Cetaceans in North East England (2 Viewers)

[Farnboro John]

Had at least 15+ White beaked Dolphins off Whitburn this morning from 11.20am to 12.00pm. The group moved slowly north towards Tynemouth and there appeared to be feeding as the group changed directions on a number of times.
If this is any help John, I viewed from the coast path, below the lighthouse as there quite a few benches in this area to view the sea!
Hope this helps?
Cheers,
Dave.

Thank you, that's very helpful. WBD were reported early morning as well so I think there is at least some chance. It definitely helps though if we don't have to try to decide where we should be looking from.

Cheers

John

 

[sidwemn]

Quick silly question - where's the watchpoint at Whitburn? I'm planning to give it a crack in the morning on the off-chance of some White-beaked Dolphins.

Or would locals recommend anywhere else as a better bet?

Cheers

John

John,

if it's not too late, I would consider going elsewhere this weekend unless you want to go to the Sunderland Airshow, together with a Million other people (yes, a Million!) You would be a few miles north of the main area for the airshow, but the whole area is still likely to be packed. Mark Newsome or some of the other Whitburn lads might be better to advise you of what its like on airshow weekend.

It you really want to give it a try, as you head north of Whitburn towards Souter Point, turn right onto Shearwater. Drive as far towards the coast as you can then take the footpath across a field to the cliff top where you will find a Breeze Block Hide overlooking the sea.

Best of luck if you try

Cheers
Martyn

 

[birdieboy123]

A Sei Whale seen from the Whitby boat tonight
Apparently it surfaced along side the boat

 

[martin kitching]

There was a pod just off St Mary's Island (Whitley Bay) yesterday evening, and another small group feeding off Lynemouth/Newbiggin towards dusk. Numbers from shore are starting to fall, as expected for the end of July.

cheers
martin

Quick silly question - where's the watchpoint at Whitburn? I'm planning to give it a crack in the morning on the off-chance of some White-beaked Dolphins.

Or would locals recommend anywhere else as a better bet?

Cheers

John

 

[Barred Wobbler]

My son has just come in from a trip to the Farnes on Serenity and they had a minke at 15.20 between Inner Farne and Seahouses on the way back.

 

[tyson7]

A large whale blew once off Robin Hoods Bay at 9am today but didn't reappear

 

[Mark Newsome]

A Humpback Whale was off Whitburn this morning. First seen blowing a couple of times just after 8am to the south of Whitburn Range (but not ID'd conclusively), but then seen very well several times further north from 9am.
It was also reported as passing Cresswell at 11.15.

Mark

 

[martin kitching]

Humpback Whale, Cresswell, 03/08/13

A series of texts and 'phone calls this morning had Sarah asking me "ok, so what are we now going to do instead of what we'd planned to do?"...

After a couple of painful near-misses, and a miserable New Year's Day trying to twitch another Humpback Whale that went N past Whitburn...this morning I finally added the leviathan to my Northumberland list B

cheers
martin

 

[Mark Newsome]

...this morning I finally added the leviathan to my Northumberland list B

cheers
martin

Really pleased you managed to connect Martin :t:. I found this one tricky to see, due to the choppy sea and the fact that it was steadily covering ground underwater, and seemingly not lingering. This was very close in date to the one in 2011 (6th & 7th Aug.); with the other report(s) from survey vessels recently, I wonder if early August Humpbacks might become more regular in the north-east? Great news if this happens, and perhaps a sign of a recovering north-east Atlantic population.

Mark

 

[martin kitching]

The choppy sea was a problem, and shortly after we watched a second obvious blow, the whale disappeared, still (presumably) heading north. August-October seems to be the prime time off the north east coast although, given the New Year's Day 2011 Humpback, they're possible at any time :t:

cheers
martin

Really pleased you managed to connect Martin :t:. I found this one tricky to see, due to the choppy sea and the fact that it was steadily covering ground underwater, and seemingly not lingering. This was very close in date to the one in 2011 (6th & 7th Aug.); with the other report(s) from survey vessels recently, I wonder if early August Humpbacks might become more regular in the north-east? Great news if this happens, and perhaps a sign of a recovering north-east Atlantic population.

Mark

 

[martin kitching]

Orca 10/08/13

My second Northumberland cetacean tick in 8 days B 20 White-beaked Dolphins on the Northern Experience evening RIB pelagic on Saturday was enough to leave everyone else on board absolutely buzzing. Me...I've still got the image of a big dorsal fin heading north burned into my mind's eye :t:

cheers
martin

 

[Farnboro John]

My second Northumberland cetacean tick in 8 days B 20 White-beaked Dolphins on the Northern Experience evening RIB pelagic on Saturday was enough to leave everyone else on board absolutely buzzing. Me...I've still got the image of a big dorsal fin heading north burned into my mind's eye :t:

cheers
martin

Outstanding! This is some summer for cetaceans... what next?

John

 

[Robert S J Smith]

1 possibly 2 Minkes of Filey this evening.

 

[Mark Newsome]

There was what looked like a dead whale drifting slowly south off Whitburn yesterday morning. Just a little too far out to see any definite detail, but certainly a very large bloated/inflated object bobbing slowly, fitting with what dead whales look like. I saw images of a dead Humpback off north Nothumberland 2-3 weeks ago (on Twitter or Facebook); wonder if this was recovered/removed or if its continued to drift. Don't know how long whales last before they eventually sink. A real shame, whatever.

Mark

 

[tyson7]

There's still a few places left on the Whitby whale watching trip on Saturday at 2.30pm.

It's a 4 hour offshore trip.

Recent sightings have been double figures of minkes and a single fin whale which although very elusive is believed to have been around the area since June.

Let me know if anyone wants to book on the trip.

Chris

 

[tyson7]

At least 20minkes yesterday 6-7miles off Whitby on the Whitby coastal cruise trip.

There was around 30 seals in the same area and plenty of seabirds

 

[martin kitching]

Awesome day carrying out transect surveys off Northumberland today. October is usually a very quiet month so 5 Harbour Porpoise was a good total. Much better though were 2 Risso's Dolphin 2nm E of Lynemouth B

cheers
martin

 

[martin kitching]

Southeast Northumberland 24/10/13

My final transect survey (prior to surgery later today that will keep me out of action for a few weeks) was blessed with near-perfect conditions. 3 Bottlenose Dolphins were perhaps expected following several sightings of a pod of ~12 between 18th and 23rd, 2 Minke Whales were a late record (with less than 10 animals in October since 2000 in north east England) but, perhaps the highlight of the day, was a final count of 117 Little Gulls.

cheers
martin