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Good question I have seen these to. I am not sure but all that you have said came into mind also. <br><br>Keith<br><br><hr id="stopSpelling">From: dean.benjamin@sbcglobal.net<br>To: channel_islands_naturalist_corps@rain.org<br>Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2009 09:21:43 -0700<br>Subject: [CINC] Question<br><br>
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<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">I am loathe to expose my ignorance to our august group of
naturalists, but this one really has me puzzled. I came across 4 animals
yesterday, about ½ mile off the Mandalay Power Plant at about 18:30. Two were
most likely bottlenose dolphins. The other two were solid black, at least as
much of the body as I could see (no clear view of the head, tail, or lower
portion of the body). Dorsal fins about 2 feet high. Exhalation was visible
although no well defined and not huge, and I estimate the length to be 9-12
feet. Water temperature 68 degrees F.</span></font></p>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;"> </span></font></p>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">My thoughts are:</span></font></p>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">Dall’s Porpoise – I observed no white coloration.
</span></font></p>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">Orcas – these were too small and juvenile Orcas would
not be alone, and the bottlenose would not have stayed close.</span></font></p>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">Melon-headed Whale – perhaps, although they are
generally in larger groups.</span></font></p>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">Pygmy Killer Whale – perhaps, although not commonly
seen in California
and Baja.</span></font></p>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">False Killer Whale – these were too small and the bottlenose
would not have been nearby.</span></font></p>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">Short-finned Pilot Whale – these were again too small
to have been this species.</span></font></p>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">Bottlenose which were all black???</span></font></p>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;"> </span></font></p>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">Any ideas?</span></font></p>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;"> </span></font></p>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">Thanks,</span></font></p>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">Dean</span></font></p>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;"> </span></font></p>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;"> </span></font></p>
<p class="ecxMsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;"> </span></font></p>
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