Richard Kuehn has been enjoying the mother/calf pairs now passing by the Mendonoma Coast. He caught this great photo showing the baleen of a juvenile Gray Whale. The calf's mother is close behind.

The baleen is a filter-feeder system where the whale takes in water. The whale then pushes the water out and the animals in the water, such as krill, are filtered by the baleen and become food for the whale. However, this calf is still nursing.

Rich saw this calf breach twelve times! Earlier in the day a Gray Whale calf  spyhopped and Rich got that photo too.

Thanks to Rich for allowing me to share these photos with you here.