Following up on my June posting about recent sightings of Bottlenose Dolphin around the Antrim coast (http://nibirds.blogspot.com/2010/06/dolphins-in-water.html) Irish Whale and Dolphin Group have recently checked the photos taken on 3rd June near Glenarm and confirm a match. The wonderfully named BNDIRL49 (Number 49 on the Irish Bottlenose Dolphin catalogue - main features: 5 nicks + rakes on R side of dorsal fin) had previously been photographed at Fanore, Co. Clare in March 2007 and again in August 2008 in Donegal Bay. This photo ID work is telling us a lot about this species in these waters e.g. none of the resident Shannon estuary population have ever been recorded outside the Shannon (well I suppose thats what resident means but this appears to contrast with other 'resident' BND populations in GB which do venture considerable distances from their 'home' area). IWDG welcomes reports of all cetacean (and basking shark) sightings from around Ireland - submit sightings at www.iwdg.ie
thanks
Ian Enlander
