Stunning video, photos show group of humpback whales ‘bubble feeding’ off Massachusetts

MARTHA'S VINEYARD, Mass. — A group of humpbacks, including one of the most recognizable whales in New England, were spotted “bubble feeding” in the water off Massachusetts this week.

The New England Aquarium shared images of the incredible sight on Facebook, noting that their aerial spotters were able to capture the stunning photos off Martha’s Vineyard during a trip on Monday.

It’s typically very difficult for aerial teams to identify humpback whales because the most effective way to do so is by looking at the underside of their tails, Aquarium officials noted. This time, the spotters knew exactly what they were looking at thanks to Salt, a humpback gets her name from the front of her dorsal fin being speckled with white.

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Whales bubble feeding Martha's Vineyard (New England Aquarium)

Salt, who was first seen in Massachusetts in the mid-1970s, has given birth to 16 calves in her lifetime, according to the Aquarium. She was counted among 15 other whales feeding in the water just south of the Vineyard.

In the social post, the Aquarium said, “It was a rare treat for our survey team to see this iconic female humpback!”

Colleen Flynn told Boston 25 that her son, his uncle, and a friend had left Plymouth for a day of fishing when they, too, came upon the feeding frenzy.

In an email, Flynn said, “It lasted as long as the video and then they went back down to surface again a bit further away. What an incredible experience!”

Humpback whales seen bubble feeding off Martha's Vineyard

Earlier this summer, a pod of four killer whales was spotted swimming together in the waters off Nantucket.

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