Humpback whale migration returns to Sonoma coastline

(KRON) — Humpback whales are back. More than 150 of the gentle ocean giants were counted recently by volunteer naturalists at Bodega Head, according to Sonoma Land Trust.

“It’s that time of year: the summer migration of humpback whales along the Sonoma Coast,” the land trust wrote.

Humpbacks are one of the easier species of whales to spot out at sea because they breach and lunge feed. In addition to dramatic leaping and lunging, humpbacks will slap their tails and flippers on the surface, creating big splashes.

Whales are drawn to Sonoma County’s coastline because the area’s unique oceanography creates an upwelling of cold, nutrient-rich waters from the deep. Upwelling fuels plankton blooms, which feed anchovies and krill — a feast for humpbacks.

“We’re lucky that here in Sonoma County, you can see them from parks like Bodega Head, Gualala Point Regional Park, Stillwater Cove, and Fort Ross. The whales are on the move, so if you want to see them this year, now’s your chance,” Sonoma Land Trust wrote.

According to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, humpbacks migrate thousands of miles each year, travelling from summer feeding grounds off California’s coast to winter breeding waters closer to the equator.

“Humpbacks have the most complex and varied songs of any whale species. Their haunting calls carry for miles beneath the sea,” MBA wrote.