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Thread: Minke Whale

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
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    Lybster
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    Default Minke Whale

    This 30foot Whale is often seen during the Summer Months.
    Most sightings are in the Pentland Firth or seen feeding off the East Coast.
    This picture was taken from the Whaligoe Steps last year 2007.




  2. #2
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    Default Caithness Minke Whale sightings to 21-6-08

    Thurso Bay
    26th May x1....16th June x1.....17th June x1.....18th June x3.....21st June x1
    Whaligoe, Ulbster.
    31st May x1
    Duncansby Head
    20th May x1

    Colin Bird
    Sea Watch Coordinator NE

  3. #3
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    Default Minke Whales 24-6-08

    1 seen off Dunnet Head by the Silverline Angling Boat out of Scrabster.
    The Whale was seen at about 19.40.
    3 Whales were seen by Dave Nicolson at The Whaligoe Steps at about 12 noon.

    Colin

  4. #4
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    Default Minke Whale 27-6-08

    Minke seen from Swiney Hill Lybster this evening at 19.40.
    Whale surfaced 4 times and seemed to be heading towards Dunbeath.

    Colin

  5. #5
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    Feb 2005
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    Scrabster
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    Default

    1 distant sighting, Dunnet Bay 30.06.08.
    Away with the birds

  6. #6
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    Feb 2007
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    corby (little scotland)
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    1,089

    Default

    Some people have all the luck

  7. #7
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    Lybster
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    Default More Minke sightings

    Lybster
    13.7.08
    Thurso
    17.7.08,
    Dunnet
    17.7.08

    7 sightings reported June and 3 in July.(poor watching conditions during July)

  8. #8
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    Default Minke 30-7-08

    A very small Minke got it's self entangled in nets near Dwarick Harbour.
    The Whale was released by fishermen and sent on it's way none the worse for it's ordeal.
    Thats the second Minke entanglement recorded this year around Caithness, the other Minke wasn't so lucky.

    Colin

  9. #9
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    Feb 2005
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    Default

    Saw a small minke out in the middle of Dunnet/Thurso bay last night, it could be the small whale that was trapped in the fishing net earlier in the week.
    Away with the birds

  10. #10
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    Default

    Due to ideal conditions this morning I had great views of a minke in amongst the diving Gannets.
    Away with the birds

  11. #11
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    Default

    Due to ideal conditions this morning in Thurso Bay I had fantastic views of a Minke feeding on some type of fish, in amongst the diving Gannets.
    Away with the birds

  12. #12
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    Default

    Minke feeding S.E. of Stroma at 08.12hrs 20-8-08.
    Watched the Minke from Duncansby Head for 45 minutes.
    The Minke would surface 4 times for air then dive for 5 to 10 minutes.
    The John O' Groats ferry past quite close to the Minke on it's outward journey to Orkney.

    Colin

  13. #13
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    Default More Minke sightings

    1 seen from Thurso 17th August
    1 seen from Swiney Hill Lybster on the 23rd August
    1 seen off Crosskirk on the 31st August.
    Last edited by Seabird; 04-Sep-08 at 20:16.

  14. #14
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    Default Minke Whales Lybster 8-9-08

    2 Minke Whales seen at 18.30 this evening approx 5k off shore heading West.
    One Whale looked a little smaller than the other with a much straighter dorsal.
    The Whales seemed to be harased by a creel boat, that seemed to head for their location each time they surfaced.
    I hope this was not the case, but i must say i did see this skipper change direction some years ago and run down a whale that was tail slapping.
    On that occasion it was very blatant.
    Without video evidence it's very hard to bring a prosecution.
    Cetaceans are a protected species while in UK waters and successful prosecutions have taken place.
    So boat operaters be aware of the legal implications when near Cetaceans.

    Colin

  15. #15

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Seabird View Post
    The Whales seemed to be harased by a creel boat, that seemed to head for their location each time they surfaced.
    I hope this was not the case, but i must say i did see this skipper change direction some years ago and run down a whale that was tail slapping.
    On that occasion it was very blatant.
    Without video evidence it's very hard to bring a prosecution.
    Cetaceans are a protected species while in UK waters and successful prosecutions have taken place.
    So boat operaters be aware of the legal implications when near Cetaceans.

    Colin
    That is disgraceful. Who would be so thoughtless as to attempt to run down a whale?! They live in the ocean and have more right to be there than we do!

  16. #16
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by ett23 View Post
    That is disgraceful. Who would be so thoughtless as to attempt to run down a whale?! They live in the ocean and have more right to be there than we do!
    Some fishermen (minority) have a different view ett23.
    They are competition for fish, and to fishermen that means ££££££.
    It may not always be a deliberate attempt to harm the cetacean, just drive it away.
    Cetaceans can easly avoid slow moving boats. (unless they are sleeping, ie half the brain is switched off)

    Speed boats are much more of a risk.
    Cetaceans hear a noise they then surface for a look, out of curiosity or fear.
    They then have little time to dive to avoid a boat moving at high speed.
    The skipper may feel a slight bump and think nothing of it.
    Many Whales and Dolphins carry scars from boat or propeller strikes.

    Colin

  17. #17
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    Default Minke 19-9-08

    Minke close inshore at Lybster at 17.50hrs
    Surfaced several times before i lost sight of animal who was heading towards Forse bay.
    Again i chose the wrong observation point.
    If i had been at Swiney Hill the whale would have been about 400m in front of me, making it an easy photo oportunity even in the poor light.

    Colin

  18. #18
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    Default Minkes 20-9-08

    Two minkes observed by the North Coast Explorer this morning at 11.30am in the Pentland Firth.
    The Minkes were heading East with the flow of the tide.
    I was informed by Ali that the Minkes had been seen earlier in the morning further to the West.

    Colin

  19. #19
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    Default Minke Whale 30-9-08

    Minke Whale feeding 400meters off Lybster Harbour at 12.54 until 13.30.
    The whale looked quite small my estimate was about 20 feet.
    The bird in the pic is a Gannet they were feeding in the area along with 8 Harbour Porpoise about 300m from the shore.
    This pic was taken from the cliffs on the North side of Lybster as the Minke passed.



    Colin

  20. #20
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    Default Minke Lybster 2-11-08

    12.27hrs a Observed a Minke rounding the headland into Lybster Bay.
    Then it resurfaced near the Ceann Hilligeo about 50 meters from the shore.
    Last seen heading South. at 12.55
    The Minke was quite small my estimate would be arounf 5 meters.
    I had the camera ready for a picture, but the behaviour was unpredictable.
    This Minke is the first i've recorded in November.

    Colin

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