INJ 29 (1) 29/08/2008 13:18 Page 40 Notes and Records increase in live strandings may be due to better Cetacean Notes recording as re-floated animals often remain un- recorded leaving no evidence of the event. It will Records from the Irish Whale and be interesting to see if this trend in live strandings Dolphin Group for 2007 continues. In the following list the letters NPWS indicate Compilers: Mick O’Connell and Simon Berrow that the observer is an employee of the National Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, Parks & Wildlife Service. Merchants Quay, Kilrush, Co. Clare Fin Whale Balaenoptera physalus (Linnaeus, All records below have been submitted with ade- 1758) quate documentation and/or photographs to put Unsexed. c.9 m. Live stranded and died on 28 identification beyond doubt. The length is a lin- December 2007 at Glen Pier, Ballinskelligs, ear measurement from the tip of the beak to the Co. Kerry (V375685). Derry Doyle, Michael fork in the tail fin. Unless otherwise stated the Herrmann, Jana Kunze. animal was ‘observed’ dead on the seashore on Female. 6.56 m. Live stranded and died on 28 the given date. A new classification of ‘Striped or December 2007 at Letterdyfe Shore, Common Dolphin’ has been added to reflect the Roundstone, Co. Galway (L727412). Rob fact that these species are difficult to tell apart Holloway, Conall Hawkins, Nicholas Griffin, when skin colouration has faded and the upper Martin O’Malley, Rita Gately. palate has not been checked for the presence or absence of grooves. Minke Whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata During 2007 we received 143 stranding Lacépède, 1804 records of 148 individual cetaceans. Twelve Unsexed c.8 m. Found floating on 28 August species were recorded with 24 records not identi- 2007, 6km south of Union Hall, Co. Cork fied to species level. As in previous years the (W238218). Nic Slocum. Common Dolphin (27% of records) and Harbour Porpoise (21%) were the most fre- Cuvier’s Beaked Whale Ziphius cavirostris quently reported species. Striped Dolphin Cuvier, 1823 records were low compared to 2006 with White- Unsexed. c.6.5 m. Found on 2 March 2007 at sided Dolphin and Pilot Whales up on previous Lettergesh Beach, Co. Galway (L740639). years. Both these latter species often associate Dorothy Cross. because they tend to occur offshore on the edge of the continental shelf where they feed predom- Sperm Whale Physeter macrocephalus inantly on squid. Only one beaked whale Linnaeus, 1758 (Cuvier’s Beaked Whale) was reported in 2007 Unsexed. 7.2 m (excluding tail). Found on 22 compared to eight in 2006. March 2007 near Roonagh Point, Co. Mayo One of the most striking results from 2007 (L743802). Peter and Ann Osborne; Eoin was the number of live strandings with 28 events McGreal (NPWS). (20% of total stranding records) involving nine Male. c.14 m. Live stranded and died on 26 April species. This compares with 20 live strandings of 2007 at Magheroarty, Falcarragh, Co. nine species in 2006 and 6 live strandings of four Donegal (B928351). John Craig. species in 2005. Two Fin Whales were included in the live strandings, both of which were small Harbour Porpoise Phocoena phocoena individuals that live stranded on the same day (Linnaeus, 1758) but in locations 185km apart. There were only Unsexed. 1.3 m. Found on 11 January 2007 at two previous records of live stranded fin Whales Buncrana, Co. Donegal (C338319). Emmett for Ireland, one in 2001 the other in 2003 and Johnston (NPWS). there have been no other stranding records of this Female. Found on 15 January 2007 at Kilmore species since 2003. There were also eight live Quay, Co. Wexford (S964032). Tony Murray strandings of White-sided Dolphins. The (NPWS). 40 Irish Naturalists’ Journal 29 No.1 2008 INJ 29 (1) 29/08/2008 13:18 Page 41 CETACEAN NOTES Unsexed. c.1.5 m. Found on 18 February 2007 at 2007 in Galway Bay, Co. Galway (M339215). Brittas Bay, Co. Wicklow (T313829). Alon Stephen Comerford, Joanne O’Brien. Bader. Unsexed. Found on 13 October 2007 at Unsexed. 1.25 m. Found on 20 February 2007 at Dundrum Bay, Newcastle, Co. Down Little Island Strand, Owenahincha, Co. Cork (J402333). Anne McComb. (W306350). John Headlam, Pádraig Unsexed. c.1 m. Found on 16 October 2007 at Whooley. North Beach, Brittas Bay, Co. Wicklow Unsexed. 1.65 m. Found on 25 February 2007 at (T305818). Orla Gallagher, Paul Richards. Magheramore Beach, Co. Wicklow Male. 1.2 m. Found on 19 October 2007 at (T331870). Bobby Harnett. Ventry Strand, Co. Kerry (Q381001). Nick Unsexed. c.1.1 m. Found on 3 March 2007 at Massett. Sandycove, Co. Dublin (O256280). Orla Unsexed. 1.78 m. Live stranded and died on 27 McGovern, Dave Wall, Phyllis Ryan, Nick October 2007 at Tullaghan Strand, Co. Channon. Leitrim (G783581). Bundoran Surf Male. 1.42 m. Found on 7 March 2007 at Chour Company, Willie Britton, Mick O’Connell. Beach, Co. Wexford (T095052). Tony Unsexed. Found on 31 October 2007 at Tramore Murray. Strand, Co. Waterford (S588009). Betty Unsexed. Found on 3 April 2007 at Flaggy Twomey. Shore, New Quay, Co. Clare (M251105). Sue Male. 1.53 m. Found on 25 November 2007 at Clarke, Pat Molloy. Ballybunion, Co. Kerry (Q862415). Mike Unsexed. 1.2 m. Found floating on 5 April 2007 Flahive, Mick O’Connell. near Doolin, Co. Clare (R051955). Ken Male. 1.55 m. Found on 28 November 2007 at O’Sullivan. Ventry Strand, Co. Kerry (V379999). Nick Unsexed. 1.45 m. Found on 15 April 2007 at Massett. Sandymount Strand, Co. Dublin (O199326). Female. 1.43 m. Found on 6 December 2007 at Eugene Archer, Phyllis Ryan. Carnsore Point, Co. Wexford (T117037). Unsexed. 1.5 m. Found on 1 May 2007 at Beal Tony Murray. Ban, Smerwick Harbour, Co. Kerry Unsexed. 1.8 m. Found on 10 December 2007 at (Q355058). Jill Crosher. Dinish Island, Castletownbere, Co. Cork Male. 1.3 m. Found on 18 May 2007 at Cow (V685454). Clare Heardman. Strand, Sherkin Island, Co. Cork (W017262). Unsexed. 1.2 m (excluding head). Found on 26 Sherkin Island Marine Station. December 2007 at Garnish, Beara, Co. Cork Male. 1.3 m. Found on 27 May 2007 at Kinnego (V522430). Sue Money. Bay, Inishowen, Co. Donegal (C632459). Male. 1.5 m. Found on 27 December 2007 at Emmett Johnston (NPWS). Bunanear, Annascaul, Co. Kerry (Q596002). Unsexed. c.0.9 m. Found on 13 June 2007 at Patricia Scully, Nick Massett. Ventry Strand, Co. Kerry (Q383002). Nick Massett. Long-finned Pilot Whale Globicephala Female. 1.3 m. Found on 24 June 2007 at melaena (Traill, 1809) Jameson’s Beach, Howth, Co. Dublin Male. 2.41 m. Found on 3 March 2007 at (O251371). Damien Coady, Dave Wall. Fahamore, Brandon Bay, Co. Kerry Unsexed. 0.84m. Found on 25 June 2007 at (Q608184). Sheena Fennell, Mick Curran Strand, Portrush, Co. Antrim O’Connell. (C880409). Helen White. Unsexed. c.5 m. Found on 19 March 2007 at Male. c.1.05 m. Found on 31 July 2007 at Inch Seafield, Quilty, Co. Clare (R003741). Jim Beach, Co. Cork (W875600). Robert Martin, Simon Berrow. Murphy, Darragh Musgrave. Unsexed. c.4.5 m. Found on 29 April 2007 at Unsexed. 1.31 m. Found on 3 August 2007 at Castle Island, Roaringwater Bay, Co. Cork Crag Beach, Lahinch, Co. Clare (R090862). (V958296). Jim Brindley, Declan O’Donnell Joanne O’Brien. (NPWS). Unsexed. c.0.9 m. Found on 23 August 2007 at Male. 5.3 m. Found on 29 May 2007 at Loher Portrush, Co. Antrim (C859409). Richard Beach, Waterville, Co. Kerry (V495617). Stevens. Rosemary Hill. Male. 1.02 m. Found floating on 5 September Unsexed. c.5 m. Found on 17 June 2007 at Irish Naturalists’ Journal 29 No.1 2008 41 INJ 29 (1) 29/08/2008 13:18 Page 42 CETACEAN NOTES Iniskeel, Clew Bay, Co. Mayo (L874952). Fitzgerald, Mick O’Connell. Liam Naidoo. Unsexed. c.2-2.5 m. Live stranded and died on Unsexed. c.5 m. Found on 3 August 2007 at 16 May 2007 near Castlegregory, Brandon Glengad Beach, Rossport, Co. Mayo Bay, Co. Kerry (Q607184). Probably the same (F802407). Caoimhe Kerins, John Plummer. animal, which was refloated at Cloghane, Co. Male. Live stranded and died on 15 August 2007 Kerry on the 15 May. Bob King (Waterworld at Fanad Head, Co. Donegal (C214478). Dive Centre). John McAteer (Tirconaill Tribune). Unsexed. 2.2 m. Found on 1 June 2007 at Female. 4.54 m. Found on 21 August 2007 at Benone Strand, Magilligan, Co. Derry Cappagh Strand, Cloghane, Co. Kerry (C712364). Patrick Dennison, Richard (Q527132). Skin covered in lesions infested Gillen. with lice (Isocyamus delphinii). Lila and Ben Female. c.2 m. Live stranded and died on 7 July Fenton, Kevin Flannery (Dingle 2007 at Downhill Beach, Portstewart, Co. Oceanworld), Mick O’Connell. Derry (C745364). Jim Allen, Mervyn Unsexed. c.6 m. Found on 27 October 2007 at Guthrie. Knocklane, Sligo Bay, Co. Sligo (G564444). Male. 2.6 m. Live stranded on 10 July 2007 at Don Cotton, Richard Nairn. Downings Strand, Co. Donegal (C106381). Unsexed. c.5 m. Found on 29 October 2007 at Refloated but found dead on the following Kilshannig, Castlegregory, Co. Kerry day. Michael Bassett, Patricia Conlon, Martin (Q621190). Paul Gordon, Christian Brene. Fleming, Nadine Lynch, Gary Moore, Unsexed. Found on 23 December 2007 at Richard Robinson. Monatrea, Youghal, Co. Cork (X114775). Unsexed. c.2.5 m. Found on 28 July 2007 at Tom Power. Inch, Co. Kerry (V648993). Carlsen Cloney Unsexed. c.5 m. Found on 26 December 2007 at (Inch Lifeguard), Mick O’Connell. Kilmore Quay, Co. Wexford (S957039).