No! But Bottlenose Dolphins that are amazing marine mammals which can potentially be seen locally.
Cetaceans are the name given to the group of aquatic mammals that include whales, dolphins and porpoises. Bottlenose Dolphins are usually grey in colour and measure between two and four metres in length weighing between 150-650 kg. An extremely intelligent creature which travel and hunt in ‘pods’ and can swim at speeds over 18 mph. There have been sightings in the county of up to fifty which must have been an amazing sight. Their diet is mainly fish but they will eat shrimp and squid too. Their lifespan is around 40 years and some females even 60 years or more.
They can also be individually identified by their fins. The North East Cetacean Project/ NECP generally use the identification catalogue set up by Aberdeen University, as so many of the East coast population of bottlenose dolphins (BND's) originated from the Moray Firth and were catalogued up there first. As the population grows they have travelled further south - into the north east of England. One particular dolphin AU116 'Runny Paint' first catalogued in 1989 up in the Moray Firth can now seen almost weekly here along the Northumberland Coast and was recently photographed at Howick.
(Please note all the data from Aberdeen University is copyrighted.)
They can be seen around the shores of the UK and in particular at Berwick we are lucky enough to enjoy frequent sightings of dolphins. Bottlenose Dolphins can potentially be seen from the following locations from January – December.
● The coastal paths, cliffs and beaches around Cocklawburn, Spittal and Magdalene Fields.
● The pier and lighthouse.
● Spittal Promenade.
Boat trips are available from locations such as Berwick-Upon-Tweed, Seahouses and Eyemouth; more details can be found on Google and are usually seasonal and whilst onboard you might be lucky enough to see marine wildlife including dolphins and seals.
If you are fortunate to see any dolphins and would like to assist the Seawatch foundation an ‘essential evidential background related to the abundance and distribution of different inshore species’, by reporting the sighting please use the link below.
There is a useful (free) app for smart phones called What3words. Every 3 metre square of the world has been given three unique words to describe its location. This can be used for navigation, deliveries, emergencies and more.
Many thanks to Anita Crook, a Marine Mammal Medic with the BDMLR (British Divers Marine Life Rescue) for providing these wonderful ©images and text.
Other marine based blogs coming soon...…