# General > Biodiversity >  Risso's Dolphins Lybster 1-5-10

## Seabird

These were just 2 in a pod of about 4 seen passing Swiney Hill Lybster at 3.15pm.





I will be giving a presentation about Cetaceans found around the Caithness coast at 7pm 21st May at the Seadrift Centre Dunnet during the Scottish Natural Heritage Biodiversity week (13th-23rd May)

Colin
Local Sea Watch Group Coordinator
www.caithness-sea-watching.co.uk

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## sprint95m

Just after 7am today I saw a single dolphin from the Dog's Nose, North Keiss.
It was about 300 or 400 metres offshore and leaped clear of the sea about eight or ten times as it headed south.
The sound of it hitting the water was what attracted my attention.

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## Seabird

Well spotted Sprint. There are lots of Risso's about at the moment. A loud splash sounds like play rather than normal swim, so i would be surprised if there were not more out there that you didn't see.
This afternoon i had a Minke, 2 groups of Harbour Porpoise and at least 6 Risso's Dolphins off Lybster. Nothing was leaping but young Risso's do enjoy a good splash from time to time.

Colin Bird
Local
Seawatch Foundation Group Coordinator.
www.caithness-sea-watching.co.uk

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## sandyr1

I never realized the beauty of dolphins/porpoises and whales, until I sailed offshore from New York to Bermuda (approx 800 miles), and return a number of years ago.
Most days on the ocean, you would see the dolphins heading for the boat, jumping out of the water. They would then travel with us for approx 10 minutes, jumping at the bow of the boat, and then suddenly disappear.
Of a total of 18 days in the ocean I think we missed seeing them 3 days and that was because of a storm....25 foot waves and 55 knot winds. Aghhhhhhh.
Then one day I was on watch and suddenly we were surrounded by a pod of whales. The sailboat was 34 feet and some whales appeared to be much longer than the boat....and two small ones with one big one..babies?
We had some concerns that they would go under the boat and then surface but this fortunately never occurred....am still here!
Just a thought....Used to see them around Caithness, but perhaps it takes time, a long time to appreciate nature.

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## Seabird

> I never realized the beauty of dolphins/porpoises and whales, until I sailed offshore from New York to Bermuda (approx 800 miles), and return a number of years ago.
> Most days on the ocean, you would see the dolphins heading for the boat, jumping out of the water. They would then travel with us for approx 10 minutes, jumping at the bow of the boat, and then suddenly disappear.
> Of a total of 18 days in the ocean I think we missed seeing them 3 days and that was because of a storm....25 foot waves and 55 knot winds. Aghhhhhhh.
> Then one day I was on watch and suddenly we were surrounded by a pod of whales. The sailboat was 34 feet and some whales appeared to be much longer than the boat....and two small ones with one big one..babies?
> We had some concerns that they would go under the boat and then surface but this fortunately never occurred....am still here!
> Just a thought....Used to see them around Caithness, but perhaps it takes time, a long time to appreciate nature.


What a fantastic experience to look back on. Thanks for sharing.

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## Gronnuck

Wonderful pictures as ever colin - Thanks for sharing  :Grin:

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## Even Chance

Around 6 of them were breaching and playing around my yacht just off Wick bay on Sunday afternoon. Ive never seen them so close to the boat. I was playing "Amy Macdonald's" new album rather loud on the stereo as I was sailing and the engine was off.
 Are they attracted to music I wonder?
 A great sight. Hope to see more of them over the summer.

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## sandyr1

_Then one day I was on watch and suddenly we were surrounded by a pod of whales. The sailboat was 34 feet and some whales appeared to be much longer than the boat....and two small ones with one big one..babies?_
_We had some concerns that they would go under the boat and then surface but this fortunately never occurred....am still here_!

Should clarify my prose.....the Pod consisted of approx 15, but there was one big one..perhaps 45/50 feet in length with two little ones..8-10 feet, who seemed to be on their own. We thought of a mother and her young/ of course we didn't know
They would come fairly close and some would blow water....
And the sea stories of them surfacing under the boat/ apparently occurs...survivor's stories.

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## sandyr1

> Around 6 of them were breaching and playing around my yacht just off Wick bay on Sunday afternoon. Ive never seen them so close to the boat. I was playing "Amy Macdonald's" new album rather loud on the stereo as I was sailing and the engine was off.
> Are they attracted to music I wonder?
> A great sight. Hope to see more of them over the summer.


I see you are a sailor! How is sailing off the NE coast. Was born and brought up there, but other than going to the sea for a day I have never sailed. Our tides on the East Coast of Canada can get pretty high but further South they are only 3 feet......regards....s

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## Rictina

AWwwsome shots.  :Smile:

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## Thumper

> Around 6 of them were breaching and playing around my yacht just off Wick bay on Sunday afternoon. Ive never seen them so close to the boat. I was playing "Amy Macdonald's" new album rather loud on the stereo as I was sailing and the engine was off.
>  Are they attracted to music I wonder?
>  A great sight. Hope to see more of them over the summer.


Dolphins are very curious, so the music may have attracted them,that said they also love to play so it may just have been your lucky day that they played beside your boat x

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## Even Chance

I must admit that it was an amazing experience to have them so close. You could see them in the clear water zooming under the stern of the yacht, then up and breaching. They followed me for around 10 mins, then dissapeared as quickly as they arrived. They had lots of white streaks down them, just like the photos here, so I presume they too were Risso's. They were around 1.5m long. The first thing I noticed was a very distinctive fin shape. Different from the regular, darker coloured dolphins/porpoises I see off here. I wondered what on earth they were at first until they started jumping. I just wish that there was someone else there to see it, as I was alone.
 This all happened around 1 mile directly off Wick bay.

 Sandyr1, The sailing round here is fantastic. Plenty of wind thats for sure!! The tides round Noss Head are a bit of a pain at times, but its all good fun and gives the decks a wash!

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