Yes, folks, I've been sailing the blueblackgreygreenwhite briney over Biscay to Bilbao and back to Portsmouth a couple of times with The Company of Whales. Both trips (12-15.8.05 and 15-18.8.05) had their amazing highlights despite a bit of bother with the timings of sailings caused by running repairs to the Pride of Bilbao. The first trip brought my first view of a breaching Minke Whale and two possible Sowerby's Beaked Whales, close to the Spanish shore. The second had spectacular Common Dolphins at the bow of the ship including a delightful pod of mothers side-by-side with young calves, which were probably born only in July. We also had our only Fin Whale of the trip (after a distant blow) just an hour north of Bilbao in rapidly fading light:
"I believe in miracles! Where you from, you sexy Fin (you sexy Fin Whale)?"
Here are my pictorial highlights, plenty of them clickable for bigger versions:
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Tree Grayling, Santurtzi, Spain (14.8.05). Note the 'concertina' edge to the rear wing.
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Common Dolphin at the bow (for decent shots, see The Company of Whales website!), Biscay, 16.8.05.
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Juvenile Stonechat, Santurtzi (17.8.05)*.
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Gatekeeper, Santurtzi (17.8.05).
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The Pride of Bilbao waits in dock, as viewed from the hill above Santurtzi (17.8.05).
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Wasp Spider, Santurtzi (17.8.05).
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Wall Lizard, Santurtzi (17.8.05).
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Juvenile Red-backed Shrike, Santurtzi (17.8.05)*.
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Juvenile Woodchat Shrike, Santurtzi (17.8.05), a very scarce species here*.
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Male Adonis Blue, Santurtzi (17.8.05).
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Blue-winged Grasshopper, Santurtzi (17.8.05).
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Geranium Bronze is a southern African species which is surprisingly common in Santurtzi, thriving on the window-box geraniums (17.8.05).
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These two Little Egrets flew by the ship in the southern English Channel (18.8.05)*.
All Nikon Coolpix 880 (*Digiscoped through Kowa TSN-821+ 32xWLER)