Orkney Marine Mammal Research Initiative - OMMRI

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Orkney Marine Mammal Research Initiative - OMMRI

Working to protect marine mammals through research and education.

Orkney Marine Mammal Research Initiative (OMMRI) aims to establish a long-term monitoring programme of cetaceans (the collective word for whales, dolphins and porpoises) to help us better understand their distribution and status within Orkney. Launched officially on July 20th 2020, Orkney Marine Mammal Research Initiative aims to bridge the gap between existing conservation groups and what’s happe

ning in Orkney, contributing data and collaborating on larger projects creating a better understanding of the different species in Orkney waters and ultimately helping to protect them for future generations to enjoy. OMMRI is asking those enjoying our local coastlines to help by reporting sightings to our Science and Conservation Officer at the following email address: [email protected] or by uploading details to the sightings page on the website: www.ommri.org/sightings.

18/06/2026

🐋 𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄 𝐅𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄: 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐌𝐎𝐍 𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐊𝐄 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐄

The common minke whale (𝐵𝑎𝑙𝑎𝑒𝑛𝑜𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑎 𝑎𝑐𝑢𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑎) is the smallest of the baleen whales found in the North Atlantic and the most frequently reported baleen whale in Orkney waters. Relatively small they may be, but a minke whale surfacing close to a boat or headland is a genuinely thrilling sight.

𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞
Minke whales are sleek and streamlined, reaching up to around 9 to 10 metres in length. They are dark grey to black on the back with a pale underside, and the key identification feature is a distinctive white band across each pectoral fin, sometimes called the flipper blaze. The head is sharply pointed and V-shaped when seen from above, and the small, curved dorsal fin appears well back along the body, typically visible at the same time as the animal surfaces. The blow is low and diffuse and often hard to see, particularly in any kind of swell. Minke whales rarely show their flukes when diving.

𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠
Minke whales are baleen whales, filtering prey through plates of baleen rather than teeth. In Orkney waters they feed primarily on small schooling fish, particularly herring, sandeels and sprat, as well as krill. They are lunge feeders, accelerating into aggregations of prey and engulfing large volumes of water which is then forced through the baleen plates, trapping the food inside.

Minke whales are occasionally seen in association with feeding seabirds, which are worth watching closely if you spot them working actively in one area. Where seabirds are feeding at the surface, there is often something larger below.

𝐈𝐧 𝐎𝐫𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐲
Minke whales are typically present in Orkney waters from around mid-March through to October, with numbers building through spring and peaking in late summer when herring spawning brings animals inshore. They can be seen from almost any headland in the right conditions, but the Pentland Firth, Hoy Sound, the waters off the west Mainland and Westray, and the east Mainland coast looking out towards Copinsay from Deerness are among the most productive areas. They are often described as elusive and can be tricky to follow at the surface, but patient watching from a good vantage point is frequently rewarded.

If you see a minke whale, please report it to us, including location, number of animals, and direction of travel. Photos are always helpful.

📲 Telegram Sightings Group: https://t.me/+2cKGO91r68EyMzk8
📧 [email protected]
🌊 https://ommri.org/report-a-sighting/

16/06/2026

Monday was a good one. Dolphins off Skaill Beach, dolphins breaching in Scapa Flow, harbour porpoises off Shapinsay, Risso's heading north past Yesnaby, bottlenose dolphins and more Risso's across the Pentland Firth, and a possible killer whale sighting past Brough Head, Birsay. Most of these sightings landed in our Sightings Telegram group in real time as people spotted and reported throughout the day.

Which brings us to the question: are you in the group yet?

If not, you missed quite an afternoon. The Telegram Sightings Group is where reports come in as they happen, from right across our recording area which is bigger than you might think. We collect sightings from Duncansby Head in the south to Strathy Point on the north Sutherland coast, and out to the 12 mile limit of Orkney's waters, taking in Sule Skerry and Sule Stack. If you can see the sea, there's a decent chance it's within our patch.

Come and join us. It's free, it's busy on days like yesterday, and your sightings genuinely make a difference to what we know about these animals.

📲 https://t.me/+2cKGO91r68EyMzk8
📧 [email protected]
🌊 https://ommri.org/report-a-sighting/

14/06/2026

Facebook was very much misbehaving yesterday and refused to add any images to our post. So sharing the Scottish Marine Animal Strandings Scheme poster again so it's easier to find 😊. If you find a stranded marine animal in Orkney, please report to us and we will coordinate with SMASS, or contact SMASS directly using the details on the poster below.

13/06/2026

🔬 𝐒𝐂𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐒𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐃𝐀𝐘

A newly published study has some interesting things to say about harbour porpoise body condition across the North Sea. Researchers at Utrecht University analysed the Body Mass Index (BMI) of over 1,700 stranded harbour porpoises across six North Sea regions spanning more than three decades. The headline finding is significant: harbour porpoise body condition is not uniform across the North Sea population, and assuming it is leads to inaccurate predictions about how human disturbance affects these animals (Schotanus et al., 2026).

BMI varied significantly across regions, seasons, age classes, sexes and causes of death. Porpoises from northern regions showed higher BMI than those from the south, suggesting that water temperature and prey availability differ across the North Sea in ways that meaningfully affect individual health. Seasonally, BMI was lowest in summer across all regions. Female adults showed lower BMI overall, most likely reflecting the energetic cost of lactation.

The North Sea is one of the most heavily industrialised marine environments in the world, and scientists use bioenergetic models to predict how human activity affects harbour porpoise populations. Those models have typically assumed body condition is consistent across the whole population. This study demonstrates clearly that it is not. Management decisions based on uniform assumptions could be systematically underestimating risk in some areas.

This research was only possible because of decades of systematic strandings data. In Scotland that work is done by Scottish Marine Animal Strandings Scheme, who coordinate strandings response and recording around the entire Scottish coast including Orkney. Harbour porpoise strandings are not a frequent occurrence here, which makes it all the more important that when one does come ashore, we capture as much information as possible. If you find a stranded marine animal in Orkney, please report to us and we will coordinate with SMASS, or contact SMASS directly using the details on the poster below.

Read the full paper: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2026.e04275

11/06/2026

🐬 𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄 𝐅𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄: 𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐎'𝐒 𝐃𝐎𝐋𝐏𝐇𝐈𝐍

If you've spotted a large, pale, heavily scarred dolphin in Orkney waters, there's a good chance you've met a Risso's dolphin (𝐺𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑢𝑠 𝑔𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑒𝑢𝑠). One of the more distinctive cetaceans in our waters and, once you know what you're looking for, surprisingly straightforward to identify.

𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞
Risso's are large, robust dolphins, reaching up to 4 metres in length. They are born dark grey and lighten considerably with age, with older individuals appearing almost white. The scarring is the giveaway: their skin is covered in pale scratches and marks accumulated over a lifetime, the result of interactions with other Risso's and the sucker marks of their preferred prey. No two individuals look alike, which makes photo identification a useful research tool. Look for a tall, prominent dorsal fin and a blunt, rounded head with no distinct beak.

𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠
Risso's are specialist squid hunters, feeding primarily at depth. They have no teeth in the upper jaw, which tells you something about a diet that doesn't require gripping fish. They are deep divers, capable of reaching several hundred metres in pursuit of cephalopods, and tend to feed at night when squid move closer to the surface.

𝐈𝐧 𝐎𝐫𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐲
Risso's dolphins are recorded regularly in Orkney waters, particularly off the west and north coast. Noup Head, Westray and Marwick Head are among our most consistent locations for sightings, often in small groups. They can be seen year-round, though sightings tend to increase in summer and autumn. Orkney sits within an important area for this species and your sightings help us build a clearer picture of how they use our waters across the seasons.

One thing worth noting: Risso's dolphins in Orkney can appear surprisingly dark, particularly in poor light or at distance, and are sometimes misidentified as killer whales or bottlenose dolphins. A killer whale is considerably larger and will show a striking black and white pattern at close range. Bottlenose dolphins are sleeker, with a more uniform grey colouring and a distinct beak. If you're unsure what you've seen, please report it anyway and include any photos you have. Working through uncertain sightings is part of what we do, and a tentative report is always better than no report at all.

If you see Risso's dolphins, please report to us. Photos are particularly useful for individual identification.

📲 Telegram Sightings Group: https://t.me/+2cKGO91r68EyMzk8
📧 [email protected]
🌊 https://ommri.org/report-a-sighting/

02/06/2026

🔭 𝐖𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐂𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐂𝐄𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐎𝐑𝐊𝐍𝐄𝐘: 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐃

At this time of year we get a lot of questions from visitors and locals about where to watch from, what to look for, and whether there's a way to find out what's been seen in real time. So here's our attempt to answer all three at once.

📍 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐓𝐎 𝐖𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇

Orkney has some outstanding vantage points for cetacean watching and we've included maps in this post to help you find them. We're also going to be doing a series of posts going forward highlighting individual watch sites in more detail, so watch this space if you want the full lowdown on specific locations.

💡 𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐈𝐏𝐒

A few things that will make a real difference to your chances:

𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡. Height is your single biggest advantage. The higher your vantage point, the more water you can see and the better your chance of spotting something at distance.

𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐬. Essential. A scope on a tripod is even better if you have one. Naked eye watching is fine for close inshore animals but you will miss a lot.

𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐮𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥. Splashes, disturbances, patches of flat calm water surrounded by chop, diving seabirds clustering in one spot, these are all worth investigating. Feeding activity often betrays the presence of cetaceans below.

𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐝𝐬. Gannets diving and seabirds congregating on the surface can indicate a fish bait ball, and where there are fish, there may well be something larger beneath them.

𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. A calm sea makes spotting dramatically easier. In choppy conditions, blows and dorsal fins are easily lost in the wave tops. If the weather is settled, get out there.

𝐁𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭. Some of the best sightings come to people who have been sitting quietly on a headland for an hour. Give the sea time to show you what's in it.

𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫. A minke whale shows as a dark rolling back with a small hooked dorsal fin. Harbour porpoise are small, dark and easy to miss, so look for a brief triangular fin. Risso's dolphins are grey and often heavily scarred. Killer whales are unmistakeable, but a distant blow is often the first clue.

📲 𝐉𝐎𝐈𝐍 𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐋-𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 𝐒𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 𝐑𝐄𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐏

Yes, there is a real-time sightings group, and it's one of the best tools we have.

Our OMMRI Telegram Sightings Group is where reports from across Orkney land as they happen. Joining means you can see what's been spotted and where in real time, which makes planning a watch dramatically more productive. Heading out to a headland? Check the group first. Seen something yourself? Post it and help everyone else.

To join, simply click the link below or scan the QR code in the poster. Once you're in, please take a moment to read the group rules pinned at the top before posting your first sighting.

👉 https://t.me/+2cKGO91r68EyMzk8

And your sightings do more than just help fellow watchers. Every report you submit becomes a data point in OMMRI's records, contributing to our understanding of which species use Orkney's waters, when, and where. That data underpins conservation arguments, supports marine protection, and helps build the scientific case for safeguarding the habitats these animals depend on. You don't need any special skills or equipment to contribute. You just need to be looking at the sea and willing to tell us what you see.

You can also report via:
📧 [email protected]
🌊 https://ommri.org/report-a-sighting/

22/05/2026

🐋 𝐈𝐓'𝐒 𝐀𝐋𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐎𝐑𝐂𝐀 𝐖𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇 𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐊!

It's that time of year again. Orca Watch 2026 starts TOMORROW and if you know, you know. If you don't, let us introduce you to one of the highlights of the cetacean calendar!

Every year the Sea Watch Foundation runs nine days of dedicated cetacean watching across some of the most spectacular waters in the UK. The hub is at John o' Groats, but the event spreads right across Caithness, North Sutherland, Orkney and Shetland and it runs from tomorrow, Saturday 23rd May, through to Sunday 31st May.

Why here? Because this area is one of the best places in the UK to see killer whales and at this time of year, you stand a genuine chance of watching killer whales socialise, hunt and travel around the area. There's been some epic encounters during past Orca Watches, but the watching doesn't stop at killer whales. Harbour porpoises, minke whales, Risso's dolphins, white-beaked dolphins, common dolphins, and the occasional fin or humpback whale are all on the cards. At this time of year in these waters, anything is possible!

So how do you find out what is being seen in Orkney this week?

🔴 For live Orkney sightings as they happen, our Telegram Sightings Group is the place to be. Reports land there first and between us we build a real-time picture of what's moving through our seas. Get yourself in the group:

📲 https://t.me/+2cKGO91r68EyMzk8

🔴 For sightings and updates from across the wider Orca Watch event, join the Sea Watch Foundation's Orca Watch Facebook group — it'll be busy this week: www.facebook.com/orcawatch

🔴 Not yet in the Orkney Cetacean Group on Facebook? It's a brilliant community resource for cetacean sightings and news from around Orkney and well worth being part of at any time of year, let alone this week.

Full details about Orca Watch 2026 at: https://www.seawatchfoundation.org.uk/orca-watch/

Here's to a good week on the water. 🌊

23/04/2026

📱 𝐓𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐌 𝐒𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐔𝐏

Yesterday was a busy one on the Telegram Sightings Group -Orkney's seas clearly had a lot going on.

🐋 There's seemingly a minke whale movement happening right now, with multiple animals reported near the entrance to Hoy Sound and off Noup Head, Westray. If you're out on the west side at the moment, keep your eyes on those seas.

🐬 Several groups of Risso's dolphin were recorded off Marwick Head and Noup Head, including one group that may have contained some bottlenose dolphins. Hopefully, we'll be able to confirm that from photos.

🐟 Harbour porpoises were also reported off Noup Head, quietly going about their business as usual.

A real thank you to everyone who reported yesterday. Your sightings are what allow us to build a picture of what is happening in Orkney's seas in real time, and days like yesterday show exactly what the group is for.

Not on the Telegram group yet? Join here for live sightings as they come in:

📲 https://t.me/+2cKGO91r68EyMzk8

Or report via:
📧 [email protected]
🌊 https://ommri.org/report-a-sighting/

22/04/2026

🐳 𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐌 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐀𝐘 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐇

Yesterday evening we received a report of at least three s***m whales in the Stronsay Firth, spotted by crew on the Kirkwall to Sanday ferry north of Veantrow Bay towards the Green Holms. It is presumed these are the same animals that caused considerable concern when they were recorded swimming up the Firth of Forth on Saturday, and which had previously been reported in the Netherlands.

S***m whale sightings in the North Sea are always a cause for concern. These are deep water animals, oceanic wanderers that belong in the open Atlantic, not in the shallow, enclosed waters of the North Sea, which is the third most likely place in the world for s***m whale strandings. There is a well-documented phenomenon known as the "North Sea s***m whale trap", a recurring pattern in which s***m whales, typically young males, enter the southern North Sea and become fatally disorientated. The problem is the geography. These are animals built for the open ocean, capable of diving to extraordinary depths using sophisticated sonar navigation. The North Sea's shallow, sandy, and complex underwater topography interferes with that sonar, effectively trapping animals that have wandered in, often following prey, and preventing them from finding their way back out to deeper water. The results can be catastrophic. Orkney knows this all too well. The worst single stranding event in UK recorded history occurred at Backaskaill Bay, Sanday in December 1994, when 11 animals came ashore, a a record we hope is never broken.

When s***m whales enter the North Sea they can become disorientated, struggle to navigate back to deeper water, and if they remain for any length of time, begin to lose condition. So far today there have been no further sightings, and we are cautiously hopeful. The Westray Firth offers a route due north and back out into the North Atlantic, and if that is the direction these animals have taken, it is the best possible outcome. 🤞🤞

PHOTO: Stock image

***mWhale

06/01/2026

📊📍 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐇 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 𝐒𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃-𝐔𝐏! 🐋🐬

On to March - the last of our winter months before things really start to pick up! (These monthly round-ups won't be quite so regular as we work through the busier summer months with much more data to analyse!)

In total, 27 sighting reports were received in March, equating to 12 days of cetacean presence in the month with multiple reports received on 8 days. Five confirmed species of cetacean were recorded throughout March - bringing our total number of species for the year in the first quarter to 7!

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒:

🐋 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 - The star of the show with 9 reports across 1 day! An absolutely spectacular day for these gentle giants.

🐬 𝐊𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 - Continuing their strong presence with 6 reports across 4 days including the 64s and 169s.

🐋 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐞 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 - Appearing right on cue with our first records of the year with 5 reports across 2 days and appearing right on cue! These sleek baleen whales are beginning their migration to their northern summer feeding grounds although they were much later arriving last year.

🐬 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐨'𝐬 𝐃𝐨𝐥𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐬 - 2 reports across 1 day as we had our first 2025 sighting of the species! Numbers should certainly increase in the summer months.

The map shows sightings spreading more widely around Orkney, with particular activity in Scapa Flow and the Pentland Firth.

𝐀 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐎𝐔𝐓 to all our citizen scientists who took the time to report their sightings in March! Your observations are the backbone of our research - without you, we simply wouldn't have the data we need to protect Orkney's cetaceans. Every single report counts! 💙

Our reporting area comprises all Orkney waters to the 12 nautical mile limit including Sula Skerry and Sula Stack. Due to the proximity of the Caithness coastline across the Pentland Firth and the mobile nature of cetaceans, we also include the whole of the Pentland Firth in our survey area from Duncansby Head to the east to Strathy Point to the west. This gives a total study area of 4,691 square miles (12,150 km²).

Keep those eyes to the seas and those reports coming!

📱 Telegram: https://t.me/+2cKGO91r68EyMzk8
📧 [email protected]
🌐 https://ommri.org/report-a-sighting/

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