As I collected Carol and Howard from their holiday accommodation in Alnwick, the bright afternoon sunshine was going to make viewing conditions difficult for the first few hours. The plan for the afternoon and evening was the one that has worked so well for us in mid-July previously; birdwatching around Druridge Bay, a quick scan of the sea while we have our picnic stop, then settle down to enjoy the wildlife that makes its appearance as daylight fades.
Little Egrets were the highlight of the first section of the afternoon, but what came next was so astonishing that I was lost for words…
As we arrived at our picnic spot, overlooking the North Sea, I was amazed to see that the sea was absolutely mirror-calm; not a ripple or wave as far as the eye could see. We’d only just started our soup and sandwiches when the mirror was shattered…by a White-beaked Dolphin 🙂 Many of our encounters with dolphins are small groups of animals that are travelling from one spot to another. Not this time though, as another three appeared next to the first one and they spent nearly an hour in the one small area, along with another eight animals in three small groups. We watched them breaching, and circling in one tight area, presumably over a food source. The most remarkable thing though, was that the sea was so flat that we could see the tell-tale fluke prints when they were just beneath the surface. As the groups moved a little way, we knew exactly where they were going to surface next. Now, watching dolphins in Northumberland waters is “something really special” ((c) Joanne, one of our regular North Sea pelagic clients) and the only way to top it is…to watch a Minke Whale surfacing just beyond the dolphins at the same time! Awesome 🙂