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Thread: Cetaceans

  1. #1
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    Default Cetaceans

    Porpoise with calf, taken at Lybster.
    There were Bottlenose Dolphins but they refused to come close and pose.


  2. #2
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    Default Bottlenose Dolphins 16-7-06

    Dolphins playing at Chanonry Point, Fortrose.




  3. #3
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    Default Bottlenose Dolphins




  4. #4
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    Default Bottlenose Dolphins




  5. #5

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    They are lovely pictures Seabird, where were they taken?
    Don't wrestle with pigs, you just get all dirty and the pig enjoys it.

  6. #6

    Red face

    Quote Originally Posted by connieb19
    They are lovely pictures Seabird, where were they taken?
    Oops sorry, you've already said where they were taken..
    Don't wrestle with pigs, you just get all dirty and the pig enjoys it.

  7. #7
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    Default

    Chanonry Point Fortrose.
    Thats the big turning on the left just before the Kessock Bridge on the A9.
    At this time of year the dolphins come in from the open sea into the inner Moray Firth chasing salmon.
    They come in with the rising tide and go out when the tide starts to fall.
    Those people in that picture are within yard of that dolphin.
    Those dolphins came in at 11:15am and were still playing at 15:00 when i left.
    It was quite fantastic to watch.
    If you want to see them look at a tide time table and get there early(not a lot of parking spaces)
    Go to othersde of lighthouse and look towards Fort George.
    They are wild creatures and are unpredictable but according to the holiday makers staying there, the dolphins have displayed several times this week.

  8. #8
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    Default Common Dolphin Lybster 11-8-06



    Dolphins and Porpoise were again in the the Bay at Lybster for the first day of National Sea watch

  9. #9
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    Default White-beaked Dolphins 15-4-07

    Pictures taken from the viewpoint at Lybster.
    The dolphins were making their way back to the open sea on the ebbing tide.
    Although White-beaked Dolphins are present off Caithness all year round few are seen or perhaps seen and not reported.
    Any Whale or Dolphin sighting should be recorded and sent to the seawatch foundation who moniter these fantastic creatures.
    There is an on line form on their website.
    http://www.seawatchfoundation.org.uk/
    We have also started to keep a record of all Dolphin and Whale sightings around the Caithness coast on the Caithness Marine Mamal Medics web page
    http://www.caithness-mmm.org/news.php.




    A lot of holiday makers enjoy seeing Dolphins, Whales and seals.
    So lets make sure they know we have them in Caithness by sending in sighting reports and perhaps create a few more jobs and extra income for the county.
    Colin

  10. #10
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    Default Whitesided Dolphin 2-5-07

    3 Porpoise and a Whitesided Dolphin sighted off Lybster thsi evening.
    The whitesided is quite common off our coasts all year round.
    But it's very lucky if you get to see one a mere 300yards off shore.
    Also this one does not fit the standard description given in most books.
    But he was fantastic to look at with a large white circle foreward of the dorsal, this is seen in pic, it also had a large white patch on the tailstock.
    Picture quality poor, my fault camer was on manual for a different shot.




    Colin B

  11. #11
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    Default

    Many thanks Seabird is so good to see the pics, can you check and see if 1 Dolphin is called Rainbow? She should have a calf with her, not had the oppurtunity to see her yet but she is a frequent visitor to Cromarty Firth and points north , will get to meet up with her at some point .
    Before you send for the men in white coats, I adopted her 3 years back.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by LIZZ View Post
    Many thanks Seabird is so good to see the pics, can you check and see if 1 Dolphin is called Rainbow? She should have a calf with her, not had the oppurtunity to see her yet but she is a frequent visitor to Cromarty Firth and points north , will get to meet up with her at some point .
    Before you send for the men in white coats, I adopted her 3 years back.
    Rainbow i assume is an adopted Bottlenose Dolphin from the WDCS.

    http://www.wdcs.org/wildlifecentre

    They should be able to give you that info.

    Beleive it or not, very few BND come over from the South side and visit us in
    Caithness.
    We get Whitebeaked Dolphins- Whitesided Dolphins-Risso's Dolphins- Common Dolphins but very few Bottlenose Dolphins.
    If you give me a dorsal description i'll let you know if i see it.

    Just received a report today that Mink Whale was seen at Latheron, and Tues down at Berridale

  13. #13

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    some really nice pics there sea bird.

  14. #14
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    Default

    Was just jesting Seabird, yes you have the right link and I do get regular updates but just never had the chance to go see her in the flesh yet.

    On a more serious note is the east or the west coast better for cetacean watching? Was asked by a customer who is headed to Oban gave him the web link in the hope that he would find some relevent info there.

  15. #15
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by LIZZ View Post
    Was just jesting Seabird, yes you have the right link and I do get regular updates but just never had the chance to go see her in the flesh yet.

    On a more serious note is the east or the west coast better for cetacean watching? Was asked by a customer who is headed to Oban gave him the web link in the hope that he would find some relevent info there.
    To be honest i dont think there is much difference, you just need to know where to look and have lots of patients.
    And be very lucky.
    There are more tour boats on the West coast but they dont guarantee a sighting any more than ours on the North Coast at Groats.
    You are certain of Porpoise in Gills Bay July August and certain providing you catch the incomming tide at Chanonry Point of Bottlenose Dolphins July August. All subject to weather and sea conditions.

  16. #16
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    Default Sperm Whale 4-5-07

    Tonight the sea was calm with very little wind.
    Minke Whales had been sighted further South at Latheron and Berridale earlier in the week so i thought with luck i might see a whale or two from Lybster Viewpoint.
    I had been there 6 minutes before i sighted 2 Harbour Porpoise feeding at the far side of Lybster Bay.
    Then at 18.30 after 30 minutes of watching i got a sighting of a Whale some 2k to the SW.
    I could see it quite clearly through my bino's.
    I watched it feeding for 1 1/2 hours.
    It's head came right up out of the water with mouth open.
    I coulds see the blow was at the front of the head, this told me it was a Sperm Whale the first i have ever seen in the wild.
    There was also something else feeding in the same way but smaller that i could'nt Identify it may have been a calf.
    Colin




  17. #17
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    Default Sightings Summary Caithness 2007

    A summary of whale, Dolphin and Harbour Porpoise sightings in Caithness so far this year is being recorded on the Caithness Marine Mammal Medics web page.

    http://www.caithness-mmm.org/e107_pl...ewforum.php?12

    I will be posting any pictures i may capture on this thread, but i think it fitting to post sightings data on the web sight that is dedicated to the well being of Caithness Marine Mammals.
    So far there have been to date 27 sightings about Caithness involving 8 species, these are Beluga, Sperm Whale, Minke Whale, Bottlenose Dolphin, Whitebeaked Dolphin, Whitesided Dolphin, Risso's Dolphin and the Harbour Porpoise.
    If anyone does see cetaceans around the Caithness Coast please pass the information to the above web site for inclusion in the Caithness Calendar.
    Colin

  18. #18
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    Default Sperm or Humpback ????

    Quote Originally Posted by Seabird View Post
    Tonight the sea was calm with very little wind.
    Minke Whales had been sighted further South at Latheron and Berridale earlier in the week so i thought with luck i might see a whale or two from Lybster Viewpoint.
    I had been there 6 minutes before i sighted 2 Harbour Porpoise feeding at the far side of Lybster Bay.
    Then at 18.30 after 30 minutes of watching i got a sighting of a Whale some 2k to the SW.
    I could see it quite clearly through my bino's.
    I watched it feeding for 1 1/2 hours.
    It's head came right up out of the water with mouth open.
    I coulds see the blow was at the front of the head, this told me it was a Sperm Whale the first i have ever seen in the wild.
    There was also something else feeding in the same way but smaller that i could'nt Identify it may have been a calf.
    Colin



    Sea watch Foundation have looked at the Whale image i sent them and have suggested the dorsal looks more like that of the Humpback Whale.
    So it seems that the smaller whale that i could not ID may have been a
    Humpback Whale.
    I did take 48 pics but only 2 were reasonable and i did'nt list what pic belonged to which Whale.
    I was aware that the dorsal did look like a Humpback, but as any bird watcher will tell you pictures can some times mislead in the Identification of a species.
    Observation is by far the most reliable means of identification.
    I do agree with seawatch it could be a Humpback but i would have liked to have seen the very large flippers or the markings on the tail before i put foreward that i had seen a Humpback in Caithness waters feeding with a Sperm Whale.
    That would be a fantastic sighting to record
    To my knowledge very few if any have been sighted in Caithness waters in resent years.
    Colin.

  19. #19
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    Default Killer Whales 15-5-07

    First saw them off the Lybster Coast while doing my seawatch Foundation watch.
    They were about 3k out and not getting any closer.
    I watched them for 35 minutes until they disappeared around the headland going North at 20.15.
    There were about 5 animals 1 large bull with a juvenile and at least 3 females.
    At this point i thought if i'm quick i might catch them further up the coast.
    I raced down the cliff path and almost gave myself a coronary rushing up the hill to the village.
    Jumped in the car and rushed to Whaligoe steps at Ulbster that was 21.15, no luck there.
    Next stop Sarclet there is a large seal group there so they must stop there for a snack.
    I got there at 21.25 and sat on the cliffs over looking the Haven.
    At 21.35 they arrived.
    I saw the big bull pop up just behind the outcrop of rocks the seals usualy sit on.
    Then they came up at the entrance to the Haven on my side of the outcrop of rocks about 30 yards distant taking me by surprise.
    Then they continued North keeping close to the shore.
    Thats when i was able to take some pics, but the light was very poor so i've had to touch them up on the computer.



    Colin

  20. #20
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    Default GRRRR I'm jealous

    Whow Seabird Orca..now that is a sight to see.
    Question, where is Lybster viewpoint?

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