Gray whales return to Puget Sound for spring feeding

Gray whales return to the Puget Sound to feed along their 10,000-mile journey from Mexico to Alaska. The dozen or so gray whales familiar with the area come back every year to feed on the sound's ghost shrimp. Gray whales return to the Puget Sound to feed along their 10,000-mile journey from Mexico to Alaska. The dozen or so gray whales familiar with the area come back every year to feed on the sound's ghost shrimp. Photo: Grant Hindsley/seattlepi.com Photo: Grant Hindsley/seattlepi.com Image 1 of / 42 Caption Close Gray whales return to Puget Sound for spring feeding 1 / 42 Back to Gallery

Gray whales have returned to the Puget Sound to feed along their 10,000-mile journey from Mexico to Alaska. The dozen or so gray whales familiar with the area have begun to arrive to feed on the sound's ghost shrimp lying on the bottom.

Though the Seattle Sounders share a namesake with the grays, these whales are relatively new to the area. There's no record of the whales before the 1990s and it's thought the few visitors came to find food during a food shortage.

Seattlites can check out the whales from their doorstep on the San Juan Clipper, the only whale-watching cruise departing from the city center. The whales will be visiting through April, followed by the sound's favorite orcas in May.