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

Walrus, North Ronaldsay (1 Viewer)

Five seats available on a boat to Sanday or North Ronaldsay leaving Kirkwall 11.00am Saturday (to meet car ferries from Scrabster or Gills Bay). Phone me 07836 283064.
 
Nobody else wants to come on my boat tomorrow? Five Swarts still available. Phone or text me if interested, though you'll need to get yourself to the Orkney ferry that departs Gills Bay (John OGroats) at 9.30 tomorrow morning. You can't book it online now but you can book it by phone or just turn up. Always room for footpassengers OK even if your car can't fit on.,
 
To confirm the Walrus is in the same place as yesterday. We are politely requesting that the animal is only viewed from the road to minimise disturbance. He was offering amazing views from the road yesterday and hasn't moved. Thank you in advance and good luck!
 
To confirm the Walrus is in the same place as yesterday. We are politely requesting that the animal is only viewed from the road to minimise disturbance. He was offering amazing views from the road yesterday and hasn't moved. Thank you in advance and good luck!
Could you please post a late afternoon update.

I am looking at coming tomorrow.

Thanks

Mark

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3003 using Tapatalk
 
Can't get up till Thursday because of work...but any latecomers fancying a car share if its still about next week drop me a PM (Midlands)
 
Hi Paul, We've dipped, of course, darn it. Could you possibly do me a very great favour and send me a direct message immediately if you hear of it reappearing anywhere. We plan on staying on Orkney for a few days just in case. Do you have my mobile no. (same as was published in Birding World)?
 
How has this animal been taken so far away from it's normal range?

I know that they spend a lot of time in the water feeding but I can't imagine that they're strong swimmers as such, certainly not pelagic and rarely moving far from the coast? Has it been swept away from the coast in the recent storms?

What's the closest population, Svaalbard?


A
 
How has this animal been taken so far away from it's normal range?

I know that they spend a lot of time in the water feeding but I can't imagine that they're strong swimmers as such, certainly not pelagic and rarely moving far from the coast? Has it been swept away from the coast in the recent storms?

What's the closest population, Svaalbard?


A

I'm not sure why you imagine they aren't strong swimmers. We know a Polar Bear can swim a hundred miles at a stretch or more - after all they turn up in Iceland from time to time - and it is inconceivable that a much more aquatically adapted mammal such as a Walrus can't beat that by a very long way.

In any case there are a number of British records. One reason they seem difficult to catch up with is that they don't seem to stick, which also tends to suggest that they are very strong swimmers with minimal recovery times before setting off home. The last one (I think) departed almost straightaway and was recorded in Norway near Bergen not very long afterwards.

If only they were as easy as Bearded Seals....

That still leaves the displacement question and I can't answer that except to say that it seems to happen to all Arctic species occasionally. Ice floe drifting South and melting under it perhaps?

John
 
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I
last one (I think) departed almost straightaway and was recorded in Norway near Bergen not very long afterwards.

And of course there was the one near Bergen (if not the one you mention here) that spent a day sunbathing on a beach while we, blissfully unaware, ambled about just a few kilometres to its east :-O
 
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