Casting your eye over a calm sea, you’d be forgiven for thinking life beneath the waves is peaceful and serene…it’s anything but! HWDT provide acoustic data to artists and musicians who raise awareness of the soundscape beneath the waves and the importance of noise to marine life. Here we share two recent collaborations with artists who have utilised the sounds we’ve recorded during monitoring expeditions to create beautiful songs of the sea.
Read MoreWe’re well underway with our monitoring Hebridean seas this year, with Silurian, our research vessel, completing her fourth expedition of the 2023 summer field season. Some challenging conditions didn't dampen the spirits of the fantastic citizen scientists who joined us on board…the encounters with whales, dolphins and porpoises helped too!
Read MoreSilurian, our research vessel is a hard working boat and throughout the year is gifted some TLC. Here one of the team, Brian, updates on recent efforts to keep her shipshape.
Read MoreJust in time for Spring, as spotting conditions improve and the wildlife begins to arrive in larger numbers around local shores, we have released a new and improved Whale Track app. Here we explore five new features of Whale Track.
Read MoreThe Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust (HWDT) are calling on members of the public to get involved with efforts to protect Scottish whales and dolphins by reporting what they’ve spotted and carrying out surveys from both land and sea. The appeal comes as the conservation charity launches its new and improved Whale Track community sightings app and website.
Read MoreAdventure beckons as the summer field season on board our research vessel, Silurian, kicks off this weekend. But before we raise the anchor and set sail, we’d love to share some of the exciting developments we’ve made over the winter with support from the NatureScot Nature Restoration Fund.
Read MoreCOP26 started this week in Glasgow, where world leaders are meeting to discuss how best to tackle climate issues. Our Science Officer Becky explores what climate change means for our oceans, and what impacts in could be having to the whales, dolphins, and porpoises in our waters….
Read MoreSilurian battled through strong winds and heavy showers on our latest acoustic expedition. In total, we surveyed over 330 nautical miles, collecting over 60 hours of acoustic recordings.
Read MoreOn our latest expedition onboard our research vessel Silurian, we went went, surveying the waters around the Outer Hebrides and reaching some of the most remote areas of the Scottish west coast.
Read MoreAfter volunteering three years ago, Bruce joined us on board Silurian as First Mate for our latest acoustic expedition. Bruce talks to our Science Officer Becky about that three year journey and why that first survey made such an impact…
Read MoreOur latest expedition on board our research vessel Silurian was action packed! Not only did we have some incredible wildlife encounters, but we even managed to join James Armour for some of his incredible Selkie race.
Read MoreThanks to contributions from members of the public Silurian continues to monitor Hebridean waters, in the company of some very friendly minkes whales.
Read MoreDue to the amazing generosity of our supporters in our recent Big Give Green Match Fund campaign, our research vessel set out to monitor Joint Warrior, Europe’s largest military exercise, to help us understand the impact it may have on cetaceans in the Hebrides.
Read MoreIt is a vital time for marine life in Scotland as the sun begins to shine with increasing ferocity and our seas begin to warm. Seabirds have returned to breed after a long winter at sea, wildflowers have begun to bloom and whales have been spotted back in our waters!
Read MoreLast year with the help of contributions from members of the public, we were able to survey OVER 4,100 km of Hebridean seas, helping us to continue to protect cetaceans in the Hebrides in the midst of a global pandemic.
Read MoreThe final acoustic survey of the season monitored Joint warrior, Europe’s largest military exercise, to help us understand the impact these activities have on cetaceans in the Hebrides.
Read MoreFive different species of cetaceans were recorded on our third acoustic survey in some spectacular encounters!
Read MoreCommon dolphins were out in force as Silurian completed the second acoustic survey, with 1024 individuals recorded over 41 sightings!
Read MoreSilurian is back on the water collecting acoustic data on the whales, dolphins, and porpoises in our seas. On the first survey we covered an impressive 637 nautical miles and collected over 105 hours of acoustic recordings!
Read MoreJohn Coe and Aquarius were seen swimming into Strangford Lough, Co. Down in Northern Ireland on Friday. Every sighting of these individuals is crucial in advancing our understanding of the west coast community! If you’ve seen killer whales on the west coast, we’d love to hear about it.
Read More