Orkney birdwatching, wildlife & culture
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Cetaceans - whales & dolphins - and seals The Orcadian waters teem with marine life and especially cetaceans and seals. It is estimated that up to 30,000 seals (20,000+ grey and 8,000 common) frequent the seas in and around Orkney and so showing our visitors seals is straightforward and enjoyable. Come in late October to see the gorgeous fluffy white grey seal pups! Click seal pups for more pics and information. In 2010 we also had a rare visitor from the Arctic - a bearded seal - which has a favourite haul out at the old pier in Finstown. It arrived in April 2010 and stayed for about a year.
Watching cetaceans is more difficult - or skilful - but if the sea conditions are good at the right time of year we can usually find harbour porpoises for you to enjoy. Lucky guests may also see other species of cetacean - we see minke whales and dolphins reasonably regularly, whilst other species of cetacean including orcas or killer whales are present in our waters but much more difficult to see...there's a lot of water out there! All 2008 - 2011 cetacean sightings are listed below, to give you an idea of dates, places and species.
Cetaceans may be seen at any time of year from April - October inclusive, with May being prime time - in this month in 2008 we saw 5 species of cetaceans! Harbour porpoise sightings are pretty consistent over the summer months, and in 2008 began on 10 April and continued up until 8 October, with a maximum of 44 on 17 September 2009. Minke whales were seen in 2008 during the months May - September inclusive. 2008 was also a good year for basking sharks, with several being sighted, often very close to shore. Although orcas were present in Orkney in 2009 and seen several times, we only had one sighting, of a pod of four on 10 May at Noup Head in Westray. A further pod of three orcas was seen by our group in Bressay Sound, Shetland, on 18 July 2009. A very exciting first for us in 2009 was a group of 3 fin whales (one adult and two young) seen in the Pentland Firth on 9 June 2009. We also set up a new ORCA (ORkney Cetacean Alert) alert system based on mobile phones in order to try and see more orcas and other cetaceans which worked well in the 2010 and 2011 seasons. The 2011 cetacean season was an excellent one for orcas, with many sightings throughout Orkney in June and July (we saw 3 pods, see below) with some exceptional and close views. Harbour porpoise, as usual, was the species seen most commonly, with 8 sightings in total. Only one large adult minke whale was seen (in Shetland), and, unusually, no species of dolphin were observed. Intuitively we think that the poor weather of summer 2011, and in particular, the rougher sea states encountered, mitigated against cetacean observations. For lovers of cetacean jewellery see Roger Philby's website www.flukejewellery.com - we like to visit Roger's gallery to catch up on his whale and dolphin sightings in Birsay, West Mainland.
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2011 cetacean sightings: 03/06/11 Pod of 4 orcas, Sandside Bay, Deerness 16/06/11 Pod of 5 orcas, Barrier # 4 West, South Ronaldsay 20/06/11 Pod orcas (#s unknown), by Swona, Hoxa Sound 29/06/11 Harbour porpoise, Barth Head, South Ronaldsay (3) [06/07/11 Harbour porpoise, West Burrafirth, Shetland (3)] [11/07/11 Harbour porpoise, Culswick, Shetland (5)] [13/07/11 Harbour porpoise, South Head, Esha Ness, Shetland (3)] [13/07/11 Minke whale, Esha Ness, Shetland (1)] 26/07/11 Harbour porpoise, Hoxa Head, South Ronaldsay (6+) 30/07/11 Harbour porpoise, Hoxa Head, South Ronaldsay (7++) 25/08/11 Harbour porpoise, Hoxa Head, South Ronaldsay (15+) 24/09/11 Harbour porpoise, Hoy Sound, (4+) 01/10/11 Harbour porpoise, Hoxa Sound, South Ronaldsay (6+) 12/10/11 Sperm whale, Bay of Kirkwall (1) In summary for 2011 in Orkney: an excellent season for orcas, with many sightings throughout Orkney in June and July (we saw 3 pods, see above) with some exceptional and close views. Harbour porpoise, as usual, was the species seen most commonly, with 9 sightings in total [some in Shetland]. Only one large adult minke whale was seen [in Shetland], and, unusually, no species of dolphin were observed. Intuitively we think that the poor weather of summer 2011, and in particular, the rougher sea states encountered, mitigated against cetacean observations. An injured, ill or simply disorientated (presumed male) adult sperm whale was seen off Kirkwall harbour on 12/10, a 1st record for us in Orkney. No basking sharks were seen, although occasional individuals were recorded by others. 2010 cetacean sightings: 07/06/10 Pod of 6 + Risso's dolphins, Birsay Bay (6) 10/06/10 Harbour porpoises off Switha (4) 13/06/10 Harbour porpoise, Hoxa (1) 06/07/10 Harbour porpoise, Hoxa (2) [15/07/10 Pod of 4 orcas, Yell Sound, Shetland (4)] [27/07/10 Basking shark, Burwick (1)] 29/07/10 Harbour porpoises, Weddel Sound, Flotta (2) 30/07/10 Harbour porpoises, Rerwick Head, East Mainland (10 +) 08/08/10 Harbour porpoises, Cantick Head, Hoy (2) In summary for 2010 in Orkney: a rather poor season, with no whales sighted; 1 species of dolphin (Risso’s); the ubiquitous harbour porpoises; & 1 basking shark record. Orcas were seen in Shetland, although there were up to 4 pods around Orcadian waters in May - June 2010. As ever they are difficult to see, although we have set up a new alert system for the 2011 season. 2009 cetacean sightings: 10/05/09 Pod of 4 orcas, Noup Head, Westray (4) 10/05/09 Risso's dolphin, Noup Head, Westray (1) 20/05/09 Harbour porpoise, Grimness Head (1) 21/05/09 Harbour porpoises, Grimness Head (2) 22/05/09 Harbour porpoise, Grimness Head (1) 09/06/09 Fin whale(s), Pentland Firth (1-3) 09/06/09 Harbour porpoises, Grimness Head (2) 10/06/09 Harbour porpoises, Grimness Head (2) 10/06/09 Risso's dolphins, Grimness Head (2+) 21/06/09 Harbour porpoises, Grimness Head (2) 28/06/09 Risso's dolphins, Scapa Flow (# 2 Barrier) (10+) [01/07/09 Basking shark, Saviskaill Bay, Rousay (1)] [18/07/09 Pod of 3 orcas, Bressay Sound, Shetland (3)] 14/09/09 Harbour porpoises, Hoxa Head (18) 14/09/09 Minke whale, Hoxa Head (1) 17/09/09 Harbour porpoises, Switha Sound (41) and Rackwick Bay (3) In summary for 2009 in Orkney: 3 species of whale (Fin, Minke and Orca); 1 species of dolphins (Risso’s); the ubiquitous harbour porpoises; & 1 basking shark record – not quite as good as the 2008 season, although the Fin whales on 9 June was a first sighting for us in Orkney. 2008 cetacean sightings: 10/04/08 1st harbour porpoise of season, Hoxa Head (1) 11/05/08 Solitary Risso’s dolphin, Grimness Head (1) 14/05/08 Minke whales, Noup Head, Westray (5, in 2 groups of 2 + 3) [16/05/08 Basking shark, Echnaloch Bay (1)] 18/05/08 Minke whale, Rackwick, Castle of Burrian, Westray (1) 18/05/08 Atlantic white-sided dolphins, Noup Head, Westray (10+) 19/05/08 Common dolphins, Hoxa Head (30+) 27/05/08 Atlantic white-sided dolphins, seen from Barrier #s 1,2 & 3 (2) 30/05/08 Minke whale, Marwick Head (1) 30/05/08 Harbour porpoise, Eynhallow Sound (1) 16/06/08 Harbour porpoises, Hoxa Head (3) 24/06/08 Harbour porpoises, Hoxa Head (3) 24/06/08 Minke whale, Hoxa Head (1) 27/06/08 Harbour porpoises, Grimness Head (2) 03/07/08 Harbour porpoises, Cantick Head, Hoy (3) 03/07/08 Minke whale, Cantick Head, Hoy (1) [14/07/08 Bull orca, Yell Sound, Shetland (1)] * 28/07/08 Harbour porpoise, Hoxa Head (1) [02/08/08 Basking shark, Rackwick Bay, Hoy (1)] 02/08/08 Harbour porpoises, Rackwick Bay, Hoy (4) 01/09/08 Harbour porpoises, Hoxa Head (6) 03/09/08 Minke whales, Barth Head, S Ronaldsay (2 adult + calf) 19/09/08 Minke whale, Hoxa Head (1) 08/10/08 Harbour porpoises, Hoxa Head (2) In summary for 2008 in Orkney: 1 species of whale (Minke); 3 species of dolphins (Atlantic white-sided, common & Risso’s); the ubiquitous harbour porpoises; & 2 basking shark records – not a bad haul for the April – October 2008 season! The only killer whale we saw in 2008 was in Shetland on 14 July in Yell Sound, a solitary bull orca. |
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