the entire bay, adopting the spyhopping position and emitting sounds analogous to mooing, mewing, or even creaking doors. Boats, also very abundant in this vacation period, must be very careful and take into consideration the presence of the beluga whales by keeping a distance of at least 400 metres from them. 2 August 2007, vol. 11 no30 Whales' summer activities in the St. Lawrence The St. Lawrence is a permanent residence for the beluga whale population that feeds, gives birth and creates a complex social organization in its waters. Adult males, juvenile males and females with their calves form the three types of social groups that can be encountered. For other species, including blue whales and fin whales, the St. Lawrence represents a summer habitat where they can rebuild their energy reserves, spending most of their time searching for preys and eating them. While feeding occupies the whales almost all day long, other activities can also be observed, sometimes even very close to the shore. Large rorqual whales with their calves Humpback whales give birth in warmer waters of the Caribbean during the winter season. Calves of the year that arrive in our territory, swimming nearby their mothers (or other adults) are between six and eight months old and approaching the end of their lactation period. The calves can stay with their mom for about a year (sometimes reaching two years). Observers from the Mingan Island Cetacean Study (MICS) have encountered twelve mother/calf pairs since the beginning of the season, an increasing trend noticed for the past three years. As for fin whales, the same trend is observed: three mother/calf pairs were observed in 2004, six in 2005, eleven in 2006 and already nine halfway through this summer. Mothers give birth every two to three years and keep their calf by their side for six to eight months. At the beginning of July, the Centre d'éducation et de recherche de Sept-Îles (CERSI) encountered a mother with its calf, and since then, they regularly observe interactions between the two individuals. The calf, very small in size, used to follow its mother very closely but is now gradually increasing the distance apart from her to explore its environment. That has also been observed with two other calves, larger than the previous one, who also swim farther away from their moms. For these small large rorqual whales, the first summer is a discovery period during which the calves can learn all about life in the St. Lawrence, rich in plankton, and undergo weaning while learning to search for food. Like all young mammals, once the appetite is satisfied, serious activities give place to play activities! In Gaspé and Percé, three young humpback whales are very dynamic: breaching, lobtailing (slapping the water with the tail) and producing lots of bubbles underneath the surface. In the area between Tadoussac and Les Escoumins, the presence of another calf of the year as been noted, not to forget the other two 2-years-old humpback whales who decided to go for a swim in the Saguenay Fjord, exploring the river as far as 15 km upstream. Beluga whales are observed performing sexual behaviours Considering the fact that beluga whales give birth from mid-June to mid-October, after a 15-months gestation period, we can deduce that the reproductive season takes place… in April. Nevertheless, some observers at the mouth of the Saguenay Fjord witnessed sexual activity during summer months as well. Last Saturday, in a group of about ten adults and juveniles, a few individuals were seen frolicking close to the ferries' navigation lanes and approaching the coast closer than 200 m in front of Noire Point, a terrestrial observation site at the mouth of the Saguenay. Turning and touching, the beluga whales let show their tails and pink-coloured penises in erection. This could, once again, be an instance of juveniles in a learning period. 9 August 2007, vol. 11 no31 White-sided Dolphins remain faithful to the St. Lawrence In the Gaspé Peninsula, the arrival of White-sided Dolphins is always impatiently awaited in early August and the dolphins are again punctual this year. 250 dolphins have been sighted in Gaspé as well as close to the Rocher-Percé and Bonaventure Island. Among all cetaceans, they are the most colourful, showing colour patterns with well-contrasted stripes. A black back and a white belly, a grey stripe as well as a white spot on its flanks and a yellow spot on the peduncle make up the species' unique coloration. With a very quick and energetic style, it gives the impression to fly over the waves. The species can also perform very impressive jumps out of the water. This dolphin lives in temperate waters of the North Atlantic. On the Eastern coast of the United States, they can be found around New York's latitude and in the Gulf of Maine. In summer, they tend to move closer to coasts and travel towards higher latitudes, sometimes as far as Greenland. They enter the Gulf of the St. Lawrence where they have been sighted for the last two weeks. They can occasionally go further into the St. Lawrence estuary where observers have had the chance to see about 30 of them on July 31st, among a group of harbour porpoises offshore of Tadoussac. Blue whales in the estuary The arrival of blue whales is always startling: approximately 25 metres long, its agile body, speckled blue-grey in colour, seems to be endless as the whale comes to breathe at the surface. However, observations, identification and research on this “endangered” population are not easy. Solitary and nomadic, it can dive up to 30 minutes. Blue whales visit the north shore of the St. Lawrence quite regularly and they can be observed in the estuary, very close to the shore. Considering its “endangered” status, boats cannot approach this species closer than 400m. Since the beginning of the summer, less than 10 sporadic observations have been made, including that of Pewter. This week, observers in the Bergeronnes and Escoumins areas had the chance to meet three of these giants of the see. At Portneuf-sur-Mer, there would be five individuals, including three who are already present in the blue whale catalogue from the MICS (Mingan Island Cetacean Study) which counts 500 individuals: B245, Popeye and Jawbreaker. Since this species has a very small dorsal fin, Richard Sears, who founded the MICS, developed a technique by which he photo-identifies blue whales using the unique speckled colour pattern on the flanks. 16 August 2007, vol. 11 no32 Exceptional behaviour… for whale watchers at least! Cetaceans spend 90 percent of their time under water. Then, when they do finally surface, only a small portion of their body mass becomes visible. The variety of species and great abundance of individuals present—especially at the head of the Laurentian Channel—increase our chances of seeing behaviour that appears quite exceptional…to us at least. In fact much of this activity is simply daily routine for many of these large animals. They are supple Equipped with a powerful telescope installed on the lookout point at St. Marguerite Bay in the Saguenay Fjord, a park warden/naturalist observed a beluga whale nodding its head above the water’s surface. As it turns out, beluga whales, narwhals and fresh water dolphins are the only cetaceans that have retained any flexibility in their necks. While all whales have seven cervical vertebrae—as do most mammals—these are often compressed and sometimes joined into one solid mass. The head’s stability is thus assured during rapid movements through the water. Without this feature many whales would be constantly nodding their heads in an involuntary manner, wasting precious energy. …powerful Nothing equals a true-life, personal, sensory experience to contemplate the power of the blows of large rorqual whales. One loyal observer reported hearing the blows of fin whales a full three seconds after having noted clouds of condensation forming over their heads. Sound travels at a speed of 340 m/s at 15° C, which means that the fin whales in question were one kilometre away. Only powerful sounds, such as thunder or explosions, can be heard from such a distance. Experience is also there to remind us that sound is a vibratory movement; when fin whales are closer the sound of their blows can be felt through one’s body. Wowwww! …and sometimes very curious They are young and curious, visiting boats, exploring the undersides of their hulls, and they sometimes even bring their heads out of the water to spy on us or to watch us pass by. These are the terms used to describe Pi-rat, the juvenile humpback whale presently in the Les Escoumins-Les Bergeronnes area, as well as a young minke whale calf that appears to be having fun beneath the CERSI research boat in Sept-Îles and two beluga whales in the Portneuf-sur-Mer area that have shown a marked interest in the Mériscope research boat’s hydrophone. Small groups of harbour porpoises can often be seen frolicking in the wakes of boats, especially when there is a calf among them. Grey seals will occasionally swim up and stare at whale watchers and, when they breathe, it is possible to observe their large, round nostrils opening and closing. 23 August 2007, vol. 11 no33 A humpback whale among the divers off Les Escoumins The Marine Environment Discovery Centre in Les Escoumins consists of a dive centre, an exhibition and an observation post situated on the north shore of the St. Lawrence. On Tuesday morning a humpback whale approached and swam around a couple of divers a mere 100 metres from shore. The divers describe a dark mass at the edge of the “fog”: the distance at which visibility limits the ability to discern objects with any degree of precision. The tail movement and size of the animal left no doubt as to what it was they were observing. Those perched high and dry along the shore and in the lookout gallery sized up its silhouette as the animal moved near the surface. The whale approached the two divers, swam around them and then between their bubbles and the rocky shore. It was so close that it appeared to be rubbing up against the rocks. This exceptional event lasted but a few minutes. A festival of blue whales near Gaspé In Gaspé, our regular observer has been reporting the daily presence of approximately 10 blue whales for the past two weeks: a blue festival! Essentially, the action appears to be taking place in Gaspé Bay, but blue whales are also visible further off shore. With two thirds of the summer season behind us, there are noticeably more blue whales visiting the area than any other species, particularly fin whales. Blue whale blows were sighted from shore as early as April and May this year. When whale-watching vessels began heading off shore on June 1, sightings of these 25-metre, 80-tonne giants became a daily occurrence. This week, two blue whales were seen swimming side by side and diving simultaneously, both fluking up their tails. Only 15 percent of these generally solitary animals bring their tails above the surface as they dive deep. Fin whales at Pointe-des-Monts While the observation of fin whales in this area is an occasional occurrence, a total of nine fin whales were spotted this week, often very close to shore and in formation. Further northeast a whale watcher from Gallix mentions having sighted six to seven fin whales, several of which have returned every year since 1998. He is able to identify them by their very distinctive markings. One of the fin whales is missing its right tail fluke. Consequently, it raises its tail above the surface every time it prepares to dive. This is not typical fin whale behaviour. This species has been nicknamed the “greyhound of the seas” due to its long, thin shape and ability to swim very rapidly. 30 August 2007, vol. 11 no34 Focus on gregarious species This week our observers report small, gregarious marine mammals such as seals, harbour porpoises and dolphins. Over the course of the coming Labour Day weekend another gregarious species will also be present in the Estuary: pleasure boaters! Sharing such a territory, especially with so many different species, requires a great deal of tolerance and respect! The seals of the Estuary A harbour seal sunning itself on the rocks near Cape Bon Désir struck the typical “banana” pose; that is to say it was lying on its side with head and posterior flippers curved up. Harbour seals are most common on the South Shore of the Estuary, near the Bic islands. This species is gregarious on its haul-out sites. In the water it tends to be solitary and is easily recognizable by its dog-shaped head. There have been two reports of harbour seals in Sainte-Marguerite Bay, in the Saguenay Fjord. This little-known population—estimated at 600 animals—resides year-round in the St. Lawrence. Along with the beluga whale, harbour seals are among the most contaminated mammals. Harbour seals share their haul-out sites with grey seals, which are much larger in size and more abundant. A group of 70 grey seals was spotted south of the Prince Shoal lighthouse off Tadoussac. A few smaller groups were also seen off Portneuf-sur-Mer. “We can hear the River breathing”…“the River is boiling”… Whale watchers in Portneuf-sur-Mer have fallen under the charms of the many harbour porpoises, whose loud breathing fills the air on calm days. Among the animals observed were yearling calves swimming actively in groups of two to three at a time. White-beaked dolphins caused “the River to boil” as they passed near Gaspé both offshore and within a half of a mile of the Gaspé Bay shoreline. The Mingan Archipelago also has its share of small cetaceans with huge numbers of harbour porpoises and a herd of white-beaked dolphins. Large numbers of weekend pleasure boaters in the Tadoussac area Traditionally, during the three-day-long Labour Day weekend, the Tadoussac area becomes thick with pleasure boats. Record numbers of these vessels, which include sailboats, speedboats and sea kayaks, appear and congregate around whales. However, it is a proven fact that large concentrations of boats disturb whales. Consequently, Saguenay—St. Lawrence Marine Park Regulations include several measures to ensure the dispersal of boats. It is a good time to become informed, use good judgement and do one's part to show respect for the whales! 6 September 2007, vol. 11 no35 Dolphin rescue in Sept-Îles Early in the morning, on September 2, the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network (1-877-722-5346) received a call about a white-sided dolphin that had become stranded by the falling tide on a beach in Sept-Îles on Innu territory at Poste Point. Although the animal appeared to be in good health, it nonetheless showed signs of fatigue and appeared to be suffering from the heat of a blazing sun. While bystanders continuously sprayed it down, work was being carried out to coordinate its return to the sea. The effort would require a fisheries officer and a biologist from Fisheries and Oceans Canada, local volunteers and the police. A tarp was slid under the dolphin's body, an apparently easy task according to volunteers. After an initial aggressive reaction, the animal appeared to appreciate the presence of its rescuers who provided it with shade. Covering the distance back to the water would not prove easy. Ten people and several stops along the way were necessary to transport the 2.5 m, 250 kg cetacean. By the end of the morning it was heading out to sea after having swum in circles near the surface for 20 minutes. It was not re-sighted in the area, which is a good sign. Fisheries officers in the Magdalen Islands performed a similar intervention with success several days later, on September 5. Unfortunately, this white-sided dolphin was found dead the following day a few nautical miles from where it had been returned to the water. The skeleton will be mounted and on display at the Islands' Aquarium. The stranding of a solitary representative of this gregarious species is often a sign that the animal is sick and destined to die. A killer whale spotted off Anticosti Island The MICS team, based in at Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, had not seen one since 1999. This killer whale was observed on Parent Bank fishing grounds approximately six miles west of Anticosti Island. The details of this exceptional sighting will soon be available on the MICS Website at www.rorqual.com. The killer whale is a large dolphin that is characterized by a black and white colouration and a tall, vertical dorsal fin. It is a gregarious species that lives in complex social groups. Its hunting strategies are elaborate; killer whales occasionally attack prey larger than themselves when they are in a pack. A group of five to six killer whales—including a male known as Jacknife because of its notched dorsal fin—regularly visited the Gulf in the 1990s. The most recent sighting in the Estuary dates back to 2003 when two killer whales were seen off Les Bergeronnes. 13 September 2007, vol. 11 no36 More whales than tourists off the Gaspé Coast! Large rorqual whales have been present off the Gaspé Coast since early June, their numbers varying between 3 and 20. Some blue whales, like Opéra, have been in the area since the beginning of the season. Blue whales have been especially present in Gaspé Bay this year, sometimes very near shore. In the words of one local tour operator, “We have saved about 25 percent on fuel costs this year. It makes for more ecological tours that are more comfortable, out of the wind.” Whereas summer visitors have returned to school and work, the whales remain. A dozen fin whales carry out manoeuvres, deploying their throat pouches to feed near the surface. One sonar screen confirmed the feast: large schools of small fish are gathered between the surface and a depth of approximately 10 metres. White-sided dolphins have tipped the tourist to whale ratio. Approximately 50 of them were spotted off Gaspé, while near Percé they were between 150 and 200. Large, white herds: beluga whales in pre-migratory mode In the Estuary, a herd composed of between 150 and 200 adult and grey-skinned young beluga whales are off the Tadoussac sand dunes, swimming towards the waters south of Rouge Island. Gathered in groups of 7, 10 or 20 at a time, with less than a body length between them, the beluga whales are very dynamic, swimming fast and vocalising at the surface, creaking, whistling and growling. Two hypotheses exist to explain the gatherings that have been witnessed since August. Members of this gregarious, permanent resident species are either preparing to move back to their wintering grounds further downstream or are adopting a specific feeding behaviour associated with this time of year. Tide rips are a major point of interest The St. Lawrence is animated by strong tidal currents from the Atlantic Ocean, the River itself and its tributaries. Depending on their strength, density and temperature, these water masses will either mix or not, forming strips or plumes of various colours at the surface. This mixing promotes the accumulation of plankton, krill, small and large fish, birds and marine mammals. And, of course, tour operators are at the top of this food chain, bringing visitors to consume the largest of the marine mammals—the whales—with their eyes and cameras. September is traditionally the month when ornithologists flock to the Tadoussac sand dunes: a major migration corridor for birds of prey. One group decided to charter a whale-watching boat in order to head offshore. Following the rip tides between Les Escoumins and Tadoussac for the better part of a day, these sharp-eyed observers saw parasitic jaegers, red phalaropes and an Arctic tern. Other lucky ornithologists spotted all three species of Jaeger (parasitic, pomarine and long-tailed) and a Sabine's gull. 20 September 2007, vol. 11 no37 Researchers in Sept-Îles observe two stable pairs of fin whales For three weeks now the team from the Centre d'éducation et de recherche de Sept-Îles (CERSI) has been observing four fin whales in stable pairs every time they go on the water. This sighting is a rare one for these rorqual whales that come to feed in the St. Lawrence every summer. Fin whales tend to be either solitary or gather together only briefly when feeding. In each of the observed pairs the whales swim in close proximity to one another in a synchronized manner. One of whales, nicknamed Hémicau, has been present in the area since July 2 and was up until recently always seen on its own. This fin whale is easy to distinguish from others due to the fact that it is missing one tail fluke, causing it to swim rather slowly. Furthermore, when it dives it arcs its back in preparation for a dive, its caudal peduncle surfaces, followed by its tail fluke. According to observations, the whale paired up with Hémicau appears to pace itself in order to swim at the same speed and in the same manner. CERSI's Anik Boileau postulates that these fin whale pairs could be composed of a male and a female preparing for the winter mating season. This type of behaviour is often associated with another large rorqual species: the blue whale. Mingan Island Cetacean Study (MICS) founder Richard Sears is conducting a research project into the stable blue whale pairs that appear in the St. Lawrence every fall. Biopsy samples have revealed that the vast majority of pairs consist of a male and a female. Furthermore, the female—generally larger than her male counterpart—retains the lead; the male maintains its aft position. Pair formation is likely a precursor to mating; given that blue whales mate in winter, fall is the ideal time for a male to “position itself” near a female. Are these pairs still together when it comes time to mate? It is hard to say, as winter sightings are practically non-existent. Are pairs faithful from one season to the next? Probably not. This project will be expanded with the addition of acoustical and radio tracking data. 27 September 2007, vol. 11 no38 Autumn whales It became official last Sunday; fall is upon us and St. Lawrence tour-boat operators will soon be calling it a season. Yet, large rorqual whales are still swimming the waters around the Gaspé Peninsula as well as off Portneuf-sur-Mer, where two blue whale pairs have been noted inshore swimming waters a mere 12 metres in depth. Meanwhile, fin whales (including a cow/calf pair) have been sighted in the Tadoussac-Les Bergerones area along with the numerous minke whales feeding at the mouth of the Saguenay. Large herds, small population Groups of beluga whales have been gathering into impressive herds of 10 to 200 animals at a time since mid-August. These herds have been noted mainly at the head of the Laurentian Channel. In certain herds, beluga whales have been particularly active, notably large bucks and juveniles spending a lot of time at the surface, accentuating the impression of profusion. Over the course of a day on the water aboard the Bleuvet, the GREMM's research team evaluates the size of herds by counting the number of beluga whales in each group—at 30-minute intervals—all the while ensuring that they do not count the same group twice. How do they do it? The researchers visually track one, or several, easily-identifiable, scarred or marked individuals within a given group. This individual monitoring is essential as herds are constantly mutating: they move, split up, reform and so on. Yet, as the beluga whales have gathered at the head of the Laurentian Channel, it means that they are not present elsewhere on their summer range. Case in point: a one-day survey of the zone between Tête-au-Chien Cape, Cacouna and Lièvres Island revealed a grand total of… seven beluga whales. While it is possible to take in as much as one fifth of the entire population at the Channel Head, this does not mean that beluga whales are just as numerous elsewhere on their summer range or that this threatened population now numbers in excess of the 1000 animals estimated by Fisheries and Oceans Canada aerial surveys. Even when they gather in large herds, beluga whales still merit our respect and should not be approached to within a distance of 400 metres. Migratory birds take a breather The passage of Canada geese, with their classic V-formations and their typical calls, attracts attention skyward. These migratory birds are also in the habit of resting on the water's surface. They can be observed, appearing quite distinguished, in the rip tides between Tadoussac and Les Bergeronnes. Also of note: the exceptional advent of a dozen Sabine's gulls. These juvenile birds, hatched in the Arctic this summer, have been infiltrating groups of terns, Bonaparte's gulls and black-legged kittiwakes. They can be differentiated by their brown back, unique pattern in their primary black feathers and their forked tail. This species habitually migrates off Newfoundland, heading south towards the equatorial regions of the Atlantic Ocean. Yet, a number of them seek out a shorter route, passing over the North American continent. 4 October 2007, vol. 11 no39 Marine turtles in the Magdalen Islands A fisherman reports having seen an adult leatherback turtle five nautical miles off Millerand in the Magdalen Islands on September 25. He also mentions that four turtles were also seen near the Islands two to three weeks previously. Earlier this summer, a professional diver reported a two-foot-long turtle in a lagoon. Leatherback turtles are seasonal visitors to the Gulf and Estuary. They measure between 130 and 180 cm in length. Their carapace does not have scales, but gives resembles dark-brown leather, with dorsal ridges, hence the name. All sightings reported to the toll-free number 1-800-863-5884 contribute to the recovery of this endangered species and enable researchers to better understand how it lives. The leatherback turtle is considered endangered by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). It is one of four endangered species, including the North Atlantic right whale, to appear on a new series of stamps issued by Canada Post. Fewer outings, but the whales are still present along the North Shore… Despite several days of wind and fog, whale-watching excursions are still a daily occurence. Whale watchers, tour operators and tourists are taking advantage of the low-angled autumn light to view marine mammals in greater detail, set in the backdrop of the warm colours of the leaves along the shore. During its most recent transect between Tadoussac and Les Bergeronnes, the GREMM research team identified ten fin whales, including Zipper—who was seen to breach twice in a row—, Triangle, Squiggly and Bp049, who has been present in the area since mid-June. The CERSI team noted a pair of blue whales and five fin whale pairs on September 28, four nautical miles off the mouth of the St. Marguerite River between Sept-Îles and Port-Cartier. Whale watchers off Portneuf-sur-Mer reported a herd of 40 harbour porpoises along with a minke whale that has aroused their curiosity. Due to its size and the power of its blow, this “small rorqual” more resembles a juvenile fin whale! … and around the Gaspé Peninsula! While there are fewer large rorquals, and those that are left have left Gaspé Bay, two fin whales and two blue whales have been seen off the Cape. A humpback whale took everyone by surprise! It is a newcomer to the area. The most recent humpback whale sightings near Gaspé date back to early September. It easily recognized by a crater-like scar on its backbone that resembles a fountain as the whale arcs its back to dive. Meanwhile, approximately 50 harbour porpoises and a dozen minke whales can be spotted off Percé. 11 October 2007, vol. 11 no40 Noire Point: a land-based whale-watching site undergoes decontamination Situated at the mouth of the Saguenay Fjord, this Saguenay—St. Lawrence Marine Park interpretation centre offers visitors an exhibit, interpretation activities and an incomparable vantage point. The strong upwelling near the 20-metre-deep sill and the confluence of currents from the Fjord and the Estuary make this a privileged summer observation promontory for watching beluga and minke whales. The estuarine sentinel of Noire Point is also as an alignment reference; two beacons help ships enter the Fjord safely. The site will be closed until the end of November for soil decontamination. The work consists of excavating the soil and transporting it to an authorized site. The alignment beacons were automated in 1979, however the lighthouse keeper continued to live on site until 1981. Waste and residue from various activities on the site persist in the soil. These include hydrocarbons, metals, batteries, motor parts and so forth. A test of the waters bordering the site in 2005 revealed no traces of contamination resulting from the leaching of rainwater towards the River. While the Interpretation Centre and specific portions of the site will be closed during the decontamination work, the old lighthouse keeper's house remains accessible; this is a great place from which to observe beluga and minke whales. They live up to their name as “greyhounds of the sea”! CERSI, based in Sept-îles, reports an awesome observation this week. Two fin whales were seen swimming a linear trajectory in a synchronized manner, one behind the other. Swimming powerfully and rapidly, the animals dived for only short periods just beneath the surface. Their heads and blows created an explosive noise each time they surfaced. The two fin whales maintained formation for 10 breathing sequences out of 12: one behind the other, with the lead animal slightly to the right. The research team was not able to track the whales for very long; they covered two nautical miles in six minutes at a speed of 20 knots (37 km/hr). Astronomical numbers of grey seals off Tadoussac Such large gatherings are usually associated with the mating season in the Gulf, from late December to February, and with the annual moult from March to June. This species frequents the Estuary during the summer to feed on small fish. The formation of these herds could be indicative of feeding strategies or of pre-migratory movements. Grey seals, assembled along the shore, sometimes vocalize quite loudly. This gave rise to the local nickname of loup marin (sea wolf in English). Their long howls can be heard up to three kilometres away on a calm day. 18 October 2007, vol. 11 no41 Three white-sided dolphins beached in the Magdalen Islands On the morning of October 13, the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network was advised that three white-sided dolphins were stranded on a beach at Havre-Basque in the Magdalen Islands. Two were successfully returned to the open sea, possibly to join a group of their pairs swimming not far off. The third succumbed to its injuries. This incident brings to mind two similar cases that transpired at Sept-Îles and in the Magdalen Islands in early September. Each time the dolphin was put back out to sea, apparently in good shape, it was found dead the following day or several days later. While unfortunate, this is not an unusual occurrence. White-sided dolphins are abundant in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and occasionally a weak or sick animal will become stranded on a beach. If you witness marine mammals that are either in trouble or dead in St. Lawrence waters, please contact the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network toll free (1-877-722-5346). Whale still present All whale watchers agree; strong winds complicated whale-watching activities this week. Despite a wild and woolly St. Lawrence over the weekend, persistent whale watchers in this late stage of the season reported a total of four different whale species, on top of the white-sided dolphins in the Magdalen Islands. Minke whales remain a staple at the mouth of the Saguenay Fjord in the Tadoussac area. One of these agile animals breached repeatedly and spectacularly on Wednesday, October 17. Also, a total of five fin whales continue to swim these waters. A herd beluga whales were seen moving rapidly in tight formation a little further downstream, off Les Bergeronnes. There were four minke whale sightings off Cape Bon Désir, while a solitary harbour porpoise surfaced within metres of the base of the Cape. Continuing our downstream survey, a South Shore inn-keeper near Saint-Anne-des-Monts, reports a minke whale swimming by on two separate occasions this week. Similar sightings were also reported in Sept-Îles. So, for those who think whales have left the St. Lawrence, think again! Birds by the thousands Migrating birds are also on the water in this autumn of abundance. Sea ducks are present in large numbers; in Sept-Îles, thick clouds of black wings—surf scoters and mergansers for the most part—glide about above the waves. Shore dwellers have confirmed that nearly all double-crested cormorants have left the area. Also known as locally as the corbeau marin (sea crow in English), cormorants migrate towards the east coast of the United States down to the Gulf of Mexico. Thousands of black-legged kittiwakes have also been reported in the Tadoussac area. This seabird only approaches the shore to mate, perching on vertical cliffs giving onto the sea. With a world population estimated at nearly five million mating pairs, it is one of the most abundant seabirds in the Northern Hemisphere. Quite a flock! 25 October 2007, vol. 11 no42 A fall of finbacks! Hardly one day went by last week without mention of fin whales in the sector between Tadoussac and Bergeronnes. On the 18th, it was one fin whale who was swimming 300 metres from the cape of Bon Desir. On the 20th, a GREMM research assistant photographed four individuals and on the 22nd, small groups of fin whales were spread out around the head of the Laurential channel, sometimes by pair, sometimes by group of four, five or six. Squiggly, Clairon et Hibou, three identified fin whales, always move around close to Tadoussac. The fin whale is known for its rapid swimming speeds that can reach 40km/h, as well as for its lanceolate body, but its most distinctive characteristic is without question the assymetrical pigmentation of its lower jaw, which is dark grey on the left side and creamy white on the right. This assymetry extends even to part of the whale's baleen plates. At this time of year, water visibility is exceptional and so it is often possible to see the whale's jaws cleave the water seconds before the whale surfaces to breathe. Truly an impressive spectacle! Where do they go during the winter? On October 22rd, the GREMM research team photographed a fin whale newly arrived in this sector of the estuary. This observation shows that the whales are still in search of food during this time of year, and that they have not all yet begun their winter migration. Contrary to the humpback whales, the fin whales of the North Atlantic do not assemble in one specific breeding grounds. Instead, they make short displacements to the south of their feeding grounds. Work on acoustic surveillance was done from September 1991 to August 1992 by using a network of hydrophones laid down on the seabed. While it is true that fin whale vocalizations were recorded all year round with these hydrophones, the number of recorded vocalizations near Canada reached a peak in February and in May. These vocalizations could indicate a migration towards the south in the fall and then towards the north at the end of winter. This means that here in Tadoussac we still have time to enjoy the presence of these mighty leviathans! 1 November 2007, vol. 11 no43 Life on the eve of the month of the dead With the tolling of the knell, October passes away signalling an official end to the tourist season for the entire St. Lawrence. The last of the tour boats in the Tadoussac region returned to their winter headquarters early this week. Yet, on the eve of the month of the dead and on the occasion of the grievous festivity that is Hallowe'en, the St. Lawrence is teeming with life! In total, four cetacean species are still visible in the St. Lawrence Gulf and Estuary. As witnessed from the GREMM's offices, the mouth of the Saguenay is the daily stage of surface-feeding minke whales. A whale watcher stationed on the shore of Bon Désir Bay near Les Bergeronnes has also reported sighting a minke whale nearly every day and sometimes several times per day. What's more, beluga whales make the list of observation reports of other autumnal collaborators. On Monday, October 29, while members of the GREMM research team were getting ready to haul their research boats out of the water for the winter, they noticed a group of adult beluga whales criss-crossing the mouth of the Saguenay. What set this sighting apart was the presence of Chérubin, a twenty-year-old male. This was the first 2007sighting of this whale. Groups of 50 to 200 beluga whales at a time swim past Bon Désir Cape in the Les Bergeronnes area on a regular basis. Grey-coloured individuals were also seen rolling over each other, heads and pectoral fins breaking the surface; this stunning behaviour is typical of juvenile animals. Near Grande-Rivière, along the Gaspé Peninsula, two humpback whales were reported six nautical miles from shore, one of them a juvenile animal that attracted the attention of the Centre d'étude et de protection de la baleine noire du Saint-Laurent (CEPBaN) that happened to be navigating in the area. They also noticed two minke whales. On another note, ornithologists posted on the Tadoussac dunes, east of town, spotted the blows of three fin whales in the heart of the Laurentian Channel. The area between Tadoussac and Les Bergeronnes is also the seasonal home of grey seals and harbour seals, which are occasionally seen stretched out on a rock in their signature “banana” pose. Aside from marine mammals, the St. Lawrence is presently under siege by seabirds, harbingers of winter. Some of these birds, such as the dovekies or the red-throated loons, are simply passing through. Others, including Arctic gulls, Barrow's goldeneys and common goldeneyes, will winter over here. 8 November 2007, vol. 11 no44 Noël was early this year! Early November was marked by the passage of post-tropical storm Noël that literally swept the Maritimes with winds of up to 160 km/h, 10 cm of rain and up to 20 cm of snow on the ground. The hardest hit regions of Quebec were the Magdalen Islands, the Gaspé Peninsula, the North Shore and the Lower St. Lawrence. Yet, it appears that storms as major as Noël do not discourage rorqual whales from visiting a raging St. Lawrence River! In fact, a dozen minke whale sightings were made at the mouth of the Saguenay River and the head of the Laurentian Channel this week. A whale watcher from Les Bergeronnes sent in the following report: “Wednesday afternoon October 31 as well as Friday afternoon November 2 a fin whale was swimming upstream and along the edge of the Bon Désir Bay tidal flats. These were very large whales, although I can't be sure if it was a different whale each time.” GREMM observers reported at least three fin whales in the area near Paradis Marin (Les Escoumins) on Friday. One of the whales was Newkie Brown, a well-known individual last photographed in the area in mid-August. The following day, two of these fin whales were seen between Tadoussac and Les Bergeronnes, while another individual surfaced very close to the rocks near Les Escoumins. Along with the fin whales, beluga whales are still present in the area-in groups of as many as one hundred at a time-along with grey seals and harbour seals. A harbour porpoise was also reported at the mouth of the Saguenay, a rare sight indeed! Whales and storms To land-lovers like us, the marine environment appears to be a dangerous and hostile environment while under the influence of a storm, but whales are well adapted and seem to take it all in stride. When waves become serious, we often see whales moving higher out of the water, which allows them to be above the waves when they breathe. It is easy to imagine that they also intuitively know how the water will “behave”, determine the rhythm of the waves and calculate the best time and place to surface. After all, they require but a few fractions of a second-a full second at most-to fill their lungs. Nonetheless, storms may affect them on different level; large waves often sweep their prey around, causing the whales to change their distribution patterns in the days following strong winds. A dolphin in the wind! On Monday, November 5, a white-sided dolphin was found stranded and alive on a beach in the Magdalen Islands. Several attempts were made to return it to sea, but the dolphin became stranded again and again, pushed ashore by the strong waves of the storm. The next day the bruised and battered dolphin was euthanized. Noël is not always a happy occasion… 15 November 2007, vol. 11 no45 Late encounters In mid-November it is always surprising to encounter whales that we often think left for the Atlantic Ocean with the onset of autumn. This week, minke whales lightened up the dismal days of November at the mouth of the Saguenay Fjord. On Monday, a GREMM observer contemplated the prowess of a minke whale swimming off the Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre in Tadoussac. The whale was likely feeding on schools of fish. Later the same day two of them could be seen off the tip of Islet Point. Based on their body markings, dorsal fins and tails, GREMM researchers believe they were Artiste and El International. These regular visitors to the St. Lawrence Estuary and the mouth of the Saguenay are part of the catalogue that has been assembled by the ORES research group based in Les Bergeronnes. The following day a GREMM research assistant, who happened to be taking his daily walk on the rocks of Islet Point, was met by four feeding minke whales that suddenly surfaced. Photographs taken on the fly from shore may allow ORES researchers to identify these late visitors, and possibly confirm t |