Orca Watch organisers 'ecstatic' about Caithness, Orkney and Shetland sightings
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ORGANISERS of this year’s Orca Watch say they are “ecstatic” about the sightings of killer whales and other marine species in the waters around Caithness and the Northern Isles over the past week.
The 10-day event, organised by the Sea Watch Foundation in collaboration with regional co-ordinators and Whale and Dolphin Conservation, continues until Sunday with wildlife fans hoping for more memorable encounters over the coming days.
A highlight of Orca Watch 2019 came on Tuesday when ferry passengers travelling from Caithness to Orkney saw a pod of four or five orcas from the Pentland Venture.
The pod – which included a calf – was sighted a few miles off Duncansby Head, travelling east. To round off the day, a bull orca was spotted at a distance heading north from Duncansby.
Other orca sightings were reported off Burwick in South Ronaldsay on Monday of this week and between Stroma and Orkney last Friday.
Cetacean sightings in Caithness have also included harbour porpoises off Duncansby, Dunnet Head and St John’s Point, and minke whales off Duncansby, Dunnet Head, Brough and John O’Groats. Risso’s dolphins were recorded off St John’s Point.
Risso’s dolphins and a minke whale were also seen in Orkney waters, while in Shetland sightings included a humpback whale as well as harbour porpoises, minke whales and Risso’s dolphins. There was also a lone common dolphin off the Shetland coast.
Orkney and Shetland had records of basking sharks, while a family of otters was sighted at John O’Groats harbour.
“We are ecstatic about the most recent sightings of orcas reported from the John O’Groats ferry and the many other species which were reported so far around Caithness, Orkney and Shetland,” said Dr Chiara Giulia Bertulli, Sea Watch sightings officer and lead organiser of this year’s event.
“Orca Watch is a great opportunity for anyone to get involved in cetacean conservation. It is about collecting vital data for the protection and conservation of local cetacean species, and it is about sharing this magical event with volunteer observers from different paths in life and having fun all together.”
As reported earlier, John O’Groats Ferries has been offering special discounts throughout the event.
Fred Fermor of John O’Groats Ferries said on Tuesday: “We were delighted for the orca watchers that they were rewarded with a fantastic sighting of a pod of four or five orcas from the Pentland Venture.
“It has been an exciting and busy week for us here in John O’Groats with whale watchers of all ages arriving from all over the country. We’ve let them travel very cheaply on the ferry on the lookout for the whales.
“I think the ferry trips have certainly added greatly to the overall experience and we are really pleased to have been a part of the whole thing.
“We’re putting on a special wildlife cruise this Saturday to see what we can find.”
The 2019 Orca Watch started last Friday and concludes this Sunday.
Details of all Orca Watch sightings can be found on the Sea Watch Foundation website and on the Sea Watch Facebook page.
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