Basking Sharks

The last 2 weeks of August were not good cruising weeks weatherwise. Basking sharks however were sighted on several occasions during August, presenting themselves at very close quarters with nose, dorsal fin and tail in view not to mention the wide open mouths which could sometimes be seen just under the surface.

Seal Pups

The number of seal pups born on Sgeir Dhon this year has been 10 which is good news for this colony.

The pups are growing at an alarming rate and will soon be hard to distinguish from the young adolescents. Any time now the mothers will abandon them to fend for themselves, while they try to rebuild their own condition prior to the mating season.

June, a Great Month For Wildlife Watching

June ended on a high note on Mara Mhor with two very successful day cruises during which dolphins surrounded the boat just south of Oban.
Later, on one of the cruises, the sea eagle and her chick were seen.
The passengers were also treated to close encounters with the new born seal pups and were able to watch while a mother fed her pup.

Common Dolphins

On a cruise southwards via the Sound of Kerrera from Oban, we encountered a small pod of common dolphins, about 6 in number. These are perhaps the same ones that were in and around Oban Bay earlier in the week. They were feeding in the tidal stream near the mouth of Loch Feochan and circled the boat to play when they became aware of our presence. These dolphins have the characteristic pattern of yellowish-tan on their lower flanks, becoming pale grey behind the fin. They swam under the bow of the boat for quite some time, enabling all the passengers an excellent view of them.

Bottlenose Dolphins

On a Round Kerrera Cruise today we encountered a large pod of bottlenose dolphins. There must have been upwards of 20 in the pod including some young ones and some juveniles. They entertained us for 15 minutes jumping and surfing at the bow of the boat. When the boat was stopped to allow photographs to be taken they continued to surface and circle the vessel to the delight of our passengers.

Arrival of First Seal Pups

The first seal pups have been born on Sgeir Dhon between 5pm last night and 10am this morning. One mother and pup are very high up and exposed whilst the other is much nearer the low water line. This will make for a much easier entry into the water for the pup. There is a black backed gull hovering around and it is to be hoped that the mothers look after their pups well!

Last year's first pups were born on 24th June.

Common Dolphins

There was a small pod of common dolphins in Oban Bay in the early part of the week, an unusual sight so close to the shore. They were seen frequently over the course of 2 days enjoying bow-riding infront of the many boats coming in and out of the bay. They put on a good display breaching and wake jumping. The common dolphins are smaller than the bottlenose dolphins which are also found around our shores.