Skip to main content

Start of 2024 Dolphin Season!

By

Last week, the dolphin team kicked off the 2024 research work at Torry Battery. This is the third year we have conducted land-based surveys from this site - and the dolphins did not disappoint! 


Both shifts had numerous groups of dolphins (including calves!), with plenty of showing-off, surface-active behaviour. Observers were treated to jumps, tail slaps, fish tossing, and even some bow-riding on the large vessels moving into Aberdeen Harbour. Not a bad start, especially combined with some glorious weather!



Each year, we record dolphin occurrence in terms of how many animals are present, the main activity state of the group, and any interesting behaviours. We also note the "context" in terms of the environmental conditions, presence of feeding birds, vessel traffic, and any other human activities in and around the harbour. This season, we will be increasing our behavioural monitoring to more closely focus on individual behavioural events, with the aim of understanding some more of the subtleties surrounding dolphin responses to environmental and human factors. 

If sightings like these continue, the data entry back in the office promises to be just as busy as the data collection out in the field!





Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

AMMP reaches for the (blue)sky with new logos and socials!

By
 For a while now, I've been thinking it would be great to have a logo for the Aberdeen Marine Mammal Project. And whilst I'm not short of ideas, unfortunately I am chronically lacking in artistic talent. Thankfully, this is not true of Iona MacLeod! Since finishing her Honours Project on the Aberdeen dolphins last year, Iona has completed a stint as a Drone Intern with Claire and also been working for me as a Research Assistant on a marine mammal acoustics project. Being the incredible individual that she is, Iona has also found time between her science jobs to deploy her creative skills and create some lovely logos for both AMMP and the "coming soon in 2026" Seal Snap project! The timing of these ties in perfectly with creation of our new social media accounts! Follow us at: Aberdeen Marine Mammal Project on BlueSky Aberdeen Marine Mammal Project on Instagram Seal Snap on BlueSky   Seal Snap on Instagram
Post a Comment
Read more

Seal Drone Intern Experience by Grace Green

By
  The PhD Project was awarded a generous grant from Sea-Changers, a marine conservation charity, to support our drone-based seal research at the Ythan Estuary. This funding is crucial for providing the on-the-ground assistance needed to ensure safe and effective drone flights, while safeguarding the delicate wildlife of the reserve. It's all the people on the ground who make my research possible. I’m excited to introduce Grace, read on to hear her reflections on the role! Hello, my name is Grace Green, I’m about to start my 3 rd year of Wildlife and Conservation Management with SRUC Aberdeen, and I LOVE the beach! Interning with Claire Stainfield was truly a dream come true. Not only for the opportunity to work on the beach every week for 6 weeks but because Claire is an excellent human being from whom I have learned so much. Particularly: professional practice, scientific rigour, good humour, and welcoming people in simply by being yourself. My joy on the beach has always been ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Brighter Days and Milestone Moments: Winter Seal Surveys Progress

By
  After weeks of battling short daylight hours, we’ve finally turned a corner—longer days are returning and the promise of better weather on the horizon! While winter has its challenges, including tides that occasionally fell outside daylight hours! We pushed through and kept collecting data when we could. And now, with brighter days ahead, our work is evolving once again. Credit: Claire Stainfield, taken as part of a survey under licensed research drone usage permitted by NatureScot. A Major Milestone: 50 Flights and Counting! Persistence has paid off, and we recently hit a significant achievement—our 50th drone flight! This marks the continued effort in our research, capturing invaluable data on the seal colony throughout the seasons. Every flight represents hours of planning, teamwork, and dedication (in the office and in the field!), and we couldn’t have done it without the incredible support around us. To celebrate? Ice cream, of course! Because what better way to mark...
Post a Comment
Read more