Minke whales off the Isle of Mann in November

03/02/2007 00:00:00 November 2006. Amazingly a pair of Minke whales has been feeding in and around Laxey Bay on the Isle of Mann for the first two weeks of November. Most afternoons, weather and sea conditions permitting, these large rorqual whales have been seen feeding and foraging close to shore. Regular sightings may continue as long as there is sufficient food for them to eat. At this time of the year that is most probably spent herring which have completed their spawning. Some years, small numbers of herring continue to spawn into December, and these too will attract a hungry whale.

2006 has been a good year for cetacean spotting around the island, with 155 (and counting) Minke sightings as well as a few Fin whales and Orcas; additionally there were also many sightings of Risso’s and Common dolphin as well as a few Bottlenose and a good number of Harbour Porpoises, with even had a few White-beaked dolphins.

To see news of the latest sightings, and for further information, please go to the Manx whale and dolphin watch website.

The excellent photograph, shown below, was kindly supplied by Ben Hill of Douglas. He took it on the 9th of November at around 1:00pm using his Canon EOS 20D digital camera and 100-400L IS USM lens, 1/800ths, ISO400.