Dolphins spotted off Alnmouth
Almost two years to the day since our last sighting at almost exactly the same spot, at about 11am one Saturday in November we had our best encounter yet with a large school of dolphins. Walking towards Warkworth, from the beach south of the estuary at Alnmouth a large dolphin leapt completely clear of the water. Several more quickly appeared, a little more that 150 metres from the beach. The group were quite spread out and appeared to consist of 12-15 large dolphins, all heading north along the shoreline.
Previously we have not seen do many dolphins or so close to the shore as this group. These animals also seemed larger than ones we have previously seen washed-up dead on the beaches around Alnmouth. Their upper bodies also seemed darker, as they surfaced with a very deliberate and pronounced arching of the back (as opposed to darting through the waves) They were moving in such a way as to suggest that they may have been pursuing a shoal of fish towards Alnmouth.
For 5-10 minutes we watched the school moving up the beach before disappearing out of sight near the river mouth. It’s always great to see the dolphins and particularly surprising to have had two encounters at this late time of the year. Although, we are advised by watersports enthusiasts that the water is at its (relatively) warmest at the end of the season. We would glad to hear from anyone who has can offer any explanation for November /winter sightings, or identify the probable particular species of dolphin.
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