Tag: Cetaceans

Cetaceans on the Northumbrian coast

Yesterday I experienced something new and otherworldly: discovering a new side to my home county – Northumberland, for those who haven’t yet guessed – on a ten-hour trip into the North Sea with Northern Experience Wildlife Tours. The trip delivering a surreal experience as, at long last, I was able to get up close and personal with cetaceans in local waters, and resulting in a number of simply jaw-dropping moments.

Setting out from Royal Quays, the first few hours served to build anticipation. The sight of countless seabirds over open water – Gannets, Razorbills, Kittiwakes, Guillemots and more –  providing a welcome change from the norm, and a few Grey Seals, as ever, most welcome. It was not until the team at helm spotted a flock of Gannets feeding en masse, however, that things really picked up. The sight of myriad birds torpedoing downwards into the depths reminiscent of some Attenborough documentary; entrancing, at least until the birds lifted. Yielding the water to the barrel-like body of  Minke whale lunging up from the depths – the sight of this behemoth as it emerged and fell in one, surprisingly swift rolling motion, quite unlike anything I had ever seen before. Awe-inspiring – minkes may be relatively small in comparison to other baleen whales but they are still impressive beasts.

I missed the whale with my camera: intent on staring and enjoying, mouth agape, rather than fumbling for my lens. No matter. Moving further North, miles off-shore, there was plenty opportunity to take pictures – the sight of a single White-beaked Dolphin and its brief appearance at the bow of the boat a pleasing precursor to an experience quite unlike anything I have witnessed before, anywhere in the world.

White-beaked Dolphins – somewhere off the Northumberland coast

Soon enough, as we meandered our way North, our boat found itself accompanied by an escort of dolphins: one pod after another tailing the vessel before peeling off and leaving room for another entourage to join. The animals breaching incessantly at both sides, at times within touching distance, and providing the ideal opportunity for closer scrutiny. They really are magnificent animals: clad in alternating hues of grey but appearing almost blue and white under the water – far more attractive, dare I say, than the much more renowned Bottlenose dolphins we all know and love. Indeed, it is only while watching dolphins beneath the waves that one gets a sense of their true power – sturdy, rudder-like tails propelling them at a truly incredible pace.

Watching the dolphins break the surface of the water, it was possible to discern a few of the features that allow researchers to identify individual animals: scars, holes and pale patches lending the animals an individual sense of character and allowing easy separation from their kin. One individual, in particular, boasting a queer pink patch on its cranium became an instant favourite, and it was interesting to hear from those aboard that she had been observed with some frequency during previous excursions. I think recognition of individuals, and the connection that undoubtedly ensues, goes some way to explaining the unrivalled passion of cetacean researchers. They are an enthusiastic and terribly knowledgeable bunch!

This weekends boat trip will certainly go down in memory as a winner. While also allowing me to easily respond to those who claim that “true wilderness” and breath-taking wild spectacles exist only on [or around] far-off shores. Indeed, my only regret is that I did not get a proper look at a dolphin leaping entirely out of the water. That said, the sight of a few individuals ‘spinning’ as they departed the waves vertically on the horizon did make for an enchanting sight against the sunny Northumbrian skyline. And already has me planning my return.

Orca “Marine Mammal Surveyor” Training Day

Yesterday I had the pleasure to partake in a cetacean identification course hosted by Orca, a fantastic charity dedicated to researching whales, dolphins and porpoises in British waters and further afield. All in all, the day was a roaring success; engaging presentations from Orca staff and a friendly atmosphere making for a great few hours. Having now completed the course; I am delighted to say that I am now officially able to volunteer aboard Orca associated vessels and hopefully, with a little luck, will be out surveying marine mammals in the North Sea before long! Hurray!

Excited flapping aside, a few people have asked me to sum up just what the day entailed and the opportunities that come hand in hand with attending. As such, I thought I would post a brief summary here.  Following the obligatory introductions from the Orca staff and a motivational video courtesy of the great Chris Packham, the first part of the course was spent familiarizing ourselves with the species likely encountered from Orca vessels. Among these; familiar species such as Minke Whale and Harbour Porpoise and much more exotic creatures such as Cuvier’s Beaked Whale – a species I now long to see in the wild, they’re beautiful! This identification session was nothing short of enthralling; stressing the fact that ID should never be made based on one factor alone, rather a combination of numerous ones. We learnt about the shape of dorsal fins, the height of various species “blow” and various other factors such as colouration and behaviour. All of this was followed by no end of interesting stories and intriguing facts courtesy of Orca staff. For example; did you know that the characteristic scars of Risso’s Dolphins may well be inflicted as a means of identifying that animal as part of a specific pod? Sort of tribal tattoos for Dolphins, amazing!

Next came an indepth look at Orca surveying methodology, all of which seemed complicated at first but quickly became clear as we took part in a mock survey. Here, in groups of three, we alternated roles between starboard surveyor, port surveyor and scribe. The latter role involving immediate recording of everything from GPS location and the angle of the animal to direction of travel and behavior. I actually found the methodology very similar to some bird surveys; the codes allocated to each species similar to the species codes issued by the BTO. The surveys themselves involve line transects on a number of set routes including Newcastle/Amsterdam and Portsmouth/Santander and seem thoroughly exciting! These take place from the bridge of the vessels in question, something which obviously involves a certain level of maturity and manners so not to disturb the ships crew. Though I doubt this would ever be a problem for those truly interested in this kind of work.

So, what next? Well based on a conversation with a lovely Orca rep things seem relatively straight forward. We wait a few weeks until the opportunities come up and apply to take part. You will then be allocated a team with a number of experienced surveyors who will be more than happy to offer advice and ensure the experience is a positive one. Once you have taken part in a localized survey or two it becomes possible to “build your Orca portfolio”, increased experience leading to more exciting survey opportunities and, in the future, the chance to take part in month long surveys to fantastic locations around the globe. Simple!

The skills to be gained from such surveys seem too numerous to count. Obviously taking part will better your ID skills associated with many species but may also present opportunities to engage with the public and enthuse others as to the majesty of cetaceans. All of this comes on top of the obvious sense of gratification gained from contributing to Orca’s vast data bank. Who knows, maybe the data you help collect could be used to set up marine conservation zones in the future? The possibilities are endless! I would advise anyone to take part, you really will not regret it. Please note; you also have to sign up as an Orca member but this is relatively cheap and can be done on the day of the surveys.