‘Boomerang’ is the Humpback which has smashed all Irish whale sighting records, according to Padraig Whooley who is Sightings Officer for the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group
“70 sightings of this adult male along the Cork and Waterford coast, over 19 of a possible 23 years (2001-2024). Last year he was recorded for the first time in Co. Kerry, two miles North/West of the Skelligs on September 17, before returning to Galley Head in Cork on October 1,” says Padraig.
‘Boomerang’ seems to like West Cork, but perhaps other whales don’t!
Padraig raised an interesting point on my SEASCAPES PODCAST when he reported its sighting records for 2024. There were 137, compared to the 133 in 2023.
“Humpbacks largely remained faithful to West Kerry haunts, which has consistently been their most productive coastal hotspot in the last 10 years,” he said and then highlighted their strong showing in Donegal Bay in 2023. “That could have been an anomaly, but the continuation of the trend in the North/West in 2024, suggests it is becoming an increasingly important humpback feeding area, likely happening at the expense of former hotspots like West Cork.”
The IWDG’s recording of whale movements in Irish waters is great marine research work. Last year there was “a good spread of sightings over more counties, with the majority (50%) from Co. Kerry, followed by Donegal Bay covering both counties Donegal and Sligo (20.5%), Cork (11%), the *Shannon Estuary (9%) Mayo (5%) and Waterford (1.5%),” according to Padraig.
.
Whale Watch Day this year is Saturday, May 17.
