Midnight #0199

Midnight has been around for quite sometime.  Her first recorded sighting was way back in 1979.  She had some good company that year too.  Other whales first seen that year included: Agassiz, Buckshot, Fringe, Half Moon, Ivory, Mars, Mirror, Orbit, Sod, Spoon, Stub and Warrior.  All of these whales have been seen in recent years within the Sanctuary.  

Midnight has had at least six calves since 1979 (See Midnight's Family Tree).  The first one was born in 1986.  Most of her calves are only seen for 1 or 2 years and then disappear.  Midnight does not spend her whole summer on Stellwagen Bank.  As with many whales she will travel from bank to bank looking for the best feeding grounds.  Her calves may have discovered other areas that they prefer.  

 Midnight has a beautiful, mostly black fluke (thus her name).  These are the hardest to identify.  Luckily she does have some white markings that help distinguish her from other all black tails.  In the center of her tail as well as the tip of the left fluke is a small amount of white.

 

Midnight's Family Tree
Midnight- F --- fs: 1980	Sombrero yob: 1986 Clapton yob: 1989 Abalone yob: 1991 Bowtie yob: 1996 Gloaming yob: 1998 no name yob: 2000