Some residents say they’ve never seen anything like it before.

Dozens and dozens of whales, mostly humpbacks, moved into Conception Bay over the last few days, feeding and putting on a display for those standing on shore.

DFO marine mammal researcher Dr. Jack Lawson says it’s not just Conception Bay that’s seeing the influx of whales, many of which are gorging themselves on bait fish after a long journey from the warm waters of the Caribbean.

In the meantime, some people are posting video of humpbacks coming right to the bottom of cliff faces to feed. Dr. Lawson says that’s another method whales use to capture prey.

“They’re a smart, long-lived predator and they watch and learn that they can use things like cliff faces to cut off the escape of a ball of prey.” He says whales also use the ocean surface in the same way knowing that fish have nowhere to go. That’s why you often see whales coming up from underneath to feed on fish.