2009 Life at Campo Cortez
By Caroline Armon
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March 23, 2009
Hola from Laguna San Ignacio! We have enjoyed nice, fairly warm weather until yesterday afternoon, when the wind really piped up from the west-northwest. It’s still blowing!! As we were heading out in calm conditions to the whale watch area, we noticed brown pelicans gliding on the upper air currents. Maldo explained they were riding the first wisps of wind from the Pacific Ocean and much more wind was coming. Within 15 minutes it really picked up, within an hour all the boats were radioed by the shore monitor to return to the camps. It got up to 30+ mph! I am still learning and awed by how the birds and animals will tell us about the weather if we are paying attention. Hot showers and mashed potatoes with dinner were really appreciated! Some of you know I bring instant mashed potatoes to camp, the only ‘comfort’ food I really miss, so you can imagine my delight when homemade mashed potatoes were added to our menu this season!!
We enjoyed pond like conditions on many of our previous whale watch trips, catching slack tide- when the tidal flow has finished its cycle, and there is about an hour window of time with little current. With little wind, visibility is excellent and some of our best interactions with the whales occur. One afternoon there were 3 distinct groups of mothers with calves, rather than the norm of whales spread out from each other. There are still a few singles lingering in the lagoon. On two afternoons, endurance and speed swimming against the strong tidal currents, breaching, lunging, and spy hopping by 20 + calves, seemed to be the lessons! They would briefly swim by the boats, returning to their moms, very focused! I wonder that some were heading out to begin the big swim north? ... Note the hand and finger bones (just like us!) outlined in the adult pectoral fin of an attached photo.
Huge schools of bait fish have been in the lagoon, attracting numerous flocks of cormorants, pelicans, gulls, terns, brant geese, surf scoters, and other seabirds, and dolphins! The birds darken the horizon as far as the eye can see.
There is a family of seven coyotes this season; we counted them out on a low tide sand bar one day. The coyotes here go clamming too! I think the photo I’ve included is one of the young males. He strolled by my trailer and through camp, looking a bit bewildered. He’s healthy with nice fluffy fur; the older males tend to look pretty skinny and beat up, competing for territory and food. Perhaps it was this coyote’s time to leave the matriarchal family and strike out on his own.
No new whale count- census to report. There seem to be very few solo whales. I think there are still 20 plus pairs of moms with babies in the lagoon.
I hope all is well with you! Carolina
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