Seabirds feeding

I always love some good bird activity when I'm out looking for whales and dolphins. Especially when they are engaged in feeding on a bait ball and you get to see the birds snatching up the fish from close to the surface. In this it it was a large flock of Cory's shearwaters and some yellow-legged gulls feeding together.

Cory's shearwaters (Calonectris borealis) and yellow-legged gulls (Larus michaellis atlantis) feeding 

Cory's sheatwater snatching up a fish

Juvenile gull

Cory's shearwaters at sunset

Sperm whale dive sequence

It's been a while since I have posted. Now I have a bit more time again I plan to ease back into sharing some of my favourite photos from the past years. To start off, here is a dive sequence of a sperm whale off the Azores. Right now (July) is when they gather in groups off the Azores islands and give some amazing sightings. 

Moody skies

Sunset boat trips are a great opportunity to photograph expansive areas of sky as the sun sinks behind the ocean horizon. The large cloud cover that is almost always present in the Azores is great for creating depth and different moods as they soak up the different colours of the last light of the day. 

Dolphins making a splash

When dolphins travel and come up to breathe they often create very interesting and beautiful patterns on the surface as they disturb the water. I love the challenge of trying to capture unique splashes and water features, as well as the fact that no two photos will ever be exactly the same.  

Atlantic spotted dolphins

Calm and long summer days

Long summer days out on the water are the best. Especially when the ocean is flat and clear, so that you can see the animals right through the water - as if they are floating in the sky. I love these endless summer days.

A very curious Atlantic spotted dolphin

 

 

 

Atlantic spotted dolphins

 

Baby dolphins

One of the best dolphin encounters is when baby dolphins (or calves) are included in the pod. Over the years I've been lucky to encounter many baby dolphins, including the tiniest ones that were still wrinkled and had their dorsal fin folded over from being in the womb. They are absolutely adorable, and a delight to watch clumsily leaping alongside their mother.

Atlantic spotted dolphin calf

Atlantic spotted dolphin calf

Atlantic spotted dolphin calf

Bottlenose dolphin calf with fetal folds (vertical skin crease lines)

Common dolphin calf with clearly visible fetal folds

Azores summer sea sightings

The summer time in the Azores is best spent out on the water. Escaping the heat by catching a cool ocean breeze, and in the company of an array of marine wildlife. At this time of the year the dolphins are the most abundant, as extra species visit and calves are born. It's also the best time of the year to encounter sperm whales and other other ocean voyageurs like sea turtles. 

Common dolphin

Loggerhead turtle

Atlantic spotted dolphin

Sperm whale mother and calf

Bottlenose dolphin

The end of a long summer's day