Minke Whales All the Way to Charlevoix!
The gloomy November weather of late hasn’t put a damper on marine mammal activity! A few minke whales were quite active in the estuary, surprising even a local resident in Saint-Irénée. About 60 white-sided dolphins, not to mention harbour seals, belugas, and a river otter were observed in the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park. In Gaspésie, a hiker spotted harbour porpoises and a minke whale, while two humpbacks were also reported.
For one Charlevoix resident, observing a minke whale from her home this time of year was simply dazzling. She shares the following story with her neighbour: “I saw a minke whale this morning in Saint-Irénée Bay. At first, I saw a huge splash with water spraying everywhere. I said to myself, ‘What’s going on?’ Then, I saw a long black back followed a bit later by an exhalation.” Two minke whales had also been reported to the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network (QMMERN) on November 7 near the docks, as well as one individual on November 9.
On a not-so-quiet morning in Tadoussac, minke whales brought the autumn landscape to life. “Incredible sight this morning,” describes one naturalist, “dozens of spouts in Tadoussac Bay. Two or three minke whales minimum, blowing profusely. I saw a few of them perform half breaches, plus several scattered belugas that glistened in the sun for a couple of seconds.”
A hiker spotted several species while walking the trail known as Sentier des Graves in Gaspésie’s Forillon National Park. From one of the lookouts, she had the opportunity to see a minke whale, dozens of harbour porpoises and large spouts offshore. Perhaps they were those of the two humpbacks that were reported in the area?
Seals and an otter
Last Sunday, a marine mammal enthusiast regretted not having her binoculars with her when she spotted a number of pinnipeds. “At 2 in the afternoon on November 10 at Batture aux Vaches [tidal flats], there were at least 6 seals resting on rocks.” Near Les Escoumins, a harbour seal poked its nose out at Pointe-à-la-Croix one sunny morning. “It was really cold, but it seemed totally comfortable swimming in the frigid water.” Fur and a layer of fat help protect seals from the cold, as does thermoregulation.
One wildlife photographer enjoyed a first when he was able to snap the portrait of a river otter. The animal was diving and foraging for fish. This species inhabits the wooded shores of water bodies, where it feeds on fish, molluscs, insects and even frogs. When foraging for food under water, the river otter can hold its breath for up to four minutes. Its heart rate falls while its nostrils and ears close.
“This is in addition to observations in recent years of bears, deer, moose and beavers seen swimming in the Saguenay River!” explains a long-time regular. Which goes to show that the otter was hardly the most incongruous species seen in the area!
Atlantic white-sided dolphins and miniature dovekies
On November 13, an impressive parade of about 60 white-sided dolphins near Les Bergeronnes was the highlight of the day. Commenting on the past week’s sightings, one birder shared news of a “massive influx of thousands of dovekies (small alcids that belong to the same family as razorbills, guillemots and murres) , the likes of which haven’t been seen since 2012. In recent days, we’ve also seen plenty of dolphins and porpoises offshore.”
Thanks to all our collaborators!
Special thanks go out to all our observers who share their love for marine mammals with us! Your encounters with cetaceans and pinnipeds are always a pleasure to read and discover.
On the water or from shore, it is your eyes that give life to this column.
Odélie Brouillette
Patrice Corbeil
Marie-André Charlebois
Thalia Cohen Bacry
Laetitia Desbordes
Diane Ostiguy
Renaud Pintiaux
Élizabeth Melis
Andréanne Sylvain
Marielle Vanasse
Patrick Weldon
And to all the others!
Additionally, we would like to acknowledge the following teams that also share their sightings:
Sept-Îles Research and Education Centre (CERSI)
Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals (GREMM)
Marine Mammal Observation Network (MMON)
Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network (QMMERN)
Mingan Island Cetacean Study (MICS)
Would you also like to share your observations?
Have you seen any marine mammals in the St. Lawrence? Whether it’s a spout offshore or just a couple of seals, drop us a line and send your photos to [email protected]!
Andréanne Forest
Andréanne Forest is the editor-in-chief of Whales Online since may 2022. After studying in environment and biology, she turned to science communication with the goal of making science both accessible and fun. Andréanne wishes to highlight the process of acquiring knowledge while transmitting the desire to learn.
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