Posts in Survey Summaries

Spectacular minke whale sightings mark the start of Silurian’s summer survey season

We started the summer survey season in style on Silurian with our first minke whales of the year during the first standard survey expedition of 2019, and what spectacular sightings they were! We also saw bottlenose and common dolphins, harbour porpoise, grey seals and common seals.

Silurian, Survey SummariesGuest User27 May 2019Silurian, volunteer holidays, whales, dolphins, Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, HWDT, survey, Scotland, Hebrides, cetaceans

Silurian receives some well-deserved TLC!

Thanks to the generous backing of our funders and supporters, our research vessel Silurian has undergone a transformation! She travels thousands of miles every year to monitor Hebridean marine life and we are delighted that we have been able to give her the TLC she deserves!

Silurian, Survey SummariesLauren Hartny-Mills23 May 2019Silurian, volunteer holidays, whales, dolphins, Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, HWDT, survey, Scotland, Hebrides, cetaceans

HWDT monitor Joint Warrior exercises in the Hebrides

Our last winter survey departed last week with a special volunteer on board. Andy Tait is one of our longest running and dedicated volunteers and has been working with the trust for 25 years! During the survey we saw harbour porpoise, grey and common seals and even a common dolphin!

Silurian, Survey SummariesGuest User24 April 2019Silurian, volunteer holidays, whales, dolphins, Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, HWDT, survey, Scotland, Hebrides, cetaceans

One of our longest running volunteers joins us for the March winter survey

Silurian, Survey SummariesGuest User1 April 2019Silurian, volunteer holidays, whales, dolphins, Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, HWDT, survey, Scotland, Hebrides, cetaceans

First all-female crew run February winter survey

An all-female crew have delivered a dedicated monitoring survey on Silurian for the first time! With the help of five volunteers, they scanned the waters around Mull during our second winter survey.

Silurian, Survey SummariesGuest User13 March 2019Silurian, volunteer holidays, whales, dolphins, Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, HWDT, survey, Scotland, Hebrides, cetaceans

Winter Survey Summary: January

Our first ever survey in January marked the launch of our new multiyear programme of dedicated monitoring surveys during the winter months, providing critical year-round data for the first time in our history.

Silurian, Survey SummariesGuest User18 February 2019Silurian, volunteer holidays, whales, dolphins, Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, HWDT, survey, Scotland, Hebrides, cetaceans

Inspiring Ullapool’s Future Scientists and Sailors

As part of the Coigach and Assynt Living Landscape Partnership Scheme’s Marine Project, five local teens joined HWDT on board Silurian to see what living at sea and researching whales and dolphins is all about. Find out from their perspective how they got on…

Silurian, Survey SummariesCaroline Willis5 November 2018silurian, survey, dolphins, volunteers, volunteernow, marine wildlife, marine conservation, HWDT, Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, scotland, work experience, porpoise, sailing, youth trip, breakingdownbarriers

Survey Summary: Teen Research Expedition 3

The last survey of 2018 - our third and final Teen Research Expedition, covering waters around Wester Ross and up to Lochinver. This trip really proves that volunteering on board Silurian, is about much more than spotting a few dolphins!

Silurian, Survey SummariesCaroline Willis2 November 2018silurian, survey, dolphins, volunteers, volunteernow, marine wildlife, marine conservation, HWDT, Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, scotland, teen team, teen research expedition, work experience, porpoise, sailing, sailing holiday

Survey Summary: HWDT 13

During the survey we had some amazing sightings of several species of cetacean, encountering white-beaked dolphins, common dolphins, minke whales and harbour porpoise. We also had some incredible skies, including an amazing display of the northern lights, accompanied by shooting stars.

Silurian, Survey SummariesGuest User23 October 2018Silurian, volunteer holidays, whales, dolphins, Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, HWDT, survey, Scotland, Hebrides, cetaceans

Survey Summary: HWDT 10

During the survey we encountered seven species of marine mammals, as well as several basking sharks. When crossing the sea of the Hebrideas we even sighted all seven species in ONE DAY, including over 200 common dolphins, a breaching white-beaked dolphin and some juvenile bottlenose dolphins!

Silurian, Survey SummariesGuest User30 August 2018

Survey Summary: Teen Research Expedition 2

During the survey we covered the Sound of Sleat and surveyed around the Small Isles. In total we recorded six different species of marine megafauna, including an unexpected basking shark, some stealthy minke whales and over a hundred common dolphins.

Silurian, Survey SummariesCaroline Willis16 August 2018silurian, survey, dolphins, volunteers, volunteernow, marine wildlife, marine conservation, HWDT, Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, scotland, teen team, teen research expedition, work experience, porpoise, minke, whale

Survey Summary: Teen Research Expedition 1

During the survey we recorded four different species of marine mammals, including some really special glimpses of harbour porpoises within meters of Silurian. We also had an unexpected encounter with a couple of common dolphins, who came over to bow ride as we surveyed up towards Fort William.

Silurian, Survey SummariesCaroline Willis13 August 2018silurian, survey, dolphins, volunteers, volunteernow, marine wildlife, marine conservation, HWDT, Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, scotland, teen team, teen research expedition, work experience, porpoise

Survey Summary: HWDT 7

During the survey we recorded five different species of marine mammals, which included an incredible sighting of Risso’s dolphins with new calves in tow, as well as some very close encounters with some minke whales. We also had the opportunity to visit the island of Lunga, spending time with thousands of nesting puffins!

Silurian, Survey SummariesGuest User25 July 2018silurian, survey, dolphins, volunteers, volunteernow, marine wildlife, marine conservation, HWDT, Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, scotland, rissos dolphins, minke whale, puffins

Survey Summary: HWDT 6

During the survey, the team covered an impressive 475 miles of Hebridean seas looking and listening for marine wildlife. It was a truly fantastic survey with an incredible 234 sightings of seven species of marine mammals and basking sharks. The highlight was a minke whale encounter that was so special it bought tears to our eyes!

Silurian, Survey SummariesLauren Hartny-Mills16 July 2018silurian, survey, dolphins, volunteers, volunteernow, marine wildlife, marine conservation, HWDT, Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, scotland, rissos dolphins, minke whale, puffins

Survey Summary: HWDT 5

During the survey we recorded six different species of marine mammals, which included an unbelievable encounter with nine killer whales! We also had our first basking shark sighting, bow riding common dolphins and a lunge feeding minke whale!

Silurian, Survey SummariesGuest User30 June 2018silurian, survey, dolphins, volunteers, volunteernow, marine wildlife, marine conservation, HWDT, Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, scotland, killer whale

Survey Summary: HWDT 4

During the survey we recorded seven different species of marine mammals, including ten different pods of white-beaked dolphins! Amazing weather conditions meant that we were able to travel to the Outer Hebrides, visiting white sandy beaches and the Callanish stones.

Silurian, Survey SummariesGuest User17 June 2018silurian, survey, dolphins, volunteers, volunteernow, marine wildlife, marine conservation, HWDT, Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, scotland, bottlenose dolphins

Survey Summary: HWDT 3

During the survey we covered 205 nautical miles, spending over 27 hours looking for marine megafauna. We recorded four different species including an incredible encounter with the Inner Hebridean population of bottlenose dolphins, who are resident to our survey area.

Silurian, Survey SummariesGuest User14 May 2018silurian, survey, dolphins, volunteers, volunteernow, marine wildlife, marine conservation, HWDT, Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, scotland, bottlenose dolphins

Survey Summary: Joint Warrior

Our second monitoring survey of the season was scheduled to coincide with the biannual Joint Warrior exercise to help understand the impact that these activities may have on cetaceans across the Hebrides.

Silurian, Survey SummariesMorven Summers9 May 2018silurian, survey, minke whale, joint warrior, rissos dolphins, whale, dolphins, volunteers, volunteernow, marine wildlife, marine conservation, HWDT, Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, scotland, NATO

First Survey of the Season Successfully Launched!

Our first Silurian survey of the season kicked off last weekend with the arrival of our team of enthusiastic volunteer citizen scientists arriving in Tobermory from all over the UK (and one from Switzerland!).

Silurian, Survey SummariesMorven Summers25 April 2018silurian, volunteers, volunteer holidays, Hebrides, isle of mull, joint warrior, research, marine wildlife, marine conservation, sailing, sailing holiday

End of Season Summary

Now back in Tobermory bay for winter refurbishment, Silurian’s survey season for the year is at an end, and what a year it’s been! This summer, Silurian has travelled a whopping 9,500km, and has collected almost 4,000 individual animal sightings.

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