Great Diversity off the Coasts of our Villages

The past several days have been quite spectacular off the coasts of our villages. What diversity! There is a strong presence of belugas in the mouth of the Saguenay, a number of fin whales offshore, numerous porpoises, large groups of gray seals and of course dozens of minke whales here and there. Not to mention these flocks of kittiwakes who take advantage to feed before continuing their journey to other skies…

On September 30, we had the chance to see a fin whale feeding near the surface. We could see by large schools of krill through the clear water!  On several occasions, this fin whale stuck its head out of the water, gulping down the krill just before breaking the surface (see photos).

On October 1, two humpback whales were present off Les Bergeronnes. We were able to first observe the humpback nicknamed “Picotine” by the captains. This whale has been seen almost daily in our sector since the beginning of summer. Another humpback was at its side. This one has been observed for about two weeks offshore or closer to the coast. While “Picotine” rarely shows its tail when it dives, this new individual does. I was able to snap this photo, which will perhaps help reveal its identity. To be continued…

Here is a selection of pictures to illustrate this diversity:

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GREMM research assistant from 2003 to 2009 and from 2012 to 2014, Renaud Pintiaux is a passionate observer and photographer. Year round, whether from shore or on the water, he takes every opportunity to observe marine mammals and birds in the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park.