Latest news with #Shorewatch
Times
11-06-2025
- Times
All flipper, no flop — the best places to see whales in Scotland
With humpbacks and orcas, minkes and even sperm whales, Scotland is one of the best places to see these majestic creatures this side of a flight to southern California — with basking sharks, porpoises and the world's largest bottlenose dolphins a spectacular bonus. Lisa Drewe, the author of Islandeering, picks out five of her favourite places to see them from land. At the tip of the Eye peninsula, near Stornoway, Tiumpan Head Lighthouse offers front-row views across the Minch. Below it, the strait's deep waters attract whales, dolphins and porpoises, making it one of the UK's best land-based locations for spotting them. Look out for distinctive grey-and-white Risso's dolphins and fin whales, or join the Whale and Dolphin Conservation's Shorewatch team for expert-led sightings. Coll's wild waters are a summer hotspot for basking sharks, the world's second-largest fish; they're often spotted gliding through the shallows with gaping mouths. From the ferry port at Arinagour you can enjoy stunning views over Mull and the Treshnish Isles, while coastal walks reveal harbour porpoises and bottlenose dolphins. Keep watch from the shore or ferry — minke whales and common dolphins thrive around this quiet, wildlife-rich island. On Mull's rugged north coast, the Glengorm estate enjoys sweeping views across the Hebridean Sea, where minke whales, bottlenose dolphins and basking sharks ply the waters. The castle at the estate's heart watches over wonderfully wild landscapes, while the shoreline is a prime spot for marine life. Join the Hebridean Whale & Dolphin Trust rangers every Thursday for a guided whale watch before warming up in the café, or exploring the coastal trails. • Never mind the Med, I'm longing to be back on Mull Shetland's southernmost point is a prime spot for orca-watching, thanks to the semi-resident orca pods. From the towering cliffs here are panoramic views over seas where minke whales and porpoises also hunt. The lighthouse above has a welcome café, and a base to explore one of the most accessible seabird and puffin colonies in Britain. Expert advice is available from the on-site Whale and Dolphin Conservation Shorewatch team, or check the Shetland Orca & Cetacean Sightings Facebook page. • Sumburgh Head lighthouse review — like stepping into Springwatch The Deerness peninsula, on mainland Orkney's wild eastern edge, is a prime spot to watch dolphins and porpoises. Harbour porpoises are often seen gliding through the waves, while white-beaked, white-sided and Risso's dolphins also patrol these rich waters. Dramatic cliffs offer sweeping views of the North Sea, and there is a fabulous coast walk to the Brough of Deerness, a rocky outcrop that was once home to a Viking settlement. Taken from Islandeering by Lisa Drewe ( £16.99). To order a copy go to Free UK standard P&P on orders over £25. Special discount available for Times+ members
BBC News
29-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
RSPB Bempton Cliffs becomes first Shorewatch site in England
A nature reserve has become the first site in the UK to carry out "structured watches" to monitor marine mammals in the North Bempton Cliffs in East Yorkshire will have 28 volunteers looking for minke whales, dolphins and grey and harbour project, called Shorewatch, is a partnership between the RSPB and Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC).Katie Dyke, the Shorewatch co-ordinator, said: "The data being gathered here will help strengthen our understanding of how cetaceans use the English coastline and how best to safeguard them." She added: "The high cliffs give excellent visibility, and the volunteer team has been so committed."We're not only recording vital data but also inspiring people to care about marine life on their doorstep." Shorewatch was first launched across Scotland by the WDC in 2005 and RSPB Bempton Cliffs is the first location in England to join the use specialist marine binoculars to scan the sea for 10 minutes before they log their findings into a dedicated app. The data is then used by experts for national research and conservation Bempton Cliffs is home to about half a million seabirds including gannets, kittiwakes, guillemots and razorbills. About 3,000 puffins also breed at the cliffs each O'Hara, the reserve manager, said: "Visitors travel from right across the UK and overseas to see seabirds in their thousands here, but they also have the chance to spot something spectacular out at sea too."We hope to become just as famous for sightings of whales, dolphins and porpoises." Analysis - Paul Murphy, Environment Correspondent If you've been lucky enough to witness the acrobatics of a dolphin pod or a whale engaged in a feeding frenzy, you'll understand why this project is so is perhaps no better place for a survey of this kind than the towering cliffs of offers a natural vantage point 300ft (90m) above the beach and a vast area of the North Sea is project, largely staffed by volunteers, is about much more than entertainment and are gathering hard data on the habits and movements of whales, dolphins and has rarely been more important to do North Sea is an increasingly busy place, hosting everything from industrial fishing to some of the biggest offshore wind turbines in the are keen to understand the impact human activity is having on such an important natural modern conservation, data is decades, Bempton's seabird population has been forensically some of those binoculars are turning away from the nests on the cliffs to scan the waves for flippers and fins. Listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
