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Archives – The whale news network 1999The 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 of 1999. 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.
Friday May 14 1999, vol. 3 no 2 Scoop of the week Last Thursday and Friday, a fin whale was observed off Port-au-Persil in the Charlevoix area . This species does not usually swim further up the St. Lawrence Estuary than Tadoussac. The fin whale feeds mainly on small fish. This particular whale may have simply been following a school of capelin. Every species has its explorers! Captain Hook Two fin whales were seen traipsing around between Tadoussac and Grandes-Bergeronnes this week. One of them could be Captain Hook, a fin whale recognizable by the shape of its hooked dorsal fin. Last summer, GREMM researchers took a small piece of skin from this whale for genetic analysis. We’ll soon know whether its a male or a female. A story worth following! St. Lawrence residents Belugas are the only cetaceans that reside in the St. Lawrence year round. They usually move downstream into the Gulf for the winter, however, some of our observers have confirmed sightings all winter long off Les Escoumins, which is in their summer range. Fin whales already? By the end of March and the beginning of April, observers were sighting fin whales in the Gulf and the Estuary of the St. Lawrence. This is early for this species. Where were they this winter? What were they doing? Why are they back so early this spring? It is difficult to imagine what motivates the movements of these animals. They remain mysterious despite the best efforts of researchers to go through the looking glass. The winter blues (sequel) To see blue whales in the St. Lawrence in the winter is not that rare. But to watch four blue whales feeding near the surface off Les Escoumins before the end of April is an uncommon spectacle that celebrates the return of spring and the biological wealth of the St. Lawrence. A giant’s baby The prize for the biggest baby in the St. Lawrence this year will certainly go to the young blue whale seen with its mother on April 28 off Percé. This sighting is rare and precious, as barely a dozen cow-calf pairs of this species have been observed in the St. Lawrence since the end of the 1970’s. Keep an eye out! From the shore, from whale watching boats or from ferries, the St. Lawrence offers up a wide range of extraordinary things to see. Whales, seals, seabirds, scenery, all underscore the rich and dynamic nature of its ecosystems. Things to look for at this time of the year : feeding minke whales, snow geese and Canada geese flying in formation, gannets diving for capelin, and so much more! News from the Cousteau team Over the last few weeks, the crew of the Alcyone navigated all the way upstream to Montreal. They mention several whale sightings, in particular harbour porpoise in the Gulf and fin whales near Baie-Comeau. These are the first recorded sightings of harbour porpoise in the St. Lawrence this year. Friday May 21st 1999, vol. 3 no 3 Scoop of the week Last Sunday a fin whale was spotted in the Port-au-Persil area, well upstream of the usual range of this species. This sighting was even more remarkable as the 50 tonne giant was feeding in a school of capelin near the surface. Witnesses got an eyeful: gaping mouth, baleen plates, pectoral fins, distended belly... A truly humbling experience. Baby belugas Among the belugas that frequent the mouth of the Saguenay Fjord these days, we have been noticing a large number of very young animals. Tiny and dark, they are easy to distinguish from the pure white adults. Have you been fortunate enough to observe belugas on your whale watching tour? Keep in mind that you were very privileged! These whales are endangered in the St. Lawrence and are excluded from whale watching activities by virtue of a code of ethics elaborated by the government and the whale watching industry. Gannets! Gannets! Gannets! Gannets can be seen in huge numbers near the shore in the Sept-Îles area performing impressive aerial acrobatics. These massive birds plunge headfirst, piercing the surface to grab fish that they spot from on high. They appear to be returning to this area in greater numbers every year. Wandering fin whales These large whales couldn’t sit still this week in the Tadoussac -Les Escoumins area. The three or four individuals spotted last Saturday between Grandes-Bergeronnes and Tadoussac were nowhere to be seen in this sector for the rest of the week. Two of them showed up near Les Escoumins and one of them was sighted off the Tadoussac Dunes on Thursday. Their territory is proportional to their size. It is impossible to see them all on just a three hour tour. You never know what to expect when you go out on the water or stroll along the shore. Harlequins The harlequin is possibly the most beautiful of our marine ducks. Numbering under 1000, this species is considered endangered in eastern North America. Every spring, approximately 10 % of this population assembles between Cape Gaspé and Cape Bon-Ami on the Gaspé Peninsula. Forillon Park wardens counted 119 of these ducks last week. Bounty of the sea Observers caught sight of immense schools of capelin last week near Les Escoumins. This springtime godsend should attract all kinds of hungry takers: whales, seals and birds. Keep an eye out! Friday May 28 1999, vol. 3 no 4 Scoop of the week A minke whale blew the crowd away this week near Grandes-Bergeronnes by performing ten complete breaches! Why use up so much energy? It’s hard to say... This behaviour didn’t seem to be tied to feeding, reproductive or other type of essential biological activity. It could be that this whale was simply expressing a certain joie de vivre! Two big mouths Two fin whales were treating themselves to schools of capelin seen wriggling at the surface last May 24 in the area between Tadoussac and Les Escoumins. Picture this: a fin whale gobbles up nearly 20 000 litres of water and fish per mouthful. It then uses its tongue and throat muscles to expel all of the water through the filter that is formed by its baleen, retaining nothing but the fish.
"Beaters" The waters between Tadoussac and Forestville are "seething" with harp seals (beaters) at the moment. These seals are generally considered to be winter visitors to the Estuary, but, for the last few years, they have been observed on a regular basis in large groups in the spring and over the summer. The sudden appearance of sixty or so seals at the surface is a spectacle to behold. What liveliness! A ferry in the land of the giants The ferry that links Forestville to Rimouski plies the same waters as the largest animals the world has ever known. Over the course of last week, her crew plotted the presence of a blue whale and three fin whales... and the season has barely begun! News from the shore The Baie-Sainte-Catherine quay was a great place to go minke whale watching this week. On certain mornings there were as many of five of them. They were often seen feeding near the surface! This whale was also observed in Tadoussac Bay and at the mouth of the Saguenay Fjord. It’s not necessary to whistle to call them: minke whales come for the capelin! All it takes is patience... and a little luck. Seagulls? Seagulls are often associated to the back yards of certain restaurants in the city... but be observant! Though you’ll often see herring gulls and ring-billed gulls in urban areas, you’ll never see a black legged kittiwake. Small and graceful, they have an all yellow beak and, as the name suggests, black legs. Their cry is another way of distinguishing them from seagulls. They were very numerous this week in the Tadoussac-Les Escoumins area, especially where two currents meet. A noteworthy bird.... Parrot Island "L’île aux Perroquets" is not in the Tropics, it’s in the Mingan Archipelago, Gulf of St. Lawrence. It shelters extensive seabird colonies, among them Atlantic puffins. This bird acquired the nickname of "parrot" because of its colourful beak. This week there were around 700 of these birds in the area around île aux Perroquets. Friday June 4, 1999 vol. 3 no 5 Scoop of the week Whale watching boats normally steer clear of endangered St. Lawrence beluga whales in order to avoid disturbing them. It was therefore a great privilege for certain boats at the mouth of the Saguenay last Tuesday to find themselves surrounded by a group of over one hundred belugas. One would almost think that they’d travelled back to the time of Jacques Cartier who marvelled at the abundance of this strange, unknown "fish". A very discreet humpback whale Just off Tadoussac, at the mouth of the Saguenay Fjord, several whale watching boat captains saw the first humpback whale of the season last Wednesday. As it turned out it was a very furtive observation lasting just the time of one or two breaths. A very agitated sea concealed further appearances. Observations of this species in the Estuary are occasional. More fin whales at Saint-Siméon! It’s an exceptional spring for the Saint-Siméon area: three fin whales were seen last Sunday adding to those witnessed at the beginning of May. The whales surfaced in single file very near the shore. This species does not usually swim further up the Estuary than the mouth of the Saguenay. The "porpoises" of île aux Coudres Belugas are so closely associated with île aux Coudres in the Charlevoix region that the inhabitants of this island are referred to as "marsouins" or porpoises , the ancient name for the beluga whale. Once again this week, several hundred belugas were seen around île aux Coudres both from the shore and from the ferry. A killer whale? Really? You are scanning the St. Lawrence, quietly contemplating the squawking gulls when suddenly you spot the very large dorsal fin of a killer whale that appears to be pursuing a minke whale! Are you dreaming? Not really, but you may want to talk to a naturalist to get to the bottom of what you’ve just seen. It was a solitary minke whale feeding near the surface. As it turns on its side in pursuit of fish, half of its tail breaks the surface. The minke whale then comes to the surface to take a normal breath before starting the manoeuvre all over again. And the gulls? They were likely after the fish as well. Blues in the Estuary Three blue whales were seen from the Forestville-Rimouski ferry this week. A blue whale was also spotted June 3rd near Les Escoumins, forty kilometres downstream from Tadoussac. These sea coloured whales are immense. Larger than the largest dinosaur, they can be very discrete, staying underwater for over 20 minutes. Penguins? Yes, there are "pingouins" in the St. Lawrence, flying "pingouins" to boot! Surprised? True penguins can only be found in the Southern Hemisphere and are only able to "fly" underwater. The razorbill, "petit pingouin" in French, is a small, stocky, black and white bird with a rapid flight. It nests in colonies in the Gulf and can be seen regularly in the Estuary in summer. Friday June 11 1999, vol. 3 no 6 Fin whales "sexed" Suspense has been palpable since last summer when GREMM researchers took biopsy samples from a dozen fin whales in the Tadoussac- Les Escoumins area. This work is part of an international project designed to define the population structure of North Atlantic fin whales. Biopsy samples enable us to determine, among other things, the gender of these animals, some of which have been photographed in this region since 1984. Did you place your bets? Here are the long awaited results! Grand Galop is a female, as are Perroquet , James Bond, Crochet and Vergetures, while U2 is a male. Simply charming Whale watchers in the Tadoussac-Les Escoumins area have been thrilled to note the presence of a young fin whale accompanied by an adult, probably its mother. It is a touching scene: a miniature fin whale swimming alongside a full scale version. White whales at Pointe-Noire Wednesday morning, literally dozens of belugas swam along the cliffs near the mouth of the Saguenay on the Baie-Sainte-Catherine side. These small groups of white whales passed within metres of Pointe-Noire's steep rock face. A land-based observation site well worth the detour! The Hunchback of Tadoussac It appears that "Le Bossu" (the hunchback), a fin whale that has been photographed in the Estuary since 1989, has returned once again to the area. Several observers have reported seeing this whale last week between Tadoussac and Grandes-Bergeronnes. It is an easy whale to recognize by the long scar on its back just in front of its double notched dorsal fin. The last photograph of Le Bossu was taken on October 9, 1998. We have no idea where Le Bossu, if it is in fact Le Bossu, spent the last eight months! One giant leaps for whale kind! On June 8 a fin whale leaped completely out of the water twice in a row at the mouth of the Saguenay. A fin whale can weigh 50 tonnes and measure as much as 20 metres long. Think of the splash! This is very uncommon behaviour for this species. Flying fish It happens, on occasion, that we see hundreds of little fish leaping out of the water all at once. If you see this, pay attention; the whale that is pursuing them should surface right on their tails! You may see a group of belugas or a minke whale. Certain marine birds, like gulls for example, follow this hunt very closely just waiting to take advantage of any leftovers. It is an action-packed scene that hints at the riches hidden away below the surface. Cruise school 1999 The Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park and the whale watching industry revived the traditional Cruise school last June 8 in order to celebrate the International Day of the Oceans. Among other topics, this encounter served to explain and clarify the whale watching Code of ethics. Over the course of the cruise, naturalists from different companies presented information capsules on a variety of attractions likely to interest visitors. It was an enriching activity and a great opportunity to get together. Friday June 18 1999, vol. 3 no 7 A tiny minke whale An adult and a very small, young minke whale swam 5 km up the Saguenay Fjord yesterday as far as pointe à Passe Pierre. At this time of year minke whales are numerous along the shores of the St. Lawrence where they spend time filling their bellies. Off pointe de lslet and Pointe-Noire, at the mouth of the Saguenay, they are very abundant; off Portneuf river two of them were seen alternately breaching in what resembled a competition; and off Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan, the MICS research team watched them feeding just in front of their museum. A shark at Cacouna Apparently a four metre long shark stranded at Cacouna at the beginning of the week. We don’t have enough information yet to confirm the species. Seven species of shark are found in the St. Lawrence, one of which, the Greenland shark, is also found in the Saguenay. Several of these species can attain four metres. Further and further upstream! With the exception of the beluga and the minke, whales rarely swim further up the St. Lawrence than Tadoussac and Île-Verte. Since mid-May, however, several fin whales have been observed in the Saint-Siméon region. One of them was seen feeding on capelin off Port-au-Persil. Last Sunday two fin whales, an adult and a calf, were spotted off Cap-à-l’Aigle. Is this the same pair that was seen between Tadoussac and Les Escoumins the week before? Where will their upstream exploration end? Let the capelin roll It’s starting to smell a lot like capelin off Anticosti Island these days. One of our observers, who also saw two fin whales in this area, told us the capelin were seen wriggling at the surface making for some very happy gulls, not to mention a variety of other marine animals. Let the wind blow Despite very strong winds which made observations difficult this week, the crew of the Forestville-Rimouski ferry were able to spot three harbour porpoise as well as several beluga and minke whales. Last week, six or seven fin whales were patrolling the waters between Tadoussac and Les Escoumins, while this week only two were seen. At the entrance to the Gulf Observers at Percé were very lucky this morning: three blue whales, at least four fin whales, around fifteen minke whales, several harbour porpoise and two humpback whales. What a way to start the season! Black guillemots This week near Hare Island, the GREMM’s research team encountered hundreds of these small aquatic birds. Black guillemots are easily identifiable by their bright red feet and by the white patches on their wings which flash like mirrors when they are in flight. The Pèlerins islands and Brandy Pot Island are home to the largest nesting colonies of this species in the Estuary. Local fishermen call this bird "pigeon de mer" or sea pigeon. Thursday June 24 1999, vol. 3 no 8 From Siberia to Trois-Pistoles Whooper swans (Cygnus cygnus), originally from northern Siberia and Asia, have been hanging around between Trois-Pistoles and l'Îsle-Verte since the beginning of June. On June 7 an observer from Trois-Pistoles saw five of them. This last week there were but four. This species has already been observed in Gaspésie in 1994 and on Anticosti Island in 1996. These large birds, which can measure as much as 1.5 m tall, are fond of river mouths and brackish water. All indications are that those observed recently were not escapees; no bands were seen on any of them. They sure are a long way from their native skies! Surfer to starboard! For nearly 20 minutes last June 13, whale watchers aboard a cruise boat witnessed the exceptional capers of a minke whale that seemed to be trying to learn how to surf. It was cavorting in the wake of the boat, moving like a torpedo and breaching out of the water, only to fall back into the waves to the delight of amazed passengers who managed to follow its movements beneath the transparent surface. Was it trying to imitate a dolphin? Between the Estuary and the Gulf Minke whales are very numerous between Tadoussac, Havre-Saint-Pierre and Percé. Harbour porpoise have been spotted here and there. Two fin whales are sharing the Tadoussac-Les Escoumins area. Groups of harp seals are very active at the mouth of Portneuf river and off Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan where they have been estimated at over 350. Harbour porpoise, fin whales, minke whales, three blue whales and one humpback whale were seen off Percé. Greenland shark The four metre shark found at Cacouna last week turned out to be a Greenland shark. This species can attain an overall length in excess of seven metres and lives in cold waters of 0 °C to 7 °C . It is found on the St. Lawrence and the Saguenay rivers where, since the turn of the century, several specimens have been discovered stranded or caught in fishing nets. It feeds on a large variety of fish, birds and, apparently, seals. Caribou remains were even discovered in the stomach of one of these sharks. A UFO Beluga whales swimming off La Malbaie got a glimpse yesterday of an unidentified floating object. The GREMM’s research team had placed a hydrophone (an underwater microphone) in the water to record the eighty odd, very vocal beluga whales that were alternately brining their heads and tails out of the water. Several curious animals approached the bizarre object and, after having emitted what may have been echolocation clicks (a sound resembling "bzzz" to the crew of the Bleuvet), they bit the hydrophone (which translated into sounds of "crunch" and "sshrouchs", each sound more unusual than the last)! Eider nurseries Eider nurseries composed of females and young are scattered across the surface of the St. Lawrence. Males, which do not participate in the rearing of the young, have already started to form large flights heading towards coastal reefs for the moult. Most males of the Estuary fly to destinations unknown . Thursday July 1 1999, vol. 3 no 9 Jump and roll! Minke whales are decidedly stealing the show this summer! One of them was seen hunting capelin for at least two hours near the quay in Mingan. Herding them towards the shore, the whale would literally beach itself in order to snatch the fish that it had cornered. If it teaches this technique to its peers, we may one day be able to say that minke whales roll with the capelin! In the Tadoussac–Les Escoumins area, a minke whale performed 40 well counted breaches near a cruise boat. In the Percé–Gaspé area, a dozen minke whales formed a synchronized breaching team in the wind and the waves. As many as six of them were seen jumping at once. Some passengers were wishing that they had eyes in the back of their heads so as not to miss anything. Drifting with the current After drifting for an undetermined amount of time, a dead minke whale washed ashore on île de La Patte du Lièvre between Forestville and Rivière-Portneuf last Sunday. The whale was still there yesterday. There were no injuries visible on the animal which measured approximately 7 m. Employees from the ministère de l'Environnement du Québec will dispose of the carcass. Scoters A naturalist spotted several dozen surf scoters and white-winged scoters near Pointe-Noire at the mouth of the Saguenay Fjord. Scoters are diving ducks with almost entirely black plumage. Three species of scoters nest in the province of Québec, mostly in the north. However, a large number of them sojourn in the St. Lawrence in the summer. Apparently these are mostly juveniles, too young to mate, and males that, like the common eider, leave the females after brooding begins to head for moulting grounds. Thousands of scoters get together in the Estuary to moult and a certain number of them head for the Gulf. The large whales Large whales are not very numerous between Tadoussac and Sept-Îles. The same can’t be said for the Mingan–Havre-Saint-Pierre area where there are around 25 fin whales, and the Percé–Gaspé area where 20 fin whales, two blue whales and three humpback whales are making for some very happy whale watchers. Between Tadoussac and Les Escoumins, three naturalists aboard different boats believe they caught a glimpse of a fin whale well known to the GREMM team since 1987: Pulpeuse! While this identification remains to be confirmed, if it turns out to be him (or her) it will be very good news indeed. Pulpeuse was not seen in the Estuary at all last summer. Arctic bound Several hundred harp seals, well known for their pure white pups, are still hanging out around Mingan. They are easily recognizable on the water by their bottle shape and their dark heads which contrast well with their pale bodies. Most of them will soon be leaving the St. Lawrence to head for summer feeding grounds in the Canadian Arctic and near Greenland. They will cover over 3200 km before reaching these northern latitudes, eventually returning to mate off Labrador and in the Gulf next winter. Harp seals are very abundant in the Estuary in the winter, but they can also be seen during the spring and fall. The Northwest Atlantic harp seal population is estimated at around five million animals. Thursday July 8 1999, vol. 3 no 10 Very rare observation One of the network’s experienced, long-time observers encountered a strange whale Tuesday morning off of Grandes-Bergeronnes. It was very light in colour with numerous dark grey splotches on its head, which became more and more sparse towards the rear of the body. Larger than a beluga, the animal had neither a dorsal fin, nor a dorsal crest. The description could well be that of a narwhal, but it is difficult to confirm this for certain. Male narwhals sport a long, spiralled tusk for which the species is famous, but the observer did not see one on the animal in question. The encounter lasted only long enough for the observer to count 12 breaths. The wind was picking up, whitecaps were beginning to form on the water and the animal disappeared. A pip-squeak amongst the giants A Little Gull, (Larus minutus), the smallest of the gull family, is roaming the land of giants off of Forestville. Originating in Eurasia, the little gull has only been observed nesting and reproducing in North America since 1962. It is a rare visitor to Quebec and only nests here exceptionally. The individual seen was flying over Laval Island Monday evening. The species has been seen in this area twice before when two individuals were observed in 1997 and one in 1998. Presently, hundreds of Black-legged Kittiwakes are being seen in this area. The young Kittiwakes, hatched about a week ago are still in the nests, whereas the young gulls are beginning to fly.
Tally of beluga strandings Since the spring, nine beluga carcasses have been found floating or stranded along the shores of the St. Lawrence. No sooner had the ice melted than two carcasses were found on the Magdalen Islands on April 6th. Other discoveries have followed at St. Flavie, at Metis -sur Mer, on l'île aux Lièvres (off of Rivière-du-Loup), off of Trois-Pistoles and at Tracadie, New-Brunswick. The beluga at Trois-Pistoles was a hermaphrodite, meaning it had both male and female sexual organs. The one at Tracadie, New-Brunswick was a young whale, still completely grey, about 1.5 meters (5 feet) long. The last two belugas were found last Sunday, one at St-Ulric (Matane) and the other at Sept-Îles. Five of the carcasses were transported to La Faculté de médecine vétérinaire de Saint-Hyacinthe, where the necropsies are performed to determine, amongst other things, the cause of death. Various tissue samples are also taken in order to learn more on the state of health of the St. Lawrence belugas. (Source: IML--DFO) A loner In summer, the belugas in the St. Lawrence are divided in the estuary, between île aux Coudres and Forestville. However, every year we hear of isolated observations of belugas seen outside their normal summer time "boundaries". One such case was signalled this week in the vicinity of Sept-Îles. What was this loner doing so far away from the specie’s area of summer distribution? Big ones, small ones and old acquaintances Amongst the five to seven fin whales present in the Tadoussac-Escoumins area this week, there were at least two young. One of them was accompanied by an adult which well seems to be Pulpeuse, while the other was with Perroquet! She, (biopsies have shown us that Perroquet is indeed a female) was also observed with a calf in 1990, 1992 and 1994. Amongst the five hump-back whales which were navigating between Percé and Gaspé, the excursionists have identified Corona, an animal known to the Mingan Island Cetacean Society (MICS) since 1990, and Stratus, known since 1993. Hump-back whales are individually recognized by the black and white pattern on the under side of their tail. Thursday July 15th 1999, vol. 3 no 11 Very rare observation Saturday morning, while whale watching 4 km off of Cap-des-Rosiers, a group of excursionists encountered a black whale with a grey splotch behind the dorsal fin, a white patch near the ear, the underside white and a dorsal fin about one meter high. Does that sound familiar? An orca ! (killer whale) The animal was alone and was swimming very quickly and diving for short periods. A tourist was able to photograph it but the film has yet to be developed. It will be interesting to compare the photos to those of the orcas known since 1983 to the MICS team. (Mingan Island Cetacean Society). Still faithful SIAM, a humpback whale, was observed in the Gaspé-Percé area this week. This whale’s name was inspired from the black and white pattern on the underside of the tail, which resembles the face of a Siamese cat. A faithful visitor to the St. Lawrence over the last 18 years at least, it has already been photographed in Puerto Rico and in the Dominican Republic, in the Caribbean Sea. Will it continue upstream as it has before? Red water With mouth wide open and baleen plates to the wind, fin whales were seen early in the week off of Tadoussac’s sand dunes, feeding to their hearts’ content in waters red with...krill. A krill, or euphausiide is a crustacean a few centimeters long, (about an inch) resembling a shrimp. They are highly appreciated by several species of whale and other marine life. Sex change June 11th, we told you the results of several biopsies performed by the GREMM on 12 fin whales in the Tadoussac-Les Escoumins sector. At that time, to our grand surprise, we learned that Grand Galop, whom we have been observing in the St. Lawrence estuary since 1984, was a female. Due to her relative small size, (in baleen whales, males are smaller than females), and because she had never been seen with a calf, (the young stay with their mothers while nursing), we were convinced that ‘she’ was a ‘he’. Well, wouldn’t you know it! our hypotheses were right after all! There was an initial misreading of the biopsy results when they were transcribed and Grand Galop has since been found to be every bit the male he always was. Let’s hope that his ‘female phase’ was not too taxing for him. A mother and her "baby" Amongst several fin whales seen yesterday near the Prince Shoal Lighthouse, just off of the mouth of the Saguenay, the excursionists recognized Perroquet and her baby. ("Baby" seems an understatement when describing an animal close to 10 meters (about 33 feet) long, weighing several tons!) At one point, Perroquet turned on her side, exposing one lobe of her tail fluke. Her calf stayed right next to her and those looking on thought that the mother may have been nursing her young. It is a possibility, but difficult to confirm. We do know that the nursing period lasts about 7 months and that fin whales are born in winter somewhere in the Atlantic, but exactly where, no-one knows. The calves are therefor weaned over the course of the summer. Bald Eagle With a seal, several Green herons, Black-crowned night herons and Eider ducks in the vicinity, enchanted observers in St. Siméon sighted a Bald Eagle fly over their terrace last week. Its white head and tail contrasting with its brown body, this large bird with a 2 meter wingspan is quite a sight. There are probably less than 40 nesting couples of Bald Eagle in Quebec. Thursday July 22 1999, vol. 3 no 12 The big and the small An observer from Anticosti Island spotted both an adult and a young humpback whale near the shore Monday. Both whales fluked up as they dived. At Mingan, the MICS team observed a minke whale accompanied by its calf and near Forestville whale watchers spotted a harbour porpoise and its baby. An adult harbour porpoise measures approximately 1.5 m and weighs around 50 kg. At birth, the calf is over two thirds the length and one quarter the weight of its mother. Proportionately, a newborn human baby would measure over a half a meter and weigh 10 kg! Seen from the surface, a baby harbour porpoise appears quite small, yet to its mother it must seem huge. Budgie biopsy The GREMM is continuing its biopsy program of fin whales in the St. Lawrence Estuary which it began in 1998. So far this year the research team has biopsied four different fin whales, among them Perroquet’s (Parrot’s) calf, which one of the team jokingly refers to as "Perruche" (Budgie in English)! Not only do we know Perroquet’s gender, but soon we will also know the gender of her offspring. Better yet, we will be able to compare their genetic backgrounds. Dolphin sp. Four Atlantic white sided dolphins were seen around Anticosti Island and one dolphin, species unknown, was spotted off Sainte-Anne-de-Portneuf near Forestville. Will it continue its upstream voyage? Spy-hopping and boat bumping A very sociable minke whale spent an hour near the MICS team's research boat in Mingan. It performed a spy hop (head rising vertically out of the water) and even touched the boat's rubber air chamber with its head! Not a shy whale! Two nice parasites Two parasitic jaegers, one dark coloured, the other light, were seen patrolling off Pointe-au-Boisvert (near Forestville) this week, while three others were seen near île aux Lièvres (off Rivière du-Loup). These "pirates" make life difficult for other marine birds as they harass them and steal their prey. However, they can find their own food if need be. Nesting in arctic and sub-arctic regions and wintering in the South, they generally only visit the St. Lawrence while migrating through in the spring and fall. Those seen here in the summer are perhaps non-nesting individuals. Humpback whale A humpback whale was seen near the Prince Shoal lighthouse, off Tadoussac, Sunday. Could it be Siam, who would have covered the distance from Gaspésie to Tadoussac in one week? This is the third sighting of a Humpback whale in the Estuary in 1999. The first was June 26 and the second, July 7 between Saint-Siméon and Rivière du-Loup. Gull hunting A bird believed to be a golden eagle was seen eating a gull off baie des Phoques (Forestville). It was later observed hunting birds on île Laval. The golden eagle is sometimes confused with immature bald eagles, which do not develop the typical white head and tail feathers of the adults until about 4 years of age. Thursday July 29 1999, vol. 3 no 13 White porpoise Last Saturday, hot, windless day between Sept-Îles, Mingan and Anticosti Island. The Mingan Island Cetacean Society (MICS) team returned to shore at 11 PM filled with images of sharks, rorquals and of a white porpoise. Not a beluga, (referred to regionally in French as "marsouin blanc" meaning white porpoise), but an albino harbour porpoise. It was seen between Rivière au Tonnerre and Anticosti Island. Albinism is the absence of melanin, a colour pigment found in the eyes, hair, fir, skin or feathers. This phenomenon is common in animals, and whales are no exception. No, belugas are not albinos, their beautiful dark eyes prove it! Transparent Baskers Saturday, four slow-moving basking sharks (nothing new under the sun) in a moment of curiosity approached the MICS team’s boat. Observers could see their entire length transparently through the water, from head to tail. Second largest fish after the whale shark, the basking shark can attain a length of 14 metres and weigh up to 4 tons. Not surprisingly, it is often mistaken for a whale. When at the surface, generally the tip of its’ dorsal fin and often the top of its’ vertical tail fin (not horizontal, like a whale’s) are visible above the water. Little is known of the habits of this plankton filterer. In the St. Lawrence, it is observed at the surface of the water during the warm season and it seems to spend the winter on the bottom of the Gulf, in the Laurentian channel, where it stops feeding and hibernates. Nocturne Junior Do you know ‘Nocturne’, one of the stars of the film Encounters with the whales of the St. Lawrence? This young female humpback whale has made a real name for herself in the St. Lawrence for her apparently unsatisfiable need for human contact. The MICS team first met Nocturne 11 years ago when she was still a baby. This week they were pleasantly surprised to see her with her first offspring! The gossips are murmuring that it was about time that she got to it (procreation) as this species reaches sexual maturity at about 4 years of age...Amongst the humpbacks, the team also recognized Tingley and Darkstar and they too were accompanied by calves. Fin whales Numerous in the estuary and gulf this week, the fin whales have been observed in large groups numbering up to 18 individuals. Imagine them ‘blowing’ side by side! This summer we have taken inventory of two calves in the Tadoussac-Escoumins sector and two in the Mingan--Havre-Saint-Pierre sector. Of whales and birds There was an all-white gull at Île blanche off Forestville Saturday. An Ivory gull or an albino? The little gull seen last week was seen again. Also seen were immature golden eagles on the Sainte-Anne-de-Portneuf sandbar, while gannets abounded offshore amongst minke whales, belugas and harbour porpoises. In the midst of this air and sea traffic, seven blue whales and a fin whale were feeding "peacefully". Four - footed passenger A cruise operator encountered a female white-tailed deer ‘cruising’ a mile off Forillon National Park. Exhausted and suffering from the cold water, the adventurer, weighing about 35 kg, offered no resistance to her rescuers, who transported her by boat back to shore. 20 minutes later, she seemed to have recovered from her emotions. Let’s bet that in the future she chooses to observe the whales from shore! Thursday Aug. 5 1999, vol. 3 no 14 Orca, (Killer whale) identified Photographs taken by a tourist have allowed the MICS team from Mingan to confirm the identification of the orca observed by whale watchers off Cap-des-Rosiers, in Gaspésie, on July 10 . It was Jack Knife, a male orca first observed in 1984 by the MICS in Jacques Cartier Straight, off Mingan ! At the time, he was a juvenile and accompanied by a female (Jesse) and a calf, (Javelin). In 1986, the group was seen with a new member (Junior). Javelot was last seen in 1992 and both Jessy and Junior in 1995. Since 1997, Jack Knife has been seen alone each year. What has become of the rest of the group? Because of their nomadic nature, the orca that live in the Atlantic are very difficult to study and very little is known of them. Research in the fog Last Thursday, the GREMM team were conducting biopsies on fin whales near Île Rouge , off Tadoussac. They had just finished a biopsy of Triangle when, through the fog, they spotted a beluga carcass floating nearby. Because Zipper, another fin whale, was within "crossbow range", the team decided to finish the second biopsy before going to recover the beluga carcass. As a result, we will soon know the "genetic map" of Zipper, as the team successfully biopsied "it", but we will not know the beluga’s identity, because of the ever-thickening fog which prevented the team from finding it again. Pile-up barely avoided Again Thursday, between biopsies, carcasses and fog, the research team was witness to a comical collision (at least, as seen from the surface) between two fin whales. U2 was swimming behind another fin whale which "slammed on the brakes" when Perroquet and her calf suddenly cut them off. U2 could not avoid colliding with his companion, but Perroquet and her young were spared! Funny fish Pierre Léonard, crab fisherman in the spring and cruise operator in the summer, has navigated the St. Lawrence for 25 years. Nevertheless, yesterday off Les Escoumins he saw an animal that he had never laid eyes on before : an egg-shaped fish which he figures weighed over 45 kg. (100 lb.) The animal was swimming very slowly at the surface and its’ dorsal fin was pointing out of the water. Mr. Léonard was not able to confirm the identification, but it was probably an ocean sunfish , (Mola mola) a species which is very uncommon in the St. Lawrence. Drifting beluga The captain of the Matane-Godbout ferry saw a beluga carcass floating off Matane Tuesday, August 3. The Maurice-Lamontagne Institute (Fisheries et Oceans Canada) sent a small boat looking in the area yesterday, but the animal has not yet been found. This morning, an excursionist from Sainte-Anne-de-Portneuf found a young beluga floating, dead. It is about 150 cm long, ( 5 feet), is quite dark and has the characteristic creased skin of a new-born. Where is its’ mother? The St. Lawrence by night We are off rivière Portneuf at night. Imagine a St. Lawrence filled with luminescent plankton and harbour porpoises which, while swimming, leave an illuminated trail in their wake, like shooting stars. We have no problem believing the researcher who witnessed these speedy little whales’ enchanting scene when he says he has never seen anything so beautiful ! Thursday August 12 1999, vol. 3 no 15 The indomitable Bossu This morning, off Tadoussac, GREMM researchers successfully obtained a biopsy of Pulpeuse. This represents the 13th biopsy of a St. Lawrence Estuary fin whale this year and the 25th since the beginning of the program last year. Of the four fin whales of the Estuary which can be fostered (U2, Grand Galop, Pulpeuse and Le Bossu), only Le Bossu has not yet been biopsied. Between 1994 and 1996 all attempts to attach a VHF transmitter to Le Bossu also met with failure. Obviously the idea of lending his body to science, even for a brief period, does not appeal to this whale. The horse is safe Grand Galop, a fin whale that has been visiting the Estuary since at least 1984, has a new mark: a long white line visible on either side of his tail stock. This type of scar could be caused by entanglement in fishing gear. Happily the little rocking-horse-shaped mark, situated on the right side of his tail stock, that made him famous survived the assault and will continue to navigate the wind and the waves with Grand Galop.
Surfing is becoming a popular sport A naturalist aboard one of the whale watching vessels tells of a minke whale that followed the boat for fifteen minutes between Tadoussac and Baie-Sainte-Catherine. It was swimming in the wake of the boat and was seen surfing. You may recall that a similar observation was made last June when a minke whale was seen surfing in the wake of a cruise vessel for 20 minutes in the Tadoussac - Les Escoumins sector. Is this the same individual, or has surfing just become the "in thing to do" for this species? Let it rain! A large number of impatient Atlantic salmon were relieved by a heavy rain shower over Anticosti Island last Thursday. Due to very low water levels, the salmon were not able to swim beyond the piles of pebbles that accumulate at the mouths of certain rivers such as the MacDonald and à la Patate. When the rain liberated the "imprisoned" salmon, visible below the surface or jumping out of the water, they didn’t hesitate in their upstream migration to fulfil their conjugal duties. Dolphins Hundreds of Atlantic white-sided dolphins have been patrolling the waters off Percé and Gaspé over the past few weeks. Approximately 75 of these lively dolphins were observed in this area last week. There is also an unconfirmed sighting of six of them in the Estuary near Cap-de-Bon-Désir. This 2.5 m long dolphin can be identified by its dark back, the white band along its flank below the dorsal fin and by the yellow band on its tail stock. Between Gaspé and Anticosti Corona, a humpback whale seen in the Percé-Gaspé sector at the beginning of July was spotted this week by the MICS team off Anticosti Island. The Rockies in the St. Lawrence The "Let’s adopt a Beluga!" campaign launched by the St. Lawrence National Institute of Ecotoxicology (SLNIE) in 1988 is still going strong! The Banff Springs Hotel, owned by Canadian Pacific Hotels, has just adopted the 94th beluga whale of this campaign. The whale in question will henceforth be known as Norquay, after the popular ski mountain in the Rockies. The whale and the mountain now share not only a name, but also a harsh climate and the white colour of snow. Thursday August 19 1999, vol. 3 no 16 Mysterious whale Fin whales abounded again this week near Tadoussac. As many as twenty were observed in one group. A mysterious whale may have taken advantage of the crowd in an attempt to blend in and remain incognito. An observer noticed a whale, smaller than a fin whale and covered with white spots, that surfaced right next to the boat. Could it have been a Sei whale? This discreet and rapid species is often seen in the Atlantic and is easily confused with the fin whale. A beluga in Mingan It was near Île aux Perroquets that a researcher from MICS (Mingan Island Cetacean Study) spotted a beluga far beyond its normal distribution area. Is this a stray from the Arctic or from the St. Lawrence Estuary? This chance meeting is the latest of several rare observations of belugas in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. And then there were four! The GREMM (Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals) research team finally obtained a biopsy of the "invincible" Bossu. The four fin whales from the St. Lawrence Estuary, that can be fostered to finance research, have now all been biopsied. Under the surface The surface of the St. Lawrence conceals splendours difficult to imagine. Occasionally, however, transparent waters give us glimpses into this other world. On several occasions last Thursday, observers near Tadoussac saw fin whales rising from the depths, throats bulging with mouthfuls of food. Nocturne junior, the sequel... Nocturne’s calf is now on file: this week the MICS team obtained photos and a biopsy of the offspring of this exceptional human-seeking humpback. Photographs should allow researchers to recognize the animal in years to come, and the small skin sample will reveal the sex as well as its genetic links with other humpback whales. Harbour porpoises These tiny whales were conspicuous near Anticosti Island last August 18. They were seen by the hundreds, some criss-crossing under the boat and even exchanging glances with observers. Humpback whale(s!) A second humpback whale made an appearance near Grandes-Bergeronnes Wednesday afternoon. Number two is bigger than the one that has been visiting the sector for the last two weeks or so. This new arrival performed three complete breaches; an impressive acrobatic feat, the significance of which continues to elude researchers. Blue tail Again this week, several blue whales were seen in the area between Cap-de-Bon-Désir and Forestville. They can be easily spotted from shore or from the ferries. Several lucky people relaxing at Cap-de-Bon-Désir saw a blue whale very close to shore. As it dove, it lifted its flukes high in the air. This behaviour is noted in only 15 to 18 percent of the blue whales observed in the St. Lawrence. Thursday August 26 1999, vol. 3 no 17 Jack Knife, the sequel The killer whale named Jack Knife, seen off the Gaspé peninsula last July 10, was re-sighted north of Anticosti Island on August 24. The MICS research team spent 2 hours taking down precious behavioural data. However, they never got close enough to take a biopsy sample. There was still no sign of the other three killer whales that accompanied Jack Knife before 1997. One wild humpback! August 20, 1999… A humpback whale in the Tadoussac-Les Escoumins area is a pretty rare sight. When this same whale spends an hour and a half vigorously slapping the surface with its tail, it becomes an unforgettable experience! This is a type of behaviour that is more common on the mating grounds of this species. However, scientists also associate it with disturbance, communication or simple exuberance. The Camel Chameau (Camel) is a blue whale with a back problem that has given it a silhouette worthy of the desert mount that inspired its name. It was one of the 25-odd blue whales that were seen criss-crossing the St. Lawrence Estuary this week between Les Escoumins and Colombier. A mother-calf pair was also reported in the area; a rare and hopeful sighting for this species in the St. Lawrence. A record? It may very well be a record for the Tadoussac area. There were at least 55 fin whales sighted on August 24, with one observation of a group of 35 animals. This sighting was confirmed by the systematic census of a GREMM research assistant. Imagine, 35 whales swimming synchronously as one giant animal weighing over 1000 tonnes. Mola mola Mola mola Mola mola Three sun fish (Mola mola) were seen this week. Two of them were spotted swimming off the Gaspé peninsula. Judging by the comments of seasoned observers from the area, these are rare observations. The third sunfish was found washed up near Saint-Jean river close to Mingan. It’s not easy being the baby! A young fin whale was seen in a group of twelve near Tadoussac. One of the adults in the group pushed it from behind, propelling it three quarters of the way out of the water. Why the rough stuff? Was it a game or a call to order to maintain the rhythm of the group which was moving quite rapidly? Gannets and terns Over a hundred common terns showed up near Sainte-Anne-de-Portneuf, in the Forestville area, this week. An impressive number of gannets were in the same area. Many gannets were also observed near Tadoussac last Tuesday. Thursday, September 2 1999, vol. 3 no 18 1978-1999 The ORES research group based in Grandes-Bergeronnes has just rediscovered an old acquaintance. Pictures taken at the beginning of the month of August have allowed them to identify a minke whale that hadn’t been photographed since... 1978! It is therefore possible that this animal had avoided the area for twenty odd years. On the other hand, some minke whales faithfully return year after year. Finally... a sperm whale! The first sperm whale of the season has finally arrived! Several sources have reported seeing it in the Forestville area this week. It was even photographed by a researcher form the MICS. We will be able to compare its picture with the St. Lawrence Estuary sperm whale catalogue which includes a dozen individuals. Whales in the mist People often hesitate to go out to encounter whales in the fog, and yet... Imagine the dense fog that masks everything, the shore, the other boats, the whales nearby. A symphony of sounds is heard: the thunder of the blows of fin whales, the gentle rhythm of harbour porpoise’ breathing, the haunting tone of the fog horns of the various lighthouses of the area and the whistling and chirping of the belugas singing at the surface. Blues trio Three blue whales adventured to the mouth of the Saguenay on August 31. In the Estuary, the "blue whale territory" is generally between Forestville and Grandes-Bergeronnes. Thirty different blue whales were photographed in this area by the MICS team over the course of the week. Sun fish Is it a specially "sunny" summer? A seasoned observer has just confirmed his second sighting of a sun fish (Mola mola) of the season near Les Escoumins. This is the first year, in his long experience of twenty five years navigating on the Estuary, that he has observed this species of fish. Three other specimens were seen in the Gulf of St. Lawrence over the summer. Humpbacks everywhere! A third humpback whale showed up in the Tadoussac-Les Escoumins area this week. It even performed three complete breaches on August 29. In other parts of the St. Lawrence, a dozen humpback whales were photographed near Mingan by the MICS research team. Among them were two cow-calf pairs. Lobo, one of the whales identified, was very exuberant. It would break the surface with its head, slap the water with its pectoral fins and jump clear out of the water. Pile up near the Saguenay A pile up involving two groups of seven or eight fin whales took place on August 30 near Tadoussac. Witnesses describe seeing pectoral fins, bellies and tails at the surface of the water. Zipper, a well known fin whale in the area, was spotted at the scene of the accident that is believed to have been caused by a navigational error. There does not appear to be any serious injuries resulting from this incident. Thursday September 9 1999, vol. 3 no 19 Mass stranding Seven Atlantic white-sided dolphins beached themselves on île Verte last September 6. The seven young juvenile males were swimming frenetically in circles, while getting dangerously close to the beach. Witnesses tried to push them back into deeper water , unfortunately without success. Samples taken by a Fisheries and Oceans team and by Mr. Pierre-Henry Fontaine will perhaps help to shed some light on this very uncommon incident. The Atlantic white-sided dolphin is a pelagic species and only seldom visits the estuary. What was the cause of this mass stranding, normally very rare for this species? Could it have been a navigational error? If so, were they fooled by their surroundings or were they sick? The mystery remains. The Cousteau Foundation in the hot seat A team from the Cousteau Foundation was preparing for a documentary near Tadoussac this week. There was a general outcry when they approached fin whales in "cavalier" fashion, very rapidly and repeatedly, in front of about a thousand whale-watchers. This behaviour took place under a special observation permit. Following complaints filed by a great number of witnesses, the permit has been revoked and the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park has opened an inquiry. Turtles in the Gulf This week two leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) sightings were reported from the lower St. Lawrence. One tangled itself in a whelk trap near Natashquan and was freed without serious injury. The other was seen by a kayaker near Blanc-Sablon. The leatherback turtle is the only marine turtle to frequent cold waters. The world’s heaviest reptile, this turtle feeds on jellyfish and is an excellent diver. The porpoise carrousel Harbour porpoises abound lately in the Tadoussac-Les Escoumins area. Observers note them willingly approaching boats and some porpoises were even seen doing pirouettes out of the water! An orca that won’t go unnoticed An experienced observer reports having encountered Jack Knife, the Gulf of St. Lawrence’s most famous orca, off Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan on September 4. The animal seemed to be criss-crossing the area, looking for food, without even so much as a shadow of another orca to be seen. Jack Knife was seen alone earlier in the year in Gaspésie and again near Anticosti Island. Acrobatics Minke whales often behave in spectacular ways. This week observers in St. Simeon saw one breaching several times. Another observer in Rivière-Portneuf also saw a minke jump out of the water. . . tail first! Thursday September 16 1999, vol. 3 no 20 A mourning beluga? While out studying the St. Lawrence’s belugas last Monday near l’île aux Lièvres, the team aboard the research vessel Le Bleuvet noticed an adult beluga swimming around the carcass of a very young calf and transporting it underwater. At the surface, the adult circled around the carcass, while catching its breath. Upon diving, it would push the calf underwater for dives lasting about 5 minutes. This behaviour was observed for more than two hours. The calf, which had been dead for several days, was finally recovered for analysis. Although the team was unable to obtain a biopsy of the adult, photos taken will allow for its future recognition in the event it is encountered in the years to come. One day we may know if the two animals shared a kinship. Canadian scientists have reported similar behaviour in belugas and other whales: animals have been observed transporting, amongst other things, carcasses of young, a caribou skeleton, a dead shark, planks and other inanimate objects. News ...from afar A young male beluga has spent the summer near Kings Point, in northern Newfoundland on the Atlantic coast. This is far from the normal summer grounds of either the St. Lawrence or the Arctic populations. This young animal has gradually become more and more sociable and is attracting a certain number of boats. Kathy Kinsman, a researcher for the Whale Stewardship Project, is working with locals to assure that contact is kept to a minimum. This latest case brings to mind two others, notably the Chevery beluga, last seen in September 1998, and Guysborough’s Wilma, on the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, last seen this spring. Biopsy samples have determined that they were both females from the St. Lawrence population. Another turtle! The MICS research team had a chance encounter with a leatherback turtle on September 13. It didn’t seem shy, staying on the surface long enough for them to observe it well and take photographs. Scientists in Guyana have developed a photo-identification technique for this species and will perhaps even be able to identify this individual seen marauding the St. Lawrence. Seem unlikely? Not necessarily, when you consider that the leatherback reproduces on Central American and South American beaches, and often makes voyages 3000 km long. This observation is added to the two sightings of leatherback turtle reported last week in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Jumpin’ whales Observers in the Tadoussac-Les Escoumins area report having seen a humpback whale breach, or jump, on September 13 and again September 15. Other observers in the same region saw four breaches of a young fin whale! Some new blue news For the last few weeks there have been a lot of blue whales in the Forestville and Tadoussac-Les Escoumins sectors. There was even a sighting of a mother and calf. Humpback quartet Far from a common occurrence in the sector, four humpback whales were observed just off Tadoussac the morning of September 16. You may hear more... Winged autumn visitors The changing seasons can be observed in the Tadoussac-Les Escoumins area lately, perhaps not by looking at the thermometer, but by observing the arrival of several young puffins, a generous smattering of parasitic jaegers, impressive groups of common loons, huge gatherings of black ducks and copious quantities of black-legged kittiwakes. Thursday September 23 1999, vol. 3 no 21 The black sheep This week, near Les Escoumins, a whale watching boat captain encountered a group of twenty Atlantic white sided dolphins accompanied by a… pilot whale! This habitually gregarious offshore whale is occasionally spotted in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The only two other observations in the Estuary were of small groups of pilot whales, in 1985 and 1995. What was a pilot whale doing swimming with a group of dolphins in this area? Dolphins in the Estuary As well as those accompanying the pilot whale, six Atlantic white sided dolphins were spotted by a seasoned observer off the Tadoussac sand dunes on the morning of September 22, and the captain of the Forestville-Rimouski ferry witnessed a group of 75 on a crossing this week. The Atlantic white sided dolphin is a species more often seen in the Gulf than in the Estuary; the MICS team reported at least a thousand of them near Mingan. Opossums at the mouth of the Saguenay The captain of a whale watching boat scooped up a bunch of small shrimp-like organisms that were wriggling near the surface where the Saguenay melds with the St. Lawrence. Whales in the area seemed to be fond of these animals, even though it turns out they weren’t krill, aquatic organisms that the rorqual whales of the St. Lawrence consume in large quantities. This bounty, which likely originated in the Saguenay, was composed of mysid shrimp (possibly Mysis mixta), a planktonic animal also known as opossum shrimp. The female of the species transports the young in a small ventral brood pouch. They leave their mother only upon completion of all embryonic stages. Trying to get away from it all… Two fin whales were seen between the tidal flats on either side of the mouth of the Saguenay river. Sightings of this species so near Tadoussac Bay are quite rare. One fin whale was seen on three consecutive days off Saint-Siméon, in the Charlevoix region. A fin whale was also reported near Brandy Pot Island. Were these animals trying to get away from the madding crowds of other fin whales jockeying for position off Tadoussac? Three’s the charm An ocean sunfish was seen near Grandes-Bergeronnes on September 17. It remains a rare event despite the fact that this is the third sighting in the Estuary this summer. Two sunfish were found stranded near Rimouski in 1997, and Fisheries and Oceans biologists can recall only two previous mentions of this species in the Estuary. Sunfish were also seen swimming near Pointe-des-Monts in 1998, at the geographical limit between the Estuary and the Gulf, where sightings are less exceptional. Reptile sightings The MICS team has once again come across a leatherback turtle, this time around sundown on September 19, near Mingan. Conditions at sea were rough and they were not able to obtain detailed information. An element of doubt remains as to whether or not it was the same animal that they observed last week. Remember Jack Knife? This killer whale is still in the Mingan area. The MICS team observed him on September 19 for a period of three hours. Jack Knife had been seen previously in the area on September 4 and August 24. He was also on tour in Gaspésie on July 10. Each of these encounters may allow us to better understand the killer whales of the St. Lawrence which appear to be nomadic and few in number. In fact every photograph of a killer whale taken in the Gulf since 1997 turned out to be of Jack Knife. Thursday September 30 1999, vol. 3 no 22 Dolphins as far as the eye can see On Monday, September 27, some privileged observers encountered several hundred white-sided dolphins near Forestville. Their prodigious leaps could be seen from a long way off, while highly contrasted markings allowed observers to follow their underwater movements from the surface. There have been regular sightings of white-sided dolphins in the Estuary since the beginning of September, however, this latest encounter tops them all... for the area. Dolphins near Mingan could be counted in the thousands this week! A whale near Quebec City! It is very unusual to encounter a whale in the Quebec City area. This could explain the uncertainty surrounding the identification of the species that was observed beneath the bridges and near the Vieux Port September 26. There were rumours that it was a fin whale, but a captain from Tadoussac, who was visiting the city, saw a minke whale. Pointu on tour Several sources reported seeing fin whales upstream from Tadoussac this week at the foot of cap au Basque, off baie des Rochers and near the shore off Port-au-Persil. The Bleuvet research team photographed three of them near the cap de la Tête au Chien lighthouse. One of these fin whales is Pointu, an animal often seen in the Tadoussac–Les Escoumins area. Humpback whales make their presence known One of the humpback whales in the Tadoussac–Les Escoumins area was seen tail slapping and flipper slapping at the entrance to Grandes-Bergeronnes bay. Another whale, this one in the Mingan area, inspected the underside of one of the MICS research team’s boats. "That’s not a whale!" The fact that one goes "whale" watching does not exclude the possibility of encountering other "sea monsters". A basking shark was roaming around the Mingan area this week and a leatherback turtle was (once again!) photographed near Anticosti Island. Nothing trivial! Even if interesting sightings are reported over several weeks, they do not become trivial. To use the Tadoussac–Les Escoumins area as an example, there are literally dozens of fin whales, several humpback whales that don’t seem in a hurry to leave, minke whales that spice up cruises, grey seals that pop up by surprise, all with the backdrop of the autumn colours of the boreal forest, not to mention migratory birds whose gatherings are, at the very least, impressive. A sight to behold! Thursday October 7 1999, vol. 3 no 23 Porpoises in the Saguenay Two harbour porpoises were seen October 1 approximately ten kilometres upstream from Tadoussac in the Saguenay, near Saint-Étienne cove. Beluga whales, sometimes referred to as "white porpoises" in French, are often seen in the Saguenay. Harbour porpoises, on the other hand, generally remain in the St. Lawrence. The easy life From land, as well as from whale watching boats, visitors were once again treated to a show by the humpback whales seen frolicking about in the Tadoussac–Les Escoumins area this week. One of them even managed to impress its admirers by simply ... snoozing at the surface. Admittedly, trying to understand how these large mammals manage to sleep, knowing that they must surface every few minutes to breathe, is quite fascinating. Studies have shown that dolphins sleep while maintaining half of their brain active. How large whales manage to sleep remains a mystery. Obituary It is with deep regret that we announce the death of two whales in the Estuary this week. A minke whale and a young fin whale were spotted drifting in the area between Rivière-du-Loup and Tadoussac last October 4. A research team led by Lena Measures of Fisheries and Oceans Canada is following the movements of the carcasses and will intervene in the event of a stranding. To be continued ? Adolescent adventurers The MICS team kindly identified one of the humpback whales photographed in the Tadoussac-Les Escoumins area this summer. This whale turned out to be a juvenile that was seen with its mother, Stratus, last summer near Mingan. Juveniles tend to have a blurry coloration pattern on the underside of their flukes. Even though this pattern becomes more contrasted over the years, it is still possible to follow an animal from birth to adulthood if it is photographed on a regular basis. The whale displaying an "X" on the underside of its right fluke is also a juvenile, but it could not be identified. Will these young humpbacks become regular visitors to the Tadoussac–Les Escoumins area? Perhaps their presence here was nothing more than a teenage escapade. Special of the day Whales and seabirds were stuffing themselves with amphipods (probably Themisto sp.)last October 2 near Tadoussac. A cloud of zooplankton had come to the surface, possibly under the influence of the strong currents created by the large tides. These amphipods are of the same order as skuds, crustaceans that are abundant in tidal pools along the north shore of the St. Lawrence. Between 1940 and 1970, fishermen from the Tadoussac area harvested skuds in the fall to feed salmon and trout in fish hatcheries across the province. Thursday October 14 1999, vol. 3 no 24 Male beluga whale incursions Male beluga whales normally seen downstream and offshore from Les Escoumins in the summer, such as Oméga and Mayo, were photographed by researchers aboard the Bleuvet in the central portion of the St. Lawrence beluga summer distribution area, near île Rouge. These male beluga whale "incursions", as well as large gatherings, are autumn rituals. Over the next two months belugas will become more scarce in the Estuary as they move downstream towards the Gulf of St. Lawrence for the winter. Beached fin whale The carcass of a fin whale that was drifting in the Tadoussac–Les Escoumins area last week finally came ashore at Pointe-au-Père near Rimouski on October 8. A team from Fisheries and Oceans Canada, led by Lena Measures, determined the cause of death to be a collision with a large vessel. The young male fin whale had a fractured shoulder blade and humerus. The minke whale also seen drifting last week was spotted near cap Granite between Tadoussac and Grandes-Bergeronnes. Last minute sampling A final field effort enabled the GREMM research team to collect four fin whale biopsy samples near Tadoussac on the morning of October 13. One of the animals sampled was Boomerang, a whale that has been frequently photographed in the area over the last few years. The research team had already collected 25 fin whale biopsy samples between June and August . These skin samples will be sent to Martine Bérubé in England to be added to a data base that includes samples from several fin whale populations of the Atlantic Ocean. Information collected in this way also allows for a better understanding of the these animals that return year after year to the waters of the Estuary. A shearwater in trouble A sooty shearwater that appeared to have an injured wing was photographed with a group of sea gulls at the mouth of the Saguenay. An almost entirely dark bird, the sooty shearwater is often seen buzzing the waves while keeping its wings stiff. As with other shearwaters, fulmars and storm-petrels, it is typically a pelagic bird most often seen on the high seas. Autumn is a good season to observe them in the St. Lawrence Estuary. Colours gone with the wind The Upper North Shore is superb in this season when viewed from the water. Poplar, birch and other deciduous trees among the dark green conifers have a spectacular marbling effect on the landscape. Take advantage of it fast, though, for the strong winds that were blowing this week will make short work of the fall colours! Thursday October 21 1999, vol. 3 no 25 With the change of season, The whale news network changes course. This will be the last complete bulletin of the season. Over the winter an abridged version of The whale news network will be updated weekly. Sperm whales! Researchers aboard the Bleuvet had a chance encounter with seven sperm whales off cap de Bon-Désir on October 19. At least two of these animals had already been photographed on several occasions in the Estuary. Their identity was confirmed with the help of serrations visible along the edges of their tails. Researchers have been using this technique to identify several individuals through sporadic encounters since 1991. As it turns out, these are not the same whales as those photographed off the coast of Nova Scotia. Who are these sperm whales and why do they occasionally venture up the St. Lawrence? So far, the mystery remains intact. Upstream gathering Every week since mid-September there have been sightings of fin whales upstream from Tadoussac, most often near Saint-Siméon and as far as Cap-à-l’Aigle. The animals in question were often alone or in groups of three or four. Last Saturday, however, there were at least 29 fin whales sighted between cap de la Tête-au-Chien and the wharf at Saint-Siméon. One Saint-Siméon summer resident, a wildlife photographer, states that this is a first in 52 years of observations. Have these whales discovered a new feeding ground? Will the same phenomenon repeat itself next year, or is this observation due to conditions that are unique to the autumn of 1999? Beached beluga A beluga was discovered stranded last weekend at Saint-Denis, near Kamouraska. The carcass being relatively fresh, it was transported to the Faculty of veterinary medicine at Saint-Hyacinthe where a necropsy will be performed. This was the fourteenth beluga found stranded along the shores of the St. Lawrence since the spring and the ninth carcass transported to Saint-Hyacinthe this year. These statistics are in keeping with the annual seasonal averages since the beluga carcass recovery program began in 1983. This work is now headed by Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Thursday October 28 1999, vol. 3 no 26 Thar she blows! Wind was not the only thing blowing off Tadoussac, whales were present in large numbers. Around twenty fin whales, several minke whales, numerous beluga whales and even one humpback delighted the few whale watchers who decided to brave the rough and choppy waters of the St. Lawrence. Fin whales were particularly dynamic; observers report seeing them feeding at the surface and even breaching, a rare behaviour for this species. Add to this the many seals and seabirds, and it was enough to warm up even the coolest customer! Thursday November 4 1999, vol. 3 no 27 The end of the season Final cruises for whale watching boats and for the research boat Le Bleuvet in the Tadoussac-Les Escoumins area were very successful. The humpback whale and numerous fin whales were present, as were a very large number of grey seals and several harp seals. There was even a sperm whale sighted off Grandes-Bergeronnes! If you’re passing through the area and want to see whales, don’t be discouraged by the fact that the boats are all put away for the winter. It is still possible to see whales from the shore almost anywhere along the St. Lawrence Estuary and Gulf. For example, large groups of belugas were often at the mouth of the Saguenay fjord this week, especially at high tide, and they were easily visible from the Pointe de l’Islet in Tadoussac. Thursday November 11 1999, vol. 3 no 28 November, month of the dead... No, November is not a particularly sinister month for St. Lawrence marine mammals. However, a dead beluga whale was seen drifting off Matane this week. This is the seventeenth dead beluga reported to the Maurice-Lamontagne Institute by the carcass recovery network since this spring. A harbour seal carcass was also reported beached near Chicoutimi on November 11. This carcass will be sent to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Université de Montréal in Saint-Hyacinthe where a detailed necropsy will be performed. Information gathered in this way allows researchers to determine cause of death and to deduce the state of health of the various marine mammal populations that frequent the St. Lawrence. Thursday November 18 1999, vol. 3 no 29 The calm after the storm The St. Lawrence presented highly contrasted scenes this week. On certain days it raged wildly while on others it was as calm as a millpond. The calm days were conducive to the observation of whales and other marine creatures. Those whale-news-network contributors lucky enough to see the St. Lawrence from their living room or kitchen windows tell of a minke whale off Sept-Îles and two fin whales off Saint-Siméon last Friday. Several beluga whales were spotted swimming rapidly at the mouth of the Saguenay on Monday. Elsewhere in the Gulf and Estuary? No news this week. Thursday November 25 1999, vol. 3 no 30 Beachcombing... and whale watching! The past week’s spell of milder weather was enough to encourage several whale news network observers to go for a stroll along the beach. This type of mild adventure conjures up the thousand and one treasures that can be discovered in the sand, the sound of the waves and the briny smell of the sea. To top it off, several amateur beachcombers also had the good fortune of observing marine mammals. As many as four fin whales were seen off Saint-Siméon, in the Charlevoix region, several beluga whales in Sainte-Marguerite Bay in the Saguenay, a harbour seal at the foot of the sand dunes near Tadoussac, and minke whales as well as a harbour seal in another Sainte-Marguerite Bay near Sept-Îles. Keep an eye on the water, you never know what you may see! Thursday December 2 1999, vol. 3 no 31 Visitors from the Great White North Several adult hooded seals were reported in the St. Lawrence Estuary this week. They can be identified by their relatively large size and their steel grey coloured coats dotted with large black spots. This species is generally associated with ice, though young hooded seals have a strong tendency to stray and are regularly seen in the Estuary over the summer. Several young hooded seals have even made their way upstream as far as Quebec City, Montreal and Sainte-Anne-de Bellevue. The question is: with the onset of winter, what are adults doing in the Estuary ? Although a similar situation was observed in 1996, no one has an explanation for this exceptional visit. Could it be attributable to a lack of ice in the Gulf? Were the seals pursuing schools of fish? For the moment it is impossible to verify these hypotheses. Based on the surprising observations of this past summer (fin whales present on a regular basis in the spring and fall in the Charlevoix region, several mentions of leatherback turtles in the Gulf and three sunfish spotted near Les Escoumins, just to name a few), one wonders whether these sightings could be indicative of exceptional environmental conditions in the St. Lawrence River. Thursday December 9 1999, vol. 3 no 32 Whales and seals of the St. Lawrence on assignment in Hawaii The whales and seals of the St. Lawrence were the subject of conversations between researchers participating in the Biennial Conference on Marine Mammals that was held in Hawaii between November 28 and December 3 of this year. Four Quebec scientists presented their respective projects. Richard Sears of MICS talked about blue whales that occasionally travel in pairs. These pairs usually turn out to be a female accompanied by a male, with the female almost always in the lead. Blue whale pairs are more numerous towards the end of summer, which seems to indicate that they are getting ready for the mating season. Véronique Lesage of the Maurice Lamontagne Institute compared various methods for studying the feeding habits of harp seals. In an attempt to determine what grey seals are eating, Jean-François Gosselin, also of the Maurice Lamontagne Institute, superimposed two sets of mapped data; one indicating the results of satellite tracking of grey seals and the other showing the distribution of ground fish. Finally, Robert Michaud of GREMM presented his work on the social structure of the beluga whale. Results suggest that males form small, stable groups and that females are more apt to form loosely organized communities. It is presumed that this type of behaviour is related to reproductive strategies. Scientists from around the world came together to share the most recent results of their work, discuss the newest developments in research techniques and establish ties in order to work together. Thursday December 16 1999, vol. 3 no 33 Waiting for winter Today the Mighty River is hidden by the cloak of a winter snow, or rain, depending on where you are. Earlier this week, however, observers at the maritime surveillance centre in Les Escoumins were treated to quite a sight. A blue whale spent the morning of December 14 within metres of the shore just off their observation post. With each dive the whale raised its tail out of the water. Only 15 to 18 % of St. Lawrence blue whales "fluke up" as they dive. Although our collaborator in Sept-Îles never spotted any cetaceans this week, he did observe a large contingent of oldsquaw, a pretty marine duck that spends the winter on the St. Lawrence, the Great Lakes and along the east coast of the United States. Another winter resident, the beluga whale, was sighted again this week at the mouth of the Saguenay. The daily parade of white backs should come to an end as ice invades the Fjord. The belugas will then move downstream towards the Gulf. Thursday December 23 1999, vol. 3 no 34 New contributors Who is it that sails the St. Lawrence at this time of year? Merchant vessels, the Canadian Coast Guard ... and seal hunters! The latter have a profound knowledge of the River and of its winter residents. In order to share their insight, the whale news network has asked the seal hunters association of Les Escoumins to join its team of observers. Although the hunt officially opened on December 15, due to rough seas their sheet metal reinforced boats have not yet left the shore. Nonetheless, they succeeded in spotting several groups of harp seals and several grey seals. Over the course of the following weeks, hunters will give us a different perspective of the St. Lawrence and allow us to learn more about a poorly understood activity; the seal hunt in the Estuary. |