A total of 1,054 humpback whale sightings were reported by more than 100 volunteers and researchers at 12 shoreline lookouts on Maui during the 2012 Great Whale Count on Saturday.

The annual count is organized by the Pacific Whale Foundation, a nonprofit research, education and conservation organization based on Maui.

This year’s Valley Island tally was down 34 percent from what was reported in 2011, when there were 1,607 sightings. It was also below the count for 2010 of 1,208.

Daniela Maldini, research director at foundation, said there is the potential for variability year to year.

"Our hunch is that the season is late this year," she said in a statement Sunday, adding that "the calves we’re seeing are quite small."

Of the 1,054 animals tallied, 102, or 9.7 percent, were calves. Calves accounted for 9.6 percent of the sightings in 2011.

The counters tallied sightings within three miles of shore between 8:30 and 11:55 a.m. Saturday. All of the counting sites reported mild winds and calm seas.

Greg Kaufman, foundation founder and president, was on the hill at Makena Beach State Park with 12 volunteers.

"The whales were fairly quiet," he said. "About 90 percent of all the whales we saw were headed into Maalaea Bay, with dozens of kayakers and a few stand-up paddlers out there among the whales."