Moray Firth latest

March came in like a lion and as is the case went out like a lamb - an old wives tale, but very true! Here in the Moray Firth we can have four seasons all in one day but I was happy when the clocks went forward as it meant I can now spend more time outdoors, wandering along the cliffs, looking out for the dolphins.

Not a lot to report this month, sightings seemed to be down although I still spotted the odd dorsal fin or two along with sightings of porpoises. The dolphins were seen in various areas including Findochty, Hopeman and Fort George in the Inner Moray Firth. We had some amazing storms here in the Moray Firth and also some strandings including a white sided dolphin and a harbour porpoise. In February there were also strandings of Cuvier's beaked whales around the Hebrides and rumours have it that they may have been killed by military sonar. The whales were found over a seven day period and multiple strandings such as this are considered to be highly abnormal. It will be interesting to find out more about this.

I recently heard that there are plans to lay electricity cables from the Shetlands to Portgordon which can easily have an impact on the marine life here, especially the dolphins so I will be keeping a closer eye on that situation. One of the main concerns is that the east site for the cable to come ashore is close to where the seals haul out ,which is a special place for them to rest and also for the public to view them without stressing the animals. There are also plans to build a cafe and slipway at Strathlene. The café may be ideal for watching the dolphins and also the seals but with the new slipway this could mean speedboats and jet skis out on the water which is something we don’t want.

On a more personal note, it’s only a month until the birth of my new baby so its going to be long days and short nights, and the odd moment of sleep I guess. Hope I get enough respite to compose the next report in May !

Until next time, stay warm ...

Peter Macdonald