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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Beluga Whale Seen in the Thames (1 Viewer)

I must admit, I wasn't paying exact attention to the time, so I'm happy to push my "ish" estimate of 1 back a little bit, but certainly was around for a while after noon.

42787965_10157285727799881_1802708893525082112_n.jpg
 
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I got one short clip from yesterday, about 7:30am, when it was quite close to the south shore. A ship subsequently sailed past, which seemed to disturb it over to the far bank of the river, by the green buoy, which it has been seen near, a few times apparently.

Surprising how "dark" it looked before the sun caught it..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-EWKCXrIvM
 
peter.jones said:
to the far bank of the river, by the green buoy, which it has been seen near, a few times apparently.
Click to expand...

Often quite close to the green buoy. Pic is a very heavy crop, taken yesterday morning, distance from Kent side a little under a kilometre. Potentially less than half that from the Essex side, but don't know what access is like.
 

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Think it was reported Monday, no sign yesterday, don't think it's been reported today. To be honest I wouldn't be surprised if it's still there, but doesn't get reported till the weekend when there are more eyes out looking.
 
How much interest and effort is currently being shown by the news agencies, navigation authorities and charity foundations that were quick to get on scene after the initial sighting and reports.
Is the PLA patrol launch no longer hanging about to protect the animal from the regular commercial vessel movements and keep observers away?
The charitable organisations, is it Seawatch Foundation and British Marine Divers, usually associated with strandings, beached and recovery of sea mammals. Probably all stood down as the Begula is feeding and appears in good health, though lost, but always hoping it will make its way out to open sea.
 
Article just shown on BBC's The One Show mentioned it's clicking normally but a lot of background boat noise from echo sounders. The research vessels are maintaining a monitoring watch and have established an exclusion zone for vessels under navigation.
 
Any advice on parking, I'm going tomorrow and planning to start around the Ship and Lobster.

Any assistance appreciated.

Cheers

John
 
John

There were various spaces to pull up on the roads in the industrial area at the end of Mark Lane around the Ship and Lobster when I went which was mid-week.

Good luck.

All the best
 
The pattern it was following just over a week ago, was for it appear at dawn around the barges which are several hundred meters east of the pub, then to move over the river towards the Essex side, to feed in the area around the obvious large green buoy, before very slowly heading west up river. Eventually,we had our best views off Gordon Promenade E (after enjoying brunch in the pub).

Poundland is about a km further west along the Gravesend waterfront, looking at the map.

Incidentally, there seemed to be fish activity at the edge of the river at low tide, which reassured us that at least there stuff for it to feed on (although obviously we're no experts).
 
Dipped today, missed the sighting at Poundland then must have missed it moving downriver as it turned up in the evening at Cliffe when there was not enough light left to go for it. Weekend job now.

Thanks to all who tried to help, it was much appreciated!

Some compensation in the form of a Leach's Petrel initially seen by someone else at Poundland (clearly a popular shopping venue with wildlife) that later flew East down river past the green buoy and barges.

John
 
Not seen any reports since it was off Cliffe on Wednesday afternoon. Not to say it's not hanging around somewhere still, but it won't have to shift very far to become very difficult to relocate.
 
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