For many it was their first wild orca and not something they thought they would ever see in UK waters! He’ll be happy to. Hundreds of people made the trek from all over the UK (and beyond!) It shows there is still a lot to discover about the cetaceans visiting Scottish waters. In many years we've had one (unfortunate) trip that we didn't see the whales when the migration pattern changed but the new fjord location we visited in 2017 & 2019 is very consistant. Registered Charity (England and Wales) No. Research Publications. The whales were spotted in the bay in Thurso. Whilst the country is most known for its hedgehogs, badgers, and plethora of wild birds, travellers also have the opportunity to see seals, otters and even whales and sharks in British waters. May 2019. You can unsubscribe at any time. https://orcaguardians.org/…/Killer-Whales … Anyone can take part, with some trips held specifically for 16 to 17 year olds. ‘We’re hoping to encounter these killer whales again during our 2019 expeditions, and with help from our colleagues across Scotland and beyond, we really hope to find a match and learn more about this group.’ Each year Silurian travels thousands of miles to survey the seas off Scotland’s west coast for cetaceans and basking sharks. ” Susan, Hi Susan, thanks for getting in touch. The family are named The 27s pod after its matriarch's number in the Scottish Killer Whale ID Catalogue. Populations have been documented foraging for long periods of time in shallow coastal and inter-tidal flats in just a few meters of water. Orca Watch Scotland reported that 2019 was a particularly bumper year for spotting orca and other whales from the John O'Groats ferry that travels through prime orca territory. Scotland’s other group of killer whales, the Northern Isles Community, is mainly seen around Orkney, Shetland and the north coast of Scotland. Orca Watch is a land-based watch takes place along the north coast of Scotland and the Northern Isles. I’ve been involved for the last five years and have seen the event go from strength to strength. the unmistakable dorsal fin of John Coe, one of the males in the West Coast Community. May 2019. Produced by Dr Andy Foote. Quite a few Risso’s dolphins have been seen there over the past few weeks. Each year Silurian travels thousands of nautical miles to survey the seas off Scotland’s west coast for cetaceans and basking sharks. Some groups of orca feed on fish, while others target seals. Produced in collaboration between Orca Guardians Iceland and Orca Survey Scotland. Good luck! As with most locations around the UK, the best time for seeing them is later in Spring and on through the summer. Orca Watch 2019 proved to be one of the best in years with no fewer than 122 sightings of seven different species of whales, dolphins and porpoises. There was another reported sighting of the animals on 14 July, off County Clare in Ireland. Sightings, videos and photos are posted on the site on a sometimes daily basis and although the period between May and August is the best time to see killer whales (they come inshore to hunt seals) in February, a video of a pod of orcas feeding off Fethaland, at the north tip of Shetland’s mainland, was uploaded to the site and has already had 17.4k views and 107 shares. Others chose vantage points even further afield - north to the islands of Orkney and Shetland and west out to the Hebrides. All the best and we hope you spot some dolphins! Hi Michelle – our whale watching expert is currently furloughed but I will ask colleagues in Scotland for you and get back to you as soon as I can. We constantly monitor cetacean and basking shark movements and only run these trips when there is a chance of sightings. Thanking you My little boy is 3 – 4 in May and he is mad for whales – I would love nothing more than to show him a whale in the wild – it would blow his mind !! Killer whales inhabit all oceans of the world. The latest sightings show how exciting the expedition surveys can be. My email is annandalegetaways@aol.com. Globally, killer whales – also known as orcas – are one of the most widespread cetaceans, and they range from warm tropical waters to the polar regions. SC040231. Scotland is famous around the world for the Loch Ness Monster. Orca Watch week is now in its eighth year and is run by the Sea Watch Foundation in partnership with Whale and Dolphin Conservation. Hi Emily, it really depends where you are going. They hunt seals very close to the shore and sightings are frequent. You're signed out. Other species recorded include Risso’s dolphin, humpback whale, short-beaked common dolphin, minke whale and long-finned pilot whale. If you do head up that way, look out for a chap with a big camera and a WDC jacket on the beach – that’ll be Charlie, our adopt a dolphin field officer. We also had the option to use the John O Groats ferry as a platform of opportunity. May 2019. Please read our privacy policy for information on how we handle your data. Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust. Book now. . If someone could get back to me about booking a watch I would really appreciate it. Where is the best place in Scotland to see these majestic animals? With marine mammals at risk from human activities including climate change, entanglement, pollution, underwater noise and habitat degradation, ongoing and long-term research is crucial to improve understanding of the impacts on cetaceans, and how to protect them. Grundarfjörður, May 2019 2 North Atlantic Killer Whales (Orcinus orca) Migrating between Iceland and Scotland. https://www.facebook.com/groups/orkneycetaceansightings/. An Icelandic male named Nótt, seen from the John O'Groats ferry. Participation costs cover boat expenses, accommodation, training, food and insurance, and support the charity’s research. https://seawatchfoundation.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Orkney2.pdf. 87953 animals. A Short Identification Catalogue. Passengers on the ferry also spotted minke whales and long-finned pilot whales along the route, south of South Ronaldsay. A spectacular new trail – launched today (28 June 2019) by the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust – is to showcase Scotland’s west coast as a world-class destination for spotting whales, dolphins and porpoises from land, and champion conservation of the Hebrides’ globally important marine wildlife and environment. If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device. Keep up-to-date with all the news from WDC and the world of whales and dolphins. The widening estuary is deserted...  it was not always like this - a rusting trypot... Lockdown in Argentina has been long and tough and so I was excited when restrictions... © V. Mignon As we begin a new year, our chair of trustees, Lisa Drewe,... A deceptively realistic robotic dolphin, made headlines recently, causing people to ask whether robots like... Orca Watchers scan the sea for fins at Duncansby Head, This is Riley, our chief orca-sightings logger, And the results are in - these were the sightings recorded from Orca Watch 2019. We’re hoping to encounter these killer whales again during our 2019 expeditions and, with help from our colleagues across Scotland and beyond, we really hope to find a match and learn more about this group. ... Posted at 10:48 21 Aug 2019 10:48 21 Aug 2019. A short identification catalogue. https://www.wildernessscotland.com/blog/spot-killer-whales-orcas-scotland Find out more about minke whale. There was another reported sighting of the animals on 14 July, off County Clare in Ireland. Weather guarantees! A group of orcas stunned whale watchers after surfacing just inches from the shore. Hi there, I have a client would like to experience whale watching in Orkney in 2020. A world where every whale and dolphin is safe and free. Do you do a orca whale watch in October in Scotland? The identity of a group of nine killer whales off Scotland’s west coast, encountered during the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust’s annual marine research expeditions last year, remains a mystery – despite extensive research and a flurry of sightings of killer whales in the Hebrides over recent weeks. Info. ... Scotland top for whale and dolphin sightings. Email: dolphincentre@whales.org Orcas (killer whales) are the largest species of dolphin. Thanks. Britain's only group of killer whales will die out because the females have been made sterile by chemical pollutants, scientists have said. Killer whale, (Orcinus orca), also called orca, largest member of the dolphin family (Delphinidae). Wildlife guarantees! Risso's dolphin Perhaps get in touch with our Scottish Dolphin Centre when you know your itinerary and they should be able to advise: Shopping. For families wishing to get a glimpse of the impressive Golden Eagle, they should head to the Scottish highlands. To receive emails about our campaigns and how you can support them, please enter your email address below and press the ‘subscribe’ button. The event kicked off with a wonderful fundraising evening of talks and video presentations before we all settled down for a week of serious scanning at Duncansby lighthouse watching the ever-shifting waters of the Pentland Firth in Caithness, Scotland. Posts may be delayed due to current COVID-19 guidelines. Orkney is a great place to see whales and dolphins and while we don’t really promote individual tours or operators, this Sea Watch Foundation sheet identifies some of the top land-based places to watch for marine wildlife from. For details, contact volunteercoordinator@hwdt.org, call 01688 302620, or visit hwdt.org/silurian. Have a look at dolphincentre.whales.org/ for details. The mystery group of nine killer whales spotted on Silurian near Vatersay, June 2018. It’s unlikely you will see orcas at this time of year as it’s a little early in the season. Gary Buchan, 51 captured a video of eight orcas off the coast of Shetland. Orca Watch 2019 proved to be one of the best in years with no fewer than 122 sightings of seven different species of whales, dolphins and porpoises. The Shetland Islands and the Orkney Islands provide whale watching opportunities, whereas Moray Firth is renowned for bottlenose dolphin population. Unfortunately, it is a little too early in the year to be reliably seeing whales and dolphins. Friend of WDC, Megan Hockin-Bennet summed it all up when she said, 'Having spent so much time traveling far and wide across the world in search of my favourite whale I really had no idea what lay right on my doorstep, I was also totally astounded with the joy I felt from the community spirit that I’ll spend all year looking forward to joining in with again!'. The animals were observed for some 30 minutes, with one of the males even swimming over to Silurian to have a closer look at the boat and crew. Hi! The wide-ranging West Coast Community can be seen along the whole west coast of the UK, with most sightings in the Hebrides. Please note that the content of newsletters may not be suitable for children. My mom and I are visiting in June and looking to go whale watching. Like most wildlife events the more you put into waiting, watching and hoping the more you get out of it. Registered Charity (Scotland) No. The Trust now hopes to encounter the mystery pod again during its surveys this summer. We will be staying in the Cairngorm region so fairly central. Just the whale and me on a remote island beach - I was speechless. The unidentified killer whales – which included two large males and two juveniles – were seen just 300 metres away from the charity’s research yacht Silurian after it left an anchorage at Vatersay last June. February is still ‘low season’ for dolphin spotting in Scotland but if you are staying in the Cairngorm area it may be worthwhile making the trip to Chanonry Point on the Black Isle just north of Inverness where dolphins come in very close to the beach. WDC’s partner in Orca Watch, The Sea Watch Foundation, has diligently collated all the data from over 200 hours of observations from ferries, lighthouses, and clifftops and that most elusive of species in UK waters, orca, was spotted no less than 27 times over the course of the ten days and was second only to the harbour porpoise. Five of its members – including a well-known and highly recognisable male called Busta, and a female called Razor – were spotted on the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust’s most recent research expedition, as Silurian made her way into Loch Laxford, just north of Handa Island on 30 June. I wonder if this group will be able to help me with this. We run a visitor centre, called The WDC Scottish Dolphin Centre at Spey Bay, near Inverness and the staff and volunteers there would be delighted to help you either in person if you drop in, or by phone. By Rob Lott | 6th June 2019. Incredible drone footage showed killer whales doing barrel rolls as they played in the sea. Next to humans and perhaps the brown rat (Rattus norvegicus), killer whales are the most widely distributed mammal. 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Their distinctive black-and-white coloration makes them easy to recognise. You also need a certain amount of luck so yes, there were times when I was at the lighthouse and orcas were seen off the ferry but the majority of people who stayed the week were rewarded with some unforgettable experiences. to the northerly tip of mainland UK and the rugged coastline of Caithness. The main base this year will again be Duncansby Lighthouse near John O Groats. The identity of a group of nine killer whales off Scotland’s west coast remains a mystery – despite extensive research and a flurry of sightings of killer whales in the Hebrides over recent weeks. The Sea Watch Foundation are collecting records and conducting watches … 14647 sightings. This group – the most frequently seen or reported to the Trust, and which consists of eight individuals at most – is at imminent risk of extinction, as the Trust has recorded no calves in 25 years of monitoring. Orcas can be seen in coastal waters off the west coast of Scotland and in the Northern Isles. Produced in collaboration between Orca Guardians Iceland and Orca Survey Scotland. Whats the best way to do this and do they have whale watching boat trips? We’ll announce 2020’s Orca Watch dates in October – you really should join us! North Atlantic Killer Whales (Orcinus orca) Migrating between Iceland and Scotland. Good luck! By Angus Wright A Short Identification Catalogue. 4 HOUR WHALE AND WILDLIFE TRIP : These trip only run when whales are likely to be in the area May to September and are run when tidal conditions are right to give the best chance of a sighting. The Trust is looking for volunteers to join its team onboard Silurian for one to two week surveys running between now and October 2020. These surveys rely on volunteers who work alongside researchers as citizen scientists to record sightings of marine animals and seabirds, assess human impacts such as marine debris, and monitor sounds using an underwater microphone. Worth heading to Duncansby Head for greater elevation and hence a greater field of view. Mrusczok M-T and Scullion A (2019) North Atlantic killer whales (Orcinus orca) migrating between Iceland and Scotland. We have a maximum of six days and we've found this be enough time to work around the arctic winter and whale sightings! Whilst Nessie is rarely seen, Scotland’s killer whales are frequently sighted, and surprisingly close to shore. Keep your eyes peeled for a sighting of the semi-resident pods of orcas (‘killer whales’). 28 Main Street, Tobermory, Isle of Mull, Scotland, PA75 6NU, United Kingdom. Live Sightings Summary. Produced by Dr Andy Foote https://www.dropbox.com/s/…/2019%20Photo-ID%20catalogue.pdf… North Atlantic Killer Whales (Orcinus orca) Migrating between Iceland and Scotland. Scotland’s other group of killer whales, the Northern Isles Community, is mainly seen around Orkney, Shetland and the north coast of Scotland. I rushed down to the beach and peered through the thick Scottish sea fog or ‘haar’ and then, a moment later, a huge orca fin sliced through the water just 20 metres away from me. May 2019. We hope this is helpful. On 8 July, Hebridean Whale Cruises spotted two members of the West Coast Community out of Gairloch. It’s all worth it if you do spot orcas but as with all wild whales and dolphins, there are no guarantees that they will put in an appearance. All the best. | 23rd July 2019 Mystery killer whale pod investigated off Scotland’s west coast. The best site to encounter these mammals is the Inner and the Outer Hebrides inhabited by both whales and dolphins. It is the largest member of the Delphinidae family, or oceanic dolphins. My own moment of zen happened as I decided to hop off the morning ferry on the Orkneys and spend the day on the coastal path. Tap to unmute. The ferry takes foot passengers from the Scottish mainland to the Orkney Islands each day and passes through core orca habitat. The Hebrides is one of Europe’s most important areas for cetaceans, with 23 of the world’s estimated 92 species recorded – including many species of national and international conservation importance. Thanks for getting in touch. You may be lucky enough to spot harbour porpoises, Risso’s dolphins and minke whales and the best spotting sites in that area are Dunnet Head, Duncansby Head and Strathy Point. Mammal-eating killer whales in different regions were long thought likely to be closely related, but genetic testing has refuted this hypothesis. To be honest, it’s probably not the best experience for a three or four-year-old as there’s a lot of standing around in the changeable weather of the north of Scotland. The killer whales were captured on mobile phone footage off … We will be around Orkney isles in mid August, do you think we would be likely to see Orcas at this time of year? Have fun! Grundarfjörður: Orca Guardians Iceland / Orca Survey Scotland. 16/03. whales, belugas, long-finned pilot whales, killer whales, white-beaked dolphins, Atlantic white-sided dolphins, Risso’s dolphins and harbour porpoises). 1014705 Hi, We are planning a trip to John O’ Groats end of Sept’2020. There are two well-known communities of killer whales found in Scottish waters, and there have been several sightings of animals from both of these groups in recent weeks. Tel: 01343 820 339 IS THERE ANYWHERE WE CAN GO WHALE OR DOLPHIN WATCHING NEXT WEEK. ORCA WATCH 2019 – Day 3 (May 19th, 2019) – Minke whale at Duncansby! The killer whale is easy to identify by its size and its striking coloration: jet black on top and pure white below with a white patch behind each eye, another extending up each flank, and a variable “saddle patch” just behind the dorsal fin. I have been looking for tours that provide this experience. The best time for orcas in this area is usually May and June. Available here. It says that the unexplained killer whale pod sighting highlights how much there is still to learn about the remarkable marine life in Hebridean waters, and the need for long-term monitoring of cetaceans – the collective name for whales, dolphins and porpoises – and basking sharks. The killer whale, also known as orca, is one of the top marine predators. Five individuals from the Northern Isles Community swimming around Silurian as she approached Loch Laxford, June 2019. Minke whale. A Short Identification Catalogue. The orcas were filmed breaching, doing barrel rolls and tail slapping in crystal-clear waters as they played with a seal.