Humpback whales off the coast of Massachusetts, USA

© Eric Kulin/plainpictur

Whale hello there!

It’s whale-watching season here on the USA’s east coast where these humpback whales and their seagull friends are on a feeding frenzy. Here’s a little tip if you ever find yourself seeking out humpbacks: Look for birds. Where there are swarms of dive-bombing birds, there will be fish, and where there are fish, there may be humpback whales. It appears this pod of humpbacks near Massachusetts is engaged in ‘bubble-net feeding’, a phenomenon that involves diving below a school of fish and then blowing bubbles as they twirl back up. The bubbles corral the disoriented fish in a 'net', allowing the whales to gobble them up as they rise to the surface. This is the feeding season after all, and these whales spend up to 20 hours a day eating up to 1.5 tonnes of krill and small fish. The seagulls pictured here appear more than happy to take part in the feast. Bon appetit!