Dolphin Watch

Portland

There is now a formal dolphin watch operating from Portland Bill. Information gathered is passed to the Durlston Marine Project (DMP) who collate all dolphin sightings for Dorset waters.

 

The watch consists of a rota of volunteers who watch for the same period each week from a fixed location in front of the Portland Bill lighthouse. When an animal is sighted a standardised sighting form, used by all watchers across Dorset, is filled in and then passed to DMP. From DMP the collated information is passed to the Sea Watch Foundation who enter it into a national database of sightings. This information is further processed to form the JNCC atlas of cetaceans. The current version of this atlas can be downloaded here for free. The Sea Watch database can also be accessed by cetacean researchers exploring distributions of the cetacean species in UK waters.

 

If you would like to join the enthusiastic group of volunteers who are prepared to stand on Portland Bill in all weathers to look for these animals then contact the IVY office in Easton. Training will be given to assist with identifying animals at sea, how to carry out a watch, and how to fill in a sighting form.

 

Outside of the formal watch, if you should see a dolphin, whale or seal anywhere in Dorset waters then please report it directly to DMP on 01929 421111 or by using the on-line form on the DMP website. A list of recent sightings from along the Dorset coast can also be found on the DMP website.

 

For a list of species that may be encountered in Dorset waters click here, and for information on recent sightings from Portland click here.

Portland Bill forms an important junction between the western Channel and eastern Channel. Many species coming up the Channel do no progress past Portland. This makes the Portland Bill watch very important in understanding the population dynamics of the cetacean species in the English Channel.