DOCSLIB.ORG

ORCA Wildlife Report: the Caribbean, the Azores & Madeira

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
ORCA Wildlife Report: the Caribbean, the Azores & Madeira ORCA Wildlife Report: The Caribbean, The Azores & Madeira – Ventura th st 4 January- 1 February 2019 The ORCA Cruise Conservationists Team: Sunita and Heather To all of you with whom we spoke, laughed and learned, thank you from us! It was a pleasure to be your P&O Ventura Caribbean, Madeira & the Azores ORCA Cruise Conservationists. Once again from this wonderful partnership with P&O, ORCA could fulfil its aim of bringing marine conservation to minds of guests. This is done by giving our guests the chance to experience wildlife with ORCA guides whilst collecting critical scientific data to ensure the long term protection of whales, dolphins and porpoises and their habitats in the UK, European and surrounding waters. Your Cruise Conservationists: Sunita (L) and Heather (R) 4th January- Southampton Your ORCA Cruise Conservationists Heather and Sunita arrived in Southampton, excited to be soon setting sail on our adventure across the Atlantic to the tropical Caribbean waters. We spent our first evening scoping out the exterior decks, sussing out the best watching spots, ready for a busy few days sailing south towards our first port of Madeira. As we unpacked we watched the sunset from our cabin porthole. Charity No: 1141728 ww.orcaweb.org.uk Sunset view from our cabin 5th January- At sea, Bay of Biscay We started our first sea day with our first ORCA Lecture, introducing ourselves to everyone, and highlighting our role on board. Thankyou to everyone that came, it was great to see such a great turn out by so many interested guests. After our talk, we went out on deck to start our first watch of the trip. We positioned ourselves right beside the Breakers Bar, where we hoped everyone could easily spot us in our high vis vests! To our utter delight, the sea was wonderfully calm, with no white caps, perfect for dolphin and whale spotting! We were still very much in shallow waters, some 55 miles off the coast of the Brest peninsula in Northern France. It wasn’t long until we had a pod of common dolphins, leaping and jumping clear of the water, making a beeline for the ship. This was the first taste of what was to come and a fantastic, thrilling sighting for our guests out on their first day on deck. Later in the morning, we spotted a lovely grey seal near the ship giving us that classic seal stare with a fish in his mouth! Seemingly unfazed by the ship passing, we had a great view of the seal bobbing happily away in the water. Charity No: 1141728 ww.orcaweb.org.uk The Bay of Biscay continued to provide as we spent the rest of the morning watching a steady flow of several pods of common dolphins coming to play around the ship. Common dolphin in the Bay of Biscay After lunch, we tracked our progress on our GPS as we approached the continental shelf edge. This is where we reach the edge of the European continent, and the water depth drops off dramatically from around 150/200 metres to over 4000 metres. Here, currents from the wider Atlantic hit this steep incline, churning up nutrient rich cold waters from the deep, kick starting the food chain and making this an area rich with marine mammal life. Our hopes were high as we sailed south into deeper waters, and we were not disappointed. It wasn’t long until a pod of striped dolphins came along to bow ride close to the ship. These dolphins are incredibly acrobatic and playful, and our second species of the trip. Striped dolphin, playfully leaping Charity No: 1141728 ww.orcaweb.org.uk Deeper water also brought with it the opportunity to spot some of our deeper diving species, such as our sperm whales, so we were delighted to spot two not far from the ship, resting on the surface of the water. As we and the guests watched, the whales began to blow frequently. You may remember from our lectures that sperm whales are the largest of all the toothed whales, meaning they have only one blowhole, situated on to the side of their head. So rather than going straight up, the blow when they surface to breathe, gives us that classic 45-degree angle. The perfect opportunity to teach our guests how these blows can be used to identify different cetacean species. 2 sperm whales resting at the surface, their heads on the left & small dorsal fins on the right The seabirds came out too, rounding off our day perfectly with lots of kittiwakes, gannets, gulls, and great skuas. We ended our first full day on the Ventura with our first formal night and with everyone in their finest dress. What a fantastic first day! 6th January- At Sea, around the tip of Cape Finistere Our second day started with Heather out on deck for a beautiful sunrise. Sunita meanwhile was preparing for our second lecture ‘Whale and Dolphin Hotspots of this Cruise’. Once again we had great attendance with lots of wonderful and interested guests. We headed back out on deck to brilliant sunshine with a sea state 4/5, which is not great for spotting, but the sunshine and enthusiasm made up for it. Not long had we been up there chatting to the guests when a large blow was seen from the horizon, some sort of large whale species. Then a pod of unidentified dolphins were spotted, leaping playfully out of the swell of the waves- almost like they were surfing! As per usual; the perfect delight for all our guests. At noon the wonderful Captain Andy Willard gave his daily address, we all silenced and listened. To our surprise he kindly mentioned to the guests to come join ‘Salty and Flipper, the ORCA cruise conservationist out on deck 16 to spot whales and dolphins and learn about the marine environment’. We were very happy for this and quickly proceeded to claim who was who; Heather becoming Flipper and Sunita becoming Salty. Charity No: 1141728 ww.orcaweb.org.uk A couple of rays were spotted, brown in colour, swimming gracefully under the surface, right by the ship. After lunch, the sea state improved to a 2/3 and the warm sunshine continued. This is when the big animals began to show themselves. First, one blow was sighted right as we came up onto deck ahead of the ship. We all watched this large whale move down port side continuing to blow, but sadly it did not bring its body above the surface. Excitingly a pod of 5 distant blows in unison were sighted. This was a group of Fin whales; we even managed to get a very distant photo of one of the whales as it rolled through the water. All the guests got a good grasp of how massive these giants can get. Shortly after a sei whale broke the surface several times, it was distant but it’s tall, upright dorsal fin, and slightly weaker blow could clearly be seen. 5 Blows in unison near the horizon, a pod of fin whales The tall upright dorsal fin and body of a sei whale, breaking the surface many times for guests to see Charity No: 1141728 ww.orcaweb.org.uk In between these giant blows a stowaway racing pigeon was seen flying around. Our day ended with a beautiful sunset and some lovely chats with our guests. Sunset from on deck the Ventura 7th January- At Sea Further into the deeper pelagic waters off the coast of Europe, our morning began straight away with a pod of common dolphins, setting hopes high for the rest of the day. They gave us their classic playful display and leaps. The sun was out and strong again, unexpected this far north in the Atlantic. Unfortunately, Heather unsurprisingly got sunburn, while Sunita basked in the glory of the warmth. As we enjoyed the warmth we spotted distant whale blows on port side. These were low bushy blows, possibly from a fin or even humpback whale. We knew the humpback migration happens at this time as they move from cold, polar regions to warm tropical regions, specifically the Caribbean. Pod of common dolphins starting off our day, their distinct hourglass pattern seen as they leapt Charity No: 1141728 ww.orcaweb.org.uk As the day continued, the weather brought lots of interesting passengers out to chat to us. Some striped dolphins spent time bow riding the front of the Ventura, only to zoom past us as we watched from the sides. After this, some guests came excitedly running to us to tell us they had spotted striped dolphins from the portholes in their cabins. It was only day four but Sunita spotted our first turtle! This got everyone on-board very excited and was swiftly followed by 2 more green turtles and our first flying fish! Heather was soon very jealous looking eagerly from her side for turtles too but none sadly appeared for her. A green turtle under a wave, spotted clearly surfacing for air a couple of meters portside Our first flying fish species, and a sign of warmer waters Charity No: 1141728 ww.orcaweb.org.uk A distant whale blow was seen from starboard but didn’t show its body. Our evening ended with dolphins at sunset with fabulous chats with guests. th 8 January- Funchal, Madeira We woke up early, keen to get out on deck and survey the waters as we approached the island of Madeira. It turns out that sunrise was far later than we had expected, and we arrived into port at 07:30 in complete darkness! With many guests keen to hop off the ship to explore our first port, we were fortunate to be greeted by a bright warm sunrise, revealing the dramatic cliffs and mountains of Madeira.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Status and Distribution of Mediterranean Mammals
    THE STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION OF MEDITERRANEAN MAMMALS Compiled by Helen J. Temple and Annabelle Cuttelod AN E AN R R E IT MED The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ – Regional Assessment THE STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION OF MEDITERRANEAN MAMMALS Compiled by Helen J. Temple and Annabelle Cuttelod The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ – Regional Assessment The designation of geographical entities in this book, and the presentation of material, do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of IUCN or other participating organizations, concerning the legal status of any country, territory, or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of IUCN or other participating organizations. Published by: IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK Copyright: © 2009 International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources Reproduction of this publication for educational or other non-commercial purposes is authorized without prior written permission from the copyright holder provided the source is fully acknowledged. Reproduction of this publication for resale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without prior written permission of the copyright holder. Red List logo: © 2008 Citation: Temple, H.J. and Cuttelod, A. (Compilers). 2009. The Status and Distribution of Mediterranean Mammals. Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK : IUCN. vii+32pp. ISBN: 978-2-8317-1163-8 Cover design: Cambridge Publishers Cover photo: Iberian lynx Lynx pardinus © Antonio Rivas/P. Ex-situ Lince Ibérico All photographs used in this publication remain the property of the original copyright holder (see individual captions for details).
    [Show full text]
  • Index of Handbook of the Mammals of the World. Vol. 9. Bats
    Index of Handbook of the Mammals of the World. Vol. 9. Bats A agnella, Kerivoula 901 Anchieta’s Bat 814 aquilus, Glischropus 763 Aba Leaf-nosed Bat 247 aladdin, Pipistrellus pipistrellus 771 Anchieta’s Broad-faced Fruit Bat 94 aquilus, Platyrrhinus 567 Aba Roundleaf Bat 247 alascensis, Myotis lucifugus 927 Anchieta’s Pipistrelle 814 Arabian Barbastelle 861 abae, Hipposideros 247 alaschanicus, Hypsugo 810 anchietae, Plerotes 94 Arabian Horseshoe Bat 296 abae, Rhinolophus fumigatus 290 Alashanian Pipistrelle 810 ancricola, Myotis 957 Arabian Mouse-tailed Bat 164, 170, 176 abbotti, Myotis hasseltii 970 alba, Ectophylla 466, 480, 569 Andaman Horseshoe Bat 314 Arabian Pipistrelle 810 abditum, Megaderma spasma 191 albatus, Myopterus daubentonii 663 Andaman Intermediate Horseshoe Arabian Trident Bat 229 Abo Bat 725, 832 Alberico’s Broad-nosed Bat 565 Bat 321 Arabian Trident Leaf-nosed Bat 229 Abo Butterfly Bat 725, 832 albericoi, Platyrrhinus 565 andamanensis, Rhinolophus 321 arabica, Asellia 229 abramus, Pipistrellus 777 albescens, Myotis 940 Andean Fruit Bat 547 arabicus, Hypsugo 810 abrasus, Cynomops 604, 640 albicollis, Megaerops 64 Andersen’s Bare-backed Fruit Bat 109 arabicus, Rousettus aegyptiacus 87 Abruzzi’s Wrinkle-lipped Bat 645 albipinnis, Taphozous longimanus 353 Andersen’s Flying Fox 158 arabium, Rhinopoma cystops 176 Abyssinian Horseshoe Bat 290 albiventer, Nyctimene 36, 118 Andersen’s Fruit-eating Bat 578 Arafura Large-footed Bat 969 Acerodon albiventris, Noctilio 405, 411 Andersen’s Leaf-nosed Bat 254 Arata Yellow-shouldered Bat 543 Sulawesi 134 albofuscus, Scotoecus 762 Andersen’s Little Fruit-eating Bat 578 Arata-Thomas Yellow-shouldered Talaud 134 alboguttata, Glauconycteris 833 Andersen’s Naked-backed Fruit Bat 109 Bat 543 Acerodon 134 albus, Diclidurus 339, 367 Andersen’s Roundleaf Bat 254 aratathomasi, Sturnira 543 Acerodon mackloti (see A.
    [Show full text]
  • Morcegos Na Net
    Morcegos na net Procuras imagens sobre os morcegos que existem em Portugal? Queres fazer um trabalho sobre eles e mostrar às tuas e aos teus colegas? Aqui, podes encontrar fotos e até vídeos destes pequenos mamíferos voadores. Diverte-te!! Morcego-de-ferradura grande Rhinolophus ferrumequinum Fotos e vídeos http://www.arkive.org/greater-horseshoe-bat/rhinolophus-ferrumequinum/ Morcego-de-ferradura-pequeno Rhinolophus hipposideros Fotos e vídeo http://www.arkive.org/lesser-horseshoe-bat/rhinolophus-hipposideros/ Morcego-de-ferradura-mediterrânico Rhinolophus euryale Fotos http://www.arkive.org/mediterranean-horseshoe-bat/rhinolophus-euryale/ Morcego-de-ferradura-mourisco Rhinolophus mehelyi Fotos http://www.arkive.org/mehelys-horseshoe-bat/rhinolophus-mehelyi/ Morcego de Bechstein Myotis bechsteinii Foto http://www.arkive.org/bechsteins-bat/myotis-bechsteinii/ Morcego-rato-grande Myotis myotis Fotos http://www.arkive.org/greater-mouse-eared-bat/myotis-myotis/ Morcego-rato-pequeno Myotis blythii http://www.arkive.org/lesser-mouse-eared-myotis/myotis-blythii/ Morcego-de-franja-do-sul Myotis escalerai Foto http://bats.regaleira.pt/morcegos/Myotis_escalerai.htm Morcego-lanudo Myotis emarginatus Fotos http://www.arkive.org/geoffroys-bat/myotis-emarginatus/ Morcego-de-bigodes Myotis mystacinus Fotos e vídeo http://www.arkive.org/whiskered-bat/myotis-mystacinus/ Morcego-de-água Myotis daubentonii Fotos e vídeo http://www.arkive.org/daubentons-bat/myotis-daubentonii/ Morcego-anão Pipistrellus pipistrellus e Morcego-pigmeu Pipistrellus pygmaeus Fotos e vídeos http://www.arkive.org/pipistrelle-bats/pipistrellus-pipistrellus-and-pipistrellus-pygmaeus/ Morcego de Kuhl Pipistrellus kuhlii Fotos http://www.arkive.org/kuhls-pipistrelle/pipistrellus-kuhlii/ Continua na página seguinte! 1 ICNF, I.P. – GIC – Cristina Girão Vieira Morcego da Madeira Pipistrellus maderensis Fotos http://www.arkive.org/madeira-pipistrelle/pipistrellus-maderensis/ Morcego de Savii Hypsugo savii Aparece com o nome antigo, Pipistrellus savii, mas não te deixes enganar, pois é a mesma espécie.
    [Show full text]
  • Effectiveness of Mitigating Measures for Bats – a Review
    CEDR Transnational Road Research Programme Call 2013: Roads and Wildlife Funded by Austria, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Netherlands and United Kingdom SafeBatPaths Fumbling in the dark – effectiveness of bat mitigation measures on roads Effectiveness of mitigating measures for bats – a review Project partners: Aarhus University, Denmark, Jasja Dekker Dierecologie, Netherlands University of The Basque Country, Spain Flagermus Forskning & Rådgivning, Denmark Sweco, Denmark CEDR Call 2013: Programme name CEDR Call 2013: Roads and Wildlife SafeBatPaths Fumbling in the dark – effectiveness of bat mitigation measures on roads Effectiveness of mitigating measures for bats – a review Due date of deliverable: 01/06/2016 Actual submission date: 26/08/2016 Start date of project: 01/09/2014 End date of project: 26/08/2016 Authors this deliverable: Julie Dahl Møller, JDM Consult, Denmark Jasja Dekker, Jasja Dekker Dierecologie, Netherlands Hans J. Baagøe, Flagermus Forskning & Rådgivning and the Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Denmark Inazio Garin, University of The Basque Country, The Basque Country Antton Alberdi, University of The Basque Country, The Basque Country Morten Christensen, Sweco, Denmark Morten Elmeros, Aarhus University, Denmark PEB Project Manager: Marianne L. Ujvári Final version, November 2016 CEDR Call 2013: Programme name Table of contents Executive summary ................................................................................................................. i 1 Introduction
    [Show full text]
  • Report for the Periodic Review of Graciosa UNESCO Biosphere Reserve 2017 1
    Report for the Periodic Review of Graciosa UNESCO Biosphere Reserve 2017 Report for the Periodic Review of Graciosa UNESCO Biosphere Reserve 2017 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS PART I: SUMMARY PART II: PERIODIC REVIEW REPORT 1. Biosphere Reserve 8 2. Significant Changes in the Biosphere Reserve During the Past Ten Years 11 3. Ecosystem Services 36 4. The Conservation Function 38 5. The Development Function 43 6. The Logistic Function 62 7. Governance, Biosphere Reserve Management and Coordination 84 8. Criteria and Progress made 99 9. Supporting Documents 113 10. Addresses 115 Annexes Annex I: MABnet Directory of the Biosphere Reserves 116 Annex II: Promotion and Communication Materials 122 Annex III: Statutory Framework of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves 125 Report for the Periodic Review of Graciosa UNESCO Biosphere Reserve 2017 0 PART I: SUMMARY a) Name of the biosphere reserve: Graciosa Island Biosphere Reserve b) Country: Portugal (PT). c) Year of designation: 2007. d) Year(s) of periodic review(s): 2017. e) Previous recommendation(s) made by the International Co-ordinating Council (MAB- ICC), if applicable: No recommendations were made, since its approval in 2007, by the International Co-ordinating Council (MAB-ICC). f) What follow-up actions are completed and if not completed/initiated, please provide justifications. In general, the intervention actions/proposals included in the original application dossier have been fully achieved, either through direct action by the Biosphere Reserve Management Unit (Regional Government of the Azores),
    [Show full text]
  • 4 Bat Mitigation Measures
    Conference of European Directors of Roads Bat mitigation measures on roads – a guideline CEDR Call 2013: Roads and Wildlife CEDR Transnational Road Research Programme Call 2013: Roads and Wildlife Funded by Austria, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Netherlands and United Kingdom Fumbling in the dark – effectiveness of bat mitigation measures on roads Bat mitigation measures on roads – a guideline Authors Morten Elmeros, Aarhus University, Denmark Julie Dahl Møller, JDM Consult, Denmark Jasja Dekker, Jasja Dekker Dierecologie, Netherlands Inazio Garin, University of The Basque Country, The Basque Country Morten Christensen, Sweco, Denmark Hans J. Baagøe, Flagermus Forskning & Rådgivning and the Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Denmark PEB Project Manager: Marianne Lund Ujvári December 2016 CEDR Call 2013: Roads and Wildlife Table of contents Executive summary ................................................................................................................. i 1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 1 2 Bats and roads ............................................................................................................... 3 2.1 Bat biology .............................................................................................................. 3 2.2 Roads and bat mitigation ......................................................................................... 6 3 Surveys and monitoring
    [Show full text]
  • The EURING Exchange-Code 2ШШШ
    The EURING exchange-code 2ØØØ. Speek, G., Clark, J.A., Rohde, Z., Wassenaar, R.D. & Van Noordwijk, A.J. Heteren, the Netherlands Vogeltrekstation Arnhem Dutch Ringing Centre Oct 29, 2ØØ8 (for update information see at the end of this publication) EURING exchange-code 2ØØØ 1 - 143 © Copyright EURING. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced (or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means) for commercial use, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. When using this copyrighted file, which we promote, see to the proper citation, and please send EURING a copy of your publication. EURING General Secretary Dr. Wolfgang Fiedler Max Planck Research Centre for Ornithology Vogelwarte Radolfzell Schlossallee 2 D-78315 Radolfzell Germany www.euring.org Published for EURING, the European Union for Bird Ringing, by: Vogeltrekstation Arnhem PO Box 4Ø 6666 ZG Heteren the Netherlands June 2ØØ1 www.vogeltrekstation.nl ISBN: 9Ø-74638-13-9 Citation: Speek, G., Clark, J.A., Rohde, Z., Wassenaar, R.D. & Van Noordwijk, A.J. 2ØØ1. The EURING exchange-code 2ØØØ. Heteren. ISBN 9Ø-74638-13-9. This publication can be downloaded as a pdf-file from the EURING website: www.euring.org And also from the website of the Dutch Ringing Scheme: www.vogeltrekstation.nl The two former EURING code manuals, 'EURING Code Manual' (1966) and 'Code Manual New EURING' (1979), can also be downloaded (pdf) from the two websites mentioned above. Authors: Gerrit Speek Dutch Ringing Scheme, PO Box 40, 6666 ZG Heteren, the Netherlands. Jacquie A.
    [Show full text]
  • Os Nomes Galegos Dos Morcegos 2018 2ª Ed
    Os nomes galegos dos morcegos 2018 2ª ed. Citación recomendada / Recommended citation: A Chave (20182): Os nomes galegos dos morcegos. Xinzo de Limia (Ourense): A Chave. http://www.achave.ga"/wp#content/up"oads/achave_osnomes!a"egosdos$morcegos$2018.pd% Para a elaboración deste recurso léxico contouse coa colaboración de Lois de la Calle Carballal. Fotografía: orelludo cincento (Plecotus austriacus ). Autor: Jordi as. &sta o'ra est( su)eita a unha licenza Creative Commons de uso a'erto* con reco+ecemento da autor,a e sen o'ra derivada nin usos comerciais. -esumo da licenza: https://creativecommons.or!/"icences/'.#n #nd//.0/deed.!". Licenza comp"eta: https://creativecommons.or!/"icences/'.#n #nd//.0/"e!a"code0"an!ua!es. 1 !otas introdutorias " que contén este documento Na primeira edición deste documento (2016) fornecéronse denominacións galegas para as especies de morcegos : todas as que están presentes na Galiza (cando menos 2!) e máis de 500 especies do resto do mundo# Nesta segunda edición (2018) incorpórase o logo da %&a'e ao deseño do documento engádese algún nome galego máis e reescr*+ense as notas introdutorias# ,áis completa que a anterior nesta no'a edición ac&éganse nomes galegos para un total de 552 especies# A estrutura En primeiro lugar preséntase unha clasificación taxonómica que considera as superfamilias e familias de morcegos onde se apunta de maneira xeral os nomes dos morcegos que &ai en cada familia# / seguir 'én o corpo do documento unha listaxe onde se indica especie por especie, alén do nome cient*fico os nomes
    [Show full text]
  • Whales & Dolphins of the Azores
    Whales & Dolphins of the Azores Naturetrek Tour Report 12 – 17 August 2010 Atlantic Spotted Dolphin View to Faial from Pico Bottle-nosed Dolphins Sperm Whale – diving fluke Bottle-nosed Dolphin Sowerby’s Beaked Whale Report and images compiled by Ed Drewitt Naturetrek Cheriton Mill Cheriton Alresford Hampshire SO24 England 0NG T: +44 (0)1962 733051 F: +44 (0)1962 736426 E: [email protected] W: www.naturetrek.co.uk Whales & Dolphins on the Azores Tour Report Tour Leaders: Ed Drewitt (Leader & Naturalist) Participants: Val Perrin Richard Fairs Jeanne Fairs Shula Fairs Jack Fairs Lucy Clark Julie Baldwin Sean Goff Jill Goff Jerry Scriven Summary: This six day tour in the Azores was a fabulous opportunity to see the diversity and abundance of wildlife using the Atlantic Ocean surrounding these islands in the summer months. Six boat trips enabled everyone to see and experience close hand five species of dolphin, two species of whale, turtles, fish and much more. A bird-watching tour of the island also provided the chance to see some of the local subspecies of common birds, explore rock pools and view unique volcanic landscape. Meanwhile, the tour enjoyed Cory’s Shearwaters both during the day at sea and at night when they came back to their nests, with males serenading overhead. Day 1 Thursday 12th August After leaving Heathrow we had a good two hour flight across southern England, north-west France and the mountains of Portugal before changing flights in sunny Lisbon for a further two hour flight across the Atlantic to the Azores, 1,000 miles west of the Portuguese coastline.
    [Show full text]
  • Whales & Dolphins of the Azores
    Whales & Dolphins of the Azores Naturetrek Tour Report 5 – 11 September 2015 Cory's Shearwater Sperm Whale and Pico Loggerhead Turtle Striped Dolphin Report & images compiled by Ed Drewitt Naturetrek Mingledown Barn Wolf's Lane Chawton Alton Hampshire GU34 3HJ UK T: +44 (0)1962 733051 E: [email protected] W: www.naturetrek.co.uk Tour Report The Azores 2 © Naturetrek Whales & Dolphins of the Azores Tour Report Tour Participants: Ed Drewitt (leader) together with seven Naturetrek clients Day 1 Saturday 5th September London to Lisbon We all met together before departing, leaving behind a cool, overcast London and heading over Dorset's Poole Harbour and Portland. As we flew over the north-west of France there was a beautiful red sunset, before we headed south to Lisbon in the dark. Arriving just before 10.30pm, we split between two taxis and headed to a nearby hotel, getting to bed before an early start. Day 2 Sunday 6th September We met again at 5.40am to return to the airport for our 8am flight. It was a bright sunny morning in Lisbon and Spotless Starlings were busy feeding on the grassy verges of the runway. Joanne also spotted a feeding wading bird. We took off and headed west for two and a half hours to the island of Faial, flying in over the long, straight volcanic island of Sao Jorge before going past Pico Island (and the highest peak in Portugal), and in to the island of Faial. We transferred by taxi to the town of Horta and had a few hours to spare before our 1.15pm ferry to Pico.
    [Show full text]
  • Whales & Dolphins of the Azores
    Whales & Dolphins of the Azores Naturetrek Tour Report 20 - 25 August 2012 Risso's Dolphins Sperm Whale Report and images compiled by James Phillips Naturetrek Cheriton Mill Cheriton Alresford Hampshire SO24 0NG England T: +44 (0)1962 733051 F: +44 (0)1962 736426 E: [email protected] W: www.naturetrek.co.uk Tour Report The Azores – Whales and Dolphins Tour Leader: James Phillips - Naturetrek Leader Local guides: Dania Tesei Enrico Villa Michael Costa Justin Hart Participants Peter Beynon Carol Bird Margaret Mylne Edna Haydock Janette Munro Ford Caroline James Alice Nunn Christopher Wathen Maggie Wathen Michelle Leahair Introduction This year’s six day tour in the Azores gives us a fabulous opportunity to see the diversity and abundance of marine wildlife to be found in the Atlantic waters that surround these magical islands. The tour was a great success with no less than 8 species of cetacean recorded with excellent encounters and views for everyone on the tour, and large numbers of animals seen. Total whale and dolphin sightings for the week – Sperm Whale: 22 animals (with 2 calves), Short-finned Pilot Whale: 3+ animals, False Killer Whale: 35 animals, Bottle-nosed Dolphin: 53+ animals (with calves), Risso's Dolphin: 25+ animals, Striped Dolphin: 50 animals (with calves), Atlantic Spotted Dolphin: 230+ animals (a number of groups with many calves), Short-beaked Common Dolphin: 35+ (with calves). Other key sightings through the week included 1 Loggerhead turtle, 1 Blue shark, 30 Atlantic flying fish, 8 Roseate tern, 400+ Cory's shearwater, 4 Great shearwater, 1 Sooty shearwater, 5 Arctic skua.
    [Show full text]
  • Whales & Dolphins of the Azores
    Whales & Dolphins of the Azores Naturetrek Tour Report 5 – 11 September 2015 Cory's Shearwater Sperm Whale and Pico Loggerhead Turtle Striped Dolphin Report & images compiled by Ed Drewitt Naturetrek Mingledown Barn Wolf's Lane Chawton Alton Hampshire GU34 3HJ UK T: +44 (0)1962 733051 E: [email protected] W: www.naturetrek.co.uk Tour Report The Azores 2 © Naturetrek Whales & Dolphins of the Azores Tour Report Tour Participants: Ed Drewitt (leader) together with seven Naturetrek clients Day 1 Saturday 5th September London to Lisbon We all met together before departing, leaving behind a cool, overcast London and heading over Dorset's Poole Harbour and Portland. As we flew over the north-west of France there was a beautiful red sunset, before we headed south to Lisbon in the dark. Arriving just before 10.30pm, we split between two taxis and headed to a nearby hotel, getting to bed before an early start. Day 2 Sunday 6th September We met again at 5.40am to return to the airport for our 8am flight. It was a bright sunny morning in Lisbon and Spotless Starlings were busy feeding on the grassy verges of the runway. Joanne also spotted a feeding wading bird. We took off and headed west for two and a half hours to the island of Faial, flying in over the long, straight volcanic island of Sao Jorge before going past Pico Island (and the highest peak in Portugal), and in to the island of Faial. We transferred by taxi to the town of Horta and had a few hours to spare before our 1.15pm ferry to Pico.
    [Show full text]