Pictures (c) Denis McCormack
Staff at the Scottish Seabird Centre were thrilled to confirm that there had been a “spectacular sighting” of a pod of 14 sperm whales in the Firth of Forth. The whales were seen swimming in the Firth on Thursday 25 April between 1 and 2pm, heading from the island of Fidra to the Lamb, just a mile offshore from the centre in North Berwick, an official Sea Watch Foundation National Whale and Dolphin Watch 2013 site. The whales then appeared to change direction, heading towards Crail in Fife.
The amazing sight was reported to the Seabird Centre by microlight pilots from East of Scotland Microlights. They spotted the whales from a height of around 500 feet and captured some stunning images. The water was completely still apart from the disturbance created by the whales’ blowholes and the froth churned by their tails. The whales were also observed by Scottish Natural Heritage staff and other researchers on the Isle of May who were able to identify the whales’ tail flukes, dorsal fins and plumes of spray. Their sighting reports, along with expert views, confirm that these were almost certainly sperm whales.
North Berwick-based marine conservationist and author Erich Hoyt said that the sighting of the whales was “…encouraging. Sperm whales are rarely seen in the Firth of Forth, and to see 14 of them travelling together is very special. The previous close sighting of sperm whales in North Berwick was exactly 10 years ago this month when a large sperm whale landed on the beach at Canty Bay; but this is certainly the largest group of living whales we’ve seen travelling together in or near the Firth of Forth. Sperm whales are usually residents of deeper waters off the north and west of Scotland where they hunt squid.
“The images confirm that they are sperm whales, including a few that are either immature males or females. Sperm whales in groups are usually either all males or females with juveniles and calves, so given the absence of calves and the location this is most probably a group of young males. The one tail that is visible is consistent with a sperm whale tail fluke.”
David Pickett, Scottish Natural Heritage’s National Nature Reserve Manager on the Isle of May, added that it had been “a thrilling experience. We were able to get distant views of two pods of sperm whales, distinguished by the flattened dorsal fin, the way the plume of spray went forward rather than up, and their enormous size. For the next hour we saw flukes and whole tails being waved and lots of ‘spy hopping’ when whales raise their heads out of the water.”
For Tom Brock OBE, CEO of the Scottish Seabird Centre, the sighting “helps to highlight some of the amazing wildlife that can be spotted right here on our doorstep. It’s thrilling that such a large pod of whales were seen so close to the Seabird Centre. In the Year of Natural Scotland this important sighting is a useful reminder that Scotland’s seas are special and need to be properly conserved for future generations. Scotland’s maritime environment and wildlife are of international importance and it is vital they are safeguarded for everyone to appreciate and enjoy in a sustainable way.”
A special talk on whale and dolphin conservation will take place at the Scottish Seabird Centre on Wednesday 15 May at 7pm. In “Dolphins Down Under” marine ecologist Dr Mike Bossley will speak about his pioneering conservation work with dolphins in South Australia, with an introduction by Erich Hoyt. Erich will talk about the worldwide work of Whale and Dolphin Conservation in protecting marine habitats as part of the WDC “Homes for Whales & Dolphins” campaign. Full booking details are on the Scottish Seabird Centre‘s website.