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Whales of New York
Humpback whales are a relatively new presence in the New York Bight. Once only occasional migrant visitors, they are now spending more time south of their typical feeding grounds due to changing ocean conditions and baitfish distributions. Facing the realities of New York's busy waterways as they try to find food, these animals represent a dramatic collision of man and nature in the Anthropocene. All of this, just off the shores of the greatest city in the world: New York. Email for licensing and purchase.
01
Big City, Small Whale
Most humpbacks found in the coastal New York Bight are juveniles, often seen feeding on Atlantic menhaden. It's thought that these juveniles may be trying to avoid competition with the larger, older whales found further offshore.
02
Big City Breacher
"Breaching" is when a whale propels most (or all) of its body out of the water. Capturing this behavior with a city backdrop can be challenging, given frequent haze and the animals' unpredictability.
03
A New Addition to the Skyline
Humpback whales are a new phenomenon in the New York Bight, but now, they often make their presence known in a big way. Pectoral fin-slapping is a regularly-observed behavior within view of the city skyline.
04
New York City Fine Dining
Some whales spend considerable amounts of time within New York Harbor. This whale was feeding just inside the Lower New York Bay, south of the Brighton Beach and Breezy Point area. On most summer days, the NYC skyline is hazed over like this.
05
I'm Swimmin' Here
Ship strikes are a leading threat to whales in the waters around New York City. The Port of NY/NJ is the busiest area for vessel traffic on the East Coast — and sometimes in the entire country.
06
Making a Splash
I have only seen humpback whales chin-slap a handful of times across my hundreds of encounters with these animals. This whale repeated this behavior a dozen times just a few hours before a hurricane was set to move into the New York City area.
07
Hope
Changing ocean conditions are bringing humpbacks into the New York Bight in record numbers, and local conservation and clean-up measures are ensuring the coastal ecosystem can support them. This whale, sporting a rare black pectoral fin, is a sign of this complex hope: one in which we can help nature adapt to our changing planet.
08
What Big Baleen You Have...
Baleen whales like humpbacks are filter feeders, relying on hair-like plates in their mouths to trap fish while expelling water with their tongues. You can also see the whale's upper soft palate in this photo.
09
The Fall Run
In fall, many humpbacks feed along the shores of Long Island before migrating further south. Large concentrations of both prey and predators often occur only a few yards from the sand.
10
Peckish for Pogies
Humpback whales in the New York Bight are often seen lunge-feeding on Atlantic menhaden, a common coastal baitfish. These fish are also colloquially known as "bunker," or "pogies."
11
Hump
A humpback whale surfaces in front of the New York City skyline. Photos like this, of humpback dorsal fins, are useful for researchers to ID individuals whales.
12
Meal for Two
In primary feeding grounds, humpbacks are usually found in small groups. In coastal waters near New York City, humpbacks are usually found on their own, but may occasionally be in pairs or trios.
13
Boating with Whales
Some of my work is featured in the a New York-focused boating course intended to educate boaters about operating around whales and dolphins.
14
Going Down
Humpbacks usually raise their tail or fluke as they are going into a dive — especially in deeper water.
15
Beneath the Surface
The waters near the mouth of the Hudson River are usually quite turbid, with a high concentration of suspended particles and plankton. It is only when whales are very near the surface that you can see them.
16
Photobomb
A moment from a large feeding aggregation of humpbacks off east Long Island.
17
Rockaway
If you want to see whales from land in New York City, Rockaway Queens is your best bet.
18
Fingerprint
Each humpback has a unique pattern on the underside of its tail flukes. This whale's flukes show evidence of an attempted orca predation event.
01
Big City, Small Whale
Most humpbacks found in the coastal New York Bight are juveniles, often seen feeding on Atlantic menhaden. It's thought that these juveniles may be trying to avoid competition with the larger, older whales found further offshore.
02
Big City Breacher
"Breaching" is when a whale propels most (or all) of its body out of the water. Capturing this behavior with a city backdrop can be challenging, given frequent haze and the animals' unpredictability.
03
A New Addition to the Skyline
Humpback whales are a new phenomenon in the New York Bight, but now, they often make their presence known in a big way. Pectoral fin-slapping is a regularly-observed behavior within view of the city skyline.
04
New York City Fine Dining
Some whales spend considerable amounts of time within New York Harbor. This whale was feeding just inside the Lower New York Bay, south of the Brighton Beach and Breezy Point area. On most summer days, the NYC skyline is hazed over like this.
05
I'm Swimmin' Here
Ship strikes are a leading threat to whales in the waters around New York City. The Port of NY/NJ is the busiest area for vessel traffic on the East Coast — and sometimes in the entire country.
06
Making a Splash
I have only seen humpback whales chin-slap a handful of times across my hundreds of encounters with these animals. This whale repeated this behavior a dozen times just a few hours before a hurricane was set to move into the New York City area.
07
Hope
Changing ocean conditions are bringing humpbacks into the New York Bight in record numbers, and local conservation and clean-up measures are ensuring the coastal ecosystem can support them. This whale, sporting a rare black pectoral fin, is a sign of this complex hope: one in which we can help nature adapt to our changing planet.
08
What Big Baleen You Have...
Baleen whales like humpbacks are filter feeders, relying on hair-like plates in their mouths to trap fish while expelling water with their tongues. You can also see the whale's upper soft palate in this photo.
09
The Fall Run
In fall, many humpbacks feed along the shores of Long Island before migrating further south. Large concentrations of both prey and predators often occur only a few yards from the sand.
10
Peckish for Pogies
Humpback whales in the New York Bight are often seen lunge-feeding on Atlantic menhaden, a common coastal baitfish. These fish are also colloquially known as "bunker," or "pogies."
11
Hump
A humpback whale surfaces in front of the New York City skyline. Photos like this, of humpback dorsal fins, are useful for researchers to ID individuals whales.
12
Meal for Two
In primary feeding grounds, humpbacks are usually found in small groups. In coastal waters near New York City, humpbacks are usually found on their own, but may occasionally be in pairs or trios.
13
Boating with Whales
Some of my work is featured in the a New York-focused boating course intended to educate boaters about operating around whales and dolphins.
14
Going Down
Humpbacks usually raise their tail or fluke as they are going into a dive — especially in deeper water.
15
Beneath the Surface
The waters near the mouth of the Hudson River are usually quite turbid, with a high concentration of suspended particles and plankton. It is only when whales are very near the surface that you can see them.
16
Photobomb
A moment from a large feeding aggregation of humpbacks off east Long Island.
17
Rockaway
If you want to see whales from land in New York City, Rockaway Queens is your best bet.
18
Fingerprint
Each humpback has a unique pattern on the underside of its tail flukes. This whale's flukes show evidence of an attempted orca predation event.
- A humpback whale lunge-feeding with the entire New York City skyline in the background.
- A breaching humpback whale in front of the lower Brooklyn skyline.
- A humpback whale slapping its pectoral fin on the water in front of the New York City skyline, complete with the Empire State Building.
- A lunge-feeding humpback whale with the New York City skyline in the background.
- A humpback whale tail-slapping in front of a large cargo ship pulling into the port of New York City.
- A chin-slapping humpback whale. Apartment buildings in Rockaway Beach, NYC line the horizon in the background.
- A humpback whale raising its pectoral fin into the air. The Freedom Tower and the New York City skyline are in the background.
- The top of a humpback whale's wide-open mouth, including the baleen and soft palate.
- A humpback whale lunge-feeds on menhaden near the beach in Long Beach, Long Island in New York.
- A lunge-feeding humpback whale in front of Rockaway Queens in New York City.
- Humpback whale in front of the skyline of Manhattan, New York City.
- A pair of humpbacks with their mouths wide open feeding on Atlantic menhaden. Taken off of the coast of New York City.
- A humpback whale swims by a small recreational fishing boat off the coast of New York City.
- A humpback whale raising its tail into the air as it dives in front of a small fishing boat. A Wilson's storm-petrel flies beneath it.
- A humpback whale takes a breath as its face is visible beneath the water.
- A tail-slapping humpback whale with a second surfacing behind it, taken off Long Island, NY.
- An NYC humpback whale lunge-feeding in front of Rockaway Queens' Marine Parkway bridge and Rockaway Beach.
- A humpback whale sticks its tail up out of the water off the coast of Rockkway Queens in NYC. It has rake marks from an orca on it.
Some images taken in collaboration with NYC whale-watcher American Princess Cruises and non-profit Gotham Whale.
Many more photos available on my Instagram.
Humpback Whales in and around New York City
Featured
Dodging New York Traffic: How Hundreds of Whales Are on a Collision Course With Ships and Boats
Eyes on the Water: Boating With Whales
Humpback whale that washed up on LI was popular NYC ‘acrobat’
The Guardian / Pulitzer Center
The Nature Conservancy
New York Post
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