• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Cetaceans in North East England (1 Viewer)

Another fabulous White-beaked Dolphin experience at Whitburn CP yesterday (Sunday 9th). A group of 25-30 appeared just off the southern car park at about 08.00 and only about 200m offshore (next to closest flag line/fishing boats). They proceeded to feed in this area for 10-15 mins before slowly heading out towards the north bouy, and then slowly north. The group was very actve initially with a fair bit of leaping clear of the water, but settled more once further out. They were around for about an hour in total and were successfully twitched by Peter Collins! Steve Addinnall was videoing them from the Obs and will upload to YouTube in due course.

[Martin - just assemblng all cetacean records seen from Whitburn Obs so far this year - will email details to you for the database within next few days]

Mark
 
I'm in Newcastle for a meeting next week - my 1st time in the area. I won't be much of a hardship to put a scope in the car and get a couple of hours seawatching in, weather permitting. From reading the thread, Whitburn CP looks like a good place to head for. Can somebody point me to decent driving directions from the city centre, please?

Also will I look a complete tool looking for cetaceans and birds in a business suit in this location? I can always change in the car.
 
Last edited:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=whi...54.967909,-1.365309&spn=0.02764,0.090551&z=14
This is where to head for.

This iis the observatory.
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=whi...4.962304,-1.355996&spn=0.007219,0.022638&z=16
No, not out of place in a suit- quite a few workers have their lunch in the car park.

I have never seen cetaceans there, so don't know whether best to watch from behind th lighthouse (toilets available at the side without needing to pay) or down at the observatory end past the nature reserve.
 
Thanks. I think we'll try the lighthouse first.

Weather here (in Wolverhampton this morning, setting off in about 10) would be perfect for sea-watching, but the tide seldom gets this far in. The last forecast I heard was for unremitting vileness. My meeting is scheduled to finish at 4 p.m. so I'll play it by ear.

Chris
 
We got to the lighthouse at about 5 p.m. Strong westerlies but dry and mild. We sheltered in the lee of the foghorn. Only got about 40 minutes in because of the threat of the car park barrier being locked. Sea was ok - bit choppy with a few white-caps but not too bad, but no cetaceans and few birds seen. Plenty of kittiwakes and one unidentified tern distant and heading north. The wind direction was presumably not helping. Decent night out in Newcastle so I fancy I'll be back for a short break in the not too distant future.
 
Seawatch Foundation needs your eyes, and reports please

Hi All
I've just been appointed as one of the regional coordinators for the Seawatch foundation in the North East, and need (hopefully) your eyes and sightings of Cetaceans you may see whilst out and about.
see story attached that was run in the Journal last week.
http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-...ecord-sightings-in-north-east-61634-29505968/


I will follow this forum, but if you want to get intouch, please do on:
[email protected] or tel 07866695851

Cheers,
Will
 
2 dark fins heading north from Whitburn Obbs at around 10am this morning. Probable Dolphins.

They were travelling at a very fast speed.

Chris
 
martin kitching said:
Any more details/ID features?

cheers
martin
Click to expand...

2 more dolphins today at Whitburn travelling fast at around 12pm. One juvenile. I saw the fins & one of the dolphins heads.

They were a lot lighter & smaller than the 2 fins I saw last week. The 2 last week were big fins for dolphins & I'm sure that they were black(unless that was because of the lighting).

Any ideas on what species? I'd say the ones today were probably common or white beaked but I didn't see much of them.

Thanks

Chris
 
White-beaked Dolphin in February is very possible. Common Dolphin is very unlikely though; only 3 records off North East England, none of those from the shore, and 2 of the records almost certainly involve the same animal.

The description of the fins as lighter than the WBD last week doesn't fit Common Dolphin very well. Impressions of size, shape, colour are all affected by sea state, light quality/direction though...

Thanks for submitting your records to the NECP database Chris. Much appreciated :t:

cheers
martin

tyson7 said:
After doing some research I would say they were white beaked dolphins last week & common dolphins yesterday.
Click to expand...
 
Huge feeding frenzy of Gannets off Flamborough Head this morning.

I was hoping for a whale to turn up with the amount of fish there must have been there but no luck.

Has anyone seen whales or dolphins from Flamborough?
 
tyson7 said:
Huge feeding frenzy of Gannets off Flamborough Head this morning.

I was hoping for a whale to turn up with the amount of fish there must have been there but no luck.

Has anyone seen whales or dolphins from Flamborough?
Click to expand...

Had Humpback a few years ago from the Yorkshire Belle which was also seen from Flamborough and Filey I think. Friends have seen WB Dolphin in Filey bay.
 
tyson7 said:
Huge feeding frenzy of Gannets off Flamborough Head this morning.

I was hoping for a whale to turn up with the amount of fish there must have been there but no luck.

Has anyone seen whales or dolphins from Flamborough?
Click to expand...

Had Humpback a few years ago from the Yorkshire Belle which was also seen from Flamborough and Filey I think. Friends have seen WB Dolphin in Filey bay.
 
Hotspur said:
Had Humpback a few years ago from the Yorkshire Belle which was also seen from Flamborough and Filey I think. Friends have seen WB Dolphin in Filey bay.
Click to expand...

That's exciting about the humpback. Must have been great to see in such an unlikely place.

Great views of Porpoises today off Marine Drive, Scarborough, Lampost 57. I saw one part breach there last week & the resident Peregrines there are so easy to see.

2 Porpoises off Flamborough Head this afternoon moving south quickly.
 
Warning! This thread is more than 11 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Similar threads

Troubador
Surprises Through My Zeisses / 2 Whales, Porpoises and Dolphins
Replies
5
Views
963
Troubador
Troubador
Troubador
SF 8x32s go to the Western Isles (Outer Hebrides)
Replies
10
Views
1K
tenex
tenex
P
North East England
2
Replies
31
Views
4K
PaulCountyDurham
P
opisska
Iceland 2022: at the wrong time in the wrong place
Replies
14
Views
3K
greykangaroo
greykangaroo
wolfbirder
Hardcore Madeira Madness - 15 - 20 June 2022
2 3
Replies
59
Views
9K
wolfbirder
wolfbirder

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top