Another great trip with a huge diversity of wildlife: 13 Fin Whales, 23 unidentified large rorquals, 2 Sperm Whales (including one which fluked right next to us!), 4 Cuvier’s beaked Whales, 3 Pilot Whales, 2 Minke Whales, 234 Common Dolphins, 37 Striped Dolphins, 43 Bottle-nosed Dolphins, 61 unidentified dolphins and 47 Harbour Porpoise.

Other marine life included an Ocean Sunfish and several shoals of tuna.

Seabirds included 3 Sabine’s Gulls, 4 Sooty Shearwaters, 1 Mediterranean Shearwater, 1 Arctic Tern, 5 Common Terns, 6 Arctic Skuas, 32 Bonxies and 4 Storm Petrels.

Migrants recorded on or from the ship included an incredible record of a SAVI’S WARBLER - the first record for Biscay and another major find for our growing Biscay list. Also at sea were single Garden Warbler, Redstart, Spotted Flycatcher, Wheatear plus 3 Swallows, 3 White Wagtails and 2 Meadow Pipits.

Highlights in Spain was a flock of 12 RED-BILLED CHOUGHS - another first for the ‘hill’ - plus 4 Griffon Vultures, Sparrowhawk, Nightingale, 2 Red-backed Shrikes, 1 Hoopoe, Serins, Melodious & Cetti’s Warbler, Black Redstart, Redstart, Spotted Flycatcher and Pied Flycatcher.

13 species of butterfly included Swallowtail, Cleopatra, Adonis Blue and Large Skipper. We also recorded Migrant Hawker, Wasp Spider and 2 Wall Lizards.

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.