Glorious sunshine welcomed watchers at Duncansby Head for the third day of Orca Watch. Anticipation was building after the sighting yesterday of orca heading out to sea suggested they would be swinging back in towards the Pentland Firth at some point today.
Breaching orca toy photographed at Duncansby Head. Photo credit: Steve Truluck.
It was lovely to see the excitement when a harbour porpoise was spotted not far off the cliffs at Duncansby, sleepily making it’s way west in a slow fashion past the guillemots and fulmars. This sighting was added to the newly created sightings board, meaning members of the public and orca watchers alike can keep up to date with latest sightings at a glance.
Anna Jemmett making the daily sightings board at Duncansby Head. Photo credit: Anna Jemmett / Sea Watch Foundation
Boat trips both on the JOG ferry and the North 58 Orkney boat trip reported over 50 sightings of seals (both grey and common) in the area which interesting seeming as very few seals have been sighted until now. The good news for us (but not such great news for the seals) is that this most likely means the orca will be heading back to the Pentland Firth soon to check out the current availability on the marine mammal menu. Despite lack of orca, watchers at Duncansby Head kept themselves occupied by practising photography on one of our orca mascots and a rare visitor of the Avian variety, a moltoni’s warbler, made many birders incredibly excited as this was a first for Northern Scotland. Unfortunately the haar closed in again in the evening which gave one and all an opportunity to rest up ahead of what we hope to be a few busy days of sightings to come.
By Chloe Robinson
