Dolphin eating Salmon

[camo]

One of the greatest wildlife spectacles in Britain is watching the Moray Firth Dolphins.

I have been able to watch them on a number of occasions and they are absolutely brilliant, very accessible and sighting are virtually guaranteed if you go to the right place at the right time. Channory Point on the Black Isle west of Inverness has to be the best place in Britain. When the tide is right the Dolphins feed on the running Salmon very close to the pebble beach. I have seen Dolphins breaching within 20 feet of the beach and have been splashed as they play in the tide. The point is very easy to find but can get popular with upto 50 people watching, however as long as the Gallery are not daft they do not seem to put the Dolphins off. The point is also a good place to see Seals, Porpoise and sea going birds.

On at least two occassions I have watched them catch, kill and eat Salmon. The youngsters chase their mothers about and after eating they tend to play and if you are lucky they breach (leap out of water).

The attached pictures show 2 sequencies of catching and eating a Salmon and I like to think the last picture shows a very content Dolphin.

I have never managed to photograph a perfect breach (lots of heads and tails) although I have in the Azores.

There was a report that a large housing scheme is planned for development on the opposite side of the Firth which is feared it may impact on the Dolphin, I hope not.

Roy

[tameblackbirds]

Originally Posted by camo

One of the greatest wildlife spectacles in Britain is watching the Moray Firth Dolphins.

I have been able to watch them on a number of occasions and they are absolutely brilliant, very accessible and sighting are virtually guaranteed if you go to the right place at the right time. Channory Point on the Black Isle west of Inverness has to be the best place in Britain. When the tide is right the Dolphins feed on the running Salmon very close to the pebble beach. I have seen Dolphins breaching within 20 feet of the beach and have been splashed as they play in the tide. The point is very easy to find but can get popular with upto 50 people watching, however as long as the Gallery are not daft they do not seem to put the Dolphins off. The point is also a good place to see Seals, Porpoise and sea going birds.

On at least two occassions I have watched them catch, kill and eat Salmon. The youngsters chase their mothers about and after eating they tend to play and if you are lucky they breach (leap out of water).

The attached pictures show 2 sequencies of catching and eating a Salmon and I like to think the last picture shows a very content Dolphin.

I have never managed to photograph a perfect breach (lots of heads and tails) although I have in the Azores.

There was a report that a large housing scheme is planned for development on the opposite side of the Firth which is feared it may impact on the Dolphin, I hope not.

Roy

Those are fantastic images how luck to catch such a sight. lets hope they don't build near the area, hopefully recession as put a stop to that!

[Hedge Witch]

Really stunning shots, Roy. What a gorgeous animal.

[galanthus]

What an experience and what fantastic shots. I really hope they don't go ahead with the development, would like to think they wouldn't but these days you never know. Lets hope the credit crunch does something good and spoils their plans eh ?

[camo]

Sometimes when you watch an animal you just know it is having fun, just because its face doesn't move into a smile we are quick to assume it is only reactive.

Of the British Mammals I have seen Dolphins, Otters, Whales all definetly enjoy theselves.

Perhaps they need a smilie attached to them to prove they enjoy.

Roy

[aeshna5]

A great sequence- I always love watching Bottle-nosed Dolphins, they are such charasmatic mammals.

[Wild-Woman]

I wonderful set of pictures there Roy. It's no wonder that the dolphin is such a loved sea mammal.
We have been considering Scotland for a holiday this year and your shots have given me an appetite! Thanks for posting them.

[Boddie]

On seeing this title I had expected to see the reverse, i.e a salmon, or in fact a group of salmon, eating a dolphin.

[camo]

Originally Posted by Wild-Woman

I wonderful set of pictures there Roy. It's no wonder that the dolphin is such a loved sea mammal.
We have been considering Scotland for a holiday this year and your shots have given me an appetite! Thanks for posting them.

Hi Wild Woman

You should, Scotland is a Wildlife dream, i am fortunate as I go to Scotland for my work very regular and there is some times to tag on my interest. Last year we organised a weeks holiday taking in some of Scotlands hot spots and it proved brilliant.

We targeted 13 key species, Adder, Otter, Pine Martin, Golden Eagle, Osprey, White tailed Eagle, Dolphin, Minke Whale, Porpoise, Basking Shark, Red Squirrel, Puffin and Red Deer. We only failed with the Pine Martin and then we were fairly sure we saw one in the shadows.

I will be happy to email you my hotspots for all species but a round trip taking in Aviemore (Pine Martin and Osprey), Inverness (Dolphin) and over to Mull (Otters, Eagles, B Shark and M Whale) puts you in the position to get most of the species.

Mull deserves special mention, it is unbelievable, Otters are guaranteed, unfortunately in the summer so are midges, and Wildlife is far easier to get to close to. Even common species like Heon that are wary in England allow you to get very close. The most important advantage with Mull unlike Skye is that it is easy to find a Wildlife guide and they are great.

I will return at every opportunity and I am convinced you will love it.

Roy

[camo]

Originally Posted by Boddie

On seeing this title I had expected to see the reverse, i.e a salmon, or in fact a group of salmon, eating a dolphin.

A photograph of that would warrant a Ntional Geographic slot.