Orcas put on show off coast

These incredible images of orcas were taken by a photographer in the north-east. Nick Collins captured a series of images off the coast of Newtonhill at the weekend.

The eight-orca pod was seen travelling north with others reportedly spotting them off Newburgh a couple of hours later.

Nick said: “I saw them around 7.45pm at Newtonhill after being alerted by social media as they had been seen at Stonehaven.

“People turned out to see them along the coast heading up to Aberdeen, including Muchalls, Newtonhill, Portlethen and Doonies.”

He added: “In a nice example of ‘citizen science’, Shetlands expert Hugh Harrop was able to identify the specific pod (27s) and individuals in the photos.

“Apparently they are regulars in Shetland and travel as far as Iceland.”

The picture below shows the pod matriarch.

And the image above shows one of the two males in the group, with the breaching orca the youngest member of the pod, born in 2019.

In the past, the animals have travelled from Iceland in time for seal season.

Although frequently called “killer whales”, orcas are actually closely related to dolphins but are ruthless in their hunt for food.

Bottlenose dolphins and porpoises are more commonly sighted in the north-east, with pods often seen at the mouth of Aberdeen Harbour and off the Moray Coast

In 2017, wildlife watchers were amazed when a pair of humpback whales were spotted off the Moray coast.

YOUTHFUL EXUBERANCE: The youngest member of the pod, born in 2019, breaches near Newtonhill, Aberdeenshire, as the pod of orcas make their way up the north-east coast.

Shetland orca expert Hugh Harrop identified the pod as 27s using the pictures.