Risso's Dolphins Lybster 1-5-10

[Seabird]

These were just 2 in a pod of about 4 seen passing Swiney Hill Lybster at 3.15pm.





I will be giving a presentation about Cetaceans found around the Caithness coast at 7pm 21st May at the Seadrift Centre Dunnet during the Scottish Natural Heritage Biodiversity week (13th-23rd May)

Colin
Local Sea Watch Group Coordinator
www.caithness-sea-watching.co.uk

[sprint95m]

Just after 7am today I saw a single dolphin from the Dog's Nose, North Keiss.
It was about 300 or 400 metres offshore and leaped clear of the sea about eight or ten times as it headed south.
The sound of it hitting the water was what attracted my attention.

[Seabird]

Well spotted Sprint. There are lots of Risso's about at the moment. A loud splash sounds like play rather than normal swim, so i would be surprised if there were not more out there that you didn't see.
This afternoon i had a Minke, 2 groups of Harbour Porpoise and at least 6 Risso's Dolphins off Lybster. Nothing was leaping but young Risso's do enjoy a good splash from time to time.

Colin Bird
Local
Seawatch Foundation Group Coordinator.
www.caithness-sea-watching.co.uk

[sandyr1]

I never realized the beauty of dolphins/porpoises and whales, until I sailed offshore from New York to Bermuda (approx 800 miles), and return a number of years ago.
Most days on the ocean, you would see the dolphins heading for the boat, jumping out of the water. They would then travel with us for approx 10 minutes, jumping at the bow of the boat, and then suddenly disappear.
Of a total of 18 days in the ocean I think we missed seeing them 3 days and that was because of a storm....25 foot waves and 55 knot winds. Aghhhhhhh.
Then one day I was on watch and suddenly we were surrounded by a pod of whales. The sailboat was 34 feet and some whales appeared to be much longer than the boat....and two small ones with one big one..babies?
We had some concerns that they would go under the boat and then surface but this fortunately never occurred....am still here!
Just a thought....Used to see them around Caithness, but perhaps it takes time, a long time to appreciate nature.

[Seabird]

I never realized the beauty of dolphins/porpoises and whales, until I sailed offshore from New York to Bermuda (approx 800 miles), and return a number of years ago.
Most days on the ocean, you would see the dolphins heading for the boat, jumping out of the water. They would then travel with us for approx 10 minutes, jumping at the bow of the boat, and then suddenly disappear.
Of a total of 18 days in the ocean I think we missed seeing them 3 days and that was because of a storm....25 foot waves and 55 knot winds. Aghhhhhhh.
Then one day I was on watch and suddenly we were surrounded by a pod of whales. The sailboat was 34 feet and some whales appeared to be much longer than the boat....and two small ones with one big one..babies?
We had some concerns that they would go under the boat and then surface but this fortunately never occurred....am still here!
Just a thought....Used to see them around Caithness, but perhaps it takes time, a long time to appreciate nature.

What a fantastic experience to look back on. Thanks for sharing.

[Gronnuck]

Wonderful pictures as ever colin - Thanks for sharing

[sandyr1]

Then one day I was on watch and suddenly we were surrounded by a pod of whales. The sailboat was 34 feet and some whales appeared to be much longer than the boat....and two small ones with one big one..babies?
We had some concerns that they would go under the boat and then surface but this fortunately never occurred....am still here!

Should clarify my prose.....the Pod consisted of approx 15, but there was one big one..perhaps 45/50 feet in length with two little ones..8-10 feet, who seemed to be on their own. We thought of a mother and her young/ of course we didn't know
They would come fairly close and some would blow water....
And the sea stories of them surfacing under the boat/ apparently occurs...survivor's stories.