Our final day aboard National Geographic Sea Bird was one for the books! We could not have ended the trip at a better destination than Bahia Almejas on Valentine’s Day. Bahia Almejas is known as a breeding lagoon for grey whales and love was definitely in the air. Trios of whales were seen rolling around just under the surface of the water, as others spy-hopped all over the bay. It was a full day of whale watching and some people really felt the love when “friendly” whales approached the pangas. Naturalist Veronica Franklin was even able to pluck a whale louse, an external parasite under the subphylum crustacea, from a whale.
Not just the whales were here to mate. While heading back to the ship, mangroves could be seen littered with magnificent frigatebirds roosting together for breeding season. Male frigates could be seen with a bright red extended throat pouch making it clear they were ready to mingle. But just like the original Valentine’s Day, not all scenes were quite so romantic. A juvenile bald eagle was seen scavenging a pelican, while ravens and a turkey vulture lurked nearby waiting for their turn.
