The Durham coast has
proved to be a good area for cetaceans over recent years, with groups of
dolphins regularly being seen in late summer. Souter lighthouse is
generally the best vantage point to look for cetaceans, especially on a
calm day.
If you do see anything of interest, please email your sightings to
Peter Collins, the National Trust warden at Souter lighthouse.
December 2005
15 December - 1 Harbour Porpoise (Roker pier)
November 2005
8 November - 1 Harbour Porpoise (Lizard Point)
October 2005
22 October - 1 Harbour Porpoise (Whitburn Point)
5 October - 2 Harbour Porpoise (Whitburn Coastal Park)
4 October - 2 Harbour Porpoise (Whitburn Point)
3 October - 2 Harbour Porpoise (Lizard Point)
September 2005
18 September - 1 Minke Whale (from
fishing boat 4 miles offshore from Roker)
18 September - 1 Sperm Whale (from fishing
boat 6 miles offshore from Sunderland)
August 2005
21 August - Bottlenose Dolphin in mouth of Tyne.
20 August - Bottlenose Dolphin in mouth of Tyne.
19 August - Bottlenose Dolphin in mouth of Tyne.
18 August - Bottlenose Dolphin in mouth of Tyne.
17 August - Bottlenose Dolphin in mouth of Tyne.
9 August - 1 Harbour Porpoise (Whitburn Point)
6 August - 1 Minke Whale (Whitburn Point)
July 2005
31 July - 1 Harbour Porpoise (Whitburn Steel)
30 July - 1 Harbour Porpoise (Whitburn Point)
25 July - 1 Harbour Porpoise (Whitburn Point)
24 July - 3 Harbour Porpoise (Whitburn Point)
22 July - 1 Harbour Porpoise (Whitburn Point)
21 July - 1 Minke Whale lunge feeding (Lizard Point 14.35)
21 July - 4 Harbour Porpoise (Whitburn Point)
19 July - 1 dolphin spp, prob Bottlenose (Lizard Point)
2 July - 1 Harbour Porpoise (Whitburn Steel)
May 2005
3 May -
6 Harbour Porpoise (Lizard Point)
2 May -
2 Harbour Porpoise (Lizard Point)
April 2005
30 April -
7 Harbour Porpoise (Lizard Point)
25 April -
1 Harbour Porpoise (Lizard Point)
22 April -
1 Harbour Porpoise (Lizard Point)
21 April -
1 Harbour Porpoise (Lizard Point)
19 April -
2 Harbour Porpoise (Lizard Point)
March 2005
30 March -
3 Harbour Porpoise (Lizard Point)
29 March -
3 Harbour Porpoise (Lizard Point)
28 March -
1 Harbour Porpoise (Lizard Point)
23 March - 3 Harbour Porpoise (Souter lighthouse)
20 March -
8 Harbour Porpoise (Souter lighthouse)
19 March -
10 Harbour Porpoise (Souter lighthouse)
17 March -
2 Harbour Porpoise (Lizard Point)
15 March -
3 Harbour Porpoise (Lizard Point)
14 March -
7 Harbour Porpoise (Lizard Point)
14 March - 1 Harbour Porpoise (South Shields)
11 March - 3-5 Harbour Porpoise (Whitburn Point)
10 March -
7 Harbour Porpoise (Lizard Point)
9 March - 5 Harbour Porpoise (South Shields)
8 March - 1 Harbour Porpoise in the River Wear off Sunderland
yacht club.
8 March -
3 Harbour Porpoise (Lizard Point)
7 March -
1 Harbour Porpoise (Lizard Point)
4 March - 1 Harbour Porpoise in the River Wear off Sunderland yacht club.
2 March -
4 Harbour Porpoise (Lizard Point)
1 March - 6 Harbour Porpoise (Lizard Point)
1 March - 2 Harbour Porpoise (Whitburn Point)
February 2005
28 February - 3 Harbour Porpoise (Souter lighthouse)
27 February -
3 Harbour Porpoise (Souter lighthouse)
21 February - 1 Harbour Porpoise (Souter lighthouse)
19 February - 3 Harbour Porpoise (Whitburn Point)
18 February - 2 Harbour Porpoise (Souter lighthouse)
17 February -
6 Harbour Porpoise (Souter lighthouse)
16 February - 4 Harbour Porpoise (Frenchman's Bay)
16 February - 14 Harbour Porpoise (Souter lighthouse)
14 February - 1 Harbour Porpoise (Souter lighthouse)
11 February - 2 Harbour Porpoise (Souter lighthouse)
6 February - 2 Bottlenose Dolphins and 4 Harbour Porpoise (Whitburn
Point)
3 February - 4 Harbour Porpoise (Souter lighthouse)
1 February - 7 Harbour Porpoise (Souter lighthouse)
January 2005
31 January - 1 Harbour Porpoise (Souter lighthouse)
28 January - 6 Harbour Porpoise (Whitburn Point)
27 January - freshly dead Harbour Porpoise (Whitburn Point) -
This was an adult measuring 5ft long and has been taken away for tests on
the cause of death.
14 January - 2 Harbour Porpoise (Souter lighthouse)
9 January - 2 Harbour Porpoise (Whitburn Point)
November 2004
28 November - 2 Harbour Porpoise (Whitburn Point)
25 November - 2 Harbour porpoise (Souter lighthouse)
19 November - 1 Harbour Porpoise (Whitburn Point)
16 November - 5 Harbour porpoise (Souter lighthouse)
6 November - 12 Harbour Porpoise (Souter lighthouse)
1 November - 6 Harbour Porpoise (Souter lighthouse)
October 2004
30 October - 1 Harbour Porpoise dead (Jackie's Beach, Whitburn)
The cause of death is unknown at present, but the tail and lower jaw had
already been eaten. Tests will be carried out to establish more
information.
24 October - 5 Harbour Porpoise (Souter lighthouse)
18 October - 4 Harbour Porpoise (Souter lighthouse)
15 October - 4 Harbour Porpoise (Souter lighthouse)
14 October - 10 Harbour porpoise (Souter lighthouse)
11 October - 4 Bottlenose Dolphin (Whitburn Point)
9 October - 1 Harbour Porpoise (Whitburn Point)
4 October - 2 Harbour Porpoise (Souter lighthouse)
1 October - 4 Harbour Porpoise (Souter lighthouse)
Bottlenose Dolphin, Sunderland
September 2004
29 September - 1 Harbour Porpoise (Souter lighthouse)
29 September - 1 Bottlenose Dolphin (Sunderland marina)
29 September - 1 Harbour Porpoise (Whitburn Point)
28 September - 1 Bottlenose Dolphin (Sunderland marina)
28 September - 30 Bottlenose Dolphin (Whitburn Point)
27 September - 5 Harbour Porpoise and 9 Bottlenose Dolphin (Souter
lighthouse)
22 September - 6 Bottlenose Dolphin (Whitburn Point)
19 September - 1 Bottlenose Dolphin (Sunderland marina)
18 September - 1 Bottlenose Dolphin (Sunderland marina)
17 September - 1 Bottlenose Dolphin (Sunderland marina)
17 September - 2 Harbour Porpoise (Souter lighthouse)
14 September - 1 Bottlenose Dolphin (Sunderland marina)
13 September - 1 Bottlenose Dolphin (Sunderland marina)
12 September - 1 Bottlenose Dolphin (Sunderland marina)
10 September - 1 Harbour Porpoise (Souter lighthouse)
9 September - 1 Bottlenose Dolphin (Sunderland marina)
8 September - 1 Bottlenose Dolphin (Sunderland marina)
6 September - 1 Bottlenose Dolphin (Sunderland marina)
5 September - 1 Bottlenose Dolphin (Sunderland marina)
5 September - 20 Bottlenose Dolphin (passing mouth of River Wear,
Sunderland)
5 September - 2 Harbour Porpoise (Souter lighthouse)
3 September - 1 Bottlenose Dolphin (Sunderland marina)
2 September - 1 Bottlenose Dolphin (Sunderland marina)
2 September - between 13 and 20 Bottlenose Dolphin (Souter lighthouse)
August 2004
27 August - 1 Harbour Porpoise (Whitburn Point)
26 August - 2 Harbour Porpoise (Whitburn Point)
24 August - 2 Harbour Porpoise (Whitburn Point)
22 August - 3 Harbour Porpoise (Whitburn Point)
19 August - 1 Bottlenose Dolphin and 1 Harbour Porpoise (Whitburn Point)
17 August - 3 Harbour Porpoise (Souter lighthouse)
15 August - 3 Harbour Porpoise (Souter lighthouse)
7 August - 3 Harbour Porpoise (Whitburn Point)
1 August - 2 Harbour Porpoise (Whitburn Point)
July 2004
27 July - 1 Harbour Porpoise (Souter lighthouse)
17 July - 3 Harbour Porpoise (Souter lighthouse)
17 July - 2 Harbour Porpoise (Whitburn Steel)
17 July - 4 White-beaked Dolphin (Souter lighthouse)
16 July - 1 Harbour Porpoise (Whitburn Point)
15 July - 4 White-beaked Dolphin (Souter lighthouse)
9 July - 1 Harbour Porpoise (Whitburn Point)
7 July - 1 Harbour Porpoise (Whitburn Point)
