Christine Tansey, the Better Biodiversity Data (BBD) project Partnership Officer from the National Biodiversity Network Trust recently joined Silurian on a trip from Ullapool back home to Tobermory. With a background in terrestrial conservation and recording, this opportunity gave Christine an insight into the protocols used and challenges faced when collecting and processing cetacean sightings and acoustic data.
Hannah Mcvicar, who reports what sea creatures she’s spotted through Whale Track, shares some memorable sightings from this season, including an unexpected encounter with 8 basking sharks!
The long-term cetacean monitoring work undertaken by citizen scientists on board our research vessel, Silurian, has been shortlisted for the coveted RSPB Nature of Scotland Coasts and Waters Award. The project, ‘Silurian: A 20-year voyage to protect Hebridean whales’ celebrates the contribution over a thousand people have made to protecting our seas.
As the summer season draws to a close, we take a look at the incredible number of sighting reports that our dedicated Whale Track community have submitted between June and August
The crew of our fourteenth research expedition surveyed the Sea of the Hebrides, encountering four species of cetacean in their week-long trip. One the first afternoon the team were surprised to sight the West Coast Community killer whales travelling past Ardnamurchan Point. Read all about their time on board Silurian here…
The crew of our thirteenth research expedition of the year left Tobermory and monitored the waters of the Southern Hebrides. The fantastic team of citizen scientists who joined the crew on board encountered 5 species of marine mammal across 101 sightings during the nine-days.
From Tobermory to Iona, and now Lochmaddy, the immersive On Sonorous Seas has been exhibited at a number of Hebridean Whale Trail sites. The Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust was thrilled to be a partner in On Sonorous Seas and that other communities on the west coast will experience its impact.
The crew of our twelfth research expedition of the year left Tobermory and circumnavigated the Isles of Barra and Skye. The fantastic team of citizen scientists who joined the crew on board encountered nine species of marine animal across 12 days.
