Whales in Virginia in January
Yes, January is one of the best months to see whales in Virginia. It is the 1st busiest month of the year, with 121 of the 679 sightings logged across the year (17.8%), based on verified iNaturalist records.
By Tim, founder of Easy Street Markets. I maintain the wildlife database and verify every animal and source myself. Updated June 28, 2026.
Tamanend's Bottlenose Dolphin · Kathy Richardson CC BY
Tamanend's Bottlenose Dolphin · Kathy Richardson CC BY
Tamanend's Bottlenose Dolphin · Laura Mae CC BY
Peak month for whales in Virginia
17.8%
of yearly sightings
121
records in January
#1
busiest month of 12
679
verified records a year
December 4.6%, January 17.8%, February 8.2%. Busiest month is January at 17.8%.
679 verified observations of whales in Virginia, recorded across 12 months of the year on iNaturalist.
When whales are recorded in Virginia
Peak month
January
121 records (17.8% of the year)
| Month | Observations | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Januarypeak | 121 | 17.8% |
| February | 56 | 8.2% |
| March | 35 | 5.2% |
| April | 39 | 5.7% |
| May | 54 | 8% |
| June | 48 | 7.1% |
| Julypeak | 80 | 11.8% |
| Augustpeak | 73 | 10.8% |
| September | 58 | 8.5% |
| October | 51 | 7.5% |
| November | 33 | 4.9% |
| December | 31 | 4.6% |
Whales you are most likely to see
| Species | Verified observations |
|---|---|
| Tamanend's Bottlenose Dolphin | 418 |
| Humpback Whale | 66 |
| Short-finned Pilot Whale | 15 |
| Common Dolphin | 12 |
| Common Bottlenose Dolphin | 9 |
| Fin Whale | 8 |
| Atlantic Spotted Dolphin | 5 |
| Risso's Dolphin | 5 |
In Virginia, January carries 17.8% of the year's whales sightings, about 9.5 points above an even month-to-month split. That makes it the 1st busiest of the twelve months, out of 12 months with recorded activity.
Activity is rising from December (4.6%) into January, and it heads toward February (8.2%) after. This is right inside the peak window, so January is one of the surest months to plan a trip around.
The whales most often recorded in Virginia are Tamanend's Bottlenose Dolphin, Humpback Whale and Short-finned Pilot Whale. Those counts are annual totals rather than a January split, so treat them as which species you are likely to encounter, while the month figures above show how many sightings fall in January itself.
Which whales you are most likely to see
- Tamanend's Bottlenose Dolphin418 records
- Humpback Whale66 records
- Short-finned Pilot Whale15 records
- Common Dolphin12 records
- Common Bottlenose Dolphin9 records
- Fin Whale8 records
Frequently asked questions
Can you see whales in Virginia in January?+
Yes. January accounts for 121 of the 679 verified whales sightings logged in Virginia across the year, which is 17.8% of the annual total.
Is January a good time to see whales in Virginia?+
January is one of the best months. It ranks 1st of the year and sits inside the peak window of January, July and August.
What month is best for whales in Virginia?+
January is the single busiest month, with the broader peak running through January, July and August, based on 679 verified observations.
Which whales are you most likely to see in Virginia?+
The most-recorded species in Virginia are Tamanend's Bottlenose Dolphin, Humpback Whale and Short-finned Pilot Whale, based on all-time iNaturalist counts.
See whales in Virginia in other months
More wildlife in Virginia