August 10, 2013: Tail lob!!

365 Project, Day 50

Here is my day fifty submission to my 365Project:

Some of the humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) we've been observing here have been very surface active. A few days ago I watched a whale breach (jump out of the water with nearly all of its body exposed) more than 20 times! We've also seen individuals doing multiple tail slaps and tail lobs. Tail lobs (also called peduncle slaps) are when a whale throws the rear portion of its body to strike the surface. 

Fun fact of the day:

During the mating season males will form competitive groups where they will physically battle for access to a female. They will often strike each other with their tail flukes, pectoral fins and heads even drawing blood in awesome displays of aggression. 

Read more about humpback whale at the Wildlife Conservation Society humpback whale webpage.

And here are some other photos I took today.:

Helicopter en route to one of the offshore installations...after some editing :)

Wilson's storm petrel (Oceanites oceanicus)...we see these   little guys, flying low over the water surface foraging, almost daily.

July 20, 2013: We Can Walk On Water!

365 Project, Day 30

Here is my day thirty submission to my 365Project:

Since we started our observations here off Angola I've been trying to photograph these little Wilson's Storm Petrels as they fly low over the water BUT they are quite small, fast and never quite close enough to get a decent photo. I love watching them flying over the water's surface and pattering their little feet on the water as they feed...and I think I finally got a shot I like :)