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Client Quote.... 'A wonderful trip with fantastic sightings' A & S. 2003
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BAY OF BISCAY 3 - 6 AUGUST 2004
TRIP REPORT
With a total of ten species of cetacean and an estimated 500+ animals this was a good trip. Several members of the group encountered their first sighting of a whale and for many of us, the Fin Whale and Pilot Whales that swam close to the ship together with the displaying Sperm Whales provided some of the best views of these animals that we had ever had.
Tuesday 3 August
Full of anticipation and with an encouraging weather forecast of moderate to light north westerly winds, we boarded the Pride of Bilbao in Portsmouth and sailed in the calm conditions across the Channel towards the Brittany coast. Following an introductory talk by Caroline and Graham, and accompanied by a few drinks from the bar, we had the chance to get to know our fellow travellers. Paul and Terry provided the entertainment and it was soon clear that we had an enthusiastic group with a great sense of humour.
Wednesday 4 August
During the morning around the shallow coastal waters of the Brittany coast, and with a sea state of 2-3 the early risers were rewarded with seven Harbour Porpoises then at 7.45am Alan spotted a small cetacean, the animal was later identified as a Minke Whale, seen at the same time by the Biscay Dolphin Research team that were carrying out a survey from the bridge. Seabirds included Storm- petrels, Fulmars, Bonxies, Gannets and one Cory’s Shearwater and this was all before breakfast!
By mid-morning we had rounded the Isle d’Ouessant off Cape Finistere, the good visibility enabled us to identify the coastline and see the lighthouse and bird observatory. We had excellent views of a confiding Bonxie that cruised alongside for a while showing its two distinct white primary ‘flashes’. The fact that we then began to age the Gannets indicated that the anticipated mid-morning lull had set in. A small shark was spotted it was on its side and gaping uncomfortably, clearly not in a healthy state. A Sooty Shearwater and a couple of passerine sp. that briefly landed on the ship concluded the morning’s sightings.
Around midday, excitement mounted as we spotted Risso’s Dolphins a few metres from the ship, slowly cruising alongside. Soon we had our first sightings of small groups of dolphins. Bottlenose Dolphins appearing relatively large and robust, they frequently swam towards the ship and performed brief acrobatic displays in the wake behind. We spotted our first Common Dolphins, their yellowish flanks, dark V-shape capes and smaller, compact bodies, clearly distinguished them from the Bottlenose Dolphins. These agile dolphins frequently come in to bow ride and better views can be had by moving down to the lower decks. We also saw a few Striped Dolphins, a taste of things to come we hoped. Soon we had turned to the south and were heading into the Bay of Biscay. The Captain kindly deviated west towards the continental shelf edge. Here, over the upwellings of nutrient rich water and the increased abundance of food, our chances of seeing cetaceans would be maximised. We now had an extra three or four hours in potentially good whale watching water. According to the GPS we would be there at around 3.00pm and amazingly right on cue we encountered several groups of Common Dolphin, three Sunfish, two large rorqual species (probably Fin Whales), a Cory’s Shearwater and a lucky few saw a Pilot Whale that spyhopped close to the ship. The Cory’s Shearwaters were soon being seen with increasing regularity. Around 4.30pm a huge splash was spotted in the distance, the splashes continued for several minutes. As we sailed closer all was revealed. Four Sperm Whales were tail lobbing (a count of 15 times) and breaching (up to 16 times). This incredible display continued for a good 40 minutes. At 5.20pm Caroline D saw a Cuvier’s Beaked Whale close to the ship. It slowly rolled into the water providing a brief view of its dorsal fin and then characteristically disappeared. For many of us these elusive animals were on the ‘hit list’ of animals that we really wanted to see. Another breaching, but distant, whale was spotted, its obvious tail fluke indicated another possible Sperm Whale. During the evening, as we continued to track along the shelf edge, soon we spotted what we had all been avidly waiting for, tall vertical blows of our first Fin Whales. As we headed into deeper water we were soon joined by a large group of Striped Dolphins. These extremely fast, acrobatic dolphins provided a wonderful display and again several animals came in to bow ride and excellent views could be had as the animals swam along the sides of the ship, finally playing in the wake. Compared to the Common Dolphins, the Striped Dolphins appeared paler and slimmer, with more prominent, falcate (swept back) dorsal fins. As they came closer, we could see the grey forward pointing flash under the dorsal fin and as the animals leapt clear of the water it was possible to see the long dark stripe across the flanks, and even the pinkish flush of their pale undersides.
Our patience was duly compensated as we spotted the characteristic blows again and long sleek backs of Fin Whales rolling effortlessly through the water. These magnificent whales are the second largest animal on the planet (after the Blue Whale) and in the Northern Hemisphere can reach lengths of up to 24m (almost 80 ft). We saw a total of 23 Fin Whales during the last two hours of our watch. As the sun set we were accompanied by a final pair of animals which concluded a great day of whale watching. With the diminished light we were forced to retreat, and for some, the overwhelming priority was now to head inside quickly for a well-earned dinner.
Thursday 5 August
We docked in Bilbao, or rather the nearby town of Santurzi, in the early hours. We headed into the foothills behind Santurtzi in search of birds and butterflies. At 7.00am the air was already warm and it promised to be a lovely morning.
Our walk produced a good range of species helped by the keen eyes and wealth of knowledge within the group and members of the ‘London Natural History Society’ within our party (Neil, Andrew, Sylvia, Niki, Martin, Caroline, Paul and Terry) were happy to share their knowledge and enthusiasm with others. Bird highlights included the excellent views of Red-backed Shrikes, a few Sardinian Warblers, a stunning Wryneck, singing Melodious Warblers and three Cuckoos. No one could escape the noisy high-pitched calls of the displaying Fan-tailed Warblers, but gaining good views of perched birds proved to be a challenge. We had some good sightings of several Melodious Warblers, with some individuals singing boldly in view. The Sardinian Warblers characteristically proved more elusive, but most had good views of a female skulking in the hedgerow during our descent. There were large numbers of Stonechats and Goldfinches flitting around the rough pasture and most of us saw a few Serins on the lower slopes. We had great views of perched Cuckoos and watched one individual devour a huge caterpillar. There were good numbers of Red-backed Shrikes and we had some stunning views of several birds as they remained perched on their vantage posts. With the exception of three Common Buzzards, the larger birds of prey unfortunately eluded us, despite continually scanning the hills for Griffon Vultures.
The hot sunny weather was however, ideal for butterflies and we saw a total of nineteen species. The grassy area around the picnic tables at El Mazo was particularly productive and highlights included, Clouded Yellows and Adonis Blue. On the lower slopes, some were lucky enough to see Swallowtail, and most of us saw the striking Marbled Whites and the Southern form of Speckled Wood, its deep orange body and dark contrasting markings almost resembling a fritillary. The Red Underwing Skipper, spotted by an observant few, was a welcome addition to the trip list. For many of us the Wasp Spider (Argiope bruennichi) was a first and the beautiful black white and yellow markings were much photographed as it obligingly sat in the centre of its orb web. It was originally thought that the zigzag of silk in the centre was made to strengthen the web, but research has since shown that its function is to advertise the presence of the web to birds allowing them to avoid it. There is also a theory that suggests that the zigzag of silk attracts insects because it reflects the ultra-violet radiation like flowers do. In addition to the spider, Neil enlightened us with a myriad of fascinating facts about the Voucella hover-fly. Its huge 15-25 mm long abdomen was chestnut at the front with yellow-orange and black stripes; the wings had a brown tinge near the thorax giving it a hornet-like appearance.
As we descended towards the town we saw Hummingbird Hawk Moth and the heat of the late morning had brought out a flurry of Gatekeepers and Meadow Browns. In town, Graham led a shopping expedition to gather provisions for a picnic lunch ‘al fresco’ Spanish style on deck 11.
We sailed out of Santurtzi with growing feelings of anticipation as the calm water provided ideal whale watching conditions. The deck 11 picnic went down well, as did the local wine and cheese. As we cleared the breakwaters and sailed north into the Bay of Biscay the activity began. Almost immediately we encountered Striped Dolphins and a small group of Bottlenose Dolphins then at 13.20pm we spotted two small groups of Risso’s Dolphins. The tall, erect, dorsal fins, blunt heads and heavily scarred almost white bodies of the older animals were clearly visible. We counted a total of 11 animals. We were now sailing over deep underwater canyons and the favoured habitat of the elusive beaked whales. This was our best opportunity for glimpses of these unusual and poorly understood cetaceans. Concentration and excitement mounted as we scanned the calm surface for any disturbance, logging (floating and resting) animals or perhaps the sun glinting off a large bulbous head (or melon). Caroline D was clearly a beaked whale magnet, she was lucky enough to see three more Cuvier’s Beaked Whales less than 100m from the starboard side. Being so close to the ship they naturally drifted away rapidly out of view. The animals had pale heads and scarred tan bodies, an excellent sighting and a species that was much sort after by many members of the group. The rest of us had a lot of catching up to do!
A few minutes later two Sperm Whales and two Fin Whales were seen, this was the prelude to a crescendo of activity. We soon had several sightings of Fin Whales and a number of groups of energetic and often highly acrobatic Striped Dolphins. As the Striped Dolphin calves leapt high into the air they closely resembled large tuna.
By mid afternoon we were in the very deep water of the abyssal plain (c. 4,000 m deep), and here we began to see more Fin Whales, together with a few more dolphins. A group of Striped Dolphins came in to bow ride and we had excellent views as the animals twisted and turned in the turbulence of the wake. There were also further sightings of Cuvier’s Beaked Whales. One animal provided excellent views at it logged on the surface for several minutes. Frustratingly, we saw several interesting large splashes and some logging animals that may have been beaked whales, but we were not able to identify them on such brief and inconclusive views.
By the early evening we seemed to be surrounded by Fin Whales, in fact it was difficult to know where to look. Robert, along with Michelle, Linda and James were becoming experts at spotting distant blows of Fin Whales and eagle eyed Robert did an excellent job of keeping track of passing animals. Particularly memorable encounters included an animal that swam very close to the ship revealing its white right lower jaw and V-shaped chevron markings behind the head. It was interesting to observe female-calf pairs and to note the Fin Whale by Caroline Still
difference in dive patterns and sizes of blows between each individual. We also spotted one Fin Whale that had a large hump on its thorax it seemed to have a deformed spine.
Seabirds kept a very low profile, but noteworthy sightings included a few Cory’s Shearwaters, one Manx Shearwater and a lovely light phase Pomarine Skua. The tuna boats were out in force and we watched one boat spraying water onto the surface of the sea and throwing in live sardines. Tuna are attracted to this activity mistaking the water-sprayed surface for a frenzy of small fish.
A beautiful sunset signalled the end of a wonderful and very varied day. We had seen well over 50 Fin Whales during the evening and at times it was difficult to know where to look! As the sun sank slowly to the horizon we prepared ourselves for the mysterious and much debated ‘green flash’, following a physics lesson about the subject by Caroline S it now seemed to many, a highly plausible phenomenon.
Suddenly Caroline S. called two Sperm Whales close to the ship. There in the orange reflection of the sinking sun was an adult and small calf logging on the surface. In fact, in the same binocular view there were also 35 Pilot Whales and three Bottlenose Dolphins. In the next few minutes we spotted more dolphins and Pilot Whales then, in the rapidly fading light, six Pilot whales swam towards the ship probably only 10 m away and almost it seemed, scraped the side of the ship. We could clearly see adults and juveniles. It was a wonderful encounter, and for many, the best views of Pilot Whales they had ever seen. The light glinted off the animals’ round bulbous heads and we could even see their large single blowholes and small puffy blows. With such a flurry of activity we had completely forgotten about the ‘green flash’, although Clive Martin, the Wildlife Officer on board, had managed to capture it on film. This was an amazing finale to a fantastic day.
Friday 6 August
While the early risers had seen good numbers of Gannets, gulls and the odd Bonxie, particularly around the scattered fishing boats, others chose a lie in and a leisurely breakfast. Most of the group met to enjoy a full English breakfast in the carvery, the large forward facing windows enabling us to watch the Gannets drift by. Soon we rounded Isle d’Ouessant, and sailed into the English Channel towards Portsmouth. After our trip log, late morning, some attended the informative Biscay Dolphin Research Programme talk by Clive Martin. After that we gathered for a photo call.
We had some great views of the Isle of Wight, and soon the characteristic coastline of the south coast of England appeared through the haze. As we sailed into Portsmouth Harbour, the Pride of Bilbao provided an excellent vantage point from which to view the myriad of naval vessels, including historic ships such as the impressive HMS Victory, Nelson’s flagship at the battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
The Bay of Biscay is a remarkable place and spirits were high as we reflected on our encounters of ten cetacean species and the healthy collection of birds and butterflies. For many, this trip had provided the first taste of whale watching and had clearly whetted the appetite for more! We hope you have all been suitably inspired and will continue to enjoy many more wonderful whale watching encounters in the bay and beyond. We thank you for all your enthusiasm and for being such great company. We hope that we will have the opportunity to travel with you again in future.
Very best wishes
Caroline Still and Graham Tucker
BAY OF BISCAY - Tuesday 3 - Friday 6 August 2004
Summary of sightings at sea
Cetaceans Birds (P= present)
Fin Whale 76 Fulmar 36
Minke Whale 2 Cory’s Shearwater 80+
Sperm Whale 10 Manx Shearwater 1
Cuvier’s Beaked Whale 6 Sooty Shearwater 1
Pilot Whale 57 European Storm-petrel 26
Common Dolphin (Short-beaked) 90 Northern Gannet 170+
Striped Dolphin 230 Cormorant 1
Bottlenose Dolphin 29 Grey Heron 1
Risso’s Dolphin 12 Common Scoter 6
Harbour Porpoise 7 Great Skua (Bonxie) 2
Large whale sp (probable Fin Whale) 18 Pomarine Skua 1
Small whale sp. 2 Common Gull Portsmouth
Dolphin sp 38 Kittiwake 2
Cetacean sp (prob. beaked whales) 1 Herring Gull P
Great Black-backed Gull P
Lesser Black-backed Gull P
Sandwich Tern 2
Other marine life Common Tern 22
Small shark sp. 2 Black Tern 1
Sunfish 8 Tern sp. 5
Tuna sp lots Guillemot 9
Common Swift 4
Plover (Golden/Grey) 12
2 Passerine sp. 2
Santurtzi, Thursday 5 August- Summary of sightings on land
Birds
Griffon Vulture 3 Blackbird P
Common Buzzard 3 Blackcap 2
Kestrel 5 Sardinian Warbler 3
Yellow-legged Gull 400+ Common Whitethroat 4
Collared Dove 2 Zitting Cisticola 8
Cuckoo 3 Melodious Warbler 10
Common Swift 40+ Willow Warbler 1
Wryneck 1 Chiffchaff 1
Swallow 20+ Great Tit 1
House Martin 40+ Red-backed Shrike 20
Tree Pipit 2 Magpie 10
White Wagtail P Starling P
Wren P House Sparrow P
Dunnock 1 Serin P
Black Redstart 2 Greenfinch P
Stonechat P Goldfinch 30+
Butterflies Other Invertebrates
Red Underwing Skipper Peacock Speckled Wood Hummingbird Hawkmoth
Swallowtail Red Admiral Wall Brown Wasp Spider
Large White Painted Lady Holly Blue Volucella Hover-fly
Small White Marbled White Common Blue
Southern Small White Meadow Brown Adonis Blue Reptiles
Clouded Yellow Gatekeeper Wall Lizard sp.
Small Tortoiseshell Small Heath
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