2001 CETACEAN SIGHTINGS
PLEASE NOTE: Reference to any of the cetacean sightings recorded on Company of Whales cruises can only be quoted or reproduced with the prior permission of The Company of Whales
17 - 21 November 2001 - Pride of Bilbao
Cetacean & Bird Totals - 8 Pilot Whales, 2 Cuvier’s Beaked Whales, 9 Bottle-nosed Dolphins, 137 Common Dolphins, 1 Harbour Porpoise, 41 Great Skuas , 200 Gannet, 122 Kittiwakes, 39 Razorbills, 3 Sabine’s Gulls and a juvenile Peregrine. Report courtesy of BirdGuides
20 - 23 October 2001 - Company of Whales & Birdwatching Magazine aboard Pride of Bilbao
Cetacean & Bird Totals - 5 Fin Whales, 4 Pilot Whales, 2 Cuvier’s Beaked Whales, 200 Bottle-nosed Dolphins, 20 Common Dolphins, 135 Striped Dolphins, 16 Harbour Porpoise, 2 unidentified large 'rorquals', 5 unidentified Dolphins, 1 Ocean Sunfish, 1 Great Shearwater, 1 Manx Shearwater, 1 Mediterranean Shearwater, 2 British Storm Petrels, 1 Leach's Storm Petrel, 270 Gannets, 10 Common Scoters, 39 Bonxies, 1 Pomarine Skua, 3 Arctic Skuas, 1 Little Gull, 3 Arctic Terns, 2 Guillemots and a Grey Phalarope. Visual migration observed from the ship included: 2 Hoverfly Sp., 3 Red Admirals, 1 Painted Lady, 1 Skylark, 108 Meadow Pipits, 9 Pied Wagtails, 5 Robins, 2 Black Redstarts, 2 Redwings, 3 Song Thrush, 3 Blackcaps, 4 Chiffchaffs 3 Chaffinch and a juvenile Peregrine.
18 - 21 September 2001 - Company of Whales Press Trip aboard Pride of Bilbao
Cetacean & Bird Totals - 8 Fin Whales, 1 Minke Whale 25 Bottle-nosed Dolphins, 61 Common Dolphins, 235 Striped Dolphins, 3 Harbour Porpoise, 9 unidentified large 'rorquals', 60 Common/Striped Dolphins, 3 unidentified Dolphins, 1 probable Blue Shark, 3 Sabine's Gulls, 74 Storm Petrels, 2 Mediterranean Shearwaters, 1 Arctic Skua, 7 Bonxies, 1 Black Tern. 2 Sandwich Terns and 2 'Commic' Terns.
15 - 18 September 2001 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao
Cetacean & Bird Totals - 4 Fin Whales, 12 Pilot Whales, 107 Common Dolphins, 130 Striped Dolphins, 5 unidentified large 'rorquals', 34 Sabine's Gulls (including a splendid flock of 17 birds), 10 Storm Petrels, 1 Manx Shearwater, 1 Sooty Shearwaters, 25 Bonxies and quite unexpected - a Shoveler!
11 - 14 September 2001 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao
Cetacean & Bird Totals - 35 Fin Whales, 34 Pilot Whales, 90 Bottle-nosed Dolphins, 300 Common Dolphins, 155 Striped Dolphins, 151 unidentified Dolphins, 11 unidentified large 'rorquals', 1 unidentified beaked whale, 1 unidentified ‘Mesoplodon’, 3 unidentified small whales, 1 Ocean Sunfish, 50+ Tuna sp., 3 Sabine's Gulls, 100 Storm Petrels, 2 Cory’s Shearwaters, 3 Manx Shearwaters, 4 Sooty Shearwaters, 1 Pomarine Skua, 1 Arctic Skua, 80+ Bonxies and single Common, Arctic and Sandwich Terns. This trip will go down as one of the best for breaching Fin Whales! We recorded 8 individual animals indulging in spectacular bouts of activity, with one animal breaching no less than ten times 500 metres from the ship!
8 – 11 September 2001 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao
Cetacean & Bird Totals - 83 Fin Whales, 4 Sperm Whales, 9 Pilot Whales, 38 Common Dolphins, 470 Striped Dolphins, 17 unidentified Dolphins, 46 unidentified large 'rorquals', 4 unidentified beaked whales, 1 unidentified small whale, 2 Sabine's Gulls, 30 Storm Petrels, 3 Cory’s Shearwaters, 4 Sooty Shearwaters, 30 Bonxies and quite unexpected, 1 Coot! Onboard were 1 Yellow and 1 Grey Wagtail along with a Hummingbird Hawk Moth.
4 – 7 September 2001 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao
Cetacean & Bird Totals - 69 Fin Whales, 3 Sperm Whales, 41 Pilot Whales, 17 Cuvier’s Beaked Whales, 15 Bottle-nosed Dolphins, 222 Common Dolphins, 65 Striped Dolphins, 80 unidentified Dolphins, 51 unidentified large 'rorquals', 3 unidentified beaked whales, 41 Sabine's Gulls, 50 Storm Petrels, 2 Manx Shearwaters, 3 Little Shearwaters, 80 Cory’s Shearwaters, 35 Great Shearwaters, 3 Sooty Shearwaters, 1 Mediterranean Shearwater, 2 Black Terns, 3 Pomarine Skuas, 1 Long-tailed Skua, 12 Bonxies, 1 Grey Phalarope, 1 Curlew Sandpiper and 1 Meadow Pipit.
1 – 4 September 2001 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao
Cetacean & Bird Totals - 73 Fin Whales, 6 Sei Whales, 25 Sperm Whales, 31 Pilot Whales, 7 Cuvier’s Beaked Whales, 15 Bottle-nosed Dolphins, 211 Common Dolphins, 312 Striped Dolphins, 2 Harbour Porpoise, 230 Common/Striped Dolphins, 38 unidentified Dolphins, 61 unidentified large 'rorquals', 6 unidentified ‘Blackfish’, 40 Sabine's Gulls, 20 Storm Petrels., 9 Manx Shearwaters, 8 Little Shearwaters, 80 Cory’s Shearwaters, 35 Great Shearwaters, 3 Sooty Shearwaters, 9 Bonxies and 1 Grey Phalarope. Butterfly highlights during our walk in Spain included Long-tailed Blue, Adonis Blue and Clouded Yellows.
28 - 31 August 2001 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao
Cetacean & Bird Totals - 11 Fin Whales, 2 Sperm Whales, 15 Pilot Whales, 2 Cuvier’s Beaked Whales, 25 Bottle-nosed Dolphins, 75 Common Dolphins, 125 Striped Dolphins, 4 Harbour Porpoise, 40 Common/Striped Dolphins, 1 unidentified Dolphin, 11 unidentified large 'rorquals', 1 unidentified Mesoplodon, 6 Sabine's Gulls, 20 Storm Petrel Sp., 2 Manx Shearwaters, 3 Mediterranean Shearwaters, 5 Black Terns, 1 Roseate Tern, 13 Common Terns, 3 Pomarine Skuas, 4 Arctic Skuas, 9 Bonxies. Also 5 Ocean Sunfish and 20+ Tuna sp. Our walk in Spain once again coincided with a fall of migrants with lots of Pied Flycatchers, Spotted Flycatchers, Whinchats and Blackcaps. Also recorded were 2 Nightingales, 1 Marsh Harrier, a Booted Eagle and 8 Griffon Vultures. Butterfly highlights included Long-tailed Blue, Cleopatras and Clouded Yellows.
21 - 24 August 2001 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao
Cetacean & Bird Totals - 43 Fin Whales, 5 Sperm Whales, 29 Pilot Whales, 1 Minke Whale, 15 Bottle-nosed Dolphins, 291 Common Dolphins, 504 Striped Dolphins, 8 Harbour Porpoise, 3 probable Orcas, 162 Common/Striped Dolphins, 37 unidentified Dolphins, 6 unidentified large 'rorquals', 32 Grey Phalaropes, 23 Sabine's Gulls, 92 Gannets, 3 Fulmars, 48 Storm Petrel Sp., 8 Manx Shearwater, 5 Mediterranean Shearwaters, 8 Sooty Shearwaters, 7+ Little Shearwaters, 1 Cory’s Shearwaters, 37 Black Terns, 18 ‘Commic’ Terns, 4 Sandwich Terns, 4 Pomarine Skuas, 1 Long-tailed Skua, 6 Bonxies and 1 Arctic Skua. Also 1 Ocean Sunfish and 20+ Yellow-finned Tuna. Our walk in Spain coincided with a fall of migrants with lots of Pied Flycatchers, Spotted Flycatchers and Blackcaps. Also recorded were 3 Nightingales, 1 Wryneck, 1 Whinchat and Wheatear. Butterfly highlights included Long-tailed Blue, Holly Blue and Clouded Yellows.
18 - 21 August 2001 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao
Cetacean & Bird Totals - 26 Fin Whales, 15+ Sperm Whales, 2 Minke Whales, 11 Cuvier's Beaked Whales, 20+ Pilot Whales, 47 Bottle-nosed Dolphins, 226 Striped Dolphins, 215 Common Dolphins and 5 Harbour Porpoises. Birds included 1 Little Shearwater, 10 Cory's Shearwater, 9 Great Shearwaters, 1 Sooty Shearwater, 3 Balearic Shearwaters, 1 Manx Shearwater, 1 Long-tailed Skua, 1 Pomarine Skua, 3 Arctic Skuas, 7 Bonxies, 11 Sabine's Gulls, 12 Storm Petrels, 12 Grey Phalaropes and 16 Black Terns. Also 6 Ocean Sunfish and 1 Basking Shark.
14 - 17 August 2001 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao
Cetacean & Bird Totals - 26 Fin Whales, 5 Sperm Whales, 3 Cuvier’s Beaked Whales, 31 Pilot Whales, 11 Bottle-nosed Dolphins, 53 Common Dolphins, 445 Striped Dolphins, 10 Harbour Porpoise, 65 Common/Striped Dolphins, 2 unidentified Dolphins, 13 unidentified large 'rorquals', 3 unidentified Mesoplodon sp. Also 3 Little Shearwaters, 12 Sabine's Gulls, 1 Mediterranean Shearwater & 2 Grey Phalaropes. Also 1 Swordfish sp. & 1 Ocean Sunfish.
The 3 Mesoplodon whales were observed breaching 1.5km from the vessel. 2 of the animals were breaching completely clear of the water, raising their bodies approx. 6 metres above the surface. Identification of Mesoplodon whales is notoriously difficult and these animals were too distant to identify to species level.
11 - 14 August 2001 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao
Cetacean & Bird Totals - 71 Fin Whales, 4 Cuvier’s Beaked Whales, 37 Pilot Whales, 25 Common Dolphins, 352 Striped Dolphins, 140 Common/Striped Dolphins, 120 unidentified Dolphins, 7 unidentified large 'rorquals', 1 unidentified small whale sp. & 12 Little Shearwaters. Also 1 Swordfish (breached several times, est. 2-3 metres in length) & 8 Yellow-finned Tuna. An exceptional trip with regards to the amount of Fin Whales recorded!
7 - 10 August 2001 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao
Cetacean & Bird Totals - 2 Sei Whales, 13 Fin Whales, 1 Sperm Whale, 8 Cuvier’s Beaked Whales (in 3 pods), 19 Bottle-nosed Dolphins, 8 Common Dolphins, 10 Striped Dolphins, 10 Risso’s Dolphins, 1 Harbour Porpoise & 14 unidentified 'rorquals' - either blows or distant views. One such view included a lone individual showing some characteristics of Blue Whale (recorded only as possible). The blow was thick and tall, the body appeared to roll forward for a considerable period but no dorsal fin was seen. Bluish grey coloration was noted and on the final surfacing the flukes were raised before the animal disappeared. Seabirds included 2 Great Shearwaters and 1 Manx Shearwater.
With atypically poor weather predicted for the outward leg of our latest departure, the expectations of both guests and leaders was perhaps lower than usual as calm weather plays such an important part in whale-watching. However, equally important is the ability to remain patient and not get downhearted when there is little to see! To the credit of all of our guests, everybody stayed on watch throughout the lean times and were thus rewarded with some of the most spectacular sightings of the year!
As we rounded the Brittany coast of France and headed South, the weather was moderate. The clouds were interspersed with warming periods of sunshine and the sea state remained at around 4-5. A few dolphin sightings got the trip off to a good start despite the weather. Pods of 4 and then 15 Bottle-nosed Dolphins came into the bow and there were a few brief unidentified dolphins sneaking past between the waves. Finally, we had a brief but exciting encounter with a pod of 10 Striped Dolphins, which raced past the ship and breached high and repeatedly in the wake, creating huge splashes.
The following day dawned cloudy but the weather had calmed and we were optimistic of a more productive homeward journey. The foothills of northern Spain provided the usual splash of continental colour from Red-backed Shrikes, charms of Goldfinches, Bombardier Beetles and Viper’s Bugloss.
After a hearty lunch and a renewed excitement based on the much calmer weather, we departed north only to be greeted almost instantly by 2 Sei Whales and a probable Fin Whale feeding on its side with half of its tail flukes raised, like a sail from the water! We were about to witness a whale extravaganza, as rorqual blows appeared to be almost continuous throughout the afternoon.
A total of 13 Fin Whales were identified in total including 2 adults with a calf and a lone individual which swam under the bow, revealing it’s immense body through the clear water! If that were not enough we also encountered a Fin Whale breaching next to a Sperm Whale tail-slapping! Large whale-watching doesn’t come much more exciting than this! The Sperm Whale appeared to be a large male with a thick tail-stock and it smashed its tail against the water on at least 12 occasions!
Having told everybody that Cuvier’s Beaked Whales were rare and they would be lucky to see one, we encountered 3 separate pods! All gave wonderful views close to the ship and the first group of four (which included some very pale and scarred individuals) swam up to the bow and we observed their movements under the water before they disappeared - an exceptional encounter.
Another rarely encountered species gave us a brief view, as 10 Risso’s Dolphins appeared beside the ship. Finally, on the last day, we enjoyed 10 Common Dolphins with a cloud of Gannets watching their every move, and a lone Harbour Porpoise. The efforts of the first day seemed like a distant memory compared to so many wonderful sightings on the last two days. Well done to all of our dedicated guests for staying on watch and reaping the rewards of so many great encounters!
4 - 7 August 2001 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao
Another superb trip! The highlights were 4 Killer Whales which came right up to the bow and 2 Fin Whales, which cruised along the port side to give incredible views just a few feet underwater!
Cetacean & Bird Totals: 4 Killer Whales, 10 Fin Whales, 3 Pilot Whales, 380 Common Dolphins, 17 Striped Dolphins, 8 Bottle-nosed Dolphins, 1 possible Sperm Whale (angle blow seen twice off the northern shelf edge), 11 unidentified rorquals, 3 unidentified dolphins, 2 Ocean Sunfish, 9 Cory's Shearwaters, 1 Great Shearwater, 1 Common Tern, 8 Bonxies. A Little Shearwater was also reported. Our walk in Spain produced a superb female Goshawk, lots of Red-backed Shrikes and several Holly Blues and Clouded Yellows.
31 July - 3 August 2001 - Pride of Bilbao
The following unconfirmed reports have reached our office: 18 Fin Whales, 8 Pilot Whales, 60+ Common Dolphins, 160+ Striped Dolphins, 9 Harbour Porpoise, 2 unidentified rorqual whales, 5 Ocean Sunfish, 50 Cory's Shearwaters, 1 Great Shearwater, 1 Sooty Shearwater, 1 Balearic Shearwater & 12 Bonxies.
28 - 31 July 2001 - Pride of Bilbao
The following unconfirmed reports have reached our office: 20 Fin Whales, 2 Minke Whales, 2 Sperm Whales, 2 Northern Bottlenose Whales, 100+ Pilot Whales, 400+ Common Dolphins, 350+ Striped Dolphins, 3 Harbour Porpoise, 8 unidentified rorqual whales, 1 Basking Shark & 11 Ocean Sunfish.
10 - 13 July 2001 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao
Cetacean & Bird Totals: 2 Sei Whales, 4 Fin Whales, 1 Cuvier's Beaked Whales, 1 True's Beaked Whale, 95 Bottle-nosed Dolphins, 170 Common Dolphins, 245 Striped Dolphins, 64 Long-finned Pilot Whales, 5 Killer Whales, 3 Risso's Dolphins, 6 unidentified beaked whales, 4 unidentified rorqual whales, 24 unidentified dolphins, 1 Cory's Shearwater, 1 Bonxie.
I don’t think any of us would have thought that after six and a half hours of whale-watching without a single sighting, that we were about to see an incredible ten species (one eighth of the world’s cetacean biodiversity) over the next twenty-four hours! But then Biscay is such an exciting place that it still takes our most experienced guides by surprise. It was mid-evening by the time we saw our first cetaceans. Several pods of Common Dolphins swam across and in front of the bow, providing a welcome first sighting. As the water depth increased, we saw two family groups of Long-finned Pilot Whales, moving leisurely. One animal slapped its tail on the surface continually as the ship passed by.
The following morning, Bilbao was shrouded in cloud as we arrived for our walk in the foothills, so butterflies and reptiles were a bit thin on the ground. Still, as the day started to warm up we saw Peregrine and Common Buzzard, Wall Lizard and a family party of Red-backed Shrikes including three recently fledged youngsters, still dependent upon the adults for food.
After lunch we returned to our whale-watching platform in eager anticipation. The weather was much calmer than predicted and the sea soon smoothed to a glass-like state. Our first sighting was a Cuvier’s Beaked Whale, which quietly slipped past along the port side. Five minutes later we spotted the head of a beaked whale clearing the water to the right of the bridge. As the animal reappeared half of its body left the water and then, quickly, a full body breach. It appeared to be a Mesoplodon beaked whale of some description. In an incredible display, the like of which we have never seen before, this beaked whale breached 24 times along the side of the ship. Despite amazing views we were unable to identify the animal to species (something which is extremely difficult to do in the field). However, Dylan Walker was able to take several photographs and we know that many of our guests will be checking this web site for a definitive answer! Having looked at the photographs we are confident that it is a True’s Beaked Whale! So the lucky observers on this trip are among the few people in the world to have seen a True’s Beaked Whale at sea! Our sighting constitutes the first confirmed live sighting in European waters - although individuals, considered to be probably of this species, have been encountered on several occasions before by ORCA surveyors in the Bay of Biscay.
After such an exciting event, we would have been happy to hang up our boots and sip champagne in the bar, but the afternoon had only just begun. First we were treated to a display by the big boys. Three Fin Whales and two Sei Whales passed down the starboard side before the stars of the show appeared. Five Killer Whales cruised alongside the ship, altering their course to circumnavigate the vessel. The male looked enormous and was joined by three younger/female types and a small calf. Later we encountered Long-finned Pilot Whales in association with three Risso’s Dolphins and seven pods of Striped Dolphins put on some spectacular breaching. Finally, as the sun started to set, three pods totalling 90 Bottlenose Dolphins came into the bow, with one adult trying to emulate the beaked whale by breaching all of the way down the side of the ship. We also saw two probable Northern Bottlenose Whales but they were too far away to clinch identification. After an exhausting but amazing day we all sat down in the bar and celebrated with just a few drinks - a day that will live long in the memory!
7 - 10 July 2001 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao
Cetacean & Bird Totals: 1 Fin Whale. 3 Cuvier's Beaked Whales, 50 Bottle-nosed Dolphins, 15 Striped Dolphins, 18 Long-finned Pilot Whales, 2 unidentified rorqual whales, 6 unidentified dolphins, 1 Cory's Shearwater, 1 Manx Shearwater, 1 ad. Sabine's Gull, 9 Bonxies, 1 Arctic Skua.
Our second July trip began much as our first trip had, with a long wait for our first cetacean. Unfortunately, we were dogged with bad weather. The sea was too rough for us to pick up many of the small cetaceans but by the evening it had calmed considerably in time for us to see Bottle-nosed Dolphins coming into the bow, Common Dolphins and two pods of Long-finned Pilot Whales. One group of Pilot Whales was particularly unusual, consisting only of young animals. This caused some initial confusion with the guides, as their behaviour was also unusual with their heads raised clear of the water on surfacing. All of the animals had tall dolphin-like dorsal fins but their bulbous heads and pale markings on the back eventually gave them away. On reflection, this was probably a kind of crèche, with the younger animals being left to fend for themselves whilst their parents hunted prey or lay deeper in the water. The little guys probably panicked a little when they heard (or saw) the ship and their heads raised clear as they moved swiftly, trying to get out of the way. Perhaps the highlight of the trip came just before dark, when a Marlin breached twice close to the ship - a first for The Company of Whales!
The following morning saw a Spanish coastline bathed in sunshine, enabling us to observe an impressive 18 species of butterfly during our three-hour walk including Short-tailed Blue, Large Chequered Skipper, Cleopatra and Clouded Yellow. A Black Kite put on a good display whilst Hummingbird Hawkmoths and Wall Lizards made the most of a south-facing cliff.
As we left Bilbao and headed North we hoped that the weather would stay calm but it was not to be. The wind soon started to pick up and we found ourselves heading into a strong north-westerly swell. Despite this, our guests put on a brave face and stuck it out despite the risk of losing hats to the Bay! Fortunately we were rewarded for our hard work with two Cuvier’s Beaked Whales which appeared right in front of the bow, a Fin Whale and the odd dolphin, usually too brief to identify. The poor weather did increase the seabird tally though, with 1 Cory’s Shearwater, 1 Sabine’s Gull, 9 Bonxies and 1 Manx Shearwater. A probable Wilson’s Petrel was just too quick for us though! All in all it was a good trip considering the weather did us no favours and thanks to all of our guests who put in the time, with some exciting rewards!
1 - 9 July 2001 - Iceland
A nine-day trip to Iceland by Hugh Harrop produced an array of cetaceans! Off the south west we were rewarded with excellent numbers of both Minke Whales and White-beaked Dolphins but our trips off Snaefellsness stole the show! At least 6 magnificent Blue Whales, over 60 encounters with Humpback Whales (including 35 in a single day!), 5 Killer Whales, 40+ Minke Whales, 30+ White-beaked Dolphins and 4 Harbour Porpoise - amazing! Birds included Gyrfalcons and White-tailed Eagles at the nest, a summer plumaged Sabine's Gull, Harlequins, Barrow's Goldeneyes and thousands of Red-necked Phalaropes.
23 - 26 June 2001 - Company of Whales aboard Pride of Bilbao
Cetacean Totals: 452 Common Dolphins, 273 Striped Dolphins, 13 Long-finned Pilot Whales, 2 Harbour Porpoise, and 117 Common/Striped Dolphins.
We knew it was a good omen when Phil spotted a cetacean before we had even arrived at our whale-watching platform! Two Harbour Porpoise were trying to sneak past the ship unnoticed. Unfortunately, they were the first and last of this mini-marine mammal to be seen on the trip. As we headed southwards past the Brittany coast sightings were few and far between. The occasional Gannet and a surprising number of Lesser Black Backed Gulls (350 behind one fishing vessel must be a record!) kept us amused as we searched for dolphins. But as the afternoon ended and the evening began, and we headed over the edge of the continental shelf, our patience was well rewarded. A large pod of 350 Common Dolphins spread over several kilometres came leaping into the bow. Many performed high, excited leaps as they raced in from the port and starboard sides to ride the pressure wave created by the ship’s forward movement. In a thrilling ten-minute period, we looked down through the crystal clear water as the dolphins moved in perfect synchrony, often leaping in groups of four or five abreast as they raced in and under the ship. This was the start of a number of encounters with Common and Striped Dolphins, many of which raced into the bow. By contrast to these energetic creatures, a pod of five Long-finned Pilot Whales lumbered slowly past to complete a memorable evening.
Although it is only mid-summer, the first signs of the autumn bird migration were also apparent, with several swifts heading south across the Bay and a Reed Warbler which made Dylan's rucksack its house of rest for a few minutes.
The following day we arrived in Bilbao and took a walk into the foothills. It was cooler and cloudier than on our previous trip so butterflies and birds of prey were less in evidence. However, they both still managed to put in an appearance, most notably in the form of the beautiful Marbled White butterfly and an immature Peregrine which circled high in an attempt to gain height whilst labouring with a poor deceased bird in it’s talons. Other highlights included a friendly Melodious Warbler, Hummingbird Hawk Moths, Wall Lizard and a transvestite Stick Insect!
The return journey produced another dolphin extravaganza. As we travelled over the deep waters of the abyssal plain we bumped into several pods of Striped Dolphins, some of which numbered 50 or more individuals. Perhaps the most exciting encounter of the afternoon involved just such a pod, which were travelling with Yellow Fin Tuna - they were as large as the dolphins (around 2.5m). Unfortunately both of the guides completely missed them, but they were seen clearly by some of our sharp-eyed guests and members of the Biscay Dolphin Research Programme who were conducting research work from the bridge.
As we reached the shelf edge in the northern Bay we started to observe more Common Dolphins and a pod of eight Long-finned Pilot Whales travelling alongside three excited Striped Dolphins, providing a fitting end to an excellent day’s dolphin watching.
19 - 22 June 2001 - Company of Whales Summer Solstice trip aboard Pride of Bilbao
Cetacean Totals: 630 Common Dolphins, 550 Striped Dolphins, 46 Long-finned Pilot Whales, 272 Common/Striped Dolphins, 3 small rorqual sp.
It was a long wait for the first dolphins of the season as we began our first mini-cruise of 2001. But everybody agreed that it was well worth the wait. As we started our watch in the late morning, heading south parallel to the Brittany Peninsula, the weather was set fair and we were full of anticipation. Easterly winds tend to result in low seabird numbers and we were visited mostly by immature Gannets, soaring on the updrafts of the ship as we headed south.
Despite an initial lack of sightings, everybody waited patiently and continued to watch as we passed over the edge of the continental shelf and into deep water. At 1720 we saw our first dolphins, too distant to identify. But they were followed by a steady stream of these exciting acrobats racing towards the bow and alongside the ship. We observed both Common and Striped Dolphins in good numbers, including calves and some spectacular breaching adults! The evening was complete when two pods of Long-finned Pilot Whales were sighted, passing the boat slowly.
The following morning we arrived in port to find northern Spain at its glorious best. The weather was already touching 30 degrees by the time we disembarked at 8.00! Our walk in the foothills was as productive and unpredictable as ever with three bird species, which had not been recorded by The Company of Whales before. All three were birds of prey. First, we had wonderful views of a Little Owl, sat on a telegraph post for ten minutes and completely unconcerned by us as the Blackbirds mobbed it. Then, as the thermals rose, we watched a Honey Buzzard and a Red Kite circling low over the hill. Spectacular viewing! The supporting cast included Cleopatras, Marbled Whites, European Wall Lizards and Melodious Warblers.
Following a hearty lunch, we returned to our viewing platform for another afternoon’s dolphin watching in flat calm seas. This, the longest day, was to prove to be one of the best dolphin days we have ever seen. Surprisingly, other than three brief whale sightings, which remained unidentified, we saw little over the shelf edge of the Southern Bay. But as we entered the 4,000m deep waters of the abyssal plain we were treated to an incredible dolphin display. Wave after wave of Striped Dolphin pods exploded out of the water and towards the ship. They were joined from time to time by Common Dolphins, which were equally as playful.
As the afternoon turned to evening, and we thought the sightings had finally died down, we were treated to the most spectacular sight of all. We were in 600m depth of water close to the shelf when an enormous pod of 500 Common Dolphins raced into the bow over an incredible 15 minutes. At times it seemed like the sea was bubbling over with life as they raced towards us at speed. It was a fitting and memorable way to finish the longest day of the year- and one which none of us will ever forget.
A morning watch in the English Channel the following day produced two pods of Pilot Whales, which included a very young calf. And so we returned to Portsmouth, with a good tan and record numbers of dolphins on this Summer Solstice Dolphin Special. It certainly turned out to be special!
16 June 2001: a Minke Whale, 2 Harbour Porpoise and a Basking Shark were off Porthgwarra, Cornwall
9 June 2001: 7 Killer Whales were off Oddsta pier, Fetlar, Shetland
7 June 2001: 4+ Killer Whales were off Lerwick and Bressay, Shetland
6 June 2001: 3 Killer Whales and 2+ Fin Whales were off Roches Point, Co. Cork
3 June 2001: 1 Minke Whale was off Minack Theatre, Porthcurno, Cornwall
24 May 2001: 1 Killer Whale was off Lizard Point, Tyne & Wear
24 May 2001: 20 White-beaked Dolphins were off Sumburgh Head, Shetland
19 May 2001: 3 Killer Whales were off Copeland Island, Northern Ireland
15 May 2001: 10 Basking Sharks were off the mouth of the Salcombe / Kingsbridge estuary
11 May 2001: 24 Basking Sharks were off Start Point, Devon
6 May 2001: 6 Risso's Dolphins (5 adults, 1 juvenile) were in Vassa Voe, South Nesting, Shetland
3 May 2001: a pod of 4 Killer Whales were off Haroldswick, Unst, Shetland
30 April 2001: 6 Harbour Porpoise were feeding together in Linga Sound, Whalsay, Shetland and c.10 were between Kirkabister and Skellister, Shetland.
23 April 2001: a pod of 6 Killer Whales were off Burravoe, Yell, Shetland.
7 April 2001: a Minke Whale was reported off Turnberry point, Ayrshire.
5 April 2001: 5+ Harbour Porpoise were on view from the Company of Whales Shetland office all morning!
25 - 27 March 2001: a dedicated survey across the Bay of Biscay by ORCA recorded 7 Cuvier's Beaked Whales, 2 Sei Whales, 25 Pilot Whales, 447 Common Dolphins, 39 Bottle-nosed Dolphins, 28 Striped Dolphins and 2 Harbour Porpoise.
25 March 2001: 8 Bottle-nosed Dolphins were recorded east of Portland Bill, Dorset.
27 February 2001: 3 - 4 Humpback Whales were present in Echna Bay, Scapa Flow, Orkney
25 - 27 February 2001: a dedicated survey across the Bay of Biscay on board the Pride of Bilbao by ORCA committee members recorded 150 Common Dolphins, 30 Striped Dolphins, 375 Bottlenose Dolphins, 33 unidentified dolphins, 69 Pilot Whales, 6 Cuvier's Beaked Whales and 2 unidentified 'rorqual' whales. Birds included 1 Mediterranean Shearwater, 33 Great Skuas, 1 Little Gull, 2 Puffins, 6 Black throated Divers, 4 Common Scoter, 20 Guillemots and a migrant White Wagtail trying to land on the ship in the Northern Bay!
21 January 2001: At least 6 or 7 Harbour Porpoises feeding off The Rumps, North Cornwall yesterday afternoon. Very spread out so there could have been more. Gannets and gulls also feeding in the area. Movement was mostly south-westerly.
20 January 2001: At 16:00, c8 Bottlenose Dolphins were present in Studland Bay, Dorset. They were due north of Handfast Point at approx SZ 055830. Whilst this group is almost certainly that seen frequently off Durlston Head only 7 or 8km SSW, it is an unusual record at this location
6 January 2001: A Minke Whale was in the area of the Minack Theatre (just south of Porth Curno cove in Cornwall) Saturday afternoon. About 20ft long and quite close inshore.