Observation of the Week
Large Rorquals in Cap-des-Rosiers
"Finally, our first observation of 2020!” writes in an observer residing in Cap-des-Rosiers in the Gaspé Peninsula. On March 29, a…
First Report of a Minke Whale in 2020
We received the first report for 2020 of a minke whale in the St. Lawrence! It was an individual out…
Spring of the Seals
“72!” That’s how many seals our collaborator Laeticia Desbordes is lucky enough to observe and carefully tally early this week…
Two Blue Whales Amidst the Ice Floes
The engines of the Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker CCGS Amundsen vibrate beneath the feet of researchers hailing from a dozen…
Belugas: Whales Suited for Winter
When you’re passionate about whales, you really are. For the past fifteen years, Renaud Pintiaux has been a volunteer, employee,…
Two Humpbacks off Pointe-des-Monts
Pointe-des-Monts, February 8: You don’t need a thermometer to know the air is frigid: sea smoke hangs over the St.…
Born in Warm Waters
Before heading south to more temperate climates, let’s take a brief look at sightings here in the St. Lawrence. Posted…
Born on the Ice
Humpback whales travel to warm Caribbean waters to give birth, while North Atlantic right whales calve in the waters of…
Ice: Marine Mammals’ Friend… and Foe
"The ice is starting to form": this observation is being made almost everywhere along the St. Lawrence of late. Its…
Surprising Numbers of Whales as 2020 Kicks Off
Blues, fins, humpbacks. Minke whales. Belugas. Even harbour porpoises! Not to mention thousands of harp seals and harbour seals. The…
A Few Seals and Minke Whales
With the onset of winter, observations are becoming fewer and farther between. Most cetaceans have migrated to the Caribbean or…
In Search of the Sperm Whale
November 27: In GREMM’s (Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals) offices in Tadoussac, staff members are busy working…
Dozens of Humpbacks and Thousands Of Seals Linger On
With the short days of November and the appearance of the first ice, observers on the water are growing more…
Observer Portraits: Christian Ramp
This article is part of a series of portraits of people involved in some way with whales on the North…
Observer Portraits: Paulette Landry
This article is part of a series of portraits of people involved in some way with whales on the North…
Leaving the Estuary
November 20, Cap de Bon-Désir in Les Bergeronnes: our collaborator Renaud Pintiaux settles down to take a few pictures of…
Observer Portraits: Jane-Anne Cormier
This article is part of a series of portraits of people involved in some way with whales on the North…
Observer Portraits: Guy Côté
This article is part of a series of portraits of people involved in some way with whales on the North…
Multiple Species in a Single Glance
For his last outing of the season, a recreational fisherman sets out in La Tabatière, in Quebec’s Basse-Côte-Nord region. While his…
Observer Portraits: Jacques Gélineau
This article is part of a series of portraits of people involved in some way with whales on the North…
Observer Portraits: Jean-Louis Frenette
This article is part of a series of portraits of people involved in some way with whales on the North…
Observer Portrait: Sylvie Savard
This article is part of a series of portraits of people involved in some way with whales on the North…
Observer Portraits: Marie Karine Maltais
This article is part of a series of portraits of people involved in some way with whales on the North…
Observer Portraits: Huguette Thibeault
This article is part of a series of portraits of people involved in some way with whales on the North…
Observer Portrait: Laurence Pagé
This article is part of a series of portraits of people involved in some way with whales on the North…
En Route to Winter Quarters
As the number of eyes scanning the water decreases, the number of sightings reported is also on the decline. Are…
Pilot Whales?
Two observers, one in Les Escoumins (north shore), the other in Baie-des-Sables (south shore), asked the following question this week:…
Autumn is for Humpbacks
Seven black-and-white tails rise into the air one after the other before disappearing into the dark river. “It’s a ballet…
Minke Whales and Their Flair
Perhaps because they prefer coastal habitats, minke whales are one of the most frequently observed cetacean species in the St.…
Rumba!
A three-way ballet… a race in which body touches body. All around the massive but elegant blue whales, water splashes,…
Whales in the Storm
The sighting map appears a little sparse this week. Have all the whales left? Not necessarily. Weather conditions prevented many…
Humpbacks Aplenty and Blue Whale Tails!
A long-time observer and former resident of Tadoussac sets out on a whale-watching cruise on September 1. The skyscape reflects…
Summer not quite over for the whales
August 28: A bright-eyed naturalist returns to the wharf in Percé. No sooner does the boat leave the docks when…
Thirteen Humpback Whales and Their Little Ones
We often talk about endangered species, but we rarely emphasize how well other species are doing. And humpback whale populations…
Out of the Ordinary
August 7: At the lookout in Baie Sainte-Marguerite in the Saguenay Fjord National Park, a naturalist scans the bay for…
Cetacean Acrobats
The pointed head and long, slender body rise to the sky like a rocket before the animal lands heavily on…
Tiny Calf Will Become Giant
Calves spend their time learning to swim, hunt and move with agility by imitating their mother and other adults. Within…
Noteworthy Fish and Whales Galore
Last week, it was white-sided dolphins in Gaspé Bay. This week, killer whales, the largest species in the dolphin family,…
First Dolphins of the Year and a Great-Grandmother
Measuring 2 to 2.7 metres long, their toned bodies are black, white, grey and yellowish-beige. Atlantic white-sided dolphins! Fifteen or…
Fins on the Horizon!
Although whales were scarce in the Bonaventure Island sector last July, this year they have been plentiful. “We're spoiled,” says…
Large Rorquals from the North Shore to the Gaspé Peninsula
In calm weather, the spouts of large rorquals can be heard hundreds of metres away, but above all, they can…
Tic Tac Toe, Snowball et Leprechaun
Le 16 juin en après-midi, la mer est lisse et silencieuse devant les Grandes-Bergeronnes. Soudain, deux larges dos noirs apparaissent.…
Tiny Fish Fall Prey to Teeth and Baleen
Nearshore reports of “large whales” picked up in intensity this week. In Godbout, in Quebec’s Côte-Nord region, humpback whales venture…
Return of a Star?
The hastily composed email betrays the excitement of its sender. The observer just photographed a fin whale with a particularly…
Minke Whales Everywhere
From the Gaspé to the Côte-Nord, minke whales have been appearing in the waves in recent days. In the St.…
New Species for the Season
In Sept-Îles, in Quebec’s Côte-Nord region, a long-time observer sets sails on a friend's boat for the first time this season.…
Grab your binoculars and let’s go!
Tuque, mittens, binoculars, one field guide for birds and another for whales: a couple is gearing up for a road…
Return of the Belugas
March 24: “They’re back!” says our collaborator Renaud Pintiaux. From a coastal road in Port-au-Saumon, not far from Saint-Siméon, he…
“First of the Year”
“My first whale for 2019!” exclaims a whale-watching outfitter in the Gaspé Peninsula. His first observation was made through his…
Space to breath
On March 6, while walking on the beach near the Cap-des-Rosiers lighthouse, an observer noted the presence of harbour seals…
More Blue Whales!
The mild weather in the early part of the week offered comfortable conditions for venturing outside and contemplating the river.…
Marine mammals on the ice and humpbacks in the Caribbean
Off the Gaspé Peninsula town of Newport, 50 or so seals bask on the ice. To observe them, it’s best to…
Godbout is where the action is!
A tiny village of just over 300 inhabitants, Godbout is located in the Côte-Nord (North Shore) region between Baie-Comeau and…
February Blues
It was a perfect day for whale-watching. Light winds, calm sea, light conditions that were neither blinding nor too dim.…
Pinnipeds Galore!
A herd of harp seals is enjoying a break in the ice cover off the docks in Les Escoumins. The…
Like a tornado of snow
The list of observations this week reads more like a weather report: sea smoke, ice floes, gusts, snow squalls, howling…
A Rare Blue Whale
January 12: After weeks of seeing nothing but drifting ice and seals on the move, a large spout draws the…
A New Year of Observations Begins
As 2018 was winding down, one observer in Bonaventure in the Gaspé Peninsula observes three tall puffs, all appearing at…
A Few Final Breaths to Say Goodbye
Cap-d’Espoir, December 15. The black backs of two humpback whales emerge from the dark water. Their rounded spouts and the…
Balloon-shaped spouts
December 8: Gaspé Bay is glowing in the sun. A balloon-shaped spout erupts from the water surface, followed by a…
Whales and Seals Amid the Ice Floes
"They're breaching!" exclaims an innkeeper from Forillon, in the Gaspé Peninsula. It's December 3 and the week is off to…
When The Waves Calm Down
The extreme weather of the past few days has not been very conducive to marine observations. In addition to repeated…
Three Big Blues
“Three big blues!” exclaims an observer. He observes the three majestic animals Sunday morning 3 or 4 nautical miles south…
A Sperm Whale, Again!
We all have our favourite species, including our favourite whales. For our collaborator Renaud Pintiaux, “The sperm whale is a…
Fewer Eyes on the Water, but Whales Remain
“Can killer whales be seen in Gaspé Bay?” asks a kayaker out at sea with a group near Grande-Grave, off…
Beluga Bonanza
Yesterday a visitor at the Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre (CIMM) saw several belugas across the Saguenay Fjord through light flurries.…
Red Foliage and Colourful Backs
The cruise ship Narval III of the whale-watching company Croisières Baie de Gaspé docked for the last time on October 11, and…
Chills and Thrills : Autumn Sightings
On the wharf used by the Mingan Island Cetacean Study (MICS) in Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan, a thin coat of frost glistens. “Time to migrate south!”…
A Forest of Spouts
On September 23, no sooner does the cruise begin when the captain yells out “Breach!” Off Les Bergeronnes, the 15-metre long…
Full breach!
Thirty-three! Thirty-three times, a minke whales breached before a dumbstruck observer standing on the pink granite of Pointe Rouge overlooking Tadoussac…
Whale- “Listening”
With a hesitation in her step, she walks down the ramp to the boat launch in the Tadoussac marina, where a Zodiac…
September Blues
Just before students head back to school and knitting season returns, the long Labour Day weekend has allowed thousands of…
Gannets Galore!
With her tuque snug over her ears, one observer marvels at three gannets as they dive in unison off the…
Sperm Whale in Sight!
"It's been a dream season," says a captain/naturalist as he shares a video of a sperm whale he shot off…
Great Week for Observations
“In 51 years of watching whales, I’ve never seen that!” At the end of the line, the voice of our…
A head, a Tail, a Body Out of the Water!
July 31: A pointed snout pierces the surface and rises like a skyscraper out of the waters off Les Bergeronnes.…
Little Bundles of Life
They're about one-third the size of an adult and still stick close to their mothers' sides. Calves of several species…
Navigating through the Fog
Our observer from Franquelin notes the presence of four minke whales and four porpoises on July 21. A little farther…
Identifying Humpbacks X and Zip
July 7: Having made the trek from Newcastle, England to watch whales, an observer sets up post on the rocks…
Where There Is Prey, There Are Whales!
"Unbelievable! It's hot even out on the water," exclaims a GREMM volunteer research assistant participating in the photo-ID program for…
We Wouldn’t Want to Be a Capelin…
Does this photo show five whales or six? Their gaping mouths are about to clamp down on masses of quivering…
Gaspésie Invaded by “Jubartes” or “Megaptera”
No doubt about it, everyone who has been plying the offshore waters of the Gaspé region lately has one word…
Blue Whale Newcomers and Familiar Humpbacks
The Mingan Island Cetacean Study (MICS) team, based in Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan, is geared up for its 40th season on the water!…
Irisept, a White Tail and Other Humpback Whale Stories
"For a number of people, the weather these past few days has been the motivating factor to get out and…
Silvery Capelin Sought by Hungry Giants
Prével (Gaspésie), Sept-Îles, Portneuf-sur-Mer (Côte-Nord): "Waves of silver" say some local residents when talking about a particular time of the…
“Suspect” Identified
Is it possible to identify an all-white beluga? Certainly, especially when it shows a major spinal deformity like Pascolio! This…
Recognizing Whales by their Backs
May 6: no sooner had the sun risen when one observer spotted two belugas in the morning light off La…
White Dots at Sea and Exquisite Darts in the Skies
From the distant white dots identified every morning at the mouth of the Saguenay to the close-up views of animals…
Seals by the hundreds, seabird numbers on the rise and belugas between island and mountains
Our collaborator from Pointe-des-Monts confirms: "no whales in sight, but there were "sea wolves" by the ton!" speaking of his…
Silhouettes of All Colours
April 11: Young grays and white adults are scattered around the mouth of the Saguenay Fjord. "At last," sighs one…
It’s snowing on the whales!
The most recent snowfalls this past week give the impression that winter will never end and that spring is reluctant…
First Spring Visitors
Sunny skies and rising temperatures are bringing joy and marking the return of the whales! On March 23, in the…
A New Fur Coat Every Year
This week's observations revolve around seals! In Franquelin and Tadoussac, just one harp seal and one gray seal are seen,…
Are seals “chatterboxes”?
Before tackling this question, here are a few tidbits regarding our St. Lawrence whales. Between 30 and 50 belugas were…
Amphibious Mammals along the North Shore
The lives of seals are split between the sea and the land. Excellent swimmers, they hunt their prey under water…
White Spouts in a White Landscape
On the afternoon of January 8, an observer is driving down the "Whale Route" toward Sept-Îles. Upon her arrival at…
Noteworthy Stories Awaiting Next Year’s Narratives
The year 2017 is winding down. What were the major headlines from this year's News from Afield? [caption id="attachment_30002" align="alignright"…
Rediscover a summer holiday spot in a frozen but still inhabited setting
After long hours spent this past summer scanning the open sea for whales and pointing them out to visitors, an…
Tips and Tricks for Recognizing Species
"On December 3, I spotted two whales off Sainte-Thérèse-de-Gaspé," writes in one observer, delighted to be seeing whales in December.…
Patience, they’re still around
The week goes by and with each passing day we receive more sightings from our network of collaborators throughout Quebec.…
Were whales affected by those squalls that pummelled the North Shore?
On November 17, gusts of up to 90 km/h whipped across the shores of the Côte-Nord region. The raging, whitecap-speckled St.…
Migrants Prolonging their Season
At first glance, the St. Lawrence in November appears to be devoid of life. Apart from merchant ships and ferries,…
When Birds Take Advantage of Whales to Feed
An impressive scar forms zebra-like stripes on the right flank of one of the three fin whales seen off Tadoussac…
Minke Whales, from the Arctic to the St. Lawrence to the Tropic of Cancer
This past week, it has been mostly minke whales that have been observed. About fifteen of them have been at…
Little Hitchhikers on Big Travellers and a Horde of Dolphins
Large golden-brown spots can be seen when a fin whale appears – for example, one of the eight individuals observed…
The Porpoise that Thought It Was a Beluga
On October 13, in the heart of the Marine Park, a harbour porpoise surprises observers with its whitish colour recalling…
Whale Season Draws to a Close
Parks Canada's land-based observation sites adjacent to the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park are closing down for the season; meanwhile, the…
Etched in Our Memories
"Extraordinary," exclaims a Franquelin-based collaborator while watching in awe as a minke whale leaps into the air. It repeats the…
Big Loafers and Sea Torpedoes
Almost nonchalantly, a basking shark glides by the boat of a resident of Sainte-Thérèse-de-Gaspé. Its high dorsal fin betrays the…
Up Close or From Afar
Early in the morning of September 17, under an overcast sky and in glassy seas, two observers from Sainte-Anne-des-Monts are…
Movement of Prey Conditions that of Whales
By Sonia Villalon A text from Sonia Villalon Every species has its preferences in terms of prey and this week's…
Movement in the St. Lawrence
This seems to be the best way to describe the whale season to date. [caption id="attachment_27257" align="alignright" width="250"] Tingley and…
In Groups or Alone?
"Harbour porpoises are everywhere, every day," reports a collaborator from Franquelin. These cetaceans, which measure 1 to 2 m long, are…
Observing a Heavyweight Breastfeeding and Other Surprises
A whale-watching boat in the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park encounters the fin whale Caïman and her young on August 16.…
Narwhal Still Amongst St. Lawrence Belugas
At a time when identity and immigration issues are tormenting Quebec and the rest of the planet, a fresh wind…
Detective for a day
Whales reveal just a tiny fraction of their bodies before quickly disappearing again, leaving observers puzzled as to who they…
A Week of Questions and Surprises!
On August 9, the Mingan Island Cetacean Study (MICS) team sets out on the water, taking advantage of a lull.…
Familiar Whales, Satisfied Observers
"This summer has been a busy one in Sept-Îles!" exclaims a resident observer from Gallix, near Sept-Îles. Since 1989, he…
Intriguing Observations
"Is it possible to see a killer whale in Saint-Siméon in the Charlevoix region?", asks a camper who notices a…
Searching for Whales to Research
Photo-identifying the minke whales of the Estuary is one of the objectives of the team at Mériscope, which is based…
Diversity of Species and Behaviours to Discover
"They come here to eat."... a phrase often repeated by captains and naturalists from the get-go when speaking to the…
A Breath of Fresh Air in Gaspésie
Good news: five newborn humpback whales have been sighted so far off the Gaspé Peninsula: "a figure that is already…
Minke Whales and Winter Seals in the Middle of Summer… followed by News from Afield Map!
"Good thing we at least have them!" joke several captains and naturalists from the Tadoussac – Les Escoumins region, referring…
Individual Identification Possible, but Far from Easy
At the foot of the mountains rising above the Fjord, small groups of harbour seals lie on the rocks. They…
Summer Frenzy in the Gulf
From a vantage point on Bonaventure Island off the Gaspé Peninsula, a park warden spots two humpback whales on June…
The Capelin are Rolling!
They're back! Whether it's in Baie-Comeau on the North Shore, or in Chandler in the Gaspé Peninsula, the capelin are…
Spouts, prey and migrations: a few stories
Off L'Anse-Saint-Georges in the Gaspé, a tour operator observes two spouts on May 24. The mushroom shape leads him to…
Strange-looking Dolphins
Dark skin, long pectoral fins, a round head resembling that of a beluga, and a short beak: the pilot whale…
Large Rorquals and Ducks by the Thousands
Thousands of long-tailed ducks line the waters of the Estuary. Skilled divers, they plunge to depths of up to sixty…
Tadoussac: The Whales are Back!
For a number of whale cruise operators in the Tadoussac region, the offshore season debuted the last weekend of April.…
Belugas and Gannets Downriver
A herd of belugas are swimming in tight formation off Pointe-aux-Outardes; they number about 40. Behind them, flocks of birds…
White, Black, Blue, Gray Animals…
Belugas, blue whales, humpbacks, minke whales, three species of seals ... the variety of marine mammals seen in the past…
“My first whales of the season!”
These same words were on the lips of a number of observers! Here they are, back in the St. Lawrence…
Three Baritone Rorquals
One, two… three spouts appear and remain suspended on the horizon for a few seconds. They're about four kilometres offshore.…
Fresh crab at the counters: a telltale sign
The snow crab season is underway, which is synonymous with the start of the "crab dinner" season. For some, this is…
A Breath of Spring
March 20 marked the spring equinox, when day and night are of equal duration, and will end with the summer…
Observation Round-up, from the Estuary to the Gulf
Winter is a relatively calm period for marine mammal enthusiasts. Nevertheless, many observers stare out to sea, constantly on the…
Whitecaps and Blue Mountain at the Water Surface
February 28: from his "lookout" – i.e. the porch of his house – a member of the Marine Mammal Interpretation…
Visiting Blue Whale in Godbout
On February 23, off the village of Godbout, a large rorqual approaches the coast. Its long back glides across the…
Copious Meal for Two Blue Whales
Their gaping mouth expands like an accordion thanks to the skin folds of the throat and belly, while their baleen…
A Mysterious Tail
On February 4, a resident in the Godbout region on the North Shore captures on film the tail of a…
“Surfing” amidst the Pack Ice
Surprisingly, there are a handful of enthusiasts who continue to practise this sport even in the middle of winter in…
Driving over 500 km to See Belugas
"Beluga-watching in winter!" exclaims a Whales Online subscriber after reading the Field Notes Still Plenty of Belugas on the Upper…
Return of Whales to Côte-Nord
Measuring 15 to 20 metres long and weighing in at 35 to 100 tonnes, large rorquals swim beneath the water…
Tips for Surviving the Cold in Quebec
January 18: hundreds of Barrow's goldeneye take wing amidst the ice floes off Cap de Bon-Desir. They're not alone. The…
Four-legged Underwater Hunters
Harp seals by the hundreds on the ice at Sainte-Flavie and Pointe-au-Père, groups of harp seals off Les Escoumins, gray…
Black Bubbling at the Water Surface
Actually, it's harp seals moving around energetically in the water. Solo, in pairs, by the handful or by the dozen,…
Observations at Sea and on Land, during the Day and at Night
It is always surprising to encounter whales that are believed to have left for the Atlantic as soon as autumn…
Marine Mammal Diversity at the Dawn of Winter
As the first snow falls on the St. Lawrence, some whales continue to behave as if summer has never ended.…
Observers Delighted…
To observe almost a hundred belugas in Les Escoumins; nearly a dozen blue whales in the Gaspé, including B105, which…
“Sea Wolves” of the St. Lawrence
In French, seals are sometimes referred to by the old term "loups marins", or sea wolves, which in some regions…
Pair of Blue Giants
Researcher Anik Boileau, director of the Centre d’Éducation et de Recherche de Sept-îles (CERSI), based in Sept-Îles, observed a pair…
Right Whales Seen from the Sky
During an aerial survey on August 7, a team from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) spots over twenty…
Looking for whales with our ears
At Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan, some thirty fin whales are present, both "known" faces and newcomers. Are they easy to spot? More or…
Large Gatherings
Large herds of gray seals off Tadoussac are attracting increasing attention. Even if only their heads stick out above the…
A Whiskery Creature in La Baie
July 20, 2015: Long whiskers appear on the water surface; a bearded seal startles a photographer at the marina in…
Renewed Activity
"Might things be picking up in the region?" enquires one of the Mingan Island Cetacean Study (MICS) team members after…
North Atlantic Right Whale Observed near Île Rouge
On the afternoon of Friday, July 10, the GREMM team aboard the Bleuvet, while tracking belugas offshore, had a surprising…
Four Killer Whales in the Lower North Shore, One Possibly Identified
Photos taken between La Tabatière and Gros-Mécatina in the Basse-Côte-Nord region (in the Gulf of St. Lawrence near Newfoundland) confirm…
Familiar Faces in Gaspésie
A black "iris" shape on the right lobe and a white "seven" in the centre of the tail; cat eyes…
Survivor of the Estuary
The last time "Le Survivant" was seen was on November 23, 2014, off the coast of Cap de Bon-Désir in…
Of Whales, the Moon and Men
The "fishermen" positioned nearly 3500 saplings in four days, though they purposely neglected to "set the trap" by making sure…
Belugas Return to the Estuary
"Almost in real time", emphasizes Robert Michaud as he calls the Whales On Line team on April 8. Indeed, barely…