204, Stamp

I’ve only recognized Stamp this one time on July 20, 2012 where Saginaw Channel meets the north end of Stephens Passage at the Sand Spit of Shelter Island. The prominent scallop—that looks like the profile of a spoon—near the midpoint of the left fluke makes this almost entirely black whale easy to recognize. The central notch is deeper than most. The circular scar near the middle of the right fluke is not on the catalog photo and illustrates that new scars can be added to the tail. The white on the trailing edge is an artifact of sunlight reflection on this wonderful day.

The tail shot is a crop of this scenic view of the Coast Range and the Sand Spit. I don’t know who the other whale is but it has a mottling on the proximal side of the small dorsal fin that could be diagnostic.