Minke Whales in the November Snow

When it comes to sharing minke whale encounters in the estuary, anecdotes abound! The smallest of the whales generally frequents the waters of the estuary and the gulf from March to December. Its presence here is therefore quite normal in this dreary month of November.

“Minke whale feeding near the ferry […]; we were even able to see its ventral grooves!” shares a visitor passing through. “Minke off the coast of Tadoussac this morning […]. In the cold air, its blow looks much bigger than it might have appeared in the summer!” adds a naturalist working in the region. A few days later, another enthusiast describes one of her sightings: “Last Friday, on my way back from a hike in Baie-Sainte-Catherine, I stopped at Pointe-Noire and spotted a breaching minke whale!” This behaviour consists of the cetacean hurling itself out of the water, often while it is feeding, at which point its pink throat can sometimes be seen.

Was it the same individual… or several? Hard to say! Thanks to the high-quality pictures taken of their dorsals, it may be possible to photo-identify these minke whales. This research technique consists of a detailed examination of the notches and markings on this part of the animal’s body, which differ from one individual to another and allow them to be identified. Farther east, three minke whales were also swimming in the direction of Franquelin.

Harbour and grey seals stroke a pose on the shore at several locations along the St. Lawrence River. A grey seal here, a harbour seal in Tadoussac, another in Les Bergeronnes, and one in front of the Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre… Up and down the estuary, pinnipeds are everywhere! “For over three hours, a harbour seal was lying on its favourite rock in the middle of the Manicouagan River…!” points out a resident of Franquelin. Comfortably settled on its rock, the seal seemed alone in the world in the middle of this tributary that empties into the St. Lawrence.

A few solitary belugas were seen swimming near Tadoussac, but their presence was sporadic: “We’ve been seeing a few belugas on occasion, but didn’t see any today,” states one resident.

Near Cap de Bon-Désir, a naturalist and wildlife photographer reported the presence of fin whales in recent days. “With a great deal of patience and in the middle of a nice snow shower, I was able to capture these photos of the fin whale Ti-Croche on Tuesday afternoon,” he reports. A few days later, he adds: “Early this morning, another fin whale far offshore […]. Although I was unable to identify the individual, thanks to my binoculars I can confirm that it was indeed a fin whale.”

While fin whales are still being observed in the St. Lawrence, it has been quite some time since any humpbacks have been seen. However, the organization Ommag Guadeloupe reports the presence of the first humpback whale of the season in its own study area… Martinique! It can be assumed that for most of the individuals that frequent the St. Lawrence, migration is likely well underway!

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.

Merci aux observateurs et observatrices qui partagent avec nous leur amour pour les mammifères marins! Vos rencontres avec les cétacés et les pinnipèdes sont toujours un plaisir à lire et à découvrir.