Your Wow Moments from National Whale and Dolphin Watch
Humpback whales steal the show as an epic feeding event is seen off the Isle of Coll. Stock photo © HWDT.
A HUGE THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT REPORTED A SIGHTING AND WENT OUT WATCHING DURING NATIONAL WHALE AND DOLPHIN WATCH 2020. SEA WATCH FOUNDATION’S OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE IS NOW LIVE featuring initial results, CLICK HERE TO READ.
We also want to take this opportunity to say… your sightings reported on Whale Track have been incredible!
Join us and dive in, to explore whaT’s been spotTED:
An amazing seven species were recorded on the west coast of Scotland. They were (in order of most frequently spotted); harbour porpoise, common dolphin, minke whale, bottlenose dolphin, basking shark, humpback whale and Risso’s dolphin.
Harbour porpoises were frequently reported around the Inner Hebrides. We love these photos taken in the waters around Mull by Andy Tait during cruises out with Sea Life Surveys.
The start of August was crazy for common dolphins with around 70 seen off Tiree, smaller pods seen up the west coast and a very impressive pod seen from the Stornoway to Ullapool ferry. Make sure to watch Lewis Mackenzie’s amazing video below, filmed from his ‘office’ on MV Loch Seaforth.
Magnificent minke whales were seen across the west coast, with the most concentrated sightings north of Skye. Most were seen swimming and foraging, with a few lucky people spotting breaching, including guests on board Hebridean Adventures cruise, who saw a minke breach a mighty six times, before heading back to Stornoway.
Bottlenose dolphins were spotted around the Isle of Bute, Kintyre, the Ross of Mull, Easdale and around the Outer Hebrides too. Thank you to everyone that has sent in their photos so far, we will be investigating further and will keep you lovely lot posted if we get any ID matches!
Basking sharks are here to feed, with most of your sightings reported around Coll and Tiree. There is more warm and settled weather on the way next week, so we expect these sightings to continue.
Speaking of feeding, hopefully you’ve heard – there was not one, not two but THREE humpbacks feeding off the Isle of Coll last week! See Alex Maclean-Bristol’s video from his encounter on our Facebook page here. Images from this encounter are being shared with other organisations and if we discover the identities of these whales, we will be sure to let you know. That’s not all though, humpback whales were also seen around the Isle of Lewis, on multiple occasions.
Finally, last but not least - beautiful Risso’s dolphins, we received a handful of sightings throughout NWDW, including a couple from Bruce Taylor, watching from land out on the Isle of Barra.
In total, over 1000 animals were recorded by you, on the west coast of Scotland in 9 days!
Over 50 people reported sightings on Whale Track, providing a snapshot of the animals swimming around the west coast of Scotland between the 25th July and 2nd August.
Every sighting submitted is important, and reveals information about these incredible marine animals.
By sharing your sightings with Sea Watch Foundation and other partners, and taking part in events like this, we can all work together to build a long-term picture of UK cetacean populations and distributions.
It is thanks to your sightings that we can better protect and conserve these amazing animals.
So thanks again for tracking your excursions and submitting your sightings on Whale Track! Your continued efforts are massively appreciated.