Whales | Photography by Amy J. Putnam

Whales

I have a whale watching blog with many more photos over at whalegeek.com, but here are some highlights…

Whales »
2008 Highlights

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Alphorn and Hancock; lob tailing. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 12 July 2008. From Boston with New England Aquarium.

Alphorn. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 12 July 2008. From Boston with New England Aquarium.

Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 5 October 2008. On Capt. Bill and Sons from Gloucester MA.

$The red mark on the side of the whale\'s head is a scrape from rubbing the gravelly sea floor to stir up the sand lance. It\'s been found that whales show just about the same about of left side/ride side of the head as humans have with left and right hand dominance. You can also see some sand lance jumping just ouside of the whale\'s mouth. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 5 October 2008. On Capt. Bill and Sons from Gloucester MA.$

$The red mark on the side of the whale\'s head is a scrape from rubbing the gravelly sea floor to stir up the sand lance. It\'s been found that whales show just about the same about of left side/ride side of the head as humans have with left and right hand dominance. You can also see some sand lance jumping just ouside of the whale\'s mouth. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 5 October 2008. On Capt. Bill and Sons from Gloucester MA.$

Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 5 October 2008. On Capt. Bill and Sons from Gloucester MA.

Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 5 October 2008. On Capt. Bill and Sons from Gloucester MA.

Pipette. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 5 October 2008. On Capt. Bill and Sons from Gloucester MA.

Flipper slapping by Jabiru. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 11 October 2008. From Gloucester on Capt. Bill and Sons.

Flipper slapping by Jabiru. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 11 October 2008. From Gloucester on Capt. Bill and Sons.

Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 11 October 2008. From Gloucester on Capt. Bill and Sons.

Glo. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 3 May 2008. From Gloucester MA on Capt Bill and Sons with the Whale Center of New England.

Hancock. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 3 May 2008. From Gloucester MA on Capt Bill and Sons with The Whale Center of New England.

Hancock. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 3 May 2008. From Gloucester MA on Capt Bill and Sons with The Whale Center of New England.

$Shockwave\'s 08 calf. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 24 May 2008. From Provincetown MA on Dolphin Fleet.$

Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 25 May 2008. From Provincetown MA on Dolphin Fleet.

Apostrophe. 19 July 2008. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. From Gloucester MA on Capt Bill and Sons with the Whale Center of New England.

Apostrophe. 19 July 2008. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. From Gloucester MA on Capt Bill and Sons with the Whale Center of New England.

Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 20 August 2008. On Capt. Bill and Sons from Gloucester MA.

Lob tailing by Safari. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 20 August 2008. On Capt. Bill and Sons from Gloucester MA.

Tail breaching by Safari. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 20 August 2008. On Capt. Bill and Sons from Gloucester MA.

Tail breach. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 20 August 2008. On Capt. Bill and Sons from Gloucester MA.

Tail breach. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 20 August 2008. On Capt. Bill and Sons from Gloucester MA.

Habanero. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 5 October 2008. On Capt. Bill and Sons from Gloucester MA with the Whale Center of New England.

Jabiru. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 11 October 2008. From Gloucester on Capt. Bill and Sons with the Whale Center of New England.

Jabiru. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 11 October 2008. From Gloucester on Capt. Bill and Sons with the Whale Center of New England.

Jabiru, flipper slapping. Note the flaxibility of the fin. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 11 October 2008. From Gloucester on Capt. Bill and Sons with the Whale Center of New England.

Owl (foreground) and Tornado (behind). Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 11 October 2008. From Gloucester on Capt. Bill and Sons with The Whale Center of New England.

Owl (foreground) and Tornado (behind). Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 11 October 2008. From Gloucester on Capt. Bill and Sons with The WhaleCenter of New England.

Jabiru, flipper slapping. Note the flaxibility of the fin. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 11 October 2008. From Gloucester on Capt. Bill and Sons with the Whale Center of New England.

Springboard. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 3 May 2008. From Gloucester MA with Capt. Bill and Sons and The Whale Center of New England.

Springboard. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 3 May 2008. From Gloucester MA with Capt. Bill and Sons and The Whale Center of New England.

Springboard - chin breach. Note the shoulder blade, indicating a result of not eating for months! Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 3 May 2008. From Gloucester MA with Capt. Bill and Sons and The Whale Center of New England.

Springboard. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 3 May 2008. From Gloucester MA with Capt. Bill and Sons and The Whale Center of New England.

Falcon. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 3 May 2008. From Gloucester MA with Capt Bill and Sons and the Whale Center of New England.

Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 24 May 2008. From Provincetown MA with Dolphin Fleet.

Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 24 May 2008. From Provincetown MA with Dolphin Fleet.

Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 24 May 2008. From Provincetown MA with Dolphin Fleet.

Shockwave. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 24 May 2008. From Provincetown MA with the Dolphin Fleet.

Nile. 19 July 2008. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. From Gloucester MA with Capt Bill and Sons and The Whale Center of New England.

Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 20 August 2008. On Capt. Bill and Sons from Gloucester MA with The Whale Center of New England.

Tail breach. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 20 August 2008. On Capt. Bill and Sons from Gloucester MA with The Whale Center of New England.

Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 20 August 2008. On Capt. Bill and Sons from Gloucester MA with The Whale Center of New England.

Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 12 July 2008. From Gloucester MA with Capt Bill and Sons and The Whale Center of New England.

Banyan. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 12 July 2008. From Gloucester MA with Capt Bill and Sons and the Whale Center of New England.

Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 12 July 2008. From Gloucester MA with Capt Bill and Sons and The Whale Center of New England.

Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 5 October 2008. On Capt. Bill and Sons from Gloucester MA with The Whale Center of New England.

Habanero. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 5 October 2008. On Capt. Bill and Sons from Gloucester MA with the Whale Center of New England.

Owl. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 11 October 2008. From Gloucester MA on Capt. Bill and Sons with the Whale Center of New England.

Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 11 October 2008. From Gloucester MA on Capt. Bill and Sons with the Whale Center of New England.

Owl and calf (foreground) and Tornado and calf (just beyond). Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 11 October 2008. From Gloucester on Capt. Bill and Sons with the Whale Center of New England.

Owl, showing deep scarring in front of her dorsal fin from an old injury. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 11 October 2008. From Gloucester MA on Capt. Bill and Sons with the Whale Center of New England.

Tornado. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 11 October 2008. From Gloucester MA on Capt. Bill and Sons with the Whale Center of New England.

Springboard. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 3 May 2008. From Gloucester MA with Capt. Bill and Sons and The Whale Center of New England.

Springboard. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 3 May 2008. From Gloucester MA with Capt. Bill and Sons and The Whale Center of New England.

Zeppelin. Typically seen in the Great South Channel - unusual to see on Stellwagen Bank.; Has a notch on the dorsal fin which is the only remaining scar from a bad entanglement.Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 3 May 2008. From Gloucester MA with Capt Bill and Sons and The Whale Center of New England.

Fulcrum. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 24 May 2008. From Provincetown MA on Dolphin Fleet.

19 July 2008. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. From Gloucester MA with Capt Bill and Sons and the Whale Center of New England.

Tornado. 19 July 2008. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. From Gloucester MA with Capt Bill and Sons and the Whale Center of New England.

Tornado. 19 July 2008. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. From Gloucester MA with Capt Bill and Sons and the Whale Center of New England.

Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 20 August 2008. On Capt. Bill and Sons from Gloucester MA with The Whale Center of New England.

Crown. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 20 August 2008. On Capt. Bill and Sons from Gloucester MA with the Whale Center of New England.

Humpback calf, playing with seaweed. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 20 August 2008. On Capt. Bill and Sons from Gloucester MA with the Whale Center of New England.

Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 5 October 2008. On Capt. Bill and Sons from Gloucester MA with The Whale Center of New England.

Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 5 October 2008. On Capt. Bill and Sons from Gloucester MA with The Whale Center of New England.

Center: Echo. On her left, her 08 calf. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 5 October 2008. On Capt. Bill and Sons from Gloucester MA wth The Whale Center of New England.

Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 3 May 2008. From Gloucester MA with Capt Bill and Sons and the Whale Center of New England.

Milkweed. Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 3 May 2008. From Gloucester MA with Capt Bill and Sons and the Whale Center of New England.

Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. 24 May 2008. From Provincetown MA on Dolphin Fleet.