RARE SIGHTING
Sei whale
Balaenoptera borealis
Like a slim fin whale but symmetrical jaw, blow and dorsal appear together. Often misidentified.
Stats
At a glance
LENGTH
40–60 ft
WEIGHT
Up to ~50 tons (100,000 lbs) — NOAA
LIFESPAN
50–70 yrs (NOAA)
DIET
Copepods, krill, small schooling fish, squid
RARITY
Very rare — celebrate
SEASON
Sporadic
Length/weight/lifespan/diet: NOAA Fisheries species page →
How to ID
What to look for
Like a slim fin whale but symmetrical jaw, blow and dorsal appear together. Often misidentified.
BEHAVIORS TO WATCH FOR
When
Best months to see
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
Archive
Last 30 days
This chart includes numerical reports only. Uncounted sightings do not appear in its totals; see the daily archive for presence reports.
Numerically reported
0
Days with counts
0/30 reported days
Last numeric report
None recorded
DAILY SIGHTING COUNTHOVER A BAR
SEP 17
Book
Where to go (operators publish dated sighting reports)
We monitor public trip reports across Newport Beach, Long Beach, Dana Point and San Diego. Reporting schedules vary; summaries show the latest available report. Newport's shared feed is counted once.
NC
Newport Coastal Adventure
1,100 common dolphins · report 2026-09-17
DW
Dana Wharf
Common dolphin: Present, count unknown · Risso's dolphin: Present, count unknown · report 2026-09-17