Santa Barbara Migration Data
Overview
Michael H. Smith, Gray Whales Count

Data Courtesy of
Michael H. Smith of Gray Whales Count. Shown here with his binoculars is team leader/Director Smith. He and his volunteers watch from Coal Oil Point to collect data on the migration through the nearshore of the Santa Barbara Channel, another vital northbound migration corridor.
Data will be compiled here for classroom use beginning February 21, 2017. Data may not be used by others without written permission from Project Director, Michael H. Smith.
Spring 2017
Date
 Northbound
Whales		 Northbound
Calves
21-Feb (closed by rain)
 0 0
22-Feb
 3 0
23-Feb (closed by wind)
 0 0
24-Feb
 4 0
25-Feb
 6 0
26-Feb
 2 0
27-Feb
 1 0
28-Feb
 5 0
01-Mar
 13 0
02-Mar
 9 0
03-Mar
 17 0
04-Mar
 14 0
05-Mar (rain and wind)
 0 0
06-Mar
 2 0
07-Mar
 15 0
08-Mar
 16 0
09-Mar
 31 0
10-Mar
 26 0
11-Mar
27 0
12-Mar (closed by fog)
 0 0
13-Mar (closed by fog)
 0 0
14-Mar (closed by fog)
 0 0
15-Mar (closed by fog)
0 0
16-Mar
 41 0
17-Mar (closed by fog)
 0 0
18-Mar
 42 0
19-Mar
 22 0
20-Mar
 50 0
21Mar (closed by rain, wind)
 0 0
22-Mar
 22 0
23-Mar
 22 0
24-Mar
 29 0
25-Mar
 27 0
26-Mar
 13 2
27-Mar (closed by wind after 1 hour)
 8 1
28-Mar
 21 1
29-Mar
 19 1
30-Mar
 4 1
31-Mar
 9 0
01-Apr
 22 0
02-Apr
 19 0
03-Apr
 7 0
04-Apr
 22 1
05-Apr
 8 1
06-Apr
 10 1
07-Apr
 23 4
08-Apr
 10 5
09-Apr
 5 1
10-Apr
 15 4
11-Apr
 9 2
12-Apr
 5 1
13-Apr
 12 6
14-Apr
 17 6
15-Apr
 12 5
16-Apr
 5 2
17-Apr
 8 4
18-Apr
 3 1
19-Apr
 15 7
20-Apr
 14 7
21-Apr
 22 11
22-Apr
 34 17
23-Apr
 13 6
24-Apr
 7 3
25-Apr
 16 8
26-Apr
 24 12
27-Apr
 12 6
28-Apr
 7 3
29-Apr
 22 11
30-Apr
 18 9
01-May
 10 5
02-May
 8 4
03-May (FOG)
 2 1
04-May
 16 8
05-May
 16 8
06-May
 4 2
07-May
 8 4
08-May
 8 4
09-May
 12 6
10-May
 8 4
11-May
 12 6
12-May
 4 2
13-May
 2 1
14-May
 0 0
15-May
 2 1
16-May
 2 1
17-May (WIND)
 0 0
18-May
 0 0
19-May
 0 0
20-May END
2 1
TOTAL (raw data) 1052 210
     
 
Spring 2016
Date Northbound Whales Northbound Calves
16-Feb START 6 0
17-Feb 3 0
18-Feb 5 0
19-Feb 19 0
20-Feb 15 0
21-Feb 15 0
22-Feb 21 0
23-Feb 30 0
24-Feb 31 0
25-Feb 20 0
26-Feb (fog) 6 0
27-Feb 9 0
28-Feb 44 0
29-Feb (fog) 0 0
01-Mar 22 0
02-Mar 39 0
03-Mar 50 0
04-Mar 39 0
05-Mar (rain, winds) 5 0
06-Mar (winds) 3 0
07-Mar (rain, winds) 1 0
08-Mar 32 0
09-Mar 41 0
10-Mar 54 0
11-Mar (rain) 0 0
12-Mar (winds) 1 0
13-Mar 21 0
14-Mar (extreme winds) 0 0
15-Mar 19 0
16-Mar 33 0
17-Mar 23 1
18-Mar 14 0
19-Mar 14 0
20-Mar 16 1
21-Mar (winds) 10 0
22-Mar (winds) 0 0
23-Mar 30 0
24-Mar 15 0
25-Mar 23 0
26-Mar 28 0
27-Mar 14 1
28-Mar 11 1
29-Mar (winds) 0 0
30-Mar 13 1
31-Mar 2 0
01-Apr 11 1
02-Apr 11 4
03-Apr 1 0
04-Apr 10 3
05-Apr 6 0
06-Apr 6 3
07-Apr 4 2
08-Apr (rain, fog) 0 0
09-Apr 3 1
10-Apr 4 1
11-Apr 4 1
12-Apr 2 1
13-Apr 14 7
14-Apr (winds) 0 0
15-Apr 9 4
16-Apr 24 12
17-Apr
12 6
18-Apr 12 6
19-Apr 14 7
20-Apr 23 11
21-Apr 12 6
22-Apr 14 7
23-Apr 24 12
24-Apr 22 11
25-Apr 6 3
26-Apr 24 12
27-Apr (winds) 0 0
28-Apr 10 5
29-Apr 5 2
30-Apr 4 2
01-May 26 13
02-May 24 12
03-May 8 4
04-May 8 4
05-May 14 7
06-May 28 14
07-May 32 16
08-May 28 14
09-May 22 11
10-May 35 17
11-May NEW SEASON RECORD 19 9
12-May 8 4
13-May 18 9
14-May 10 5
15-May 16 8
16-May 2 1
17-May 4 2
18-May 6 3
19-May 4 2
20-May 0 0
21-May 0 0
22-May 2 1
23-May 4 2
24-May 6 3
25-May 0 0
26-May 0 0
TOTAL (raw data)
 1412 296 RECORD HIGH
 
Spring 2015
Date Northbound Whales Northbound Calves
17-Feb START 4 0
18-Feb 6 0
19-Feb 0 0
20-Feb 5 0
21-Feb 9 0
22-Feb 11 0
23-Feb 7 0
24-Feb 14 0
25-Feb 8 0
26-Feb 11 0
27-Feb 7 0
28-Feb 23 0
01-Mar 19 0
02-Mar 13 0
03-Mar 24 0
04-Mar 14 0
05-Mar 22 0
06-Mar 29 0
07-Mar 40 0
08-Mar 16 0
09-Mar 53 0
10-Mar 38 0
11-Mar 29 0
12-Mar 29 0
13-Mar 29 0
14-Mar 25 0
15-Mar 36 0
16-Mar 20 0
17-Mar 29 0
18-Mar 35 0
19-Mar 51 0
20-Mar 37 0
21-Mar 44 0
22-Mar 26 0
23-Mar 16 1
24-Mar 16 2
25-Mar 26 2
26-Mar 16 2
27-Mar 15 1
28-Mar 11 0
29-Mar 6 0
30-Mar 3 0
31-Mar 11 2
01-Apr 3 0
02-Apr 9 3
03-Apr 13 3
04-Apr 11 2
05-Apr 2 0
06-Apr (WINDY) 0 0
07-Apr 6 3
08-Apr 10 1
09-Apr 22 7
10-Apr 9 0
11-Apr 6 1
12-Apr 6 1
13-Apr 1 0
14-Apr 2 1
15-Apr 10 5
16-Apr 14 7
17-Apr 2 1
18-Apr 18 9
19-Apr 9 4
20-Apr 11 4
21-Apr 6 3
22-Apr 4 2
23-Apr 20 10
24-Apr 8 4
25-Apr (WIND, DRIZZLE) 0 0
26-Apr 16 8
27-Apr 21 10
28-Apr 26 13
29-Apr 34 17
30-Apr 16 8
01-May 6 3
02-May 20 9
03-May 16 8
04-May 18 9
05-May 22 11
06-May 16 8
07-May 4 2
08-May 11 5
09-May 16 8
10-May 19 9
11-May 24 12
12-May 4 2
13-May 4 2
14-May 0 0
15-May 15 4
16-May 12 6
17-May 4 2
18-May 4 2
19-May 2 1
20-May 4 2
21-May 2 1
22-May 0 0
23-May 2 1
24-May 2 1
25-May 0 0
26-May (Extra Day 1) 2 1
27-May (Extra Day 2) 4 2
28-May (Extra Day 3) 0 0
29-May (Extra Day 4) 0 0
TOTAL (raw data)
 1424 249
Spring 2014
Date
 Northbound Whales Northbound Calves
10-Feb START
 0 0
11-Feb
 0 0
12-Feb
 2 0
13-Feb
 0 0
14-Feb
 7 0
15-Feb
 15 0
16-Feb
 0 0
17-Feb
 5 0
18-Feb
 0 0
19-Feb
 8 0
20-Feb
 6 0
21-Feb
 6 0
22-Feb (fog)
 0 0
23-Feb
 3 0
24-Feb
 6 0
25-Feb
 9 0
26-Feb
 4 0
27-Feb
 13 0
28-Feb (Count canceled: rain.)
 0 0
01-Mar (Count canceled: rain.) 0 0
02-Mar 17 0
03-Mar 22 0
04-Mar
 0 0
05-Mar
 9 0
06-Mar
 0 0
07-Mar
 23 0
08-Mar
 15 0
09-Mar
 13 0
10-Mar
 4 0
11-Mar
 1 0
12-Mar
 17 0
13-Mar
 12 0
14-Mar
 24 0
15-Mar
 29 0
16-Mar
 27 0
17-Mar
 11 0
18-Mar
 22 0
19-Mar
 22 0
20-Mar
 25 0
21-Mar
 13 0
22-Mar
 21 0
23-Mar
 28 0
24-Mar
 17 1
25-Mar
 17 3
26-Mar
 2 0
27-Mar
 5 0
28-Mar
 13 0
29-Mar
 3 0
30-Mar
 2 0
31-Mar
 24 0
1-Apr
 2 0
2-Apr
 7 0
3-Apr
 8 0
4-Apr
 0 0
5-Apr
 6 0
6-Apr
 5 0
7-Apr
 5 0
8-Apr
 7 2
9-Apr
 0 0
10-Apr
 6 2
11-Apr
 8 2
12-Apr
 10 2
13-Apr
 13 5
14-Apr
 1 0
15-Apr (fog)
 0 0
16-Apr
 7 3
17-Apr
 19 9
18-Apr
 18 7
19-Apr
 19 9
20-Apr
 8 4
21-Apr
 14 7
22-Apr
 18 8
23-Apr
 23 11
24-Apr
 18 8
25-Apr
 11 5
26-Apr (cancelled due to gale)
 0 0
27-Apr
 19 9
28-Apr (half day)
 4 2
29-Apr
 13 5
30-Apr
 16 8
01-May
 10 5
02-May
 16 8
03-May
 14 7
04-May
 14 7
05-May
 30 15
06-May (winds)
 0 0
07-May
 16 8
08-May
 16 8
09-May
 10 5
10-May
 9 4
11-May
 21 10
12-May
 8 4
13-May
 12 6
14-May
 6 3
15-May
 16 8
16-May
 4 2
17-May
 6 3
18-May (4 hours only)
 2 1
19-May
 4 2
20-May (Too windy: shut down)
 0 0
21-May
 2 1
22-May
 0 0
23-May
 4 2
24-May
 8 4
25-May
 3 1
26-May
 0 0
27-May END
 0 0

 

    
Spring 2013
Date Northbound Whales Northbound Calves
11-Feb START 4 0
12-Feb 0 0
13-Feb 0 0
14-Feb 3 0
15-Feb 0 0
16-Feb 4 0
17-Feb 3 0
18-Feb 0 0
19-Feb 2 0
20-Feb 0 0
21-Feb 9 0
22-Feb 6 0
23-Feb 2 0
24-Feb 5 0
25-Feb 2 0
26-Feb 5 0
27-Feb 7 0
28-Feb 5 0
01-Mar 3 0
02-Mar 7 0
03-Mar 2 0
04-Mar 11 0
05-Mar 13 0
06-Mar 19 0
07-Mar 6 0
08-Mar 11 0
09-Mar 6 0
10-Mar 25 0
11-Mar 10 0
12-Mar (fog) 0 0
13-Mar (fog) 0 0
14-Mar (fog) 4 0
15-Mar (fog) 0 0
16-Mar 9 0
17-Mar 1 0
18-Mar 10 0
19-Mar 10 0
20-Mar 16 0
21-Mar 10 0
22-Mar 0 0
23-Mar 23 0
24-Mar 20 1
25-Mar 28 1
26-Mar 7 0
27-Mar 25 0
28-Mar 27 0
29-Mar 13 3
30-Mar 7 0
31-Mar 1 0
1-Apr 10 0
2-Apr 35 0
3-Apr 17 1
4-Apr 19 1
5-Apr 8 0
6-Apr 7 0
7-Apr 10 4
8-Apr 0 0
9-Apr 8 2
10-Apr 13 0
11-Apr 4 1
12-Apr 3 0
13-Apr 1 0
14-Apr 7 0
15-Apr 7 1
16-Apr 0 0
17-Apr 5 2
18-Apr 14 7
19-Apr 4 2
20-Apr 15 7
21-Apr 2 1
22-Apr 12 6
23-Apr 10 5
24-Apr 11 5
25-Apr 19 9
26-Apr 11 4
27-Apr 12 5
28-Apr 22 11
29-Apr 13 6
30-Apr 7 3
01-May 10 5
02-May 8 4
03-May 10 5
04-May 9 4
05-May NO COUNTING (wind) 0 0
06-May NO COUNTING (wind) 0 0
07-May 8 4
08-May 9 4
09-May 6 3
10-May 4 2
11-May 7 3
12-May 4 2
13-May 2 1
14-May 2 1
15-May 2 1
16-May 4 2
17-May 0 0
18-May END 4 2
 
Spring 2012
Date Northbound Whales Northbound Calves
11-Feb START 0 0
12-Feb 0 0
13-Feb 0 0
14-Feb 0 0
15-Feb 0 0
16-Feb 3 0
17-Feb 1 0
18-Feb 0 0
19-Feb 3 0
20-Feb 0 0
21-Feb 3 0
22-Feb 3 0
23-Feb 1 0
24-Feb 2 0
25-Feb 0 0
26-Feb 10 0
27-Feb 0 0
28-Feb 2 0
29-Feb 15 0
1-Mar 0 0
2-Mar 14 0
3-Mar 7 0
4-Mar 5 0
5-Mar 9 0
6-Mar 1 0
7-Mar 27 0
8-Mar 8 0
9-Mar 5 0
10-Mar 20 0
11-Mar 20 0
12-Mar 21 0
13-Mar 16 0
14-Mar 16 0
15-Mar 11 0
16-Mar 6 0
17-Mar (closed: rain & gale) 0 0
18-Mar (closed: rain & gale) 0 0
19-Mar 25 0
20-Mar 23 0
21-Mar 6 0
22-Mar 39 0
23-Mar 7 0
24-Mar 29 0
25-Mar 2 0
26-Mar 15 0
27-Mar 18 0
28-Mar 9 0
29-Mar 7 0
30-Mar 10 0
31-Mar 4 0
01-Apr 0 0
02-Apr 8 0
03-Apr 4 1
04-Apr 3 0
05-Apr 10 2
06-Apr 6 2
07-Apr 3 0
08-Apr 2 1
09-Apr 5 0
10-Apr 2 1
11-Apr 11 0
12-Apr 0 0
13-Apr 0 0
14-Apr 0 0
15-Apr 36 16
16-Apr 20 10
17-Apr 10 5
18-Apr 13 6
19-Apr 15 7
20-Apr 0 0
21-Apr 8 4
22-Apr 27 13
23-Apr 23 11
24-Apr 25 12
25-Apr 18 5
26-Apr 12 6
27-Apr 34 17
28-Apr 15 7
29-Apr 24 11
30-Apr 26 13
1-May 12 6
2-May 15 7
3-May 16 8
4-May 29 14
5-May 10 5
6-May 18 9
7-May 7 3
8-May 4 2
9-May 10 5
10-May 3 1
11-May 19 9
12-May 14 7
13-May 3 1
14-May 4 2
15-May 5 2
16-May 8 4
17-May 0 0
18-May 0 0
19-May 2 1
20-May END 0 0
     
Spring 2011
Date Northbound Whales Northbound Calves
13-Feb START 0 0
14-Feb 2 0
15-Feb 0 0
16-Feb 0 0
17-Feb 5 0
18-Feb 0 0
19-Feb 0 0
20-Feb 2 0
21-Feb 2 0
22-Feb 2 0
23-Feb 0 0
16-Feb 0 0
24-Feb 2 0
25-Feb 0 0
26-Feb 0 0
27-Feb 13 0
28-Feb 8 0
01-Mar 8 0
02-Mar 2 0
03-Mar 2 0
04-Mar 2 0
05-Mar 5 0
06-Mar 0 0
07-Mar GALE WARNING 0 0
08-Mar 17 0
09-Mar 5 0
10-Mar 13 0
11-Mar 10 0
12-Mar 14 0
13-Mar 14 0
14-Mar 14 0
15-Mar 15 0
16-Mar 7 0
17-Mar 24 0
18-Mar 12 0
19-Mar 10 0
20-Mar 0 0
21-Mar 42 0
22-Mar 30 0
23-Mar 0 0
24-Mar 14 0
25-Mar 8 0
26-Mar 19 0
27-Mar 18 0
28-Mar 13 0
29-Mar 7 1
30-Mar 9 0
30-Mar 15 0
01-Apr 5 0
02-Apr 1 0
03-Apr 6 0
04-Apr 9 0
05-Apr 5 0
06-Apr 12 0
07-Apr 0 0
08-Apr 3 1
09-Apr 4 0
10-Apr 2 0
11-Apr 9 0
12-Apr 3 0
13-Apr 3 0
14-Apr 8 1
15-Apr 4 1
16-Apr 6 3
17-Apr 3 1
18-Apr 6 2
19-Apr 13 4
20-Apr 6 2
21-Apr 4 2
22-Apr 2 1
23-Apr 24 11
24-Apr 5 2
25-Apr 7 3
26-Apr 16 7
27-Apr 10 5
28-Apr 6 3
29-Apr 6 3
30-Apr 10 4
1-May 10 5
2-May 12 6
3-May 13 6
4-May 24 12
5-May 0 0
6-May 14 0
7-May 10 4
8-May 2 1
9-May 6 3
10-May 4 2
11-May 6 3
12-May 4 2
13-May 6 3
14-May 8 4
15-May 7 3
16-May 2 1
17-May 0 0
18-May 2 1
19-May 2 1
20-May 0 0
21-May 0 0
22-May END 0 0
     
Spring 2010
Date Northbound Whales Northbound Calves
8-Feb 0 0
9-Feb 0 0
10-Feb 0 0
11-Feb 1 0
12-Feb 1 0
13-Feb 5 0
14-Feb 4 0
15-Feb 6 0
16-Feb 1 0
17-Feb 5 0
18-Feb 7 0
19-Feb 1 0
20-Feb 4 0
21-Feb 3 0
22-Feb 14 0
23-Feb 1 0
24-Feb 0 0
25-Feb 7 0
26-Feb 4 0
27-Feb 0 0
28-Feb 7 0
1-Mar 15 0
2-Mar 8 0
3-Mar 10 0
4-Mar 8 0
5-Mar 3 0
6-Mar 5 0
7-Mar 3 0
8-Mar 3 0
9-Mar 0 0
10-Mar 4 0
11-Mar 19 0
12-Mar 16 0
13-Mar 10 0
14-Mar 18 0
15-Mar 20 0
16-Mar 20 0
17-Mar 26 0
18-Mar 9 0
19-Mar 0/fog 0
20-Mar 24 0
21-Mar 13 0
22-Mar 7 0
23-Mar 25 0
24-Mar 9 0
25-Mar 12 1
26-Mar 26 0
27-Mar 16 0
28-Mar 9 1
29-Mar 13 0
30-Mar 1 0
31-Mar 5 0
1-Apr 7 0
2-Apr 1 1
3-Apr 5 0
4-Apr 8 2
5-Apr 0 0
6-Apr 6 3
7-Apr 0 0
8-Apr 0 0
9-Apr 9 0
10-Apr 3 0
11-Apr 0 0
12-Apr 6 2
13-Apr 4 0
14-Apr 6 2
15-Apr 9 3
16-Apr 14 4
17-Apr 4 2
18-Apr 0 0
19-Apr 6 0
20-Apr 4 2
21-Apr 0 0
22-Apr 0 0
23-Apr 0 0
24-Apr 2 1
25-Apr 2 1
26-Apr 0 0
27-Apr 0 0
28-Apr 2 1
29-Apr 0 0
30-Apr 0 0
1-May 0 0
2-May 2 1
3-May 2 1
4-May 2 1
5-May 0 0
6-May 2 1
7-May 3 1
8-May 4 2
9-May 0 0
10-May 0 0
11-May 0 0
12-May 1 0
13-May 0 0
14-May 0 0
15-May 0 0
16-May 1 0
17-May 1 0
18-May 0 0
19-May 0 0
20-May 0 0
21-May 0 0
22-May 0 0
23-May END 0 0
Totals* 544 33

* Total census hours = 2, 348.
Volunteers worked 2,348 hours and 15 minutes between February 8 and May 12. The final day, May 23rd, made the year's total 105 days. As Director Michael H. Smith said, "Well done." Thanks to every one of them for their dedication and sharing!

Data courtesy of Gray Whales Count.

 
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