Wrapping Up the Season with Some Thanksgiving Weekend Action!

A local resident posted on the shore at Sainte-Anne-des-Monts describes her sightings: “They’re not whales, but they are beautiful and highly flexible marine mammals!” Seals are often spotted on the rocks in their so-called “banana” pose. This position allows them to keep their extremities out of the water and retain body heat more efficiently!

As you travel the road toward the Gulf, there is no shortage of sightings! “This week, I saw minke whales and a humpback breaching off the coast of Franquelin,” shares one of the locals. “A harbour seal is back on ‘its’ rock in the middle of the Manicouagan River, resting there until it’s ultimately dislodged by the rising tide,” describes a seasoned observer. At least eight grey seals were spotted at the mouth of the Sainte-Marguerite River in Gallix by one enthusiast, who also noted the impressive diversity of seabirds in the area, including double-crested cormorants, surf scoters, red-breasted mergansers, and Canada geese, just to name a few.

The Mingan Island Cetacean Study (MICS) managed to get out on the water on October 13, despite the rather rough weather of late: “We observed three humpbacks in the Sept-Îles area, including a mother-calf pair. At first, the calf was playfully rolling 360 degrees, ‘standing’ on its head, and occasionally even turning onto its back.” What was the reason for all this? Young whales are often seen performing all sorts of acrobatics—whether to develop their motor skills or simply to play! A local teacher shares an observation: “Two humpbacks have been off Val-Marguerite near Sept-Îles the past two days; one of them even breached this morning.” Were these the same individuals spotted by MICS?

“It’s the end of the season for most of the whale-watching cruises, but there are still marine mammals around. And even after the large whales have left, we’ll still have the harbour seals here in Les Escoumins,” writes a passionate naturalist who will be staying on dry land for the next few months. Indeed, even though boats are starting to be parked in the dry dock for the winter, a few whales and seals can still be found in the St. Lawrence. In fact, harbour seals can be spotted there year-round! In the coming months, they will be joined by harp seals, which also use this area for pupping, moulting, and breeding.

“The humpback Katana was spotted again today,” reports another naturalist and wildlife photographer. He also notes the steady presence of fin whales off Tadoussac in recent days, their diffuse blows mingling with the colours of the autumn landscapes. Among them are Ti-Croche and Zipper. “I saw belugas on Saturday and Sunday—not a lot, just two or three both afternoons,” reports a resident of Saint-Irénée.

Earlier today, a colleague of mine came to see me and blurts out: “There’s a minke whale in front of the CIMM!” Although they’re less conspicuous than they were earlier in the month, their black backs and hooked dorsal fins can still be seen from the shore along the mouth of the Saguenay River! Gazing out at the choppy waters of the fjord, I managed to catch a glimpse of a lone individual. Was it foraging for food? The day before, the white backs of belugas were spotted by other enthusiastic members of GREMM’s team. Although the research vessels have now left the chilly waters of the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park for the winter, the painstaking work of processing this year’s data will soon begin! Meanwhile, CIMM will continue to welcome visitors until November 1.

Where are the whales this week? Sightings map

Thanks to all our collaborators!