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Blue Whale

Balenoptera musculu

Photograph by Dave Jones www.pbase.com/clamflats.

Atlantic Ocean Blue Whales?
I used to think that the chances of seeing Blue Whale off the coast of  New England were slim to none.  Years ago I saw a juvenile Blue Whale on an offshore trip.  After seeing two on the  June of 2010, a BBC trip to the continental shelf edge,  I no longer say none. Offshore pelagic trips are your best bet for seeing one  in New England waters.

In the summer there is a regular migration of Blue Whales that can be seen from shore or from whale watches on the northern coast of California. To improve your chances of seeing a Blue Whale go whale watching in California in the summer.

Blue Whales swim in all oceans in both shelf  and pelagic waters. Most migrate to warmer waters in the winter.

Here is what Wikipedia has to say about the Atlantic population of Blue Whales

 In the North Atlantic, two stocks of B. m. musculus are recognized. The first is found off Greenland, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. This group is estimated to total about 500. The second, more easterly group is spotted from the Azores in spring to Iceland in July and August; it is presumed that the whales follow the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between the two volcanic islands. Beyond Iceland, blue whales have been spotted as far north as Spitsbergen and Jan Mayen, though such sightings are rare. Scientists do not know where these whales spend their winters. The total North Atlantic population is estimated to be between 600 and 1,500.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_whale

Largest Animal Ever to Live in Our Planet's History
Not only is  the Blue Whale the largest animal living on earth, but it is the largest ever.  Blue Whales in the Atlantic tend to be somewhat smaller than those in the Pacific Ocean.  The largest ever killed and recorded by whalers was 100 feet in length and weighed nearly 200 tons.
 

Identification
The Blue Whale is a baleen whale with throat groves.  The head is "U-shaped" when viewed from above and relatively flat when viewed from the side.  There is a small sickle shaped dorsal fin that sits far back on the whale's body.   When the whale surfaces the dorsal fin should not appear until well after the blow hole.

The blow is a tall column that appears single despite the presence of two blow holes.

Blue Whales often raise their triangular flukes when diving.

This Blue Whale photographed by Dave Jones was making frequent shallow dives.  Here the blow is complete, the head is sinking and we see the roll of the back.

Feeding¹
Blue Whales feed on krill and pelagic crabs.  Since they are Baleen Whales they require large schools of prey so they can lunge and scoop in as much food as possible.  They need up to 6 tons of krill a day.

Breeding¹
Little is known about the mating of Blue Whales.  Calves are born in winter in tropical or subtropical waters after a gestation period of approximately 11 mos. Females breed every 2-3 years.  Folkens reports hybrids with Fin Whales and even with a Humpback Whale.
 

This photo by Dave Jones was take just as the triangular head and the blow hole emerged.  Notice the closed mouth.  www.pbase.com/clamflats



The blow is now complete and the animal continues to roll foward. Closed mouth is still visible. Photo by Dave Jones.

 

1 2002 Folkens, Pieter  Guide to Marine Mammals of the World Alfred A. Knopf, New York