SOCKEYE - is named for a deformity of his jaw that mimics the Sockeye Salmon. Sockeye's smaller upper jaw actually fits down inside his huge lower jaw, creating a whale-sized underbite! Sockeye was first sighted in 1984, and has grown into a healthy adult male. His odd jaw has definitely not impaired his feeding ability!

Thanks to Shelley Barnaby at Brier Island Whale and Seabird Cruises for her recent report of Sockeye! Apparently, Sockeye has been seen in the northern reaches of the Gulf of Maine in June. He was observed actively feeding amongst other adult whales!

As of July 4th, Sockeye and a handful of other humpback whales are still being seen feeding off of Nova Scotia.

Jooke Robbins of the Center for Coastal Studies, Provincetown, MA reports that Sockeye has been seen in August! More details to come!

Still in the waters off Nova Scotia, Sockeye was seen several times over the course of September by the folks at Brier Island Whale and Seabird Cruises!

OWL - named for two black dots on either side of her tail, resembling owls' eyes. Owl was first sighted as a calf in 1986 with her mother, Falco. Owl gave birth to her first calf in 1993, and her second in 1998.

An earlier than ususal appearance by Owl was reported to us by Dayle Taylor of New England Aquarium Whale Watch. They observed Owl on Stellwagen Bank on April 19th!

Through June 10th, Owl has been sighted several times this year on Stellwagen Bank off of Massachusetts, generally feeding in the vicinity of other whales. CORE researchers observed Owl travelling with another adult female named Nile.

As of July 18th, there have been no additional sightings of Owl.

Owl's calf from 2003 has been seen by the folks at the Center for Coastal Studies in Provincetown, MA. They observed the young whale near the southern end of Stellwagen Bank, just off of Provincetown.

SHARK - is named for the black markings on the tip of the right side of her tail that resemble the profile of a shark's face. Shark was first sighted as a calf in 1983 with her mother, Apex. Shark has had four calves.

SHARK is a new mom again! Scientists from  the Center for Coastal Studies in Provincetown, MA, spotted the mother and calf during the latter part of August! What a lovely surprise!

Shark and calf were seen again in September in the Bay of Fundy by the researchers at Brier Island Whale and Seabird Cruises.

Our last report of the pair came on November 19th! Jooke Robbins at the Center for Coastal Studies reported seeing Shark and calf on Stellwagen Bank at that late date!

Additionally, Shark's mother, Apex also gave birth to a new calf in 2004! That makes Apex a new mom, a new grandmother and Shark a new mom and a new sister or brother, too!

BADGE - is named for the black markings on the left side of the tail that look like a badge on a military uniform. Badge was first sighted in the feeding area off of Gloucester in 1987 - small at the time, he was probably a calf in 1986.

Thanks to the folks at the Center for Coastal Studies in Provincetown, MA, we have a report of Badge! She was seen in an unusual area called Cultivator Shoals, quite far offshore, east of Cape Cod. This is not a region generally visited by most researchers, the Center for Coastal Studies observed her during their yearly Gulf of Maine Research Cruise. Many thanks for the report of Badge.