Hi, this is Anne Smrcina from the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary in Massachusetts.
It appears that the right whales have left Cape Cod Bay, although four rights were seen skim feeding on the northern edge of Stellwagen Bank and the southern portion of Jeffreys Ledge last week. A fisherman who used to work on a whalewatch vessel also reported seeing some rights on Georges Bank recently.
No mother-calf pairs have been seen in these waters, and the researchers are quite disappointed. They had hoped to see one of the six (possibly seven) pairs that were spotted in the Florida/Georgia nursery grounds. (They are not positive about the numbers, definitely six pairs with one additional pair that needs further photo identification.) One of the mothers was a "new" animal, one that had not been identified before. ("New" meaning she was born and reached sexual maturity before researchers observed and identified her.)
The researchers assume that the rights are now on their northward transit to the Bay of Fundy where they spend the summer.
More later,
Anne Smrcina Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary Plymouth, Massachusetts
Journey North 125 North First Street Minneapolis, Minnesota 55401 Phone: (612)339-6959