How to spot gray whales migrating along California’s coast

The water off the coast of Point Vicente quivered in the distance with little leaping bits of life.

At least, that’s what they looked like to the naked eye.

“They’re common dolphin,” said Alisa Schulman-Janiger, a whale researcher, as she looked through a high-powered spotting scope. “I’d put it at 100 to 150. 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. Since Dec. 1, dedicated marine animal lovers have been perched on the patio of the Point Vicente Interpretive Center in Rancho Palos Verdes, which sits 125 feet above sea level. The project has operated every year since 1979, outside of a few off years, and its primary station is this patio. The volunteers will count the whales from sunrise to sunset daily until late May.

At 5,000 to 7,000 miles, the migration of gray whales is one of the longest among mammals, according to the American Cetacean Society. In the fall, they start leaving their summer feeding grounds, heading south to Baja lagoons, where cows give birth in the warm shallow waters. They start to arrive in the lagoons in December. Most gray whales without calves start heading north in February and March to feed in cooler waters in Alaska. A small number, called the Pacific Coast feeding group, stop earlier, feeding between Northern California and British Columbia. Pregnant and nursing whales and their newborn calves are the last to leave the lagoons, heading out in March to mid-April.

At Point Vicente, curious residents stop throughout the day to look at a marker board with the day’s gray whale count, which sits behind a cordoned-off area where a handful of volunteers focus their binoculars at the sea. The project’s goal is not to estimate the number of gray whales — which is currently around 19,000 or lower — but instead to observe their migratory patterns and behaviors.

Why count 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.

Recently, the gray whale population was decimated during an unusual mortality event. The key reason for the die-off was a lack of food, Schulman-Janiger said. The effects of climate change, including warming ocean waters, have decreased the availability of the shrimp-like creatures that are a key food source for the gray whales. But also, starving whales are less likely to get pregnant, carry a pregnancy to term and be able to nurse and raise a calf.

Spyhopping is a behavior exhibited by cetaceans, such as the gray whale. When an animal spyhops, it vertically pokes its head out of the water, as this gray whale is doing near Laguna San Ignacio, Baja California.

(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

I asked Schulman-Janiger how she holds on to hope in the face of all the harm climate change is bringing to our oceans. Her hope lies in the species. Gray whales have had major die-offs before, and their population has recovered.

“They’re able to adapt, and they bounce back,” she said. Even so, gray whale populations still might not return to their previous numbers, she added.

Learning about the resiliency of gray whales — and all humans are doing to help them — made me feel grateful I live in a place where it’s possible to see them in their natural element.

I spent time with the group this past Sunday to learn how hikers can (hopefully!) spot gray whales and other cetaceans. Here’s what I learned about how we can increase our chances of seeing our flippered friends.

Former whale biologist Scott Mercer, left, with his wife, Tree Mercer, looking for whales from Point Arena lighthouse in Mendocino County.

(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

1. Bring the right pair of binoculars

Although you might have a magical moment with whales or dolphins near the shore, your best bet at spotting cetaceans is to bring binoculars on your hike.

“We have both humpbacks and gray whales around, so you want to be able to tell which one it is,” Schulman-Janiger said. “Plus we have so many dolphins around.”

The Point Vicente whale-counting group uses binoculars that are 7×50 in magnification and diameter. Regardless of what you choose, it can be helpful to buy binoculars designed for wildlife viewing (and that are waterproof if you ever plan to go whale watching).

That said, it’s not implausible that you could get lucky as you hike near ocean cliffs. Just off the coast of Point Vicente, Schulman-Janiger once saw a northbound gray whale meet up with two southbound whales and surf a large wave side by side before continuing on their journey.

“One time we had a blue whale sitting right there at a quarter-mile out,” she said. “I looked there, and I know there’s no island there, there’s no giant tree there, and it’s not moving, and it’s there, and it was dark, and I’m like, ‘What the heck?’ And it was a young whale just sitting there, which we’ve never had since. It stayed for about 45 minutes. It was so cool. You never know what you’re going to see.”

A gray whale surfaces with open eyes.

(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

2. Look for slowly expanding dark horizontal lines on the water

“That line is a big cue, a big cue that we’ve got dolphins,” Schulman-Janiger told the trainees Sunday. “And most likely common dolphin.”

Generally, you’ll want to look for a dark horizontal line in the water that continues to grow in one direction. Another clue that you’ve spotted a dolphin: if you see birds, like pelicans, repeatedly diving into the water. They may be doing this because dolphins are driving fish up toward the surface of the water.

On Sunday, the dolphins were moving to our left. The trail they left was easily hundreds of feet long. It was darkest where the dolphins were most active. If you have binoculars, train them to the front of the line, as that’s where dolphins tend to jump the most, and you’re most likely to see them leap out of the water.

Common dolphins like to travel in larger groups, often over 50. Schulman-Janiger once saw a group that took 45 minutes to pass by. It was probably about 10,000 dolphins.

Generally, Pacific white-sided dolphins won’t travel in large groups in Southern California but can be spotted in larger groups in Monterey Bay, she said. Schulman-Janiger said she has seen more than 100 bottle-nosed dolphins together, but never thousands.

If you spot smooth circles on the water, kind of like a shiny flat pancake, that could be a fluke print, another sign that whales are near, she said. If it’s a smooth area that doesn’t go away, that’s more likely to be a kelp bed or a rock.

A gray whale swims into Los Angeles Harbor on Feb. 23, 2021. 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. They try to feed in the shallow waters, stirring up sediment.

(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

3. Watch for spouting blowholes

Thanks to their two blowholes, gray whales produce a low, bushy and heart-shaped blow. It’ll probably be 8 to 13 feet high, according to the American Cetacean Society. Migrating gray whales have a predictable breathing pattern, where they’ll blow up to five times in 15- to 30-second intervals before generally raising their flukes and diving down for three to five minutes, according to the society. So, if you spot a blow, stay put because you’ll probably see them again!

Other whales have different blow styles. Humpback whales have a bushy balloon-like blow that rises 6 to 10 feet high. Sperm whales lie at the surface and blow several times. Their blow will come out at a 45-degree angle, low to the left, about 8 to 16 feet high, Schulman-Janiger said.

The shape of a whale’s blow, though, will also depend on wind and air temperature. If it’s hot outside, the blow will be less present. If it’s windy, then a gray whale’s blow might be less heart-shaped.

One of my proudest moments in nature was during a whale-watching trip out of Long Beach in 2019. I was full of motion-sickness medicine, so while the choppy waters turned my fellow passengers green, I stared into the water, looking for blows. Blue whales can produce a 30-foot high blow that shoots straight up. Suddenly, I spotted water shooting straight into the air. I shouted to the volunteer, who told the captain. I’d found a blue whale!

A gray whale pushes her calf to the surface in Laguna San Ignacio, Baja California.

(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

4. Be patient

There is no specific time of day you’ll find gray whales during their migration. 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.
• In February, you might spot gray whales going north or south.
• March is the busiest migration month of the year for gray whales, especially for northbound whales.
• In April, mama whales and babies are migrating north because the cows stay longer in the lagoons in Mexico to give birth and care for their young. During the last few weeks of the month, you’re more likely to spot calves as they travel north.

In Southern California, we are lucky to be able to spot various species of whales year-round. Also, the public is welcome to stop by the patio at Point Vicente Interpretive Center and help spot gray whales. Bring binoculars and a chair, and make sure to be respectful of the official observers of the day.

***

Hopefully any whale you see is having the time of its life. But, if you notice a whale has a buoy traveling with it, or if you think you spot a net or rope on the whale, it would be good to alert authorities. Another sign it might be in trouble is if it’s throwing its tail a lot, as this could mean the whale is trying to throw off gear. You might see a whale lying in kelp, which doesn’t immediately mean it is in trouble. It could just be resting.

A gray whale, traveling with two others, blows out while traveling through Point Vicente in mid-March. Census volunteers spotted five northbound gray whales that day, for a total of 580 gray whales seen since Dec. 1, 2023, traveling in either direction. The census season generally runs from December through May.

(Alisa Schulman-Janiger)

Don’t try to help the animal, even if you’re on a boat, because you could unintentionally scare or further harm the whale. Instead, immediately report an entangled whale to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration whale entanglement hotline at 877-SOS-WHALE (1-877-767-9425). Be as precise as you can about your location, and if you’re able, stay in the same place to help authorities locate the animal.

I hope that you are able to use these tips to have a truly magical moment along our shoreline. If you do, please tell me about it, as seeing a whale in the wild is one of the best experiences a human can have!

3 things to do

Stargazers on a tour with California Overland Desert look into the starry sky above Anza-Borrego Desert State Park as a meteor streaks by during the annual Perseid Meteor Shower.

(Los Angeles Times)

1. Learn how to photograph meteor showers in Borrego Springs
Learn how to photograph auroras and meteor showers from 6:30 to 10 p.m. Friday at the Steele/Burnand Anza-Borrego Desert Research Center (401 Tilting T Drive in Borrego Springs) in a course led by photographer and geologist Chuck Houser. A veteran of the earth science industry, Houser will present how to photograph the night sky before taking students outside for a hands-on workshop in which he’ll help them set up and photograph the night sky. Participants will learn how to prepare their equipment, focus their cameras, create long exposures and more. Even though there is a full moon this weekend, participants will probably see some Geminids meteors, a meteor shower that is expected to peak Saturday. Anza-Borrego Desert State Park has minimal light pollution and is recognized as an International Dark Sky Park. The class is $35 for students, $55 for Anza-Borrego Foundation members and $70 for non-members. A limited number of scholarships are available for those with financial hardship. Learn more and register at theabf.org.

2. Take a leisurely stroll with a ranger in Pacoima
The L.A. City Department of Recreation and Parks will host a nature hike from 8 to 10 a.m. Saturday at the Hansen Dam Ranger Station (10965 Dronfield Ave. in Pacoima). An urban ecologist will lead the leisurely stroll through this lush park where more than 280 species of birds have been spotted. Guests are asked to wear comfortable shoes and bring water. Register at eventbrite.com.

3. Plant trees in El Monte
Using federal money from the Inflation Reduction Act, Tree People will plant up to 30 trees from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday in Gibson Mariposa Park (4140 Gibson Road in El Monte). The goal of the tree-planting project is to mitigate the effects of climate change and improve urban forests. Volunteers should wear comfortable clothing that they don’t mind getting dirty and closed-toe shoes. Tree People volunteer events are family-friendly, but any volunteer 15 or younger must be accompanied by an adult who is at least 21. Register at Tree People’s site.

The must-read

A humpback whale lunging out of the water off Newport Beach on Nov. 16.

(Mark Girardeau)

In other whale news, humpback whales have been hanging out in Orange County for the last two months. They were first spotted in late September and have since been seen in large groups, including a group of 18 on Oct. 19 and nearly that many in days that followed. They’re following large schools of anchovies, which make questionable pizza toppings but great food for marine life. Times staff writer Andrew J. Campa reports that it’s normal to see humpbacks in Monterey Bay or Hawai’i, but Southern California is usually more of a transition point for humpbacks on their way to Mexico or even Costa Rica.

“You know how we travel to Cabo and Puerto Vallarta for vacation,” wildlife photographer Mark Girardeau told the Times. “Well, they do the same except as part of their breeding patterns.” Anyone know a good anchovy cocktail recipe?

Happy adventuring,

P.S.

You can soon take your camping at San Mateo Campground in San Clemente to a whole new level by renting bell tents furnished with queen beds, bedding and more. Starting in June, the Holidays Camp Community will offer bell tents in eight campsites on the campground’s western loop. It is located near San Onofre State Beach, setting you up for a perfect day of surfing and building sand castles before glamping in your cozy accommodations. I hope you have a whale of a time!

For more insider tips on Southern California’s beaches, trails and parks, check out past editions of The Wild. And to view this newsletter in your browser, click here.