10 Fin Whales, 38 unidentified large rorquals, 2 Sperm Whales, 3 Cuvier’s beaked Whales, 1 Minke Whale, 2 Pilot Whales, 15 Bottle-nosed Dolphins, 263 Common Dolphins, 32 Striped Dolphins and 36 unidentified dolphins.

Other marine life included 2 Ocean Sunfish and several shoals of unidentified Tuna./

Birds recorded from the ship included the first Sabine’s Gulls of the autumn plus 2 Cory’s Shearwater, 2 Sooty Shearwaters, 8 Manx Shearwaters, 2 Mediterranean Shearwaters, 4 Arctic Skuas, 2 Bonxies, 1 Black Tern, 12 Common Terns and a Puffin. Migrants recorded on or from the ship included a Ringed Plover and a Grey Heron.

In Spain we recorded 55 Griffon Vultures, 5 Red-backed Shrikes, 1 Peregrine, Sardinian, Fan-tailed and Melodious Warblers, Serins, Black Redstarts, Spotted Flycatcher and Tree Pipit. A Mediterranean Gull, a Sandwich Tern and 3 Shags were in the harbour at Santurtzi.

11 species of butterfly included Adonis Blue, Holly Blue and Long-tailed Blue plus Clouded Yellow. We also recorded Leopard Moth and Wood Tiger moth.

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.