L2624 - Coastal and Cultural Scottish Isles
- pmh0606617
- Aug 9
- 7 min read
Updated: Aug 10
Most of the images in this blog were taken during the cruise - click on the images to view them at full size.
Day 1 - 1st August Departing Rosyth and journeying along the Firth of Forth
The Ocean Wildlife Encounters team, Christine, Lorraine and Paul, were on deck before departure. In perfect conditions (an almost flat sea, and a partially cloudy sky) we would be passing by ten of the islands in the Firth of Forth, all either owned by the RSPB, Nature Scotland or protected due to their importance for the wildlife found on and around them. With a number of guests on deck as we departed and passed under the three bridges, Bottlenose Dolphins joined us. What a wonderful start. We were soon hearing the calls between Guillemot dads and their tiny “jumplings”. These little chicks are encouraged by their parents to leave the nest at about 3 weeks old and jump into the water where they stay with their dads until they are strong enough to fly and look after themselves; we heard and spotted them throughout the cruise.
The Firth of Forth certainly did not disappoint, as we also spotted Grey Seals, Common Dolphins, Cormorants, Shags, a Red-throated Diver, Gannets, Fulmars, Kittiwakes, Herring and Common, Black-headed, Lesser and Great Black-backed Gulls, Razorbills, Puffins, and Manx Shearwaters, all before we headed in for something to eat. However, that was not the last sighting of the day, Lorraine spotted a lot of diving Gannets which is a good indication that we might have a cetacean around. Sure enough, a Minke Whale surfaced very close to the ship. A wonderful end to the day.
3 Bridges © Christine Murdie / OWE Male Guillemot and chick © Paul Soulby / OWE Common Dolphins © Paul Soulby / OWE Bottlenose Dolphin © Paul Soulby / OWE Gannets © Paul Soulby / OWE Grey Seal © Paul Soulby / OWE
Day 2 - 2nd August The North Sea
We were just north of Aberdeen when we went out on deck with ideal weather conditions. The seas and sky were a little quiet at first but, as our first official deck watch started, more Gannets, Herring Gulls and Fulmars joined us.
As we approached Troop Head many more guests appeared on deck. Troop Head is the largest and only mainland gannet colony in Scotland, home to 4300 breeding pairs. We were close enough to appreciate the wonderful sight and sound of the Gannets and Kittiwakes on the cliff face but not close enough to smell them! Then, all of a sudden, dolphins were spotted close in towards the cliffs. Too distant and too quick in surfacing to get a definite ID but, given the area and the movement of the animals, they were probably Bottlenose Dolphins. As we continued to see and hear Guillemots and Razorbills on the water another dolphin surfaced closer to the ship: this time it clearly was a Bottlenose Dolphin.
During the afternoon, Christine delivered her talk introducing OWE, what we do and explaining what we might be lucky enough to see on our cruise. In fact, many of the animals featured in her talk had already been seen! The talk was very well attended and Christine explained how to join the Wildlife WhatsApp group.
During the rest of the afternoon the bird species count for the day continued to rise with Cormorants, Puffins and Lesser Black-backed Gulls also seen on the water or flying around the ship.
Kittiwake © Christine Murdie / OWE Lesser Black-backed Gull © Paul Soulby / OWE Gannet © Paul Soulby / OWE Puffins © Paul Soulby / OWE
Day 3 - 3rd August Lerwick
We arrived in Lerwick very early and guests were looking forward to their tours or just exploring the town. The OWE team had booked a trip to the Noss Cliffs which has a large colony of seabirds on the it, including Gannets. It is certainly a wonderful experience as the boat’s captain will throw mackerel into the water, so you are able to see the power of the birds as they hit the water at 60mph.
A number of guests were lucky to see Puffins up close at Sumburgh Head and some also spotted Fulmar chicks still on their nests. It was a very hot day, and parents and chicks were seen to be “panting”. This is known as “gular fluttering”. Birds do not have sweat glands, so they use rapid breathing and vibrating their throats with their beaks open to get rid of excess body heat.
Before we set sail Black Guillemots were spotted from the deck. These birds are easily recognized with their black bodies, a white patch on their flank and bright red legs. Grey Seals were also seen as well as Fulmars, Herring Gulls, Shags, Eider Ducks, Razorbills, Great Skuas (or Bonxies) and both Arctic and Common Terns. Reports had been heard of Risso’s Dolphins near the harbour and down towards Sumburgh Head, including from a guest, who had managed to get a photograph of 2 Risso’s very early in the morning, so we were full of anticipation and hope as Balmoral made her way out of the harbour. With completely flat seas and perfect visibility, it wasn’t long before Dolphins were spotted. Checking the photographs helped identify them as White-beaked Dolphins. We often use photographs to help identify wildlife as we can spend time looking at the image carefully rather than identifying from a fleeting glance. Within minutes a Minke Whale was also spotted and then another Whale further out. This was much larger than the Minke and we finally agreed it was a Fin Whale, the second largest animal on earth. Then small triangular fins were spotted close to the ship: Harbour Porpoises, the smallest cetacean found in UK waters and very difficult to photograph as they appear and disappear very quickly. Thankfully, Paul is a great photographer. As the light faded more Dolphins were seen but it wasn’t possible to identify these to species level. Another wonderful day.
Gannets and guga (chicks) © Paul Soulby / OWE White-beaked Dolphin © Paul Soulby / OWE Gannet diving © Christine Murdie / OWE Black Guillemot © Christine Murdie / OWE Fulmar and Great Skua © Christine Murdie / OWE Great Skua © Paul Soulby / OWE Eiders © Christine Murdie / OWE Fulmar chick © Christine Murdie / OWE Puffin © Christine Murdie / OWE
Day 4 - 4th August Stornoway
We weren’t due into Stornoway until 0930 so the team was up on deck very early to watch the approach to the Isle of Lewis and the sail into the harbour. The weather was horrendous, very heavy rain and poor visibility but we were determined to see what we could as this is a promising area for wildlife, including eagles. A few guests joined us staying well under cover and we were rewarded with the sight of Common Dolphin and a Minke Whale. On arrival into Stornoway the team went below deck to dry off whilst a lot of guests headed out on tours. The weather did, thankfully, dry up slightly in the afternoon but the rain started again just as we were about to set sail. We took shelter under the life boats on deck 7 and spotted a number of birds as we sailed out of the harbour area including Greylag Geese, Shags, Red-throated and Great Northern Divers, Great White Egret, Heron as well as Gannets, Fulmars, Common and Black Guillemot, Razorbills, Puffins, Arctic and Great Skuas, Herring, Great Black-backed Gulls, Kittiwakes and Arctic and Common Terns. We also heard from a few guests that they were lucky enough to spot Red Deer and even White-tailed and Golden Eagles.
Herring Gull © Christine Murdie / OWE Fulmar © Paul Soulby / OWE Arctic Tern © Paul Soulby / OWE Common Tern © Paul Soulby / OWE
Day 5 - 5th August North Coast of Scotland and North Sea
When we awoke, we were in the Pentland Firth. This is a narrow and very dangerous area of water between mainland Scotland and the Orkney Islands where the North Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean. It produces a very fast tidal race and many whirlpools but is a good place to spot Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises due to the uprising of nutrients in the waters.
Unfortunately, just as Balmoral was approaching the Duncansby Stacks, Christine and Lorraine were starting the final talk for the cruise. This is a chance for guests to see the pictures taken on the cruise and find out what has been seen by the team. Given the area we were in it was wonderful to see so many people in the Neptune Lounge.
Heading back out on deck in perfect “spotting” conditions, it wasn’t long before a Minke Whale was spotted and a few guests were lucky enough to get a quick glimpse of the animal as it surfaced. After a quick lunch the team were back out on deck to see a pod of 6 White-beaked Dolphins. The seas had calmed even more so it wasn’t surprising to get a number of sightings of Harbour Porpoises over the next few hours. These shy little Cetaceans appear very briefly and it can be difficult to see them in anything other that very calm seas.
Minke Whale © Paul Soulby / OWE Common Porpoise © Paul Soulby / OWE Guillemot male calling for chick © Paul Soulby / OWE
There were many rafts of auks in the water, combinations of Guillemots, Razorbills and Puffins and we were delighted to catch a glimpse of a little baby Puffin. This wonderful little Puffling would have only just fledged and all puffins, when they leave their nesting site, will spend the next 8 months out at sea where they are much safer from predation than on land. Generally, they will return to the site where they hatched each year. The Pufflings lack the orange bill and legs that their parents show during the breeding season and are more a grey-black colour with a small black bill. However, adult Puffins also lose their bright orange bills outside the breeding season when the coloured keratin plates fall off to leave a dark smaller bill. Their bright legs also change colour to a dull yellow, making them much more difficult to see on the water which also helps them avoid predation.
Gannets, Kittiwakes, Terns, Fulmars, Herring Gull and a Petrel, which we were unable to identify to species level, were also seen as well as a Grey Seal and even a Lion’s Mane Jellyfish and a Painted Lady Butterfly.
With guests heading below deck to pack the team also headed in. Our short cruise had certainly been a wonderful one.
Table of Whale and Dolphin Sightings
SPECIES | COUNT |
|---|---|
Fin Whale | 1 |
Minke Whale | 5 |
Bottlenose Dolphin | 3 |
Common Dolphin | 20 |
White-beaked Dolphin | 8 |
Risso’s Dolphin (spotted by guests and verified by photograph) | 2 |
Harbour Porpoise | 19 |
Probable Bottlenose Dolphin | 4 |
Unidentified Dolphin | 3 |
Acknowledgements
The Ocean Wildlife Encounters team would like to thank Fred Olsen Cruise Lines and the captain and crew of MS Balmoral for looking after us so well. A very big thank you must also go to the wonderful guests who joined us on deck and attended our talks. We have thoroughly enjoyed being with you on this cruise and hope to see you again on a future Fred Olsen Cruise.
Christine, Lorraine and Paul
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