Monterey Bay Whale Watch
List of Marine Mammal Sightings
in the Monterey Bay Region
August 1-31, 2019

Note -- In addition to sightings on Monterey Bay Whale Watch trips, this list includes all reported marine mammal sightings for this region. Unusual sightings of other marine animals such as Leatherback Sea Turtles and Basking Sharks are also listed. California Sea Lions, Harbor Seals, and Southern Sea Otters, which are seen on all whale watching trips, are not included in the list.

These sightings are copyright protected and may not be used without permission from Nancy Black. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use of this information is a violation of federal copyright law, and is subject to prosecution to the full extent of the law.

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Date # Type of Animal(s) 8/31 2 p.m. 24 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding)   500 Risso's Dolphins 8/31 1 p.m. 14 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding)   2 Harbor Porpoise   many Mola Mola (ocean sunfish)   many Sea Nettles 8/31 9 a.m. 27 Humpback Whales (feeding)     Mola Mola (ocean sunfish)   many Sea Nettles 8/31 8 a.m. 13 Humpback Whales (feeding, breaching)   many Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) 8/31 8 a.m. 22 Humpback Whales  All Day 2 Blue Whales   10 Pacific White-sided Dolphins   800 Risso's Dolphins 8/30 2 p.m. 9 Humpback Whales   many Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) 8/30 1 p.m. 20 Humpback Whales (tail throws, breaching, chin slaps, pec slaps, tail slaps) 8/30 10 a.m. 20 Humpback Whales (tail throws, breaching, chin slaps, pec slaps, tail slaps) 8/30 9 a.m. 33 Humpback Whales (feeding frenzy)   many Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) 8/30 8 a.m. 21 Humpback Whales (feeding frenzy) 8/29 2 p.m. 20 Humpback Whales (feeding) 8/29 9 a.m. 34 Humpback Whales   2 Harbor Porpoise     Mola Mola (ocean sunfish)     Sea Nettles 8/29 8 a.m. 24 Humpback Whales (playing with kelp, breaching)   12 Risso's Dolphins   2 Harbor Porpoise   1 Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) 8/29 8 a.m. 6 Humpback Whales  All Day 7 Killer Whales (Emma's pod) 8/28 2 p.m. 34 Humpback Whales (with a feeding group of 19!) 8/28 1 p.m. 20 Humpback Whales (feeding) 8/28 10 a.m. 12 Humpback Whales (lunge feeding, breaching, tail slaps, pectoral slaps, head slaps)   5 Pacific White-sided Dolphins   200 Risso's Dolphins   5 Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) 8/28 9 a.m. 29 Humpback Whales   200 Risso's Dolphins   6 Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) 8/28 8 a.m. 18 Humpback Whales (tail throws, pectoral slaps)   15 Risso's Dolphins   8 Harbor Porpoise 8/27 2 p.m. 15 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding)   200+ Sea Lions (feeding)   2 Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) 8/27 1 p.m. 13 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding)   20 Risso's Dolphins   5 Harbor Porpoise   2 Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) 8/27 10 a.m. 20 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding, tail slaps, breaching)   20 Risso's Dolphins   12 Harbor Porpoise   8 Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) 8/27 9 a.m. 19 Humpback Whales (lunge feeding, breaching, tail throws, pectoral slaps)   2 Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) 8/27 8 a.m. 21 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding, breaching)     Risso's Dolphins   3 Harbor Porpoise   2 Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) 8/26 2 p.m. 18 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding)   60 Risso's Dolphins 8/26 1 p.m. 17 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding, tail slaps, tail throws)   100+ Risso's Dolphins 8/26 9 a.m. 10 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding with Sea Lions)   100 Risso's Dolphins   100+ Sea Lions (feeding with Humpback Whales) 8/26 8 a.m. 14 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding, corkscrew dives, head slaps)   many Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) 8/26 8 a.m. 29 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding, tail throws)  All Day 50 Risso's Dolphins   1 Steller Sea Lion   2 Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) 8/25 2 p.m. 22 Humpback Whales   hundreds Sea Lions (feeding)     Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) 8/25 1 p.m. 17 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding) 8/25 9 a.m. 18 Humpback Whales (breaching, lunge-feeding)   100+ Risso's Dolphins (socializing)   many Mola Mola (ocean sunfish)   many Sea Nettles 8/25 8 a.m. 9 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding) 8/25 8 a.m. 44 Humpback Whales (breaching, lunge-feeding)  All Day 300 Risso's Dolphins (socializing)   25 Harbor Porpoise 8/24 5:30 p.m. 24 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding) 8/24 2 p.m. 10 Humpback Whales (breaching) 8/24 9 a.m. 22 Humpback Whales     Mola Mola (ocean sunfish)     Sea Nettles 8/24 8 a.m. 39 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding, tail throws)   1 Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) 8/24 7:30 a.m. 37 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding, tail throws)  Full Day 400 Risso's Dolphins   1 Dall's Porpoise 8/23 2 p.m. 2 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding)   6 Harbor Porpoise (feeding)   1 Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) 8/23 1 p.m. 7 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding)   hundreds Sea Lions and Gulls 8/23 10 a.m. 20 Humpback Whales (feeding, tail throws)   70 Risso's Dolphins   1 Black-footed Albatross 8/23 9 a.m. 15 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding)   100 Risso's Dolphins   5 Bottlenose Dolphins 8/23 8 a.m. 16 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding)   1 Risso's Dolphin   20 Bottlenose Dolphins   4 Harbor Porpoise   1 Mola Mola (ocean sunfish)   1 Black-footed Albatross 8/22 2 p.m. 1 Humpback Whale   2 Harbor Porpoise (feeding)   hundreds Sea Lions 8/22 1 p.m. 1 Humpback Whale (feeding) 8/22 9 a.m. 11 Humpback Whales (breaching, lunge-feeding)   6 Harbor Porpoise 8/22 8 a.m. 11 Humpback Whales (feeding, breaching)   hundreds Sea Lions 8/22 8 a.m. 18 Humpback Whales  All Day 35 Risso's Dolphins 8/21 2 p.m. 12 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding)   30 Risso's Dolphins 8/21 1 p.m. 11 Humpback Whales (feeding, breaching)   25 Pacific White-sided Dolphins   50 Risso's Dolphins 8/21 10 a.m. 19 Humpback Whales (feeding)   50 Pacific White-sided Dolphins   200 Risso's Dolphins 8/21 9 a.m. 14 Humpback Whales (feeding, breaching)   3 Harbor Porpoise   2 Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) 8/21 8 a.m. 12 Humpback Whales (feeding) 8/20 2 p.m. 5 Humpback Whales (breaching and tail throws) 8/20 1 p.m. 6 Humpback Whales   40 Risso's Dolphins   1 Steller Sea Lion 8/20 10 a.m. 12 Humpback Whales (feeding)   2000 Pacific White-sided Dolphins   60 Risso's Dolphins   1000 Northern Right Whale Dolphins   3 Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) 8/20 9 a.m. 23 Humpback Whales (feeding)   2000 Pacific White-sided Dolphins   100 Risso's Dolphins   1000 Northern Right Whale Dolphins   5 Bottlenose Dolphins   1 Steller Sea Lion   4 Mola Mola (ocean sunfish)   1 Blue Shark 8/20 8 a.m. 20 Humpback Whales (breaching mom and calf)   30 Risso's Dolphins   1 Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) 8/19 2 p.m. 12 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding)   40 Risso's Dolphins   6 Dall's Porpoise 8/19 1 p.m. 25 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding)   32 Risso's Dolphins   200 Sea Lions 8/19 10 a.m. 37 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding)   150 Risso's Dolphins   100+ Sea Lions 8/19 9 a.m. 21 Humpback Whales (breaching, lunge-feeding, pectoral slaps)   50 Risso's Dolphins   1 Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) 8/19 8 a.m. 27 Humpback Whales (breaching, lunge-feeding, tail throws)   25 Risso's Dolphins 8/18 2 p.m. 12 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding) 8/18 1 p.m. 14 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding, tail throws)   5 Bottlenose Dolphins 8/18 10 a.m. 10 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding)   1 Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) 8/18 9 a.m. 10 Humpback Whales (feeding, breaching)   15 Risso's Dolphins (nursery pod)   2 Harbor Porpoise 8/18 8 a.m. 11 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding)   18 Risso's Dolphins (nursery pod)   2 Harbor Porpoise 8/17 2 p.m. 18 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding) 8/17 1 p.m. 17 Humpback Whales (tail-slaps, lunge-feeding) 8/17 9 a.m. 19 Humpback Whales (feeding, breaching)   1 Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) 8/17 8 a.m. 23 Humpback Whales (feeding, breaching)     Risso's Dolphins (with 2 calves) 8/17 8 a.m. 30 Humpback Whales  All Day 100 Risso's Dolphins (with calves) 8/16 2 p.m. 11 Humpback Whales   2 Harbor Porpoise 8/16 1 p.m. 9 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding, tail slaps)   16 Risso's Dolphins 8/16 10 a.m. 17 Humpback Whales   8 Risso's Dolphins 8/16 9 a.m. 17 Humpback Whales   15 Risso's Dolphins   15 Harbor Porpoise 8/16 8 a.m. 6 Humpback Whales (breaching, lunge-feeding)   7 Killer Whales (eating, lob-tailing)   30 Risso's Dolphins (nursery pod)   8 Harbor Porpoise 8/15 2 p.m. 21 Humpback Whales   1 Blue Whale   15 Risso's Dolphins 8/15 1 p.m. 22 Humpback Whales (breaching, lunge-feeding)   13 Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) 8/15 10 a.m. 18 Humpback Whales (breaching, lunge-feeding) 8/15 9 a.m. 24 Humpback Whales (lunge feeding, calf & mom breaching and head slaps)     Harbor Porpoise 8/15 8 a.m. 27 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding, breaching, tail throws, pectoral slaps)     Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) 8/14 2 p.m. 13 Humpback Whales   2 Blue Whales   3 Killer Whales 8/14 1 p.m. 11 Humpback Whales (feeding with Sea Lions)   2 Blue Whales   20 Mola Mola (ocean sunfish)   200+ Sea Lions (feeding with Humpback Whales) 8/14 10 a.m. 10 Humpback Whales   4 Blue Whales   8 Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) 8/14 9 a.m. 14 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding)   4 Blue Whales   25 Harbor Porpoise   3 Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) 8/14 8 a.m. 9 Humpback Whales (feeding with Sea Lions)   3 Blue Whales   15 Risso's Dolphins   10 Mola Mola (ocean sunfish)   200+ Sea Lions (feeding with Humpback Whales) 8/13 2 p.m. 15 Humpback Whales (feeding, breaching)   25 Harbor Porpoise 8/13 1 p.m. 4 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding, mom and calf pair, spy hop right next to the boat} 8/13 10 a.m. 19 Humpback Whales   2 Harbor Porpoise 8/13 9 a.m. 11 Humpback Whales (feeding, mother and calf pair)   10 Harbor Porpoise   3 Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) 8/13 8 a.m. 4 Humpback Whales (mother and calf pair)   10 Harbor Porpoise   12 Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) 8/12 5:30 p.m. 14 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding, breaching) 8/12 2 p.m. 19 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding and a mother & calf pair)   5 Harbor Porpoise   hundreds Sea Lions 8/12 1 p.m. 16 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding) 8/12 10 a.m. 12 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding)   2 Blue Whales !!   1 Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) 8/12 9 a.m. 18 Humpback Whales (lunge feeding, breaching, mother and calf pair)   30 Risso's Dolphins   10 Harbor Porpoise   7 Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) 8/12 8 a.m. 12 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding with Sea Lions)   5 Harbor Porpoise   2 Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) 8/11 1 p.m.   Humpback Whales (chin slaps)   20 Pacific White-sided Dolphins   50 Risso's Dolphins   4 Harbor Porpoise   1 Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) 8/11 9 a.m. 9 Humpback Whales (feeding with the Sea Lions) 8/11 8 a.m. 20 Humpback Whales 8/10 5:30 p.m. 17 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding), tail throws   hundreds of Sea Lions feeding with them 8/10 2 p.m. 12 Humpback Whales (breaching, lunge-feeding) 8/10 1 p.m. 13 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding, head slap) 8/10 9 a.m. 35 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding)   60 Risso's Dolphins 8/10 8 a.m. 33 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding)   100 Risso's Dolphins 8/9 2 p.m. 45 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding)   3 Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) 8/9 1 p.m. 35 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding)   400 Sea Lions 8/9 9 a.m. 27 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding, chin slaps)   110 Risso's Dolphins   23 Northern Right-whale Dolphins   2 Harbor Porpoise   1 Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) 8/9 8 a.m. 38 Humpback Whales   120 Risso's Dolphins   25 Northern Right-whale Dolphins   2 Haror Porpoise 8/8 2 p.m. 15 Humpback Whales (breaching, tail throws, lunge-feeding)   4 Mola Mola 8/8 1 p.m. 35 Humpback Whales (breaching and lunge-feeding)   30 Risso's Dolphins 8/8 10 a.m. 36 Humpback Whales (breaching and lunge-feeding)   25 Risso's Dolphins (breaching and head slaps) 8/8 9 a.m. 37 Humpback Whales (breaching and lunge-feeding)   25-30 Risso's Dolphins   4 Mola Mola 8/8 8 a.m. 36 Humpback Whales   25 Risso's Dolphins   1 Mola Mola 8/7 1 p.m. 14 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding) 8/7 10 a.m. 48 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding, tail throws, tail lobs, pec slaps)   2 Bottlenose Dolphins 8/7 9 a.m. 38 Humpback Whales (breaching and lunge-feeding)   4 Harbor Porpoise   3 Mola Molas (ocean sunfish)   hundreds Sea Lions feeding with the whales 8/7 8 a.m. 37 Humpback Whales (breaching and lunge-feeding)   20 Harbor Porpoise 8/6 2 p.m. 45 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding)   10 Harbor Porpoise   9 Mola Molas (ocean sunfish) 8/6 1 p.m. 22 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding)     Mola Molas (ocean sunfish) 8/6 10 a.m. 17 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding)   2 Harbor Porpoise 8/6 9 a.m. 45 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding)   10 Risso's Dolphins   20 Harbor Porpoise   20 Mola Molas! (ocean sunfish) 8/6 8 a.m. 29 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding, breaching)     Mola Molas! (ocean sunfish) 8/5 2 p.m. 35 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding) 8/5 1 p.m. 19 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding, breaching) 8/5 10 a.m. 36 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding, breaching) 8/5 9 a.m. 31 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding, breaching) 8/5 8 a.m. 29 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding)   LOTS of birds and Sea Lions feeding with the whales 8/4 2 p.m. 34 Humpback Whales (breaching, pec slaps, tail thows, mom & calf pair) 8/4 1 p.m. 33 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding, tail throws)   10 Harbor Porpoise 8/4 10 a.m. 36 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding, breaching, pec slaps, tail slaps)   3 Harbor Porpoise   2 Mola Mola (ocean sumfish) 8/4 9 a.m. 45 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding)   10 Risso's Dolphins   5 Harbor Porpoise 8/4 8 a.m. 33 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding)   15 Harbor Porpoise 8/3 2 p.m. 27 Humpback Whales (feeding frenzy!!, breaching) 8/3 1 p.m. 24 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding, calf breaching) 8/3 9 a.m. 29 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding)   1 Northern Fur Seal 8/3 8 a.m. 29 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding, mom & calf pair, breaching) 8/3 8 a.m. 36 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding and breaching)  All Day 3 Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) 8/1 2 p.m. 36 Humpback Whales (groups of 5-8 lunge-feeding) 8/1 1 p.m. 30 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding) 8/1 10 a.m. 47 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding, breaching, tail slaps, pec slaps, mom and calf pair) 8/1 9 a.m. 38 Humpback Whales   1 Blue Whale   4 Risso's Dolphins 8/1 8 a.m. 59 Humpback Whales (lunge-feeding and breaching)

All photos © 2019 Daniel Bianchetta Blue Whale (August 31, 2019) Lunge-feeding Humpback Whale near the Blackfin (August 31, 2019) Jumping Anchovies (August 31, 2019) Risso's Dolphins (August 31, 2019) Harbor Seal and Brown Pelican (August 31, 2019) Barn Swallow (August 31, 2019) Humpback Whales with rain-blows (August 30, 2019) Tail throwing Humpback Whales (August 30, 2019) Humpback Whales (August 30, 2019) Killer Whale tail (August 29, 2019) Killer Whales (August 29, 2019) Breaching Killer Whale (August 29, 2019) Red-necked Phalaropes (August 27, 2019) Humpback Whales (August 26, 2019) Sea Otters Mother and Pup and Great Egret (August 26, 2019) Mola Mola (Ocean Sunfish) (August 26, 2019) Harbor Porpoise and Western Gull (August 25, 2019) Humpback Whales feeding with Sea Lion (Note anchovies) (August 24, 2019) Baby Risso's Dolphin with mother (August 24, 2019) Baby Risso's Dolphin (Note fetal folds) (August 24, 2019) Black-crowned Night Heron (August 22, 2019) Humpback Whale by the Blackfin (August 22, 2019) Black-footed Albatross (August 22, 2019) Harbor Seal balanced on a rock (August 22, 2019) Steller Sea Lion with California Sea Lions (August 20, 2019) Risso's Dolphins by the Lighthouse (August 20, 2019) Red-necked Phalarope (August 19, 2019) Humpback Whale tail near Big Sur (August 19, 2019) Bottlenose Dolphin flipping a fish into the air (August 18, 2019) Humpback Whale tail throw (August 18, 2019) Elegant Tern (August 18, 2019) Risso's Dolphins Mother and Calf (August 18, 2019) Black-footed Albatross (August 17, 2019) Breaching Humpback Whale (August 15, 2019) Humpback Whale tail with Killer Whale rake marks (August 12, 2019) Harbor Seal (August 11, 2019) Black Turnstone and a Brandt’s Cormorant (August 11, 2019) Blue Heron (August 10, 2019) Breaching Risso's Dolphin (August 10, 2019) Risso's Dolphins and Northern Right-whale Dolphins (August 9, 2019) Risso's Dolphins, 1 kelping (playing with kelp) (August 9, 2019) Horizontal Lunge-feeding Humpback Whale (August 9, 2019) Risso's Dolphins (August 9, 2019) Humpback Whale rainblow (August 8, 2019) Humpback Whale (August 8, 2019) Humpback Whale tail and gull (August 6, 2019) Humpback Whale lunge-feeding (August 6, 2019) Humpback Whales lunge-feedingl (August 6, 2019) Humpback Whale with Gull (August 5, 2019) Humpback Whale Back (August 5, 2019) Southern Sea Otter (August 5, 2019) Harbor Seal (August 5, 2019) Brown Pelican (August 4, 2019) Humpback Whale tail with tons of sea lions (August 3, 2019) Mola Mola - ocean sunfish (August 3, 2019) Humpback Whales (August 3, 2019) Humpback Whales Lunge-feeding (notice anchovies) (August 1, 2019) All photos © 2019 Daniel Bianchetta

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Last updated September 5, 2019