For now, bulls still have their magnificent antlers that they will shed in the months to come. February Return to top Some of the gray whales head northwards from Baja on their way back to the Bering Sea. Newly pregnant females, adult males and juveniles make up the bulk of these early returnees. At the same time, the last of the whales heading south can be seen. These stragglers are usually sub adults not old enough to breed.
Elephant seal breeding season continues.
While dominant bulls bellow to signal their status, pups and their mothers squeal, grunt, hiss, cry, yelp, shriek and wail in their unique and unforgettable way. Mothers and pups learn to recognize each other's distinct calls, to insure that they won't lose each other in the crowded and chaotic colony. In the wetlands of the Central Valley, the Delta and other areas, geese, ducks and other waterbirds reach stupendous numbers. Along the coast at Point Reyes and Ano Nuevo, ducks, loons, scoters, brant and a great variety of wading and shorebirds can be seen. The tule elk bulls begin to shed their antlers in preparation for growing new, more impressive racks for the coming rut.