records from the irish whale and dolphin group for 2009

Records from the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group for 2009Author(s): Mick O'Connell and Simon BerrowSource: The Irish Naturalists' Journal, Vol. 31, No. 1 (September 2010), pp. 50-55Published by: Irish Naturalists' Journal Ltd.Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41419216 .

Accessed: 14/06/2014 11:05

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

.JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range ofcontent in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new formsof scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected].

.

Irish Naturalists' Journal Ltd. is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The IrishNaturalists' Journal.

http://www.jstor.org

This content downloaded from 194.29.185.251 on Sat, 14 Jun 2014 11:05:21 AMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=inj

http://www.jstor.org/stable/41419216?origin=JSTOR-pdf

http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp


Records from the Irish Whale and

Dolphin Group for 2009

Compilers: Mick O'Connell and Simon Berrow Irish whale and Dolphin Group, Merchants Quay, Kilrush, Co. Clare

All records below have been submitted with adequate documentation and/or photographs to put identification beyond doubt. The length is a linear measurement from the tip of the beak to the fork in the tail fin.

During 2009 we received 136 stranding records (168 individuals) compared to 134 records (139 individuals) received in 2008 and 144 records (149 individuals) in 2007. The number of stranding records reported to the I WD G each year has reached somewhat of a plateau (Fig. 1) which provides some consistency if we want to use these data to monitor trends.

Sixteen species were recorded in 2009, with 22 specimens not identified to species level. The harbour porpoise was the most frequently recorded species with 27 records (19.9%) followed by the common dolphin with 21 records (15.4%). This was consistent with previous years. The relatively high number of striped dolphin strandings (17) reported in 2006 (O'Connell and Berrow 2007) has continued, though at a slightly lower level, with 1 1 reported during 2008 and 10 in 2009. Some deep-diving

Figure 1 . Number of published cetacean stranding records 2000-2009.

50 Irish Naturalists' Journal 31 No.l 2010

species were reported with four sperm whales, two northern bottlenose whales, six Mesoplodon species, including a Trues beaked whale and two pygmy sperm whales. This year saw the highest number of Sowerby's beaked whales recorded stranded in a single year. Records of stranded pilot whales were down on previous years.

A total of 23 live stranding events was recorded during this period, up from 17 in 2008 and closer to the 28 reported in 2007 by O'Connell and Berrow (2008). There were, however, more individuals live stranded (53) compared to previous years due to two mass strandings involving pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins. Thirteen bottlenose dolphin strandings is a high number and it includes four live stranding events.

Fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus (L. 1758)) Female. 19.7 m. Live stranded and died at

Courtmacsherry, Co. Cork (W5 10429), 15 January 2009. Norman Keane, Pádraig Whooley, Courtmacsherry Lifeboat Service.

Male. 15-17 m. Ballyduboy Beach, Co. Wexford (T 193402), 1 February 2009. Deirdre Slevin, Eamon Doran, Nicky Walshe, Kevin McCormick, Tony Murray, Tom Pearman, John Byrne.

Male. 3.4 m (tail and partial body). Doughmore, Doonbeg, Co. Clare (Q985677), 14 March 2009. Identification confirmed from DNA tests. Simon Berrow, Conor Ryan.

Minke whale ( Balaenoptera acutorostrata Lacépède 1804)

Female. 7.5 m. Ringbaun, Kilmore, Co. Wexford (T024050), 2 May 2009. Connie Doolan, Jim Hurley, Kevin Mc Cormick.

Female. 6.4 m. Roskeeragh, Mullaghmore, Co. Sligo (G692564), 18 May 2009. MikeTrewby, Fiona Farrell (NPWS), Don Cotton, Jean Dunleavy.

Unsexed. с A m. Carrowhubbock, Inishcrone, Co. Sligo (G283301), 20 June 2009. Pamela Bergin, Laura Mulhern.

Female. 8.8 m. Inishcrone, Co. Sligo (G261295), 16 September 2009. Don Cotton,



Séamus Feeney, Johnny Kilcullen, James Kilroy (NPWS).

Cuvier's beaked whale ( Ziphius cavirostris Cuvier 1823)

Unsexed. 5.3 m. White Strand, Caherciveen, Co. Kerry (V435793), 8 March 2009. Rosemary Hill, Gerry Enright.

Unsexed. 4.65 m. Lenstown, Lenadoon Point, Killala Bay, Co. Sligo (G328388), 28 March 2009. Míchéal, Claire and Eileen Casey, Gerry Gannon, Don Cotton, Jean Dunleavy.

Female. 6 m. Terman, Maghery, Co. Donegal (B705086), 9 April 2009. Emer Magee (NPWS).

Northern bottlenose (bottle-nosed) whale ( Hyperoodon amp tilla tus (Forster 1770))

Female. 7.4 m. Live stranded and died at Ross Point, Killala, Co. Mayo (G2 18339), 22 July 2009. James Kilroy (NPWS), Conor Ryan, Ger Kearney, Joe Duffy; but refloated and stranded again at Lenstown near Lenadoon Point, Co. Sligo (G326388), 24 July 2009. Don Cotton, Jean Dunleavy.

Female and male. 6.3 m and 5.5 m. Live stranded and died at Whiddy Island, Bantry Bay, Co. Cork (V991495), 27 August 2009. Diarmuid Murphy, Jimmy Goggin.

True's (Wonderful) beaked whale (. Mesoplodon mirusTrxxe 1913)

Male. 4.7 m. Strandhill, Co. Sligo (G603359), 20 March 2009. Don Cotton, Jean Dunleavy, Kate Kenny, Gerard Scott, Gary Waters.

Sowerby's (North Sea) beaked whale (. Mesoplodon bidens Sowerby 1804)

Unsexed. 4 m. Glasagh Lower, Derrybeg, Gweedore, Co. Donegal (B805302), 10 April 2009. Séamus McGinty (NPWS).

Unsexed. 3-3.5 m. Kilcummin Strand, Co. Kerry (Q557124), 21 July 2009. Simon Berrow.

Male. 4.52 m. Spanish Point, Co. Clare (R025788), 23 November 2009. Geoff Magee, Simon Berrow.

Sperm whale ( Physeter macrocephalus L. 1758) Male. 14 m. Garrywilliam, Maharees, Co. Kerry

(Q600190), 8 March 2009. Christian Brene, Rob Jones, Rose Spillane.

Male. Unmeasured. Seen floating at surface 300 km west of Loop Head, Co. Clare, 30 March 2009. Paddy Reilly (Irish Air

Cetacean Notes

Corps). Unsexed. c. 8 m. Ervallagh, Roundstone, Co.

Galway (L706382), 7 April 2009. Thomas О 'Sullivan.

Unsexed. Unmeasured. Coolnaharrigal, Rossbeigh, Co. Kerry (V606891), 6 November 2009. Liam Griffin, Valerie O'Sullivan, Gearoid O'Murchu.

Male. 13 m. Fahy, Clifden, Co. Galway (L600517), 27 November 2009. Thomas O'Sullivan.

Pygmy sperm whale (. Kovia breviceps (De Blainville 1838))

Female. 2.2 m. Illaundrane, Kenmare River, Co. Kerry (V627609), 17 January 2009. Kevin O'Farrell, Clare Heardman (NPWS), Pádraig Whooley.

Female. 2.6 m. Live stranded and died at Dungarvan Harbour, Co. Waterford (X274909), 8 December 2009. Cliona MhicGhiolla Chuda, Pat Cullen, Bernadette Harty, Andrew Malcolm.

Harbour porpoise {Phocoena phocoena (L. 1758))

Male. 1.8 m. Bunagee Pier, Culdaff, Co. Donegal (C539503), 11 January 2009. Emmett Johnston (NPWS).

Female. 1.58 m. Chour, Carnsore, Co. Wexford (T097045), 22 January 2009. Tom Pearman.

Female. 1.35 m. Ownahincha Strand, Castle- freke, Co. Cork (W3 13349), 27 January 2009. Dan Crowley.

Female. 1.8 m. Waterville, Co. Kerry (V497664), 4 February 2009. Rosemary Hill.

Female. 1.7 m. Ballyduboy Beach, Morriscastle, Co. Wexford (T 1964 18), 7 February 2009. Linda Daniels.

Skull only. Beginish Island, Valentia, Co. Kerry (V416789), 15 February 2009. Rosemary Hill.

Unsexed. 1.56 m. Ballinskelligs, Co. Kerry (V452677), 16 February 2009. Bridge Haug, Rosemary Hill.

Unsexed. 1.8 m. Emlagh Beach, Louisburgh, Co. Mayo (L745795), 25 February 2009. Michael Bowler.

Unsexed. c.1.5 m. Live stranded and refloated at Portstewart, Co. Derry (C8 15382), 9 March 2009. Gary Burrows.

Unsexed. c. 1 m. Benone Strand, Co. Derry (C7 14364), 24 March 2009. Neil Hewat, Gary Burrows, Edita Magileviciute, Rod Penrose, Andrew Black.

Irish Naturalists' Journal 31 No.l 2010 51



Cetacean Notes

Unsexed. c. 1.5 m. Long Strand, Castlefreke, Co. Cork (W335336), 1 April 2009. Tony Manning.

Male. 1.66 m. Lough Swilly, Co. Donegal (C254155), 6 April 2009. Andrew Speer (NPWS).

Unsexed. Unmeasured. Sandylands Beach, Ballyhalbert, Co. Down (J646640), 9 June 2009. Ronald Stedman.

Unsexed. 0.8 m. Annagassan, Dundalk Bay, Co. Louth (009 19 47), 10 June 2009. Stephen Harmon.

Unsexed. Unmeasured. South of Dunany Point, Co. Louth (0153894), 11 June 2009. James Murray.

Unsexed. Unmeasured. Donabate, Co. Dublin (0257500), 17 June 2009. Carol Doyle.

Unsexed. Unmeasured. Brittas Bay North, Co. Wicklow (T306821), 23 June 2009. Irene O'Brien (NPWS).

Unsexed. Unmeasured. Drumanagh Beach, Loughshinney/Rush, Co. Dublin (0272553), 30 June 2009. Aaron Murray.

Male. 0.74 m. North of Balbriggan, Co. Dublin (Ol 99651), 30 June 2009. Paul Rogers.

Male. Unmeasured. Dollar Bay, Hook Head, Co. Wexford (S749055), 27 July 2009. Deirdre Slevin.

Unsexed. c. 1 m. Moville, Greencastle, Co. Donegal (C630390), 27 July 2009. Laura Cornick, Daragh McDonough, Keith Buchanan.

Male. 1.48 m. Donabate, Co. Dublin (0255496), 9 August 2009. Cormac Price.

Male, с Am. Wicklow Harbour, Co. Wicklow (T3 19940), 14 September 2009. Alexander Ellis, Declan Quigley.

Unsexed. Unmeasured. Laytown, Co. Meath (0171706), 17 September 2009. Keith Murphy, Johnny Woodlock.

Unsexed. 1.5 m. Ballydowane Beach, Bunmahon, Co. Waterford (X398975), 16 November 2009. George Munday.

Male. Unmeasured. Whiterocks Beach, Curran Strand, Co. Antrim (C881409), 3 December 2009. Michael Gardiner, Andy Black, Helen White, Gary Burrows.

Male. Unmeasured. Long Strand, Castlefreke, Co. Cork (W330340), 10 December 2009. William Helps.

Long-fìnned pilot whale ( Globicephala melaena (Traill 1809))

Unsexed. c.2.3 m. Live stranded and died at

52 Irish Naturalists' Journal 37 Л/о. 7 2010

Ballycastle Beach, Co. Mayo (G101 396), 23 January 2009. Ballina Gardai, David Tully.

Unsexed. 4.1 m. Inner Ballycrovane Harbour, Kenmare Bay, Co. Cork (V649532), 28 January 2009. Clare Heardman (NPWS).

Female. Live stranded and euthanized. 2.45 m. Mullaghmore, Co. Sligo (G7 10575), 9 May 2009. Don Cotton, Niamh McHugh, Ronan Feely, Mícheál Casey.

Skull only Beale Strand, Ballylongford, Co. Kerry (Q923483), 16 May 2009. Simon Berrow, David Griffith, Joanne O'Brien, Barry O'Donoghue (NPWS).

Female. 4.4 m. Doughmore, Doonbeg, Co. Clare (Q990688), 25 May 2009. Doonbeg Community Association, Simon, Rónán, Cuan and Muireann Berrow, Frances Bermingham.

Unsexed. с A. 5 m. Rossnowlagh, Co. Donegal (G858682), 24 June 2009. Bernadette Connolly.

Unsexed. Unmeasured. Malin, Co. Donegal (C419527), 23 July 2009. Paul Hanna.

Unsexed. Unmeasured. Bunawonder, Tralee, Co. Kerry (Q720109), 29 July 2009. Ten individuals (including two calves) live stranded and were refloated by RNLI and Coastguard units. Remained in the area for a number of days but did not re-strand. Valentia Coastguard Service.

Female. 4.5 m. Live stranded and died at Saleens Beach, Tramore, Co. Waterford (S625002), 1 September 2009. Keith Stafford, Pat Connolly, Michael O 'Meara, Andrew Quinn, Irish Seal Sanctuary.

Female. 4.9 m. Rostoonstown Beach, Co. Wexford (T079050), 31 October 2009. David Ennis, Tony Murray (NPWS), Kevin Mc Cormick.

Unsexed. 5.1 m. Dollar Bay, Hook, Co. Wexford (S744064), 22 November 2009. Kevin McCormick, Brendan O'Callaghan.

Unsexed. c.6 m. North Shore, Inishmaan, Aran Islands, Co. Galway (L940068), 2 December 2009. Padraic Flaherty.

Male. c. 5 m. Sruhir Strand, Louisburgh, Co. Mayo (L749776), 30 December 2009. Patrick Lonergan.

White-beaked dolphin ( Lagenorhynchus albirostris Gray 1846)

Unsexed. c. 2 m. Keel Beach, Achill Island, Co. Mayo (F654032), 30 May 2009. Jens, Symanther and Lokni Heinzinger.

Male. 3 m. Dooey, Lettermacaward, Co. Donegal (B753027), 22 October 2009. David Mitchell, Andrew Kennedy.



White-sided dolphin ( Lagenorhynchus acutus Gray 1826)

Female. 2.7 m. Omey Strand, Claddaghduff, Co. Galway (L576567), 19 February 2009. Dermot Breen (NPWS).

Male. 2.6 m. Nun's Beach, Derrygimlagh, Ballyconneely, Co. Galway (L623457), 1 May 2009. Thomas O'Sullivan, Dermot Breen (NPWS).

Risso's dolphin ( Grampus griseus (Cuvier 1812))

Unsexed. 3.1 m. Cape Clear Island, Co. Cork (V954220), 30 March 2009. Steve Wing, Dara Fitzpatrick.

Unsexed. Unmeasured. Melmore, Co. Donegal (CI 35440), 29 June 2009. Gary O'Connell, John Houston.

Female. 3.04 m. Ballygrangans, Kilmore, Co. Wexford (S993040), 1 September 2009. Jim Hurley.

Striped dolphin ( Stenella coeruleoalba (Meyen 1833))

Male. 1.5 m. Live stranded and euthanazed at Lahinch, Co. Clare (R082883), 2 January 2009. Simon Berrow, Dave Wall, Lahinch Coastguard.

Unsexed. <1.8 m. Tullan Strand, Co. Donegal (G831620), 14 January 2009. Gerald Adley.

Unsexed. 1.5 m. Doughmakeon, Carrowniskey, Louisburgh, Co. Mayo (L747789), 25 January 2009. Michael Bowler, John Mc Dowell.

Female. 1.8 m. Ballywalter, Co. Down (J632688), 29 January 2009. Tania Singleton.

Male. 1.66 m. Ballyloughane Beach, Renmore, Co. Galway (M3 16247), 27 February 2009. Rita Gately.

Male. 2.13 m. Live stranded, refloated but died at Purteen Harbour, Achill Island, Co. Mayo (F622037), 13 March 2009. John O'Shea, Lee McDaid (NPWS).

Unsexed. 1.9 m. Tramore Beach, Co. Waterford (S588010), 1 July 2009. Alison Irwin, Billy Butler.

Male. 1.88 m. Reenroe Beach, Ballinskelligs, Co. Kerry (V470679), 4 July 2009. Lucy Hunt, Kathy Heavey.

Unsexed. 1.5 m. Kilkee, Co. Clare (Q882599), 10 October 2009. Simon and Rónàn Berrow, Tom Byrne.

Unsexed. 1-1.5 m. Eastern beach, Inis Mór, Aran Islands, Co. Galway (L903073), 27 December 2009. Ronan MacGiollapharaic.

Cetacean Notes

Common dolphin (Delphinus delphis L. 1758) Unsexed. 2 m. Bealacoon, Minard, Co. Kerry

(V533983), 22 January 2009. Ray and Marilyn Farrell.

Unsexed. 1.5 m excluding tail. Dog's Bay, Ballyconneely, Co. Galway (L695373), 3 February 2009. Dermot Breen (NPWS).

Male. 1.73 m. Incheydoney, Co. Cork (W399381), 3 February 2009. Doug Buggy.

Unsexed. 1.3 m. Allihies, Co. Cork (V574458), 13 March 2009. Pauliina Knauppila.

Unsexed. c.1.5 m. Live stranded and refloated at Whitepark Bay, Co. Antrim (D025444), 10 April 2009. Kaiti Kartusov, Mari-Liis Jaanus, Barry Crawford, Gary Burrows.

Unsexed. c. 2 m. Live stranded and refloated at died Beach, Co. Kerry (V531582), 24 April 2009. RoryTangney, Ethna Viney.

Unsexed. 1.65 m. Jack's Hole Beach, Brittas Bay, Co. Wicklow (T308832), 24 April 2009. Ben McCabe (NPWS).

Unsexed. Unmeasured. Belmullet Docks, Co. Mayo (F7 12323), 1 May 2009. Initial live stranding of two animals which were refloated. Soon followed by live stranding of three animals (which may or may not have included the two dolphins involved in the initial stranding). Two were refloated and the third died. Belmullet Gardai, Mayo Fire Service, NPWS, Irish Coastguard Service.

Female. 1.83 m. Carrowniskey, Co. Mayo (L749785), 28 May 2009. Louise Noble- Moore, Ethna and Michael Viney, John McDowell.

Unsexed. Unmeasured. Barrow Strand, Fenit, Co. Kerry (Q777146), 21 July 2009. Mairead Moore, Simon Berrow.

Female. 1.5 m. Live stranded and refloated at Skerries, Co. Dublin (0258606), 21 July 2009. Johnny Woodlock.

Unsexed. Unmeasured. Fintragh Bay, Killybegs, Co. Donegal (G690762), 23 July 2009. Paul Hanna.

Male. 2.09. Tarmon Beach, Mullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo (F650188), 3 August 2009. Machiei Oudejans, James Keating, Fleur Visser, Fintan Sheeran.

Female. 1.5 m. Live stranded and refloated at Seapoint, Co. Dublin (0220297), 8 August 2009. Nick Channon, Mike Vanhorn, Philip Stone.

Male. 2 m. Clogher Strand, Co. Kerry (Q316033), 11 August 2009. Nick Massett.

Unsexed. Unmeasured. Banna Strand, Co. Kerry

Irish Naturalists' Journal 31 No.l 2010 53



Cetacean Notes

(Q747237), 26 August 2009. Mairead Moore. Male. 2.35 m. Smerwick Harbour, Co. Kerry

(Q366057), 3 September 2009. Brid Houlihan, Dingle Oceanworld.

Female. 2 m. Live stranded and died at Ray Bridge, Rathmullen, Co. Donegal (C258253), 12 October 2009. David McNamara (NPWS).

Unsexed. Unmeasured. Carricklahan Beach, Mullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo (F611218), 28 November 2009. Dave Suddaby.

Unsexed. Unmeasured. Laytown Beach, Co. Meath (Ol 687 13), 3 December 2009. David Conroy.

Female. 2.1 m. Doughmore, Doonbeg, Co. Clare (Q990693), 8 December 2009. Simon Berrow, David O'Gorman, Pearse Ryan.

Bottlenose dolphin ( Tursiops truncatus (Montagu 1821))

Male. 2.13 m. Quilty, Co. Clare (R011745), 10 March 2009. Tara Sharp, Simon Berrow.

Unsexed. Unmeasured. Live stranded and refloated at Reen Pier, Castle-townsend, Co. Cork (W1 86307), 14 March 2009. Jim Kennedy.

Unsexed. 2.4 m. Live stranded in poor condition and died at New Bridge Bay, Lough Swilly, Co. Donegal (C296328), 23 April 2009. David McNamara (NPWS).

Female. 3.04 m. Warren Strand, Rosscarbery Bay, Co. Cork (W298352), 4 June 2009. William Helps.

Unsexed. Unmeasured. Spa, Fenit, Co. Kerry (Q779148), 10 July 2009. Unprecedented live stranding of 17 bottlenose dolphins which were subsequently refloated. Four bottlenose dolphin strandings (at three locations, see below) over the following days are likely to have been part of this group. Irish Coastguard Service.

Male. 2.82 m. Fenit, Co. Kerry (Q781148), 12 July 2009. Juvenile, post mortem revealed no obvious cause of death. Kevin Flannery, Dingle Oceanworld.

Unsexed. Unmeasured. Fenit, Co. Kerry (Q727153), 13 July 2009. Mike O'Neill, Colm Horgan, Tom Kennedy.

Male. 2.8 m and 2.9 m. Camp, Co. Kerry (Q679107), 21 July 2009. Two immature males. Bernard Mac Bradaigh, Simon Berrow.

Unsexed. 1.15 m. Cloonagh Beach, Ballinfull, Co. Sligo (G596473), 31 July 2009. Neonate. Don Cotton, Jean Dunleavy, James Hanrahan.

Male 3.21 m. Live stranded and died at Cappagh

54 Irish Naturalists' Journal 31 No. 1 2010

Strand, Cloghane, Co. Kerry (Q527131), 14 August 2009. Peggy Fitzgerald, Nick Masseti.

Male. Unmeasured. Fahamore, Castlegregory, Co. Kerry (Q609185), 24 August 2009. Emmet Jackson.

Unsexed. Unmeasured. Five Fingers Strand, Malin Head, Co. Donegal (C463496), 27 September 2009. George Woolsey.

Unsexed. 2.7 m. Gowlane Strand, Brandon Bay, Co. Kerry (Q566128), 22 December 2009. Katie O'Dwyer.

Striped or common dolphin Unsexed. 2.34 m. Ringbaun, Kilmore, Co.

Wexford (TO 13047), 1 January 2009. Jim Hurley, Roy Watson.

Female. 1.52 m excluding tail. Coumeenole Strand, Co. Kerry (V3 12980), 22 August 2009. Nick Massett.

Unsexed. Unmeasured. White Strand, Co. Mayo (L747795), 13 September 2009. Kerstin Koeppchen.

Unidentified dolphin/porpoise Unsexed. 1.8 m. Ballyhornan Beach, Ardglass,

Co. Down (J595418), 17 January 2009. Noel Taggart.

Unsexed. 1 m excluding head and upper body. Tracht Beach, Kinvara, Co. Galway (M340141), 1 March 2009. Belinda Deutinger.

Unsexed. c. 1.2 m. Laytown, Co. Meath (Ol 74693), 6 April 2009. Keith Murphy

Unsexed. Unmeasured. Laytown, Co. Meath (0172700), 14 May 2009. Keith Murphy.

Unsexed. 0.8 m excluding head and tail. Rossbeigh, Co. Kerry (V644 913), 25 May 2009. Sean and Janette O'Callaghan.

Unsexed. Unmeasured. Dog's Bay, Ballyconneely, Co. Galway (L692386), 31 May 2009. Richie Conroy.

Unsexed. 2-3 m. Eddy Island, Galway Bay, Co. Galway (M347164), 3 June 2009. John Boyd.

Unsexed. Unmeasured. Live stranded and refloated at Ventry Strand, Co. Kerry (V374993), 11 July 2009. Kevin Flannery, Dingle Oceanworld.

Unsexed. 1.45 m excluding head. Banna Strand, Co. Kerry (Q749225), 29 July 2009. Deirdre McElligott.

Unsexed. Unmeasured. Live stranded and refloated at Annagassan, Co. Louth (Ol 36933), 14 August 2009. Irish Coastguard Service, Gerry Mc Donald.



Unsexed. с. 1 m. Tramore, Co. Waterford (S591008), 30 September 2009. Declan Quigley.

Unsexed. Unmeasured. White Strand, Miltown Malbay, Co. Clare (R038804), 1 October 2009. John Paul, John Shine.

Unsexed. cA.6 m. Duvillaun Beg, Mullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo (F591164), 23 October 2009. Eoin McGreal (NPWS).

Unsexed. c. 2 m. Ballydowane Beach, Bunmahon, Co. Waterford (X390974), 17 November 2009. George Munday.

Unidentified whale species Unsexed. 5.5 m section of vertebrae. Roonah,

Louisburgh, Co. Mayo (L747766), 23 July 2009. Eoin Mc Greal (NPWS), Dan Brown.

Unsexed. cAO m. Black Strand, Caherciveen, Co. Kerry (V433800), 9 December 2009. Paul Murphy.

Unidentified cetacean species Unsexed. Unmeasured. Kilshannig, Castle-

gregory, Co. Kerry (Q623191), 30 January 2009. Mick O'Connell.

Unsexed. 2.3 m length of vertebrae. Farrihy Bay, Kilkee, Co. Clare (Q902634). Simon Berrow.

References

O'CONNELL, M. AND BERROW, S. (2007) Records from the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group for 2006. Irish Naturalists' Journal 28(11): 459-466.

O'CONNELL, M. AND BERROW, S. (2008) Records from the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group for 2007. Irish Naturalists' Journal 29(1): 40-45.

A neonate harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena (L.)) with

damaged skin

On 8 June 2009 a small dead cetacean on the strand at Greencastle Co. Donegal (C6439) was brought to our attention. It was clearly newly born as it had neonatal folds on its flank, the dorsal fin was flopped over, it had no visible teeth, its eyes were closed and it had vibrissae on its beak. At approximately 60 cm long and from the body shape we concluded it was a neonate harbour porpoise ( Phocoena phocoena (L.)).

Cetacean Notes

This species is Ireland's most abundant cetacean and it is well established that the young are born in June (Fairley, J. S. 1981 Irish Whales and Whaling. Blackstaff Press, Belfast). What was interesting is that there was a series of rounded marks between the head and dorsal fin. Such skin conditions are common on porpoises (Baker, J. R., 1992 Aquatic Mammals 18: 27-32) but the cause of these are not known and being present on a newborn animal we suspect they represent post-mortem damage. We have placed photographs of the animal with Nigel Monaghan at the National Museum of Ireland.

Acknowledgment: Thanks to Vic Simpson for advice.

David Friel Environment Section, Donegal County Council, Co. Donegal D. Paddy Sleeman Department of Zoology, Ecology and Plant Science, University College Cork

Minke whale ( Balaenoptera acutorostrata Lacépède) at

Ballyhealy, Co.Wexford

A dead baleen whale was washed ashore at Ballyhealy Beach, Co. Wexford (TO 18049) on 2 May 2009. When visited on 5 May 2009 the whale was measured as being 6.9 m in length and was observed to have a pointed head and a ridge running down the length of the rostrum between the blow holes and with over 30 visible throat grooves. The dorsal fin was small and sickle- shaped (40 cm long, 20 cm high) and the pointed pectoral fins (108 cm) with white bands confirmed that it was a minke whale (. Balaenoptera acutorostrata Lacépède) (Wilson, J. and Berrow, S. 2006 A guide to the identification of the whales and dolphins of Ireland. Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, Kilrush).

The whale was in good general condition, but there were rope marks on the tail stock and flukes and there was a large gash (60 cm) on the abdomen. These injuries would point to it having been caught in fishing gear.

Daire Ó hUallacháin and David Devaney Teagasc, Johnstown Castle, Wexford

Irish Natu ralists' Journal 31 Л/о. 7 2010 55



records from the irish whale and dolphin group for 2009

Documents