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Home > Grizzly Bear and Wildlife Tour Blog > Whale Watching > Humpback Whale Backward Tail Lobbing

Humpback Whale Backward Tail Lobbing

March 18, 2015 Lodge Guide

Yes that humpback whale is slapping the water with the upper-side of its tail. That means that it is on its back and slapping downward. With the increase number of humpback whales that spend the summer in our viewing area, often viewing ten or twelve whales each trip; we view more interesting behaviour. In the past summer tail lobbing, lunge feeding and breaching are common place. For the first time there has been a whale bubble feeding and this is a rare behaviour. Rare because it is one whale bubble feeding rather than a group. The whale swims in a circle blowing bubbles to keep the herring inside the ring and then turns and lunges up through it’s own bubbles.

Bald Eagles

Bald Eagles are frequently sighted in our area. At times they can be seen in large numbers. This is usually where food supplies are high. For example this could be in areas with high concentrations of baitfish or along the rivers in the fall when the salmon are spawning. They are not migratory, but do move around with the food supply. As mentioned earlier when the salmon are spawning we often see many along the rivers, while there will be fewer along the coastline. With little need for camouflage their white head and tail feathers can be spotted easily. The female is slightly larger and her white head extends down a bit farther onto the body, but it is subtle. It takes these birds 4.5 – 5 years to acquire this unique plumage. As juveniles they are a brown colour. With exceptional eyesight and the ability to view 270 degrees they are understandably often seen in high perches and in trees near points and passageways.

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