Welcome to Day 6 of Orca Watch 2021
Yesterday turned out to be a busy day after all, with quite a few sightings of the 169 Pod and another sighting believed to be the 12s! Tune in to Orca Watch Live tonight from 7:30pm (virtual doors open at 7:20) to hear Karen Hall talk about this exciting day! Your FREE link will remain live following the event for viewing later so click here!
Orca Watch Live! Looking Ahead
All Orca Watch Live! events are free, just follow the link to register! Virtual doors open at 7:20pm. If you’ve missed any, you can still watch all the previous shows on YouTube.
Orca Watch Live! – Thursday 3rd June @ 7:30pm – hear about yesterdays sightings including a report from Karen Hall on Shetland and learn a little about the FREE Sea Watcher App and choosing a camera for your cetacean photography. Click here.
Orca Watch Live! – Friday 4th June @ 7:30pm – more updates on the latest sightings from our volunteers and observers and a chance to meet and hear from some of our local partners. Click here.
Orca Watch Live Special! – Saturday 5th June @ 7:30pm – In this extended Special we learn about the Ecological Consequences of Orca Predation on Seals with Julia Sutherland, as well as catching up on all the latest sightings. Click here.
Orca Watch Live! Final Roundup – Sunday 6th June @ 7:30pm – In this final event we look back at the highlights of the week, consider what we have learned and look ahead to National Whale and Dolphin Watch, 24th July – 1st August 2021 and Orca Watch 2022! Click here.
Please support Orca Watch and Sea Watch Foundation with a donation to our PayPal Giving Fund here
Missed last nights amazing Orca Watch Live Special! on the Scottish Killer Whale Photo Identifcation Catalogue 2021? Worry not, you can get a free link here and hear some of the team talk about this amazing project!
Missed the Evening of Talks? If you missed the show, you can still use the link you bought to see the recording. If you didn’t buy a ticket, it’s not too late. This amazing show includes over 2 hours of orca “edutainment” including “Iconic Orca – Introducing the Killer Whale” with Robin Petch, our keynote speaker Filipa Samarra from the Icelandic Orca Project with “The orcas that unite us” and Director Peter Evans and Sightings Officer Chiara Bertulli talking about Sea Watch Foundation, its role in studying and protecting UK whales, dolphins and porpoises and how you can get involved as a volunteer “citizen scientist”. All this and more for only £6.50! Just click here!
Sightings Map – Wednesday 2nd June
In the Hebrides, we once again have seen minke whale and harbour porpoise action, but no common dolphins today. Thanks to Hebridean Adventures, Red Moon Cruises, Alexa Kershaw and our colleagues at the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust as well as Carl Chapman, our Norfolk Regional Co-ordinator who is leading a Wildlife Tours and Education trip in the area.
Across in the Moray Firth, Hebridean Whale Cruises spotted a minke and porpoises off Melvaig, Ross & Cromarty and Alan Airey added another harbour porpoise to the list.
Off Duncansby Head, from the John O’Groats Ferry, our local Orca Watch co-ordinator Lucy Baldwin added a grey seal to our map!
Karen Hall also added 2 harbour porpoises to the list while watching for orca at Sumburgh Head but of course the big news is the multiple orca sighttings in Shetland reported below.
Sightings News
Is it the 12s again?
This shot of an orca, believed to be from the 12s Pod, was taken by Robbie Brookes yesterday at around 10:15pm. He reported 5-6 orca from his vantage point at Muckle Flugga, Unst, Shetland. This is the only sighting of this group yesterday as far as we know and of course as we heard on Tuesday from Hugh Harrop, this pod has a new calf amongst its members.
The 169s are back!
As we heard on Orca Watch Live! last night, our Shetland Regional Co-ordinator Karen Hall reported a sighting from Sumburgh Head earlier in the day where she had been watching with Hugh Harrop. In fact it turned out that a friend of mine, Hannah Thompson from Yorkshire who is visiting friends nearby, actually saw them earlier from the same spot. She reported 5 animals including a male, a female, 2 calves and one other.
Later Karen Munroe and Hugh Harrop identified both these sightings as the 169s back again. Later still, orca were seen again in the evening, by Martina Smith at Bigton and Susan Melville at Maywick and are assumed to be the 169s again but this is not confirmed at the time of writing.
Please do keep checking our Breaking News Sightings page here and the Verified Sightings page here for the latest news.
Become a Sea Watch Member from only £3.50/mth
Receive our quarterly 40+ page e-magazine Sea Watcher and a monthly Sightings Update and News Bulletin as well as access to the information in the private area of the My Sea Watch website.
Learn about the latest research and discover whale and dolphin watching hotspots in the UK and around the world. Learn more in the Skills Clinic and the Species Fact Files. JOIN HERE!
Links to further information
Additional information can be found on our Orca Watch 2021 Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/orcawatchers or our Orca Watch Facebook Group www.facebook.com/groups/orcawatch/ as well as www.seawatchfoundation.org.uk/orca-watch-2021/.
You can also follow our updates on Twitter and Instagram!
Thank you, and an appeal
Thank you for being part of Orca Watch 2021. As I am sure you will appreciate, a great deal of work has gone into making this possible. Our paid Officers have been supported by an incredible team of volunteers and partners, as well as a very welcome financial contribution by NatureScot through the PlungeIn! The Coasts and Waters Community Fund. However, Orca Watch, and the work of Sea Watch Foundation year round, relies on your support. Please show your appreciation by becoming a Sea Watch Member here, donating to our PayPal Giving Fund here, or why not Adopt a Dolphin here.
Thank you for your interest and support
Robin Petch
Sea Watch Ambassador
