Blue Whales
Blue Whale on Jeffrey's Ledge
A rare but increasing visitor to our area is the biggest of all animals: the Blue Whale. These giants are usually found much farther north feeding on swarms of blood-red, shrimp-like crustaceans called "Krill". The first ever confirmed record of this species occurred near southern Jeffrey's Ledge in 1986. That sighting was of a lone individual that did not remain in the area for long. Then in 2002, at least three individual blue whales were sighted repeatedly in various locations around Jeffrey's Ledge and Stellwagen Bank. Because they remained in the area for an extended period many people were able to take advantage of the opportunity to see these massive and very endangered visitors from the far north. Another lone adult was seen in the summer of 2004 in a deep water area between Stellwagen Bank and Jeffrey's Ledge. So while the chances of seeing a Blue Whale on a Gloucester whale watch are still very slim, whale watchers should still be familiar with the field marks of this species because, when conditions are right, Blue Whales have shown the willingness to follow their prey this far to the south.
Blue whales can be told from Fin Whales not so much by their larger size, for Fin Whales can be nearly as long, but by their greater bulk, spotted blue-gray coloration, and by the relatively tiny dorsal fin situated far back on the whale's body. At close range a sharp-eyed observer will note that the Blue Whale also lacks the asymmetrical coloration of the Fin Whale. The spout of the Blue whale is also amazingly tall and powerful and seems to "last longer" than that of Fin Whale.
Blue Whale showing characteristic spotted, blue-gray coloration and small dorsal fin (Jeffrey's Ledge)
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