Photographing Humpback Whale Bubble-net Behaviour in Alaska

There are never any guarantees on a wildlife photography tour. On Wildlife Worldwide trips we always hope for sightings, and regularly get them, but wild animals are notoriously unpredictable. Our Alaska’s Humpback Bubble-net Bonanza was my first photography trip to South-east Alaska and I was feeling both excited and nervous as we set off for Sitka.

This trip had been three years in the making - due to Covid lockdowns - and had involved extensive planning with local experts. Our goal was to witness and photograph bubble-net feeding humpback whales, so we had meticulously researched when the whales would be migrating from their calving grounds, near Hawaii or Mexico, through Alaskan waters.   

What is bubble-net feeding?

Bubble-net feeding is a learned whale behaviour which takes place at the surface of the water. 

During their feeding season, humpback whales migrate to cool waters, like those around Alaska and Antarctica, to build up their fat reserves. 

As a group, the humpbacks circle schools of fish and use vocalisations to create a net of bubbles. The disorientated and encircled prey is trapped, allowing the whales to collectively swim upwards with open mouths and consume them.  

The preferred diet of humpback whales is krill, small salmon, and herring. We knew that the herring run (when large numbers of herring would gather to spawn) would occur from mid-March to mid-April. 

Our first tour arrived in Sitka on 21 March, and on arrival, our boat captain (a local whale expert) revealed that the bubble-net feeding had begun.

Our first humpback whale & wildlife encounters

Within ten minutes of leaving the harbour on the first morning, we had already seen a lone humpback whale feeding. Eager for more cetacean action, we headed off towards some offshore islands in the Sitka Sound and were immediately rewarded with clusters of whale blows. 

Then, just 100m from the boat, a whole pod of gaping mouths, with dripping baleen plates, broke the water’s surface. The humpbacks' feeding frenzy attracted flocks of seabirds and bald eagles, while the guests looked on in awe at the thrilling wildlife spectacle. 

When the water settled, the delighted guests had a barrage of questions about whale behaviour and when the whales would appear again. Over the next few hours, we learned that flocks of gulls were a good hint. On our first day alone we saw 50 to 60 instances of bubble-net feeding - what an excellent opportunity for wildlife photography!

The whales were not the only animal attractions of the day. We found Stellar’s sea lions in a shallow bay, and saw approximately 50 sea otter heads bobbing above the surface. Flying over the open water, we could see white-winged scoters, pigeon guillemots, common murres, and cormorants. Waterfowl were also present; in the islets we noted various species including harlequin duck, Barrow’s golden-eye, bufflehead and greater scaup.

The first day set the tone for a fantastic week of regular whale and wildlife sightings.

Photographing humpbacks & other wildlife on location

We were fortunate to have many encounters with humpback whales exhibiting bubble-net feeding behaviour over each of the seven day tours. Using a hydrophone in the water, we could pick up the haunting sounds of the whales’ songs and get ourselves (and our camera equipment) ready. 

Though we had mixed success with our shooting efforts, often we got lucky and the whales put on a spectacular show for us, emerging high out of the water or close enough for us to smell their bad breath! Typically, we were shooting at distances from 20-100m.

We had come for the whales, but what a treat it was to photograph bald eagles too. It seemed that the humpback whales were not the only species interested in the herring, and we were able to capture some stunning close-up shots of eagles plucking fish from the waters against a backdrop of mountains.

After a week of amazing wildlife encounters, we returned home delighted with our photographic and whale watching efforts.

"It was amazing to see the wildlife performing as we hoped, and the scenery at Sitka was enjoyable too. Our highlights were of course the many humpbacks (possible 20 together) bubble-net feeding in beautiful weather, surrounded by spectacular scenery". - Anne L

Join our next Humpback Bubble-net Bonanza!

Our humpback photography trips have proven extremely popular, and Nick’s 2024 departures are already fully booked, but if you act quickly you could join us in 2025. Multi award-winning photographer, Sean Weekly, will provide expert tuition and help you to make the most of every photographic opportunity. Don’t miss your chance to photograph this outstanding wildlife spectacle. 

Speak to our expert team to find out more about our Alaska's Humpback Bubble-net Bonanza.