Hi Everyone,

We had an extra three dolphins turn up at Chanonry Point yesterday to join the usual four that come most days (Zephyr, Breeze, Scoopy and Squat Fin) and I was delighted that not only did big Mischief arrive in a flurry of spray but also, for the first time in front of my camera this season - our lovely Moonlight and her young son Lunar.


Photo © WDC/Charlie Phillips

They are both looking in great shape with Moonlight picking up a few light scrapes on the left side of her dorsal fin to add to the white chalky mark and her two nicks. Young Lunar looks pretty much as clean as a whistle and looked very handsome zooming around hunting for smaller fish than his Mum. Mischief was out from the shore about 500 metres away surfing through the waves powering after salmon and looking in fine fettle. I just wish that Rainbow would turn up soon as she is the only adoption dolphin that either Barbara at the Lighthouse Field Station and I have not seen yet so far... watch this space as the saying goes.


Best Wishes,


Charlie.

Hi Everyone,

I was treated to a lovely early morning trip out on Ecoventures RIB at Cromarty the other day with the White family, blue sea and dolphins - who could ask for more? Many thanks to Elaine, Andy and Catherine White for their support of WDC through adopting Sundance and giving me free trips out on the water and of course to Sarah Pern, skipper of the "Saorsa" for just being brilliant as always.




Rainbow's big son, Prism was in this group of young males. Still no sign of his Mum though - she is being very naughty hiding from me !


Best Wishes,


Charlie.

Hi Everyone,

This morning at a rough and windy Chanonry Point I managed to get my first reasonable pictures of Mischief this season, the big guy was looking in fine form, mucking about as usual with some of the youngsters - in the picture below he is right behind young Breeze in the choppy tidal current.


Photo © WDC/Charlie Phillips

I think, checking through my photos back in the Studio, that we had about twelve dolphins in the Chanonry area and I was pretty excited about seeing big Mischief, Jigsaw, Tall Fin, Denoozydenzy and the others...things are speeding up a good bit !

Best Wishes,


Charlie.

Hi Everyone,

I had a great day along at our Scottish Dolphin Centre yesterday at the Really Wild Festival, I was there talking to people about adopting dolphins, taking photos and video and despite no dolphins showing a fin or two we were treated to a couple of Ospreys power-diving for fish near the river mouth. There were lots of people at the Festival and the photo below shows Leanne, one of our great residential volunteers putting the finishing touches to a snazzy bit of face painting...


©WDC/Charlie Phillips

This morning I was out on a private charter boat trip from Cromarty with WDC supporters the White family and unfortunately we had pretty thick fog and had to cut the trip short (rescheduled for Thursday) but we did see some dolphins through the mist near the Aberdeen University research boat and one dolphin came right over to us and dived underneath us, a lovely female called Midnick - friend of Moonlight and Jigsaw.


©WDC/Charlie Phillips

Later I was talking to Barbara from the University on the phone (they were still out on the water in the boat but were stuck in the fog) and she let me know that a trip they were on a few days ago they saw Moonlight and Lunar and Spirit and her baby plus Sparkle too ! Great news...I just need them and a few others to start showing up at Chanonry.

Best Wishes,


Charlie

Hi Everyone,

The weather recently has been pretty bad and not much dolphin action either but yesterday it was great to see Kesslet and Charlie (who had both been fishing in the Inverness Harbour area) start to bow-ride with a ship coming out of the harbour - as if to say to the ship - "This way, we'll show you where to go..."


©WDC/Charlie Phillips

The crew members that were leaning over the bow were getting great views of the two dolphins, one chap taking video on his mobile phone. Chanonry activity is picking up a little with three or four dolphins most days - today we had Scoopy, Squat Fin (who caught a big salmon) Zephyr and Breeze but hopefully in the next week I will start to see some of the other dolphins.


Best Wishes,


Charlie.