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Fast, Sleek, Enigmatic
This is the way Pieter Folkens (2002) introduces the Sei Whale. Fast
because the Fin Whale and the Sei Whale are the fastest of the great
whales. Sleek because the body is slim with small flippers and resembles that of the Blue,
Fin and Minke Whales.
Enigmatic describe a person, thing or situation that is mysterious,
puzzling, or ambiguous. In the case of the Sei Whale elusive might be a
better description because the Sei Whale is unpredictable in
distribution. For a number of years it may appear regularly in an area
then be absent for years. So no wonder we were so excited when seven Sei
Whales took up residence off the coast of New Hampshire in August of
2010. Leonard Medlock and Joe Besada obtained some excellent
photographs.
In the spring of 2015 a large group of Sei Whales was seen for a week
near Cashes Ledge off the coast of New Hampshire. The NH Audubon
spring pelagic on May 25 out of Rye, NH enjoyed over an hour of
watching 21 Sei Whales feeding on the surface and coming close to the
boat.
No trip or whale watch can promise you a Sei Whale. You just have to get
out there and get very lucky.
Identification
The Sei Whale is a baleen whale, smaller than the Fin Whale and larger
than the Minke Whale. The Sei Whale has throat groves and two blow holes
like all Baleen Whales.
Look for the very tall, sickle shaped dorsal fin to separate the Sei
Whale from the similar Fin Whale. As you can see in the photograph
above, the dorsal fin and the blow hole can be above the water at the
same time.
The larger Fin Whale has a dorsal fin that is wider at the base than it
is tall and usually the blow holes are under water
when the dorsal fin is above water. See the photographs below that compare the
dorsal fins of the Fin Whale and the Sei Whale.
The Minke Whale is much smaller and has white markings on the flippers
and behind the head. Dorsal fin seen simultaneously with the blow.
May be confused with Bryde's Whale (Budah) which is further south and to
my knowledge never identified in New England waters..
Like the Fin and Minke Whales, the Sei Whales is not much of a performer
on the surface and it is probably frequently overlooked.
Compare the sickle shaped dorsal fins of the Fin Whale with the Sei
Whale . Whale are facing in opposite directions.
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