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Tue 12 Apr, 2005 06:34 pm
Today the marine stranding center in Delaware reported a full grown beluga whale has made it up the Delaware estuary and into the River. The whale, apparently chasing the schools of gizzard shad appears to be having a ball . Its already made it as far north as Trenton NJ and is creating quite a photo op.
We used to spot Belugas when boating in the Gulf of St Lawrence, where they are called "Sea Canaries" because you can hear their chirping and peeping sounds on board a boat. They are also called "Ice whales" because they will migrate all the way up the Davis STraight to Baffin Island and Ellsmere and there they are often seen carousing with Narwhals.. They are neat little guys, they are able to turn their heads and often will slide up to a boat in pods of 5 or 10 and look you over. Their ability to turn their heads makes them seem even more mammal like than their bigger cousins of toothed whales like Orcas.
I think that this is a first recorded event of this species in the Metro Trenton Philly area
Ize just kiddin about the harpoon part> I just wanted some company and everybody just passes my lonely thread as if to say "friggin farmermans post is stupid "
Sounds like he's up a river with out a pod!
So is he stranded or is he just exploring new feeding grounds?
Squinney, you win the prize for most outrageous pun...two weeks in Philadelphia.
would it be bad form to ask for more info?
Acquiunk, is that a prize or punishment? Never been to Philly.
Seriously, I'd love to see the whale. Step-son got to go on a whale watching cruise with his Mom up New England way a few years back. I was sooo trying to talk Bears Ex into taking me with her instead. Can you believe she chose her son?
Okay, anyone have pics?
Hmmm. Seems to have happened one other time, but I haven't found any pictures.
http://whale.wheelock.edu/archives/whalenet94/0138.html
Sorry. no pix, but its a friggin beluga. Go to google and put in Beluga and youll see that theyre cute little dudes
The way that they can turn their heads is what got me when we first saw some on our trip to the Rock 2 years ago Theyre not big .
Apparently today the Brigantine stranding center was involved because the Doosh-bag Pennsylvania Navy was starting to harrass the little guy.
Ya know, people shouldnt be allowed to be part of the natural world. They screw up everything. Picture, if ya will, this whole herd of people in their Bayliners out on the river doing whale watching. Im sure that, this being Philly, they were all booing the whale for running the wrong way and were chucking beverage bottles at it.
Squinney, Philly has some neat spots surrounded by vast expanses of slums. Im not proud of it and Im a nearby resident. Its got great museums and historical spots and great restaurants. Its also got about 2 murders a day, lots of mobsters and a rather corrupt city govt.
Come to think of it , its just like any other big city.
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glad to know the topic title was in jest. belugas are some of my close relations, you know. easier way to see a beluga btw is at sea world, if you're ever in san diego. incidentally, i am in no way endorsing the concept of sea world, it isn't a favorite hangout of mine.
Now I have that Raffi song "Baby Beluga" stuck in my head.
No pics... no harpoon...
Farmer's thread really... WHOA! What the, looks like Squinney came to the rescure.
yitwail wrote:glad to know the topic title was in jest. belugas are some of my close relations, you know.....
Yes, I see it now. The resemblence is in th eyes.
How lovely!
My neice currently has a big 'thing' for belugas these days.....
squinney wrote:yitwail wrote:glad to know the topic title was in jest. belugas are some of my close relations, you know.....
Yes, I see it now. The resemblence is in th eyes.
How lovely!
let's not forget the high forehead, sign of a superior intellect.
see how the mama beluga is turning her head to her baby.
Yitwail. We must have seen hundreds of belugas in the straits around Nova Scotia . We were just bearing down for a long run in some fairly choppy seas to Port au Port in the Cabot Strait ,when we began seeing small pods of belugas. They had no fear of our little boat and although, if the seas were calm, we could easily outrun them, we kept careful watch and they just headed with us for about 20 nautical miles. We had to keep at abut 4 knotsover the tideal bore. It was great. We saw a few bigger whales but all in all, we didnt see many , so the belugas, when we ran into them , were a big treat. They just gather around and cheep cheep, lots of chatter.
Maybe the one in the Delaware was one from two years ago who saw our boat registration and wanted to look us up.
farmerman wrote:see how the mama beluga is turning her head to her baby.
Yitwail. We must have seen hundreds of belugas in the straits around Nova Scotia . We were just bearing down for a long run in some fairly choppy seas to Port au Port in the Cabot Strait ,when we began seeing small pods of belugas. They had no fear of our little boat and although, if the seas were calm, we could easily outrun them, we kept careful watch and they just headed with us for about 20 nautical miles. We had to keep at abut 4 knotsover the tideal bore. It was great. We saw a few bigger whales but all in all, we didnt see many , so the belugas, when we ran into them , were a big treat. They just gather around and cheep cheep, lots of chatter.
Maybe the one in the Delaware was one from two years ago who saw our boat registration and wanted to look us up.
bet they were happy to see you, as well. wouldn't surprise me if one looked you up. this wail's memory is slipping though; should have thanked Squinney for the nice comment.
the memory tends to slip when trying to beat the evening rush.
no my comment was to you and the Sea World location. Seeing them in nature is waay cooler
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