WhaleTrack Ireland

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WhaleTrack Ireland WhaleTrack Ireland ​is an exciting new IWDG project which aims to determine what large baleen whales are doing in Irish waters.

Kerry crew 10/10/2026. HB IRL 130 literally popped back up, along with the two fin whales, in Di**le Bay a month after w...
11/10/2026

Kerry crew 10/10/2026. HB IRL 130 literally popped back up, along with the two fin whales, in Di**le Bay a month after we last saw #130 here. This site fidelity highlights the importance of our coastal feeding grounds for these animals and the forage fish they are dependant on. Though it wasn't tail fluking whilst corralling the sprat it showed the tip of its fluke, the unique pattern of bullseye marks left from acorn barnacles was enough to identify it.

Fin whales.. It is great to be documenting the late run of large whales in Di**le Bay with these two fin whales feeding ...
08/10/2026

Fin whales.. It is great to be documenting the late run of large whales in Di**le Bay with these two fin whales feeding amongst common dolphins and minke whales under diving gannets. With the freshening winds, a restless sea it's also just incredibly exhilarating observing these big blowers under the ever changing autumnal skies. Nick Massett

14/09/2026

Every whale has its own nuanced method of feeding. Where some mature humpbacks will emit a constant stream of bubbles to form a bubble net this sub adult sends out pulses of bubbles to corral the forage fish. Sometimes just a line of bubbles, other times it will enclose a circle depending on the shifting dynamic of the baitball.

HB IRL 130 observed in Di**le Bay again 11/09/2026. There seems to be enough feed in the Bay to keep this single humpbac...
12/09/2026

HB IRL 130 observed in Di**le Bay again 11/09/2026. There seems to be enough feed in the Bay to keep this single humpback here for the moment. Images Nick Massett under license from NPWS.

08/09/2026

Double digit numbers of minke whales were also in the mix with this humpback.

Finally.. the first humpback we've been able to get photo id on here in Kerry this year. And doesn't this animal tell a ...
08/09/2026

Finally.. the first humpback we've been able to get photo id on here in Kerry this year. And doesn't this animal tell a story.. This is HB IRL 130, an animal that was last documented just two weeks ago in Donegal Bay, a distance of circa 440 km along the coast. Prior to the sightings there we can then trace #130 back to the outer Shannon estuary where Simon Berrow photographed it on the 2nd of January this year. So already we have an interesting history of how this animal is moving between our coastal feeding areas this year. Nick Massett 08/09/2026

Kerry crew 15/08/2026The only blows we are seeing off the Di**le peninsula are from our smallest rorqual, the minke whal...
16/08/2026

Kerry crew 15/08/2026
The only blows we are seeing off the Di**le peninsula are from our smallest rorqual, the minke whale. Despite regular sightings of double digit numbers of minkes, often a precursor for the large whale species, we have yet to document a single humpback here this year. The northward shift of animals to the NW coast has become very tangible.

First fin whale of the season.. And it’s a resighting from 2014. This animal was recognisable from the scar tissue from ...
15/06/2026

First fin whale of the season.. And it’s a resighting from 2014. This animal was recognisable from the scar tissue from a historic trauma injury just in front of its dorsal. Last seen in Di**le Bay July 2014.
Kerry crew Nick Massett, Nicky Lee.

We are happy to confirm that one of the humpback whales currently in the mouth of the Shannon Estuary is #130, from the...
02/01/2026

We are happy to confirm that one of the humpback whales currently in the mouth of the Shannon Estuary is #130, from the IWDG Humpback Whale ID Catalogue.

It was first recorded in Di**le Bay by Nick Masset on 14 July 2024 and last seen off Foul Sound, Aran Islands, Co Galway by Kevin Ryan on 24 August 2025.

It was measured by Miguel Blásquez from a UAV (drone) as part of his PhD on 16 July and 12 November 2024 at 8.46 and 8.53m in length - a juvenile.

There is another humpback whale in the estuary and one fin whale too and plenty of common dolphins. Amazing to think this time last year we had a humpback ( #136) in the mid-estuary for over a month. Todays successful IWDG Clare team was Simon Berrow, Frances Bermingham, Muireann and Rónán Berrow and Dixie Collins, with guidance from land provided by Tony Whelan and Conor Rowlands.

Image by Simon Berrow/IWDG

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