Wildlife photographer Karen follows orcas from Thurso to Dunnet
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KILLER whales provided a unforgettable spectacle off the north coast of Caithness at the weekend.
Local wildlife photographer Karen Munro managed to follow their progress from Thurso Bay round to Dunnet Bay, where a small crowd of excited onlookers on the cliff-top enjoyed a close-up view.
The orcas appeared to be hunting for seals and had spent some time close to Castletown, where it looked as though they had made a kill.
Karen, who lives at Scrabster, identified the pod as one that visits Caithness waters two or three times a year.
"I didn’t expect to see these guys this weekend," Karen said. "I was out walking the dog close to home on Saturday morning just before 11am when I saw a male orca surface in Thurso Bay, between Holborn Head and Thurso harbour.
"At first I was like, 'Did I really see that?' – but sure enough it surfaced again. So I ran home, grabbed the camera and saw a few more before jumping in the car to follow them.
"They were not surfacing much and spread out, which indicated they were on the hunt for seals.
"They carried on east past Thurso East, then Murkle, before regrouping and spending quite a bit of time off Battery Road at Castletown. I think they must have made a kill here due to their behaviour and the many gulls that were surrounding them.
"Once again they seemed to spread out with one of the two males coming in to Dunnet Bay and passing close by Dwarwick Pier.
"Once he passed I made my way to Dunnet Head, where a small crowd had gathered in the hope of seeing them. Almost an hour after seeing the male at Dwarwick, the whole pod of seven came into view at Dunnet Head and swam by very close to the rocks, much to everyone's delight, before disappearing at 2pm.
"We know this pod as the 27s, which consists of seven animals and seems to visit Caithness two to three times a year – this was the pod I photographed with all the seals at St John's Point last August."
The orcas then headed to Orkney and were seen the following morning in Kirkwall Bay.
