A superb trip with nine species of cetacean, totalling 861 animals! Undoubted highlight was a party of Northern Bottlenose Whales. Our group was treated to some amazing views of at least four animals, one of which breached just 50 metres from the boat! Northern Bottlenose Whales are still very rare in the Bay of Biscay and are still more ‘claimed’ than they are probably seen. This now brings our 2007 tally of cetacean species to 13 - on just 11 trips! Well done once again Nigel and Wendy for finding these creatures and for confirming this valuable observation! We also recorded 31 Fin Whales (including one calf), 39 unidentified large rorquals, 2 Minke Whales, 6 Cuvier’s Beaked Whale, 9 Pilot Whales, 14 Risso’s Dolphins, 320 Common Dolphins, 330 Striped Dolphins, 101 unidentified dolphins and 5 Harbour Porpoise.

Other marine life included a Basking shark, an unidentified shark and a large shoal of unidentified Tuna.

Birds recorded from the ship included 1 Mediterranean Shearwater, 6 Manx Shearwaters, 2 Storm Petrels, 4 Arctic Terns, 1 Bonxie and 7 Common Scoter. Migrant land birds onboard or seen from the ship included a superb Icterine Warbler, a Swift and 2 Ringed Plovers.

In Spain we recorded Griffon Vultures, Booted Eagle, Cetti’s, Sardinian, Fan-tailed, Grasshopper and Melodious Warblers, Black Redstart, Serin and Red-backed Shrike.

12 species of butterfly included Swallowtail, Adonis Blue, Long-tailed Blue, Clouded Yellow and Large Chequered Skipper. We also recorded 4 Hummingbird Hawkmoths.

The Company of Whales has been providing effort-related sightings data for ORCA for over ten years. This data has been utilised for a number of key research projects on cetaceans, ranging from the distribution of common dolphins in areas of the Western Approaches to the English Channel where they are susceptible to bycatch in fishing gear, through to new discoveries which have revealed the presence of rare beaked whales close to the Spanish coast.

ORCA is extremely grateful to the work of The Company of Whales, its guides, and staff, for gathering and submitting this information, which is essential if we are to further understand marine mammals in the European Atlantic and the threats that they face.

For further information on The Company of Whales and their Bay of Biscay holidays, please check out their website at www.companyofwhales.co.uk
E-mail the or phone their office on 01950 422483.