Posts in Sightings
Deep divers inshore drive

Inshore movement of deep diving whales in Scottish coastal waters documented by community sightings volunteers.

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Record high for minke whale sightings but record low for basking sharks, research in Hebrides finds

2023 saw the highest sighting rates and numbers of minke whales yet recorded in the Hebrides, but the lowest known for basking sharks.

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Hundreds of people join ferry watching event in Scotland and contribute to marine conservation

The ferry routes operated by Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) off Scotland’s west coast are fantastic platforms for spotting wildlife, journeying through stretches of water rich in marine life. 

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Whale Track Stories: Zoe’s unusual tip off

Zoe Stevenson, a member of the Whale Track community who reports sightings whilst working with Hebrides Cruises, shares some highlight lunge feeding minke sightings, including one, thanks to a rather unusual tip off

Coastguard exercise © Zoe Stevenson

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Telling the tale of the west coast killer whale

Killer whales hold a special wonder for many people and in recent years, John Coe and Aquarius of the West Coast Community have become local celebrities. Morven, our Communications Manager, has followed the story of the plight of these killer whales for many years. Here she shares what has been uncovered about the group since she began working at the Trust…

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Celebrating industry contributions to marine science

We welcomed a number of wildlife tour providers and boat operators to our first ever Whale Track Boat Operator Event, sharing good practice and celebrating the contributions these companies make to marine science.

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A milestone for citizen science as over 10,000 sightings of whales, dolphins and porpoises are reported to marine conservation charity

2023 was a record-breaking year for marine conservation charity the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust (HWDT) and their Whale Track community of citizen scientists.  For the first time in the Trusts 30-year history, over 10,000 sightings of whales, dolphins, porpoises and basking sharks were reported by members of the public in one year.

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For the love of long-term monitoring

Long-term monitoring is the foundation of effective conservation. At HWDT we talk about long-term monitoring a lot but what is it and why is it such an important part of wildlife conservation?  

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The wonders of winter watching

For many, summer is the time to get out and watch for the abundance of marine wildlife that migrate into our seas each year, but winter is still an exciting and important time to have your eyes on the sea.

Our Education and Sightings Officer, Sadie, dives deeper into why winter watching is so important, encouraging everyone to don their raincoats and woolly hats and #EmbraceYourWhaledSide, dedicating some time to watch from land.

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A Picture Tells a Thousand Words

Photography has never been so accessible; the development of camera technology in our phones and the affordability of professional kit means more people than ever can take amazing photos. But did you know…for decades photos have been a fundamental resource in driving forward our understanding of whales and dolphins.

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Whale Track Stories: Hannah's basking shark highlights

Hannah Mcvicar, who reports what sea creatures she’s spotted through Whale Track, shares some memorable sightings from this season, including an unexpected encounter with 8 basking sharks!

Basking shark image © Hannah Mcvicar

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