4 tips for spotting gray whales and other cetaceans on a hike
LA TimesThe water off the coast of Point Vicente quivered in the distance with little leaping bits of life. I’m looking at how many are jumping out, and trying to see where the lead one jumped out, and how many come out within maybe five seconds — because it’s not going to be the same dolphin coming out within five seconds of itself.” On Sunday, I attended an orientation for volunteers who will help with the L.A. chapter of the American Cetacean Society’s annual count of migrating eastern North Pacific gray whales. “Gray whales are considered an ecosystem sentinel, so looking at how they’re doing and how healthy they are could be an indication of what’s going on with the ecosystem,” Schulman-Janiger told me. It’s not unusual for gray whales to stay in the harbor for a few weeks in February and March before migrating farther north toward Alaska. But there are specific times of year you’re most likely to see them in Southern California: January is the best time to spot southbound gray whales and their calves, especially in the first few weeks of the month.
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