Congratulations Giv! Thesis submission on dolphin foraging in Aberdeen Harbour

Congratulations to Giverny Fitzgerald, who submitted her SRUC Honours thesis last week! Giv's thesis explored dolphin foraging activity in Aberdeen Harbour, giving us crucial insights into how animals are using this area.

Giv has been a driving member of AMMP since our first field season in the summer of 2022, rising up the ranks from volunteering on the hilltop to running monitoring shifts for her own project. It is brilliant to see her using the dolphin data now as part of her BSc (Hons) Wildlife & Conservation Management degree - and we have no doubt the final grades will reflect the excellent work she has poured into this project!

Read more below in the full abstract:

Environmental drivers behind bottlenose dolphin foraging activity in Aberdeen Harbour

Giverny Fitzgerald

The east coast of Scotland bottlenose dolphin population is recognised as being vulnerable due to its limited size and isolation. Whilst afforded protection within the boundaries of the Moray Firth Special Area of Conservation (SAC), the population regularly makes use of other areas along the east coast ranging from Helmsdale to the Hummer Estuary in England. Identifying and monitoring sites of biological importance is essential for the long-term conservation of this population.

This study investigates the environmental drivers influencing bottlenose dolphin foraging behaviour in Aberdeen Harbour, Scotland, a recognised key foraging location. Specifically, the research investigates the roles of temperature, tidal state, and river flow rates in shaping dolphin foraging activity. Using land-based visual observations conducted over the summer months from 2022 to 2024, this study explored how these variables influenced dolphin presence, group size, and foraging duration. Data analysis included Mann-Whitney, Spearman’s rank correlation, and Chi-square goodness of fit tests.

Analysis revealed a significant association between tidal state and dolphin occurrence, with peak sightings at high tide, and increased foraging activity during falling tides. These findings highlight that tidal dynamics are a key factor shaping dolphin habitat use within Aberdeen Harbour, suggesting that dolphins may strategically position themselves during high tides to exploit optimal foraging conditions created by tidal fronts during falling tides. No statistically significant relationships were found between dolphin presence or foraging activity and river flow rates or sea surface temperature. This could be due to the study being limited to the summer months or other environmental factors, such as prey occurrence, having a stronger influence.

Recommendations for future research include extended year-round studies, incorporating passive acoustic monitoring and detailed prey surveys.

Comments

Winter Seal Surveys: Winter Winds, Pups, and Persistence

The winter months are a magical yet challenging time for seal surveys. But for our team, the beauty of this season is just one side of the story. Winter also marks an exciting period in seal ecology—the birth of pups. While the snow and frost transform Forvie sand dunes into breathtaking landscapes, winter is far from ideal for fieldwork. The shortened daylight hours are the first hurdle, limiting the windows when we can fly our drones. On survey days, we work to make the most of the precious light, often starting during sunrise or racing against the early sunset. Surveying at sunrise (photo credit: Charlotte Wood). Adding to the difficulty, winter storms sweep in with gusty winds and relentless rain. Both are enemies of drone flight. The high winds make it unsafe to launch, and rain can damage equipment. There’s no denying the frustration when a perfectly planned survey day is postponed because of bad weather. Snow covering on the new beach board walk at Newburgh SealB...

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

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

Brighter Days and Milestone Moments: Winter Seal Surveys Progress

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...

Aberdeen Marine Mammal Project - News

Search This Blog