A second dolphin believed to be from a pod that ventured into the Cromarty Firth has been found dead on the coast.
The mammal is understood to be from the group that had been circling the water since Thursday while straying worryingly close to the edge of the bay.
It is believed almost all of the pod have made it safely back to open water.
However, one was reported washed up at Nigg at the weekend and now another has been reported at Cromarty Links.
What happened to the dolphins?
The 50-strong pod of bottlenose dolphins were first spotted in the Cromarty Firth on Thursday.
Concerns were growing that all were in danger as they came worryingly close to the coast while struggling to find their way back to open water.
Tests are no underway on a second dolphin, which stranded at Cromarty Links, to establish whether anything caused it to come ashore.
Charlie Phillips, field officer with charity Whale and Dolphin Conservation, said: “The main group seems to have gone back to water and we want them to keep going.
“A second one didn’t survive. It was found dead on the shore and some people are waiting with it.
“We are waiting on the Scottish Marine Animal Strandings Scheme to come out and do a post-mortem.”