Moray Firth Latest

The United Nations have decreed that 2007 is to be the Year of the Dolphin, to help dolphins all over the world. Lets hope that this can act as a catalyst for man to pull together to stop some of the awful things that are happening to dolphins and other cetaceans.

November has been a fairly quiet month for dolphin sightings along the coast, but the harbour porpoise are back in good numbers towards the inner Moray Firth. Bottlenose dolphins have been sighted at Cromarty and Banff with only a couple of sightings in Findochty but I have been grateful to see them still around inshore given the difficult sea conditions of late.

The best sighting of the month has to have been the nine sperm whales off Lossiemouth, seen feeding about five miles offshore. The group were filmed by the local RAF search and rescue helicopter who recorded them swimming in a very tight group feeding, very possibly on squid, as five squid fishing boats were in Cullen Bay that day with their nets down. The whales were reported to be juvenile males but I have yet to view the footage, so will report back on that when I have.

The weather has been awful, with massive gales hurtling in from the north and west. However I managed to spend a great afternoon at Bow Fiddle rock, where I photographed four metre waves crashing onto the rocks below - sending spray right over the top - a great sight but a bit dangerous if you get too near! This must be fantastic fun for the dolphins (but maybe not so much for young calves trying to negotiate around the coastline).

At this time of year the grey seals are hauling out to give birth (usually to a single pup). Newborn pups are minus the thick layer of blubber that protects them in the cold waters of the North Sea, which means that until their fat reserves build up it is best for them to stay on land. This also results in us receiving a lot of reports of stranded seal pups - people always panic when they see a pup alone although on the whole most know to leave them alone. However, we have had a few cases where well meaning members of the public have picked up a pup and put it back on the beach, sadly this is probably the worst thing to do as this means that the smell of humans is now on them which can result in the mother rejecting her offspring - so the best rule to follow if you happen to come across a seal pup is to stay well away, in all probability their mothers are out at sea feeding and will return safely to feed their offspring with their fat rich milk.

With Christmas just around the corner I guess all that is left is for me to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy 2007, maybe I will see you sometime during the Year of the Dolphin in the Moray Firth !

Until then, all the very best

Peter Macdonald