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29-Jun-2009
We are recruiting more volunteers to join our band of observers on our boat based Whale and Dolphin surveys.
Full training will be given - you have to be at least 18 years old, and less than 120 as well as being able to climb the steps to the flybridge.
We survey only when the sea is flat calm, since we have to know that if we did not see an animal it is because it was not there, not that the sea was too rough to see it. So it's ideal for fair weather sailors.
We do half day, 4 hour surveys as well as whole days that can last typically up to 10 or 11 hours.
We survey all Manx waters out to 12 miles off-shore in our own survey boat 'Grampus'.
'Grampus' is a safe boat with broad walk-round decks and carries all the safety equipment needed to operate out to 60 miles offshore. She is MCA Coded Cat 2 Commercial Charter and Work boat and full safety training is also given. We all wear lifejackets at all times and there is no alcohol nor smoking on board.
If you fancy joining the team, please email Tom Felce felcet@hotmail.com
We operate out of Peel marina and here is a photo of our survey boat 'Grampus' in her home port.
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28-Jun-2009
Just had first reports of an amazing set of observations from Janice and Richard Cooil.
Saturday, 27th was a hot still day, ideal for seeing cetaceans. Recently there had been a sighting report of Killer whales or Orcas from the Peel area and unconfirmed sightings along the west coast.
Now, here was a spectacular report of Risso's dolphins and Orcas in very close proximity.
At 10:20 Janice and Richard, along with several others, had watched a pod of 12+ Risso's breaching clear of the water between 200 and 800 metres from Cow Harbour - the harbour on the Calf nearest to the mainland. That itself must have been a spectacular sight, these are large dolphins that often perform some amazing aerial gymnastics.
A little later, at 11:55, they saw the Killer whales, 1000m off the Chicken Rock, that lone lighthouse south of the Calf.Â
They saw 3 or 4 Orcas which were active at the surface, the Orcas banging their heads and slapping their tails on the water as the pushed through the overfalls and rips running across the water. These are massive animals and the ocean's number one top predator - pretty rare but always exciting in the wild.Â
Just a few minutes later, and very close by, a group of 5 Risso's dolphins near the Chicken Rock and inside the rougher water that surrounds this lonely spot. These animals too were breaching clear of the water. Â
Would that close proximity be a coincidence - maybe, but Killer whales feed on whatever they choose and no cetacean, fish nor seal is safe from their attention. We often have sightings of Killer whales near the Calf, a favourite spot for cetaceans and seals alike. I have recently heard comments about an the absence of seals around the Calf just lately.Â
We often get the odd sighting of Killer whales and it has normally seemed like a brief visit but maybe this time they have been here for a while longer than usual. It's wonderful to see them but equally our Risso's dolphins are few in number and coastal populations extremely rare and really could do without a reduction in their ranks.
Â
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23-Jun-2009
Just finished speaking to Robert Quilliam who, with a group of friends was lucky enough to see a group of Killer whales pass Peel breakwater on Monday lunch time.
We have had good numbers of Orca sightings over the years and a group this size is at the top end of local observations.
As the ocean's top predator, these amazing and massive animals are always going to be few in number and their visits here are thought to be foraging and feeding opportunities, what with our large numbers of seals, cetaceans, sharks and other fish.
The sighting report came too late to 'mobilize' the media and observers around the coast but knowing that such incredible cetaceans have been seen is still exciting news.
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23-Jun-2009
A number of people have kindly phoned to tell me about a large group of Risso's playing and feeding around Langness.
The first report posted from Steve Burrows came with a really good photo that Steve has given permission to use - many thanks.
Photo copyright Steve Burrows.
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22-Jun-2009
Returning to Fenella beach after a long evening's kayaking off shore, Ian Judd and his wife climbed Peel hill and sat to watch a typically beautiful sunset.
Right there - just in front of them - a huge whale erupts from the sea - a full breach, clear into the air - a Humpback whale. Ian has seen them before, but this was his first sighting around these waters.
The long front flippers, the huge size, the weirdly shaped dorsal - all clearly visible in the evening light.
We don't get a lot of Humpbacks but every year there are a number of sightings often very close to shore.
A fabulous sighting and a wonderful end to a great day in Sunset City, Isle of Man - thanks Ian for the prompt report.
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11-Jun-2009
Thursday evening at Port St Mary provided a spectacular sighting for Janice and Richard Cooil. For about an hour, they watched a number of Risso's dolphins close to shore, just near the old paddling pool, by the Ledges at Port St Mary.
The dolphins were relaxed at the surface, logging - just laying their as well as spy hopping and tail slapping.
Spy hopping is when the animals 'stand' upright in the water with their heads held clear in the air. These dolphins are able to focus their eyes both in water and in the air - an amazing degree of muscular control - the refractive index or 'optical power' of water being one and half times greater than that of air.
As for the tail slapping - who knows why? Just laying on their back, flippers in the air, swimming backwards, upside down and slapping the water hard with their tail. What it means is a mystery - probably differnet things at different times - these are big brained animals and they do some amazing and intriguing things.
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11-Jun-2009
Wednesday turned out to be a much better day than promised. The sea turned flat calm, the sun shone and the Minkes came to feed off the west coast - perfect conditions.
First off, Graham Hall spotted 2 near Bradda Head and then, a little later, several of us watched 4 feeding just off Dalby Point.
Later on, Mal Kelly was out fishing mackerel a couple of miles off Contrary Head. Apparently the fish finder was full of target shoals as they reeled in the mackerel, while all about and within half a mile, 4 or 5 Minkes surfaced back and forward. The Minkes stayed around feeding for over an hour - what a delight for all on board Foillan Beg.
There was still one lone whale feeding off Dalby Point later that evening, watched by Brian Maddrell.
So it seems likely that mackerel were their fish of the day and maybe that lone whale was feeding on the rising herring.
Through the summer we usually get good numbers of feeding Minkes throughout the day and evening on the west coast of Mann. During the summer it is not uncommon to see them feeding right at the surface - sometimes for hours.
It is said that the herring 'rise' around 19:00 hours and this often marks an excellent time to watch these wonderful cetaceans really close to the shore - somewhere like Niarbyl or the cliffs at Glen Maye or Dalby Prom.
Here's an image of one from the end of last season - notice the arching roll and dorsal fin well aft, 2/3rds back along the body. Typical dive pattern is often 2 or 3 breaths about 12 to 20 seconds apart, followed by an arching, rolling dive which often lasts for 5 to 8 minutes.
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07-May-2009
Our survey boat Grampus left Douglas harbour last Sunday evening in a short 'weather window' and headed off to our new home port - Peel Marina.
From now on, we shall be based at Peel on the west coast of the Island and all surveys will start and finish at Peel.
We continue to have wonderful support and help from everyone in the Harbours Division and they have provided us with a really splendid berth at Peel to assist our operation. Our berth is A14 at the seaward end of the marina.
We would like to thank all the staff at Douglas harbour and marina for their kindness and help throughout the last two seasons in making us welcome and providing every possible assistance.
Here is a photo by Mike Craine, capturing the moment we left Douglas for Peel last Sunday evening - and yes, there are two Harbour porpoises in the photo - I am embarressed to say that we did not see them! Thanks very much Mike.
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27-Mar-2009
Paul Chatel reports an interesting sighting amidst the rolling waves just off Peel breakwater.
At first taken as a basking shark, it was soon realized that it's a bit early for sharks and here were animals that were clearly feeding on a bait ball with hundreds of gulls bombing the water as the animals spun, turned, dived around and around for over half an hour.
Large, all black and with a 2 foot high dorsal fin which was a bit rounded and a 'bit floppy looking'. Twisting and turning as they fed on the bait ball, up and down swiftly in the water.
Apparently there are huge numbers of makerel feeding all through the winter just here, it was the same last year too. Â
Things are very different over the last couple of seasons, with makerel and herring taken on the hook at Peel and Douglas Head throughout the winter and early spring. Again this year, large quantities of sandeels are already out and feeding, not normally a winter sight here.
Whatever the cause, any large bait fish concentrations close to shore are a feeding opportunity for a whale or dolphin and a chance for a great sighting - so keep your eyes peeled in Peel!
As for the type of cetacean - that is not at all clear - could possibly even be a pilot whale - I am told that they used to be commonly reported here but near-shore sightings are quite rare and they usually go around as a large pod. However they have been recorded in small groups and they are known to feed on shoalling fish. They are large and all black and have a large, rounded 'floppy-looking' dorsal fin and are one of the Irish Sea species we should expect to see - but it will have to remain "Unidentified".
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16-Mar-2009
Sunday afternoon provided some excellent sightings near and at Douglas Head.
Jim Shutler was showing someone some seals when he realized that surfacing just yards from him was a Minke whale, just 15 metres off Douglas Head.
We often get sightings of Minkes very close to shore and as Jim said, he's seen them before in March just around the same area.
Anglers have been hooking herring on feathers along this stretch of coast in the last few days - looks like the Herring Hog - the Minke whale - has found them too.
Then we had Mike Craine's wonderful Risso's dolphin sightings.
It's the start of the Risso's season for us, so keep a close eye out for these amazing and rare dolphins just off Marine Drive. Mike was able to show a number of delighted visitors these animals as they swam so close to the rocks.
Here are a couple of images that Mike took and kindly sent to us. With images this good, we should be able to get a dolphin ID and see if either of these two dolphins are in the catalogue and if not add them.
Our thanks to Mike for the images - if you have the chance to get any photos of these dolphins through the coming weeks, we would really appreciate a copy.
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12-Mar-2009
A date for your diaries - Wednesday, 18th March at 8:00pm. -Â St. Ninian's High School, Sixth Form Lecture Theatre, Douglas.Â
Tom Felce and Eleanor Stone will be giving a brand new talk entitled "Marvellous Manx Cetaceans". It reveals the fascinating story of our growing understanding based on the results of the sightings and surveys of the Manx Whale and Dolphin Watch collected over the last few seasons.
It should prove to be a fascinating evening as we begin to understand the complexity and richness of Manx waters in the lives of these amazing whales and dolphins.
So, please come and support this public meeting, which is free and open to all. It forms part of the evening marine lecture series organized by the Wildlife and Conservation Division of DAFF, who, in conjunction with the Department of Tourism and Leisure, generously fund so much of our work.
Â
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08-Mar-2009
While Graham Bayliss was watching a Risso's dolphin just off Little Ness, Robert Ash was watching a Killer whale some 2-300m off shore as he walked towards the Pigeon Stream carpark. When they met, Graham was able to determine that they were indeed looking at different sightings and very different animals.Â
This large cetacean was seen and heard as it swam along the coast. From the description of its size and the size of the dorsal fin, it was clearly a mature male with its dorsal described as at least 4 feet (1.2m) long.
Douglas Head and Douglas Bay have produced relatively large numbers of Orca (Killer whale) sightings over the years - possibly due to the larger number of observers along that bit of coast but also maybe it is a preferred area for feeding.
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06-Mar-2009
Good to have a sighting of a Risso's dolphins off the east coast - the first of the new season.
Graham Bayliss spent a couple of hours watching it as the dolphin swam down to Little Ness and then back to the Toll Gates along Marine Drive.
Many thanks to Graham for the photo too.
Keep a good watch from now on, anywhere from Onchan Head to Port Soderick and down to Langness and you might see some of these rare and amazing animals. Here is a photo that Graham Bayliss managed to take.
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29-Jan-2009
DAFF have organized a series of public meetings, open to everyone who is interested and concerned about the future of our marine environment.
These are important times in the development of the plans for the future of Manx waters, so if you can attend any of these meetings and have your say, it will all add weight to support the need for greater protection and conservation of the sea and seabed around the Island in order that anything substantial will remain for the next generations to enjoy.
Here is the announcement from DAFF.
Marine Nature Reserve Community Meetings
DAFF has recently begun the Marine Nature Reserve Project which is a three year project to identify and establish the first Marine Protected Area for conservation in Manx waters. A vital part of this project is the active involvement of the community so we very much hope that you will be able to participate. We have so far had two initial meetings about the project, the first in October 2008 with fishermen and the second with a wider range of stakeholders in November 2008. We want to make sure that everyone has a chance to hear about the project and to get involved so we have organised 8 community meetings around the Island:
Thursday 29 January, 8pm at the Erin Arts Centre, Port Erin
Thursday 5 February, 8pm at the Peel Centenary Centre, Peel
Tuesday 17 February, 8pm at the Castletown Civic Centre, Castletown
Thursday 19 February, 8pm at St Ninian’s High School Lecture Theatre, Douglas
Friday 20 February, 8pm at Ramsey Town Hall, Ramsey
Tuesday 24 February, 8pm at Onchan Community Hall, Onchan
Wednesday 25 February, 8pm at Mount Tabor Methodist Hall, Port St Mary
Thursday 26 February, 8pm at Laxey Football Club, Laxey
We very much hope that you will be able to attend one of these meetings.
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28-Jan-2009
A number of Bottlenose dolphins were seen around the Island on Wednesday.
First sightings were reported by Rob Annett on the IoM Government's Fisheries Protection Vessel FV Barrule as they steamed north around Ramsey Bay.
Around lunchtime, Fred Hodgson saw them at Maughold Head and later in the afternoon several people along the east coasted watched as 4 small groups crossed Douglas Bay.
The afternoon ended with a splendid display breaching and leaping just offshore by the Toll Gates on Marine Drive and the sight of a number of dolphins bow-riding the home-bound FV Barrule as she approached Douglas harbour.
Here is a photo of a pair leaping close to Douglas Head.
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20-Jan-2009
Here is a list of other topics and talks recently issued by DAFF and its Wildlife and Conservation Division, relating to Marine issues.
Marine Seminar Series - Lundy Marine Nature Reserve Case Study
To help us with the Marine Nature Reserve Project we are keen to learn from the experiences of similar projects elsewhere. One of the best known Marine Nature Reserves in the UK is on Lundy Island so we have invited Chris Davis from Natural England to give a presentation on the Lundy Marine Nature Reserve and also on developments in marine conservation in England.
Lundy Marine Nature Reserve - Monday 23 February, 8pm at Erin Arts Centre, Port Erin. All welcome and refreshments will be served.
Marine Seminar Series - Manx Whale and Dolphin Watch Update
Find out more about what Manx Whale and Dolphin Watch have been doing and the latest news on whales, dolphins and porpoises in Manx waters.
Manx Whale and Dolphin Watch – Wednesday 18 March, 8pm at St Ninian’s High School Sixth Form Lecture Theatre, Douglas.
Manx Conservation Forum
Minister for Wildlife and Conservation, Hon Phil Gawne MHK, recently announced the formation of the Manx Conservation Forum and the first meeting will be held on Monday 2 February. The event is open to everyone and DAFF would welcome your views on the priorities for nature conservation on the Island. Entry is free and refreshments will be served.
Manx Conservation Forum - Monday 2nd February, 8.00pm at St Peter’s Church Hall, Royal Avenue, Onchan.
Dates for your diary
Marine Day 2009 is scheduled for 4 July and will be a great event!
DAFF will be hosting an International Basking Shark Workshop 2-5 August.
For more information about any of the events above please get in touch with me or new Assistant Marine Officer Laura Hanley.
Lhiats,
Fiona
Dr Fiona Gell
Wildlife and Conservation Officer – Marine
Wildlife and Conservation Division
Knockaloe Farm
Patrick
Isle of Man
IM5 3AJ
British Isles
Tel: 01624 843109 or 01624 695738
Email: fiona.gell@gov.im
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25-Dec-2008
A spectacular display of well over 100 Bottlenose dolphins on Christmas morning greeted visitors to the Sound, the southern-most tip of the Island.
Harvey, Dorrie and Alun Garton along with others were treated to nearly an hour of breachings, spy-hopping and general milling around and swimming of a huge pod of Bottlenose dolphins - almost certainly the same dolphins that are regular winter visitors to the Island and spend the summer in Cardigan Bay.
Much of the winter they can bee seen to the east of Angelsey in Red Wharf Bay, around the Isle of Man and sometimes off the Antrim coast.Â
The group consists of all age groups, mothers and calves, juveniles as well as massive, fully grown males.
Many thanks to all the Garton family for reporting this wonderful sighting which must rate as one of the best Christmas presents ever.
These magnificent dolphins will be seen in numbers around the Isle of Man for at least another another couple of months, judging by previous years. Â
If you get the chance to phone-in to 844353 while watching them, that would be really helpful and we can get cameras along as well as notifying the radio - unfortunately that is often not possible as mobile telephones don't work at a number of key sites like the Sound or Marine Drive, making contact impossible.Â
Have a great New Year and the best of luck with seeing these and other incredible Manx marine treasures.
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03-Dec-2008
After a record number of Bottlenose dolphins in Douglas Bay, we continue to get more sightings of these amazing animals.
On Sunday morning, Jack Merritt from Peel watched two pods swimming past, heading north at a fair speed.
This morning, we had a call from Graham Hall at 10:00 - he and Jacky watching Bottlenose dolphins in Perwick Bay - leaping and breaching, a boiling turmoil of water and dolphins - magical.
Later Bob Taylor on Gemini encountered them and, with luck, got some close up fin photos - something we desperately need to indentify the precise individuals.
We think that these dolphins are the same ones that spend the summer in Cardigan Bay - and we have the Fin photo ID catalogue of the majority of those animals - we just need a few good fin shots from the Isle of Man waters of our visiting Bottlenose to see if they match and are indeed the same group.
During the winter these dolphins seem to spend the majority of their time around the east side of Anglesey and it's from there, we believe, they visit us.
Thoughout the day the dolphins moved around the south coast of Mann giving several people some great sightings.
Around midday Robert Cregeen saw them just off the Skerranes - the rocky outcrop on the Castletown Bay end of Langness and he watched as the moved towards Scarlett Point where Timothy Moolman and Ben Hill were watching and shot some HD video and some still images.
Here are a couple of photos that Timothy has sent to the website - a Bottlenose doing what Bottlenose do best - breaching. Many thanks for the photos and the permission to use them.
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25-Nov-2008
Some days it's just so good. A flat calm sea and lots of white water - all made by dolphins. For us, Bottlenose dolphins are mostly regular winter visitors - possibly the same dolphins that spend the summer in Cardigan Bay.
After weeks of wind and mountainous seas, some shelter in Douglas Bay allowed lots of people to see an enormous group of Bottlenose dolphins. Possibly the best sighting by more people than ever before.
Many thanks to Mike Craine for alerting Manx Radio, thereby giving everyone lots of opportunity to see this amazing spectacle. Apparently Douglas promenade was full of people watching these wonder animals.
First spotted off Onchan Head by Anne Semple at 11:30, the pod eventually stretched all across the whole of Douglas Bay and slowly headed south along the coast.
They were last seen about 1 o'clock, 1.5 miles off Marine Drive.
How many were there? Very hard to estimate, so many were breaching clear of the water simultaneously. Some were in tight pods, some in smaller groups, altogether, possibly a mile across the sea and half a mile wide.
Tom and Eleanor have studdied Bottlenose elsewhere around the world over the last few years and it was the largest gathering they had ever witnessed.
Counting was so difficult - at least 100, no doubt whatsoever, (sometimes 30 or more in a single group were airborne at once) - maybe as many as 200 - simply astounding - so many dolphins erupting all the time.
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24-Nov-2008
Phil Kneen's video from one of our survey trips earlier in the summer is now available on You Tube - click on - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iS4kWmV4VAo&feature=related or Video AOL at http://video.aol.com/video-detail/risso-dolphins-of-the-isle-of-man/1529161172
It shows a trip out on Grampus and encounters with some of the wonderful Risso's dolphins we see around here from February/March to October.
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18-Nov-2008
I had a telephone message left on my answerphone about a large school of dolphins in Ramsey Bay, in front of the Grand Island Hotel.
If you were the gentleman who kindly reported it, would you please get in touch again - you did not leave your name nor contact details and I would really like to discuss this sighting with you.
Many thanks.
galps
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09-Nov-2008
The wind keeps on blowing - week after week, strong gale-force and storm-force winds driving mountainous seas. It's just awful whale watching weather.
With a constant series of complex 'Lows' whose centres are generally passing to the south of the Island, we are also experiencing quite unusal East and North East winds, known traditionally by local fishermen as 'poverty winds'.
The lack of Autumn sightings is in stark contrast to recent years when we have been able to sit and watch Minkes for hours, close to shore around Laxey Head, as they feed on shoalling and spawning fish.
Not this year though, sightings have dropped to zero of late - just in case you thought that there was a problem on the web site.
Let us hope that things will change some time soon - we need a prolonged spell of quiet South Westerly winds to bring some warmth and normality to this difficult year.
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14-Sep-2008
Friday held some promise as a survey day, but ultimately the wind never quite died away and left us with a sea all sharp and crunchy, with too much 'structure' to distinguish which were waves and which were cetaceans.
However the outward journey brought us to a Minke feeding a mile off Port Soderick and through the rest of the day were came across a few more Minkes, mainly just north of Douglas and into Laxey Bay.
We spotted one near Clay Head and then Shane Stigant pointed us at another feeding in the middle of Laxey Bay.
We managed a number of good photos, a few showing distinct notches in the dorsal fin!
There are now 2 'Well Identified' Minkes in the new MWDW Minke Photo ID Catalogue - it's an important start.
Through identifying individuals we hope to develop a understanding of the size of the local Minke population, how long any animal stays around the Island, whether the same animals return year on year, where particular prefer to spend their time and what they are feeding upon.
So if you are out and about near Little Ness, Douglas Head, Clay Head, Laxey Bay, Bulgham Bay, Dhoon Bay and Port Cornaa - please keep a look out for these fabulous animals and let us know please.
Here is a great photo by Tom Felce of one that surfaced close by the boat - just like the MWDW logo!
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09-Sep-2008
After weeks of disappointment, as Survey trip after Survey trip got cancelled by the unseasonal weather, it was in hope more than expectation that we organized a Survey trip for the 8th.
An early start and we left Douglas on the 06:15 bridge lift, just as the day was dawning.
Heading south, we had planned to survey Box 5, the furthest area away, giving us a 35 mile journey to the start point.
As we passed we were hailed by Graham Hall to see some Risso's dolphins in Carrick Bay that he had spotted, but after 15 minutes of watching and failing to see them we continued motoring south.
That earlier disappointment was soon dispelled as we saw big groups of acrobatic Harbour Porpoises - just like they are supposed not to do - clearing the water and in largish groups. (I owe Mal Kelly a big apology here, he has seen this before and I said that they must be dolphin - "Sorry Mal - you were right and I was wrong") .
The day just got better as Transect after Transect gave more sightings and then suddenly - dolphins. Lots of Common dolphins. They came and mobbed us, riding the bow wave like it was a big dipper. We were about 100 metres away and small groups kept peeling off to come and play - just magical.
The weather began to worsen and we were driven northwards on our surveys. We then got a call to say that Shane Stigant was watching a minke in Laxey Bay.
As we were heading home to Douglas, a short detour to Laxey was easy and so a pretty perfect day ended with the sight of a large minke whale as it and we headed to Douglas.
So a great day's surveying - we had a total of 26 sightings, accounting for ~145 animals - 112 Harbour Porpoises, 32 Common Dolphins and a Minke whale - and most sightings were "On Transect" - giving us meaningful scientific data.
A lot of the day was filmed by Phil Kneen for the DoTL and should soon be seen on their website.
Here is a photo that Eleanor Stone took of the Common dolphins from our survey boat Grampus.
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17-Jun-2008
News just in of a Humpback whale close in-shore at the south end of Port Soderick bay.
While fishing close to shore, Mr Losh was astounded by the sight of a large tail fluke rising high in the air only 6 metres from his boat. With its fluke described as around 12 feet wide, the animal seemed to respond to the engines being started and flicked its tail in the air as it dived.
Apparently there were big shoals of mackerel in the area and even numbers of herring were being taken at midday.Â
So it would seem that the east coast has fish to attract a hugry whale, while here on the west, the cold north-westerlies and easterly winds are keeping sightings to a minimum.
Â
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27-May-2008
The Isle of Man has some amazing wildlife wonders from Minke whales and Risso's dolphins; Basking sharks, seals, choughs, HenHarriers - and so much more - all manner of fantastic natural history.
Now you can book a guided tour and see these incredible animals with a new tour company - "Isle of Man Wldlife Tours" .
Visit < www.iomtours.co.uk > for more details or contact Steve at < wildlife@manx.net > or call on 01 624 678 788.
Steve is a well known local expert who has spent years filming and watching the wildlife of Mann - he knows just about everywhere to see the wonderful sights of Mann and with his guiding knowledge you'll stand the best chance of getting close to some of our natural wonders.
It was Steve who first noticed the regularity of Risso's dolphin sightings around Langness in May and June and it's that kind of knowledge that will help you see the plants and animals this beautiful island has to offer.
Steve is a regular member of our Manx Cetacean Survey team and has captured some great cetacean footage through the years.
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25-May-2008
Nina and Dermot Shimmin sent me this excellent shot of a Minke whale which they watched surfacing just south of Niarbyl, on the west coast of Mann.
That's Corrin's Tower and Contrary Head in the background.
Expect to see Minkes from now to December - you get great views from the coastal footpath and can watch them feed for hours.
Thanks to Nina and Dermot for their permission to use their photo.
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27-Apr-2008
Brian Maddrell called at around 9:30 this morning to say that there was a Minke some 1500m or so, off-shore from Dalby Point.
A little later, about 10:40 we spot a Minke very close in, some 250m off the rocks, which appeared to be feeding.
Just after 1pm, another Minke sighting close to Dalby Point, this time within 150 metres of the shore.
It's great to have the Minkes back, and with luck there will be lots more sightings in the weeks and months to come.
We expect to see the Minkes here on the west coast of Mann from now until September, feeding on the various shoalling fish that are themselves, feeding and gathering in these westerly Manx waters.
In September the Minkes will move around the Island following the spawning herring to the east coast, but until then, we can look forward to a summer of Minkes, the occasional Fin whale and even the odd Sei whale off the west coast - so keep a sharp look out and you might see one of these Manx wonders just yards offshore.
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18-Apr-2008
The Risso's dolphins are being seen very regularly off Onchan Head, Douglas Head, Little Ness and even 1 sighting so far off Scarlett Point.
It's difficult to know quite how many there are around at the moment as they are tending to be in very small groups and recognizing individuals from shore is often difficult.
There are at least 5, seen at different locations at much the same time and there are probably very many more individuals, mostly not readily identifiable one from another.
However here is one that is nearly all white from nose to fluke with a pale, black edged dorsal fin and huge amounts of scarring and damage, especially around the head. This dolphin is new to the catalogue.
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14-Apr-2008
The 2007 documentary, "Go wild on the Isle of Man" and first seen on the 'Inide Out' series is now available as a download at this address:-
< http://www.visitisleofman.com/Special_Interest/videoclips.xml >.
Filmed along the south and south-west of the Island with stunning coastal scenery and some spectacular footage of our Risso's dolphins and Basking sharks, it shows some of the wonderful animals encountered during one of the survey days around these shores.
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13-Apr-2008
Sunday 13th April and another spectacular sighting of Risso's dolphins, this time by intrepid local kayakers Craig Whaley and Shane Stigant.
They were escorted by 3 large mature, scarred and grey Risso's dolphins as the two paddled south, 800 metres off Santon Head.
The dolphins were swimming extremely quickly as they dived under and around their kayaks and stayed with them for over an hour around Sunday midday, before deciding to leave, swimming off towards Langness at high speed.
Two of the dolphins were constantly together, one rolling over the other, nudging and cajoling, in nearly constant physical contact and highly attentive. Unlike some physical interactions which have been seen to be quite rough, this was describe as gentle.
We see many new born calves in these waters as well as juvenile and mature dolphins, so it is entirely possible that these and the earlier social swimming described by Mike Craine are part of some courtship behaviour played out in the waters around Mann.
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06-Apr-2008
For the last 3 weeks increasing sightings of Risso's dolphins are being reported from around Onchan Head, Douglas Head and down along Marine Drive.
Often within a few metres of the rocks, these wonderful, large and athletic dolphins have provided some spectacular entertainment to those on the coast road above them.
There have been many sightings reported by regular observers Mike and Lynn Craine, Sharon Keig, Paul Moore, Simon Mitchell as well as many others.
Mike and Paul witnessed a pair of dolphins, one large, grey, scarred adult and another, an all black juvenile interacting and socializing intimately, in what Mike described as possible courtship activity, such was the constant attention and physical interaction, the larger grey dolphin becoming apparently very excited.
On the 3rd, Simon Mitchell, one of the survey team, had climbed down the brooghs (cliffs/rough land to the sea) at Douglas Head to within about 15 metres of the sea when below him, not 20 metres offshore, a large mature, grey dolphin with a tall straight dorsal fin came slowly to the shore and milled around below him for 30 minutes, regularly surfacing, showing its huge, grey and silvery body and that amazing smiley face.
With two enormous full breaches clear of the water, this was descibed by Simon the best sighting ever - better than anything he'd seen even close up from a boat.
The Isle of Man is one of the few places anywhere in the world where you can watch these elusive dolphins with ease, that you can watch them from the coastal paths and roadways is truly a Manx wonder.
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22-Mar-2008
Your sea watching trips could really help provide a better understanding of these fabulous whales and dolphins around the shores of Mann.
Simply by recording when, where and how long you watched and whether you saw anything will allow us to build a valuable scientific record of the presence of cetaceans in our waters.
A new on-line reporting form to record the time spent watching for whales and dolphins has been added to the website.
A new click-on button called 'Effort Based Watch Report' on the left hand side accesses the simple report page below.
If you could please report all watches of 30 minutes or longer, regardless of whether anything was sighted, and it will generate real scientific data about the number and frequency of cetaceans around our shores.
Watches where nothing was sighted are just as important scientifically as watches when animals were seen - so a 'NIL Sightings' watch has real significance.
Any sightings will also be automatically posted to the 'Recent Sightings' section so that you will only need to enter the data once.
Here is an image of the new page and the simple click-on boxes to report your watches.
We are grateful to have had a lot of dedicated observers report their watches in the past using the old paper forms and we hope that this new on-line facility will make it easier for everyone to join in.
Many thanks to everyone for their help and support - good whale watching.
galps
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20-Mar-2008
On Wednesday 19 March, about 1pm a pair of Risso's dolphins were seen by Mike Craine and Paul Moore close to the rocks off Douglas Head.
The dolphins approached to within 20 metres of the shore giving a spectacular view of their excited and atheletic behaviour.
One dolphin appeared to be a young adult, full sized but still all black while the second was distinctly grey and scarred, signs of an older mature animal.
The grey dolphin was seen breaching, leaping clear of the water while in constant attendance upon the darker animal. The grey animal was seen to nudge, roll onto, push and contact the black dolphin in what Mike thought looked like some sort of courtship activity.
Little is known about these dolphins, how, when and when they mate and how they interact socially.
It is known that much of the scarring and scratching on their bodies is the result of dolphin on dolphin interaction - the scrathings being the results of one dolphin raking its teeth across another. Physical butting and fairly violent behaviour seems to be reasonably common.
Mike and Paul last saw the dolphins disappearing northwards and then 30 minutes later, the keen eyes of Sharon Keig, another seasoned cetacean watcher, saw one swimming north at Onchan Head.
Here is a photo of the pair that Mike was able to capture as the dolphins cavorted off Douglas Head.
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19-Feb-2008
The Department of Tourism and Leisure has posted the final video diary of the 2007 Manx Cetacean Survey.
The clip can be seen at < http://www.visitisleofman.com/Special_Interest/videoclips.xml >.
Filmed in December 2007, it brings to a close the off-shore whale and dolphin survey work for the year and includes footage of the Risso's dolphins and Minke whales which were still feeding close to shore even as winter began.
The survey work was supported with grants from the Manx Government through their Department of Tourism and Leisure and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry through the Wildlife and Conservation Division. We are most grateful to these Departments and the Manx Government for their support of this work.
We are extremely grateful to these Departments for their agreement to support and sponsor the planned survey work in the forthcoming 2008 season.
We are also extremely grateful for the help, support and effort of all those who gave freely of their time to help conduct the survey work.
Thanks also to everyone that recorded their sightings on the website and for all their encouragement and goodwill.
Â
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11-Jan-2008
A number of people have seen and reported Bottlenose dolphins around the south and west of the Island today, 11 January 2008.
The first sighting was just off the Ledges by Clifton Road, Port St Mary around 8:15. The dolphins were leaping and breaching clear of the water for about 10 minutes before moving off towards the Calf. Estimating the number is always difficult but at least 20 dolphins were seen, possibly as many as 30.
Later on, around 10:30 a group of 20 to 30 bottlenose dolphins were seen off Scarlett.
At 11:00, Bob Taylor was delighted to be joined by these dolphins as he fished off Perwick bay. As he motored slowly southwards to Spanish Head and around the Calf, the numbers of dolphins just grew. Bob estimates that there were upwards of 60 and maybe as many as 100 Bottlenoses around his boat and the nearby sea. There were 3 pairs of mothers and their calf seen amongst the groups.
The dolphins followed Bob and Gemini for about an hour and they finally parted company near Caigher Point at the SW tip of the Calf of Man.
This same group of dolphins was also seen from the Fisheries Protection Vessel - Barrule. The photograph below was taken from the FPV Barrule and we are grateful to the crew of the Barrule and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry for thei permission to use it.
At 15:30 another group was spied along the west coast, 500m off Dalby Point, which were travelling at high speed towards Peel.
We see Bottlenose dolphins mainly during the winter months and they are believed to be the same group of dolphins that spend the summer in Cardigan Bay from May to November. Until we acquire some definitive dolphin dorsal fin ID pictures it will remain conjecture.
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11-Nov-2007
Minkes continue to be seen yards from the shore in Dhoon and Bulgham bays, just to the north of Laxey bay.
Yesterday, John and Lorraine Donnelly were delighted by the sight of at least one Minke, feeding close to the shoreline. They report seeing the whale swimming around in large circles, blowing bubbles into the water - could this be some form of bubble ring netting - possibly.
Then suddenly from nowhere, an Orca, the Killer Whale, charging through the sea as only Orcas can, big, bold and so very black and white.
Orcas are no strangers to John and Lorraine who have seen many before throughout their years of watching the sea.
This is the second sighting of a Killer whale just off Bulgham bay in the last few weeks.
As if this was not enough, they were also able to witness a Minke breaching, leaping clear of the water.
The Minkes will remain here as long as there is sufficient for them to eat, hopefully still a few more weeks.
Here are some images that John captured yesterday.
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04-Nov-2007
A flat calm sea found us surveying around the south of the Island. Rounding Langness we saw the characteristic large dorsal fins of a group of Risso's dolphins heading west.
Squid have returned to the waters around Mann, as they do each autumn and winter and along with cuttlefish, form the principle diet for the Risso's.
The Risso's appeared to be engaged in feeding which continued as they swam towards Port St Mary.
Here are a couple of photos we took from the survey boat.
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23-Oct-2007
As autumn slips towards winter, there is still time to see some of the wonderful Minke whales that feed along our eastern shore at this time of the year.
Pick a calm day, and you will see Minkes feeding close to shore from Laxey Bay, north along the east coast.
They can be seen any time of the day, but after 1 pm seems most reliable.
Here are a couple of recent photos, one by Ian Phillips shot just off-shore, with Douglas in the background; the other by Mike Craine taken from the Ballaragh Road, high above Bulgham Bay.
I am grateful to Mike and Ian for their permission to use their images.
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18-Oct-2007
Robin Gerrard is the skipper and owner of Hot Totty, the boat we have used all season for the Manx Cetacean Survey. If we have seen a whale or dolphin Robin was there too and saw everything we did.
So on the 18th, with the sea mirror flat, Robin and Julie took Hot Totty to watch the Minkes at Bulgham bay where they have been feeding for some time.
As they arrived the spotted 2 or 3 porpoises very close against the rocks near Carrick Royart at the south end of Bulgham.
Suddenly, from nowhere, a vast black and white whale shot to the surface just feet from their boat. The animal rose high in the water, clearly showing its bright white undersides as well as the distinctive white eye patches and grey-white saddle patch behind the dorsal fin.
They had numerous close encounters as the Orca, oblivious of them, quartered the sea at high speed.
They estimated its size at around 6 metres long with a curved dorsal fin, not unlike the Minke's. All the family were able to clearly descibe the animal which would have been a female or juvenile, not a mature male, which sports that enormously tall dorsal fin.
The sighting continued as the whale dived and then resurfaced some way further north, heading towards Maughold Head.
For over 45 minutes the Orca was seen, sometimes close-by other times far off.
With Minkes regularly sighted in those waters at this time of the year, we should not be overly surprised by the appearance of this top-most predator.
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15-Oct-2007
Every Autumn the herring spawn off the East coast of the Island and the Minke whales follow them, feeding on the shoals.
From September to November, Minkes are a easily spotted close to shore, from Port Soderick to Maughold Head.
October is a fantastic time to watch the Minkes close to the rocks around Laxey Head where the photo below was taken last Friday afternoon.
Throughout October and November a trip to Laxey Bay, Bulgham Bay and Dhoon Bay will generally be rewarded with a sighting of these wonderful animals.
You can see them from the breakwater or from the coastal path around the Head and sightings can last for several hours.
The Isle of Man is one of the few places in the world where you can seen such a wide and diverse number of whales and dolphins from the shore - it's a wonderful viewing platform set within the Irish Sea.
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21-Sep-2007
Sharon Keig reports a fantastic display of Minke whales in the centre of Bulgham Bay.
At 17:00 until 18:30, a group of 4 Minkes were seen herding shoalling fish to the surface. Once confined, the Minkes appeared at the sides of the shoal and then passed up through the middle of the gathered ball of fish.
Sharon describes how one of the Minkes even breached up through the pool of bubbling fish, lunge feeding upon the shoal. The overall impression was that of an organized team of animals working together to share their catch.
Throughout this extended period of feeding, gannets were to be seen in large numbers, diving from enormous heights into the shoal.
Finally, after 90 minutes, the animals moved off together towards Laxey Bay.
The Isle of Man is one of the few places anywhere in the world where such amazing sights can be seen and enjoyed so close to the cliffs and shoreline.
With luck, this same scene will be repeated throughout the coming weeks as Minkes continue to feed on the spawning and spent herring.
Here is one of the Mikes that we saw feeding in the same area a week ago.
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13-Sep-2007
A calm quiet day on the 12th of September saw us return to the East coast to continue the 2007 Cetacean Survey.
As we drew closer to shore we encountered 3 Minke whales just off Groudle Glen.
We had been hoping to see Minkes, as now is the time that the herring move from their summer feeding grounds off the West coast of the Island to their spawning grounds on the East of Mann.
Every year, about this time, we see the Minkes along our eastern shore, from Langness to Laxey. You will see them progress slowly northwards through the coming months as they feed on the spawning and spent herring.
This year has proved to be very different from normal, fewer animals, often in unusual locations, but now the Minkes and the herring are clearly where they are should be - which is some comfort.
As we progress into October and November you can expect to see Minkes throughout the afternoon, feeding in Laxey Bay.
Here is a photo by Eleanor Stone of one of the Minkes we saw on Wednesday.
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17-Aug-2007
A call from Brian Maddrell sent me back to my binoculars in time to see around 85 Common dolphins racing past Dalby Point, heading South. They were in 4 or 5 groups, the leading school of about 45 were flanked and followed by smaller groups. All were porpoising through the water at great speed, their slender bodies slicing through the air as they swam towards Niarbyl.
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15-Aug-2007
I have just posted a sighting report from Mike Craine, a regular and very successful observer of cetaceans around Mann.
This afternoon, the 15th, he witnessed a Minke whale make multiple breaches, just 1000 metres off Dalby Point.
Mike was at "Dalby Prom", as it's known locally, the large lay-by at the north end of the village which gives good views across to Dalby Point and the sea to the NW.
At 17:00 hours he saw a Minke leap clear of the water a 'dozen or more times' flashing its silvery underside as it leapt through the air - fantastic.
So far, the Minkes have been a bit scarce this year, so it's good to get a report of them off Dalby Point, where we would expect to see them - perhaps the summer is getting back to normal.
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06-Aug-2007
It has been a wild and windy year, nothing seems to be normal. Instead of gentle south-westerlies we have strong and sometimes ferocious northerlies and nort-easterlies - what strange year.
But at last, the gannets are here in some numbers off Dalby Point, spearing into the sea from a great height.
Close to shore I watched 3 large basking sharks this morning and while staring through my binoculars at the sharks, a Minke!
The Minke was moving at high speed, travelling south, no more than 800 metres off shore.
The whale passed between the 3 sharks which were swimming about 100 metres apart, and was seen to surface a couple of times as it sped towards Niarbyl.
With luck, this might be the beginning of more Minke activity here, it's all so different and late this season.
Traditionally, watching from Niarbyl from about 1800 to 2000 hours has been a good spot to see these wonderful whales. Often through August and early September they can be seen throughout the afternoon - let's hope this season starts to become more normal soon.
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25-Jul-2007
There have been a number of sightings of Risso's dolphins around the Calf and near the Sound.
It seems that 1600 hours onwards is the time that the dolphins have been seen in the area.
Try parking at the Sound car park and walk just over the fence towards Port Erin, onto the higher ground to get a better chance to see these wonderful dolphins.
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24-Jul-2007
On Sunday, filming for the BBC 'Inside Out' programme took to the water. We left Douglas in Hot Totty, our survey boat, and headed south to near Port St Mary to complete a survey leg left unfinished from a few nights ago due to failing light.
As soon as we began the Line Transect route the keen eyes of Tom spotted a group of 7 Risso's dolphins logging and swimming to our north west. We broke off the Line Transect and began gathering photos for the ID catalogue.
This wonderful display of relaxed and unhurried dolphins provided some unique footage for the BBC film.
Leaving the dolphins to continue their Sunday afternoon siesta, we headed to into harbour for some more location shots.
From Port St Mary we headed into Box 6 to undertake a Line Transect survey.
During the second leg of the survey we came across a different group of 5 Risso's, but this time they provided a spectacular display of breaching and tail-slapping.
Here is one of the photos from that encounter - the good news is that the BBC film crew caught most of the action which will be seen on BBC North West this Autumn, possibly on 19th September.
We finished the day with a Basking shark coming right up to the bow of the boat before turning and diving beneath us.
All together, the Island showed just how stunning and beautiful a place it is and what fantastic marine animals we have all about us.
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21-Jul-2007
It is so easy to get it wrong. We have a BBC film crew here at the moment, filming the Manx Whale and Dolphin Survey. We were at the Sound yesterday afternoon getting some location shots as well as a few minutes of interview about the marine wildlife, in particular the wonderful cetaceans we see just from shore. The following is a message I received from my friend Graham Hall "Hi John, Saw you at the Sound with Film people so did not bother you, however just as you pulled away the pod of 6 Risso's dolphins arrived - obviously they were late." Right place - wrong time, it is so easy to get it wrong - just.
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01-Jun-2007
Perhaps the most extraordinary report ever to be received by the Manx Whale + Dolphin Watch, a group of 10 Minke whales within 150 metres and less of the shore at Bradda Head! Visitor to the Island, Ian Kirkland was stunned to be watching a gathering of 5 mature Minkes and 5 accompanying juvenile Minkes just yards from the shore as he walked the coastal footpath from Port Erin north towards Fleshwick. This is such an extraordinarily rare sighting that it was immediately passed to the Sea Watch Foundation's key Minke whale specialist and after extensive discussions with Ian, the sighting has been confirmed as a group of Minkes. Such aggregations are not unheard of, but extremely rare, especially so close to shore. It is conjectured that the whales had gathered together to feed on a particularly abundant food supply - possibly our traditional herring which shoal in those waters and have provided the Island with one of its main sources of protein throughout history and given us our famous Manx kippers. Minke whales will be a regular sight around our shores until November. Throughout the summer, the west coast is their favoured location as they feed on the shoals of fish close to shore. Come September, the herring go to spawn off the east of the Island and the Minkes will follow them.
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01-Jun-2007
As part of the Isle of Man Cetacean Survey 2007, Sharon Bond is being funded by the Mammals Trust UK to study the importance of Manx waters to the Risso's dolphins often seen in these parts and we need your help!
This is the first year of an ongoing research project to build a photo-identification catalogue of these very special Risso's dolphins as well as all the identifiable species of whale and dolphin sighted around the island.
Photo-ID concentrates on the dorsal fin, its shape, lesions and wounds, or nicks on the front and trailing edge - all can be used to identify individual dolphins and whales providing the image is of sufficiently good quality.
A sample of the sort of image that identifies an individual animal is shown below. This one was taken from the Risso's dolphin Manx catalogue and is number 003, called Goblin.
So, if you get the opportunity to take photographs of these animal's dorsal fins please get in touch with MWDW and of course, you will be credited for any pictures used in this research.
Please remember, it is important that these animals are not disturbed in anyway, nor must they be chased or harassed - not only is that illegal, but if they are disturbed, they may well be deprived of their feed, their socializing or have their young separated from their parents.
If you do spot any cetacean while in a boat, switch off your engine and let the animal choose to join you - you'll get much better pictures and the experience for you and the cetacean will be equally rewarding.
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22-May-2007
A telephone call from Brian Maddrell sent me scurrying to my binoculars - Minke whales! From 19:55 to past 21:00 hours we watched Minkes feeding, sometimes with their mouths open as they lunged to the surface. It started with a pair, one much larger than the other, and then a third came from the north to join them, this the largest of the three. These are the first Minkes we have seen off Dalby Point this season and a real delight, as they twisted and rolled on the surface. All the whales remained about 2000 metres away which helps to explain the poor quality of the image, taken in the failing light. Now that we have seen the first Minkes along this stretch of coast, an evening trip to Niarbyl, say any time after 19:00hours, when the herring are said to rise, and you might just see some of these fabulous cetaceans.
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16-May-2007
"The best day ever.." is how long time nature photographer and Risso's dolphin watcher Steve Wright described the 15th of May. While some of us watched sedate Risso's swimming and surfacing just along Marine Drive, others were being treated to spectacular displays of breaching - when the entire animal leaps clear of the water. Breaching dolphins were seen in the south in Carrick/Gansey Bay while others were watching a similar display of acrobatics at Onchan Head, some 14 miles to the north-east. From looking at the numbers and the times of the sightings, it is possible that there were about 11 Risso's dolphins here on the 15th. This is a similar number to last year when a group of 12 were regularly observed. However the best was yet to come, when the biggest spectacle took place off Langness in the early evening and lasted from about 6 o'clock to past 8 o'clock as 7 Risso's gave an extended aerial performance for delighted on-lookers. Evening sightings through May and June along the eastern shore of Langness peninsula have been a regular occurrence for the last few years. A local fisherman recalls seeing these same large dolphins along this shore line every year since he first went to sea as a youngster on the last of the herring drift netters. If this season follows the pattern of recent years, there will be Risso's dolphins around the Island for many weeks to come - these are a rare dolphin and a special treat for the Isle of Man. This superb photo below was taken at Port St. Mary, just outside the breakwater. I am grateful to Richard Cope and the Manx Bird Atlas for supplying this great shot and their permission to use it; also many thanks to Richard and the Manx Bird Atlas for the number of other excellent photographs of the Risso's dolphins of that day.
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13-May-2007
Since the end of March, a considerable number of sightings of Risso's dolphins have been reported from around Douglas, Onchan Head, Little Ness and down to Langness in the southeast of the Island. Risso's are a large robust dolphin, similar in size to the better known Bottlenose, but their blunt round head has no large protruding beak as that on the Bottlenose. The dorsal fin is generally taller and more curved although that of the Bottlenose can often vary and adds to the difficulty of distinguishing one from the other. Risso's are born black/dark and as they mature, begin to acquire patches of white or lighter coluration on their dorsal surface as well as accumulating increasing amounts of scarring on their bodies from injuries which they inflict one on another. The older mature adults become increasing grey/white and this stretches from their head along their back and onto their dorsal fin. Seen swimming at speed below the surface they appear almost as ghost-like apparitions to an observer on the cliffs above. The two photograghs below both show adult Risso's, one much older with its grey-white and scarred body, the other, still mostly appearing black against the sea, but nevertheless, one at or approaching adulthood. The all black Risso's was photographed by Graham Bayliss and the other, that of a more mature animal was taken by Mike Craine, thanks to both for supplying these photos. Both photos were taken off Marine Drive in the last 5 weeks. Incidently, the Risso's that I saw near the Herring Tower on Saturday evening surfaced no more than 25 metres from me and it too appeared entirely black. Although not showing any obvious grey/white colouration of an old mature animal, it was still massively large with a very tall dorsal fin and was undoubtedly adult or very nearly so.
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23-Apr-2007
John Murray of Douglas has reported seeing 3 Killer whales just off Little Ness, by Port Soderick, on the 15th of April. With the sea flat calm, the first sighting was of a pair of Orcas, in their very distinctive black and white livery. One was estimated to be about 20 feet(6 metres) long, the other about 15 feet(4.5 metres), neither sporting the truly huge dorsal fin of the mature male. This pair were surfacing 50 metres or so ahead of the boat. The third animal was spotted about 45 minutes later. This time, it was a mature male Orca with its enormous dorsal fin, like a small sail, slicing through the water. Killer whales are one of our regular species and sightings of these fantastic cetaceans, the largest of the true dolphins, are to be expected in Manx waters. This same stretch of coast has provided excellent sightings of Risso's dolphins as well, throughout the last few weeks. Photographs supplied by Graham Bayliss show that the reports of a group of all black or nearly all black Risso's were entirely accurate. Most Risso's previously reported have included numbers of mature grey and scarred animals and this group of predominantly black immatures would seem to be unusual for local sightings. Whether it's squid or the quantities of mackerel and other shoaling fish around the Island throughout the winter and spring, clearly there have been sufficiently good feeding opportunities to draw in a variety of species. News that the early herring have already been seen should mean that continuing and increased sightings of cetaceans could reasonably be expected, a wonderful reward for the keen observer.
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27-Mar-2007
A small number of Risso's dolphins have been reported from the east coast and the south of the Island. On the morning of 22nd, John and Jan Tinsley watched a small pod of Risso's close to the shore near Onchan Head. The dolphins appeared from the north, swam into Douglas Bay before returning to the north. On the evening of the 26th, Risso's were again spotted, this time near the Herring Tower on Langness. At around 17:15, Eric Maggs reported seeing a pair and a little later, Steve Wright, the local wildlife photographer, also saw a group of 3 or 4 swimming close to the shore. The dolphins were last seen heading towards St Michael's Isle at the north end of Langness. Langness has been a good place to see these large robust dolphins in previous years and should provide the most reliable vantage point for anyone hoping to sight them. Early evening generally has been the best time, and from now onwards, any calm evening might provide you with a sighting of these large and wonderful dolphins. Last year there appear to have been two pods regularly visiting the Island and seen off Langness. One group comprised 12 adults, all grey backed and scarred, the other pod having 10 adults and 2 all black juveniles. There was one report of both groups being observed simultaneously.
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20-Feb-2007
Early afternoon on Sunday 18th February David Hulse and his family were entertained by a pair of dolphins, probably Bottlenose, fully breaching clear of the water. They watched these dolphins for about 15 minutes as they cavorted some 150 metres off shore at Peel Castle. Then suddenly, not 50 metres away, a large tail fluke was seen, thrown vertically into the air. It was very large, very much larger than a dolphin's, with an entirely white underside, edged in black. It was described as a large open 'Vee'. The most probable species to fit the description is the Humpback whale. It is not unusual to see them so close to shore, it has been conjectured that they groom themselves on the rocks and sea bed to rid their bodies of parasites. There were other sightings last season that readily fit the desciption of a Humpback whale. Humpbacks are one of our 'Rare' species which means that we should not be overly surprised by their presence. Let us hope that we have more sightings of these incredible creatures in the coming season. Thanks to David and his family for reporting this rare and special event.
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12-Feb-2007
Another large pod of dolphins at the weekend, this time just off Kallow Point at Port St. Mary. A group of over 20 dolphins, most probably Bottlenose, were seen leaping and breaching close to shore by Harvey and Dorrie Garton at Sunday lunch time. What at first appeared to be surfacing divers quickly transformed into an aerial display of large dolphins breaching in numbers close to the shore. Seen against the bright sunlight they appeared very dark and very large, as Bottlenose would. They were definitely not Risso's, a regular sight even in winter, nor were they Common dolphin, a regular summer visitor. It is likely that these were Bottlenose dolphins from the group that is resident in Cardigan Bay throughout the summer; but until we get some good ID photos of the individuals that visit Mann, their origins will remain a mystery. If you see any dolphins and are fortunate to have a camera with you at the time, please send in any photos. Thanks again to Harvey and Dorrie for this wonderful sighting, with luck, these dolphins will remain around the Island over the next few weeks for others to enjoy.
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23-Jan-2007
Christine Pickering reports a significant and large pod of dolphins, almost certainly bottlenoses, just yards off Peel breakwater this lunch-time. At least 50 dolphins were watched as they swam and fished along the length of Peel's outer breakwater. The dolphins were dark, uniformly coloured and very large; they were clearly seen as they surged through the sea admidst flocks of feeding birds. They were last seen heading South, past Peel Hill going towards Niarbyl, the Big Bay and the Calf. Significant winter sightings of bottlenose dolphins have been regularly seen around the Island and if the weather holds, there may be more opportunities to see this huge group in the coming days. Anywhere from Onchan Head, South to the Calf and up along the West coast would probably offer the best chance to catch a glimpse of these wonderful animals. If you get any photos or have a sighting, please let us know. Many thanks to Christine and her family for this excellent sighting report.
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07-Jan-2007
Two reports, from John Tinsley and Steven Clennel of a Minke whale off Onchan Head and in Port Groudle on January 6th in the early afternoon, possibly the same animal. It is good to see that we still have at least one of these magnificent whales feeding in the waters so close to the shore. It might be one of the same whales that were seen so often in Laxey Bay late last year. So if the weather improves and you are happen to be walking or afloat anywhere from Little Ness to Laxey Bay, keep a watchful eye on the sea and you might just be lucky enough to spot this animal Good whale watching
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04-Jan-2007
John Tinsley has reported the first sighting for 2007. Just after 1:00 pm today, Thursday 4th of January he watched a pod of 12 Bottlenose dolphins for about 15 minutes as they swam from Onchan Head across the Bay towards Douglas Head. These are a rare and important species. It is estimated that there are a total of about 150 Bottlenose dolphins in the Irish Sea and only a few hundred around the entire British Isles. Bottlenose dolphins are regular visitors to our Island, often being seen the winter months as well as anytime throughout the summer. However in the whole of the 2006 season there were only 35 sightings of these cetaceans, an unusually small number compared to recent years. Being a coastal species, sightings close the shore are normal, these animals rarely venture further than 800 metres from the shore-line unless travelling from place to place. These dolphins are extremely social animals, one with another and once they have finished feeding they can often be seen leaping and breaching clear of the water as they play and cavort together. So if the weather improves and you happen to be around Douglas Head, Little Ness, Langness, Niarbyl or Peel, keep a look out and you might just spot this same pod. Good luck and good whale and dolphin watching - a great start to the New Year.
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10-Nov-2006
For over two weeks, a pair of Minke whales have been feeding in and around Laxey Bay. Most afternoons, weather and sea conditions permitting, these large rorqual whales can be seen feeding and foraging close to shore. Regular sightings will continue as long as there is sufficient food for them to eat. At this time of the year that is most probably spent herring which have completed their spawning. Some years, small numbers of herring continue to spawn into December, and these too will attract a hungry whale. There appear to be at least 2 Minkes, one looking all black, the other with a light/pale patch behind its dorsal fin and leading onto its tail stock. The excellent photograph, shown below, was kindly supplied by Ben Hill of Douglas. He took it on the 9th of November at around 1:00pm using his Canon EOS 20D digital camera and 100-400L IS USM lens, 1/800ths, ISO400.
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30-Oct-2006
Several observers have kindly reported a Minke whale in and around Laxey Bay over the weekend. The first was a spectacular sighting; a Minke fully breaching, near the southern end of Bulgham Bay, at around 2:30pm on Saturday 28th. This was witnessed by Rob Greaves and his wife, the Minke leaping from the water, no more than 50 metres from their boat. It was estimated to be around 28 to 30 feet long, giving it a mass of about 10 tonnes. A truly wonderful, thrilling and quite scary close encounter that will always be remembered. Later on that afternoon there were two further sightings in Laxey Bay, one at 4:30pm the next at 5:30pm A further Minke whale sighting was observed on the following day, Sunday 29th October at around 2:30pm. The Minke was observed for about 20 minutes as it surfaced to breathe while it swam and back and forth around the bay. These late season Minke sightings along the East coast, and especially in Laxey Bay in late October and November, are a wonderful experience and have delighted residents and visitors alike. They have spent the summer feeding on shoaling fish off the West coast, but when the herring went to spawn, the Minkes followed them to the East coast of Mann. Clearly there are still enough spent herring and squid around for the Minke to feed. It is to be hoped that there will be a few more opportunities to see Minkes in Laxey Bay this Autumn. The afternoon seems favourite, pick a day when the sea is calm and you might just get lucky.
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20-Oct-2006
After a prolonged period of windy weather, two days of relative calm. An hour's Effort Based Watch yesterday yielded 'Nil' sightings and first signs this morning seemed to predict the same. But the discipline of doing Watches, whenever the sea conditions allow, is a good one and was soon to be richly rewarded. With the sea a silvery, steely grey and total cloud cover, sighting conditions were near ideal. Every shimmer and swirl on the surface left its mark, a tell-tale of the recent past. Ten minutes of nothing, then out the corner of the binoculars a giant splash. The rule is: If it's breached once, it'll do it again(probably). Watching the scar on the surface like a hawk, I just waited; and then it did it again! A fabulous Risso's Dolphin all grey and scarred, huge dorsal fin and big round smiley face. My favourites. There were just the two, both mature adults, partial breaching, full breaching, leaping and twisting, here and now there; really acrobatic, so dynamic, hunting for squid. Last seen at 0845, heading South, passing Dalby Point onwards to the Big Bay and the Sound.
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17-Sep-2006
A break in the weather, little or no wind and flat calm seas has allowed some excellent sightings of Minke whales and even a huge Fin whale off the East coast of Mann. There seem to have been at least 3 different Minke whales spotted on numerous occasions in the last few days, mainly around Port Soderick, but also in Douglas Bay and even within Douglas harbour itself. But further South, Mike and Lynn Craine, regular and successful cetacean watchers, were delighted to have witnessed one of the planet's largest animals, the huge Fin whale, just 3 km off Langness. They watched this enormous whale rise and fall through the water for about 20 minutes as it slowly swam South, away from the fishing boats These large rorqual whales, mainly Minkes, should provide many opportunities for everyone to see them over the coming weeks as they continue to feed on the spawning herring Ben Hill, another local observer who regularly sights and photographs the whales and dolphins around our shore was able to capture this photo of a Minke as it dived, just a few hundred metres off Port Soderick.
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12-Sep-2006
The herring are beginning to move to their spawning grounds off the East coast of Mann. Whales and dolphins will follow them. For the next two or three months, whale and dolphin sightings can be expected anywhere along the our Eastern seaboard, from Port Soderick to the Ayres. So far this summer there have been high numbers of Minke Whale sightings off the West coast and now these same leviathans will be seen all along the Island's Eastern shore. The spawning activity of the herring is expected to intensify from around the 21st and continue for the following weeks. The fish are likely to spawn close to shore as well as further off and with such vast numbers of fish spawning, whale and dolphin activity should be equally intense. For those living in the Douglas area, Little Ness, at the end of Marine Drive, could prove an excellent location for local whale watchers. Andy Read from DAFF records that last year the sea in Port Soderick Bay was white and foamy from all the spawning activity and that large numbers of whales and dolphins were attracted by all this excitement and the feeding opportunities it presented. Pick a fine day, with the sea flat calm and no white water showing. Have a pair of binoculars and find a headland location at least 50 feet(15 metres) above the water. Headlands like Little Ness or Douglas Head are the best locations for observers. Look for diving birds, a good sign of fish close to the surface, gannets are good indicators; scan the sea slowly and with luck, you will see one of these huge creatures. If you do see anything, please remember to report it. Good luck and good whale watching; if you want any help or advice, please give me a call. Now that this 'Latest News' section is up and running, I should be very happy to post any 'News' you have about recent whale and dolphin encounters. If you have a whale or dolphin experiences in Manx waters, that others would enjoy, please let me know and I will post it here. Any photographs that you obtain can also be included.
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06-Sep-2006
Following a period of difficult sighting conditions, Brian Maddrell of Dalby has reported a pair of Risso's Dolphins actively feeding off Dalby Point. Two days ago Brian saw a Minke Whale in much the same place, just a few hundred metres off-shore. Today's pair of Risso's Dolphins were very large. As they surged across the surface, their huge dorsal fins could be seen slicing the sea as they charged first this way and then back again. Witnessing such events from a high position ensures the best view, as these active dolphins can swim so fast and so deep that spotting their return to the surface can be quite difficult. Unlike when they are merely travelling through, an active pair of hunting dolphins can re-surface 100 metres or more from their last sighted position. So by taking advantage of a high viewing platform, the observer stands the best chance of spotting the emerging dolphin. Providing we get some reasonable periods of fine and settled weather, sightings of large cetaceans should continue throughout September. The West coast will continue to be the most likely place to see the large rorqual whales, like the Minke, and with luck, even sightings of the much larger Fin Whale are possible. As Summer ends and Autumn approaches, the herring will begin to travel to their spawning grounds off the South East coast of Mann, and the Minke will follow them. The movement of the herring North along the Eastern shore through the Autumn and early Winter should provide good opportunities to see Minkes all along the Eastern seaboard.
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30-Aug-2006
Steve Wright has reported a pod of 6 Risso's Dolphins which he watched for about 30 minutes on Tuesday the 29th from 6.15 pm. They were first sighted near the Archway on Marine Drive, a favourite spot for seeing all manner of cetaceans, where the deep water comes close to the rock-face. Only mature adults were seen, their heads and backs distinctly grey, carrying the scars and scratches acquired throughout their lifetime. Born black, they soon begin to show patches of white or grey which spreads across the front half of their bodies, reaching and spreading up their large dorsal fin as they age. The scratches and scars are the results of teeth raking by one on another, leaving each dolphin uniquely marked for life. This group of 6 were travelling Southwest from Douglas Head, sometimes no further than 50 metres from the shore. As Steve followed the dolphins he collected additional observers who saw these beautiful animals and were able to enjoy the acrobatics that followed. To the delight of those gathering to watch, two of the largest animals began a series of ten or more percussive tail-slappings on the water, when the dolphins raise their tail flukes clear of the surface and smack down hard with great force and vigour. Following this tail slapping display, the onlookers were treated to more entertainment as a number of dolphins began to partially breach. Juveniles will often breach fully, their entire body leaving the water, but adults, like this group, rarely exceed partial breaching, when about half their body clears the surface. Never-the-less, it is a wonderful sight and always a great thrill to see; Risso's Dolphins are never dull, always active and often extremely acrobatic. Finally, the pod regrouped into a tighter formation and were last seen heading in an Easterly direction away from the coast. This is the first large group of Risso's Dolphins seen for a few weeks. They come to our shores to feed on cuttlefish and squid. Many beaches around the island have large quantities of cuttlefish bones, indicating that it has been a good year for cuttlefish numbers. The return of the Risso's is possibly timed to coincide with the increasing abundance of squid at this time of the year. If you are lucky enough to see any Risso's or Bottlenose Dolphins and are close enough to get some good dorsal fin shots, then please let us know, as there is a programme to photo-ID every one of the 150 or so of each species of these dolphins living in the Irish Sea. Many thanks to Steve Wright for reporting the details of this excellent sighting.
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25-Aug-2006
The return of the herring trawlers, pair trawling off the West coast of Mann and the skies full of diving gannets are good indicators that there are lots of shoaling fish around. The sea was a little too rough last night for a 'Recorded Watch', so we packed up a picnic and decamped to the beach. With a pair of my favourite 15x70 binoculars atop a small tripod I began to scan the sea, searching for any movement. With whitecaps just peeling from the wavelets, it was unlikely we would see any small cetaceans, but really we were hoping to see Minkes. Throughout the National Whale and Dolphin Watch I had been describing these wonderful large cetaceans along with the much rarer and even larger leviathan, the Fin Whale. Now that the weather had improved, we had been lucky enough to have seen several Minkes in the last few days and so all the gannet activity, together with the arrival of the pair trawlers bode well for more sightings. Just after 18.00 hrs we saw the first pair of Minkes, about 1.5 miles to the Northwest. Scanning South we picked up a couple more, up and down, in and out, backwards and forwards as they fed on the shoals of fish. Then, right in the centre of the binocular's view, a huge rising shape with a vast conical blow, rising 16 to 20 feet into the air. A giant of a blow, and less than 1500 metres away. As it blew, the enormity of the whale rose through the water, a long flat , shallow roll, with its pointed sickel shaped dorsal fin rising soon after. With telescope and binoculars we watched this parade of Minkes and Fin Whale, sometimes all three surfacing within seconds of each other. It was then we saw the second blow, still huge and watery but a mere 8 to 10 feet high. This second animal was smaller than the first, but still much bigger than a Minke. A pair of Fin Whales, one large, one huge, adult and juvenile, never very far apart. For the next 30 minutes we sat spell-bound by such a spectacle, sometimes just 1200 metres from the shore. At 18.50 hours, they all seemed to decide it was time to leave, and our last sighting was of a pair of blowing whales disappearing into the evening sun. For the next few weeks, Minke Whales and maybe even the occasional Fin Whale can be seen off the Western shore of this beautiful coast. Later in the year, the herring will move around the coast to their spawning grounds off the East coast of the island when Minkes can be seen all along that Eastern shore.
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