14 July 05
Killer Whales Spotted Near Stroma
Alistair Jack took these pictures last night off the coast off Stroma.  the seals who rest near the site of the Bettina Danica ship wreck were obviously under threat with the whales right in at their favourite ledge

11 July 05
Whales Spotted Off The Coast At Melvich From The Air
Whilst out flying around the county on Friday evening Alan Moar and his brother John ventured out west and caught these photos of some whales about half a mile to a mile out from the coastline near Melvich. They saw more whales in the area between Melvich and Dounreay and were quick enough with the camera to catch them as they went past

6 July 05
From Mary Legg - Highland Ranger - Whales Being spotted On The North Coast
I've just had a phone call from Paul Castle, North Sutherland Ranger, telling us about the excellent views of cetaceans along the north coast at the moment.  The waters in Melvich Bay right along to Strathy point have been busy with whales and dolphins for the last couple of weeks and the calm conditions today are making viewing really easy. Paul spotted several Minke whales and dolphins on his way across to work today. We wouldn't want folk to drive by and miss such a good opportunity to spot

4 July 05
Minke Whales Spotted In Thurso Bay Today
Karen Munro sptted some Minkie whales in Thurso Bay, near Murkle point again today at 1615hrs. Also saw some off Dounreay at lunch time, and they have been in Thurso bay every calm night for the last week and a half.

This guide has been written to accompany the 2000 N/NE Coast Cetacean Survey. It will show you how to go about looking for cetaceans and what key identifying points to look for when spotting a whale, dolphin or porpoise.

More information is desperately needed about the status, distribution and movements of these mammals in our waters so we would ask you to send us records of any sightings you make.

What to look for:

Estimate the general size.

Porpoise <1.8m

Dolphin 2.4-4m

Killer,Pilot & Minke whale 5-10m

Humpback,Sperm whale >10m

Look for the dorsal fin on its back, and note how far down its back it occurs. Some large whales do not have a dorsel fin while others, like Minke whales, have a very small dorsal fin two-thirds the way down their backs.

Note the general size and shape of the dorsal fin. Is it upright like the Killer whale or sickle shaped like the Common dolphin or perhaps triangular like a Common porpoise?

Look for whale blows. Jets of water blown from the whale's nostril are important to identify larger whales. How high is the blow? Is it single or double? Is it vertical or pointing forward?

Note any characteristic behavior. Some species will jump out of the water or bow ride in front of boats for example.

COMMON/HARBOUR PORPOISE
The commonest cetacean around British waters and the most frequently sighted round here. It is often seen in small family groups in inshore bays such as Dunnet or Gills Bay and in the Pentland Firth, peaking July-October. Also in nearshore waters off Faraid head and Cape Wrath. It is easy to identify because of its small size, less than 1.8m long. However it is a shy retiring species and the most usual sighting is just a blip of its triangular dorsal fin. It rarely bow rides in front of boats.

BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN
The species of 'flipper' fame. Famous resident of the inner Moray Firth area (the most northerly resident group in the world). Rarer outside this area with very occasional sightings. Almost uniform grey apart from skin lesions noted in many of the Moray Firth specimens. Belly is slightly paler than the back. Size 2-2.4m Bottlenose dolphin are very playful and like to bow ride. They can be seen in-groups of varying sizes.

STRIPED DOLPHIN
Striped dolphin, 1.95 - 2.4m, rarely observed, as it tends to prefer offshore waters where it will bow ride boats and leap acrobatically. Diagnostic features are grey flanks dividing a dark back and pale belly, distinctive, thin black stripe, extending from the dark beak, around the eye to the underside of the rear flank of the animal. Occasionally seen in very large numbers of several hundreds.

WHITE-SIDED DOLPHIN
Another playful, very acrobatic dolphin that occurs in small groups. 2.7m long. It is dark above with a white belly and a white mark on its side not extending beyond the dorsal fin. A yellow ochre blaze on the flanks near the fluke and a paler blaze along the flanks extending to the beak help to identify the species. It has a short beak and relatively large sickle-shaped dorsal fin.

WHITE-BEAKED DOLPHIN
This is quite a common dolphin especially in late summer when mackerel shoals move towards the coast. Then they can be seen in large numbers. At 3m long, they are easy to identify with their white beak, and, when they jump clear of the water, their white sides and white rump behind the large sickle-shaped dorsal fin. They like bow riding boats.

RISSO'S DOLPHIN
This robust, larger species of dolphin is generally very pale (silvery grey) in body colour, with darker fin, flukes and flippers. The dorsal fin is relatively large and sickle-shaped. Close up, scarring caused by other dolphins can be seen particularly in older animals. They are commonest during the late summer months when feeding on squid, their main food. They are 3.5m long with large bulbous heads.

ORCA OR KILLER WHALE
This striking cetacean can be seen anytime, but especially during summer from June to September when they feed on seals, birds and fish. They swim in small groups, rarely singly. They are easy to identify with their long upright dorsal fins and pointed heads. They are black with obvious white patches behind the eye and base of the dorsal fin, while the smaller female has a dorsal fin slightly back pointing.

PILOT WHALE
Nearly always in compact schools, they are almost all black in colour with bulbous cylindrical heads and very large dorsal fins and flippers. They are 5-6m long and eat mainly squid but will follow shoals of mackerel.

MINKE WHALE
The commonest of all the whales and regularly seen in offshore waters with sightings peaking around August. At 9m long they are small for a whale. Their long back and tiny dorsal fin two-thirds the way down the back is quite distinctive - as well as the white flippers. They are often associated with flocks of gulls. A dive sequence of surface, blow and roll with the dorsal fin briefly appearing, two-thirds down the back, before diving, is diagnostic.

The best places on land to whale watch are headlands such as Cape Wrath, Strathy Point, Holborn Head, Dunnet Head, Noss Head and the Pentland Firth where strong currents bring in prey species such as herring, mackerel and squid. Pick a calm day with good visibility out to sea. If the sea is rough with lots of white water you may as well give up.

Be prepared to sit patiently for a couple of hours constantly scanning out to sea with binoculars or telescope. It is usually best to watch 2 hours before sunset or 2 hours after dawn as the light will be better for seeing. Look out for gulls congregating in a feeding frenzy above a shoal of mackerel or herring.

The most useful information will be obtained if you regularly got to one site and watch 2-3 hours once a month or more. Make sure you record weather, the state of the sea, and what you see. Remember all information is important, even days when you see nothing.

It is also possible to see other species that have been recorded in the area but not illustrated on this page which include: Humpback whale, Beluga, Sperm whale, Northern bottlenosed whale, Sowerby's whale, Sei whale, Common dolphin and False killer whale.

Recording forms and further details can be obtained from the address below.

All information and sightings should be sent to:

Highland Council Ranger Service
Dunnet Pavillion
Dunnet
Caithness
KW14 8XD
Tel: 01847 821531
Last date for acceptance of records is May 2001.

All reports of live strandings should be made to British Divers Marine Life Rescue, Tel: 0385 738671. Dead cetaceans should be reported to S.A.C, Tel: 01463 243030. All records will be forwarded to Seawatch Foundation.