19th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
Humpback Whales Feeding

The plan was to head out early, hopeful we might see wolves on the shoreline. Plans changed when we came across a pod of humpback whales bubble net feeding. They dove over and over again, circling underwater and blowing bubbles under schools of herring fish to push them to the surface. They would then lunge from the water and gulp as many fish as possible. It was an incredible sighting, seeing these massive whales coordinate so well. An unexpected joy that day.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 09.2021
Date Uploaded: 11.2021
Photo Location: Canada
Camera: Canon EOS R5
Copyright: © Shaadi Faris