I know this may seem like a bit of a strange question! I remember very baguely a while back, I can't remember where, hearing that a Killer Whale had been spotted off the coast of the UK somewhere (again my memory is hazy). Have there ever been any killer whales spotted here or am I making this up? And if there has been sightings, is there any evidence to back it up?
No you’re not making it up, Orca Whales occur of northern and western Scotland and are closest to shore between May and October.
David
A birder i know was coming back from the Isles of Scilly last Autumn and saw one from the helicopter near to Lands End!!
Near to Lands End! That's incredible, I never would have thought they would go that far south in a million years. Well perhaps they haven't for a million years, until now.
There was another sighting of three together somewhere down here too last year. Don't remember the details, sorry.
That's a bit frightening, actually. Here at home we should have a home 'pod' and a migratory pod of Orcas. The migratory pod is down in California waters, because apparently they have not found enough to eat up here...
Could they be travelling all that way just to find food?
Kingfisher
Resident, transient and offshore Orca’s are all known to travel great distances and are one of the most widely distributed animals known. Below, if I have managed to attach it correctly, is a range map for them showing their range in blue.
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David
Im glad you wrote about the Orcas Cornwall Birder. I had heard about the sightings but couldnt find any official records but i can remember these sighting youve mentioned. Been told of sightings off Cornwall at least every couple of years.
I didn't realise they had such a huge range. I had heard they had been spotted around the UK, but had always assumed it was up in the North. That map suggests they even come into the channel, is that correct?
Yea thats right iv even heard of them off the Helford River. That was a couple of years ago and they were a couple of miles of the shore.
I've never seen them (I don't think many people have) but I have heard that they are often around British waters. I didn't realise they had the range seen on Cornwall Birding's map though.
I know that Orca's are spotted fairly regularly off the coast of the Isle of Mull. Never seen them for myself, but here's hoping.
I've never been to the Isle of Mull, but heard it is beautiful. I have heard Orca's are quite often in that sort of area so good luck in the future with seeing one!