Dolphins living in the north of Scotland have been snapped frolicking in the sea by a conservation officer.
Charlie Phillips from Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) spotted the mammals in the Moray Firth.
He has been studying and photographing them for 25 years and can easily spot the dolphins which are regulars to the area.
Many of them have been given names like Yoda and Zephyr.
Zephyr’s baby was also amongst the pod playing in the water.
Charlie said: “The baby is one I’ve been following since it was born. We don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl.
“The mum is a lovely big girl. The baby is only eight months old and is a lovely wee thing.
“It was having great fun with some of its uncles and aunts jumping about. It was great to see.”
He added that research at Aberdeen University had found there were 200 different dolphins in the area, with just under half regularly swimming within the confines of the Moray Firth.
The other half are spread out down the coast as far as Yorkshire.
He also admitted he struggled to take his pictures due to the weather conditions, adding: “It was windy – gale force – up here. It was quite taxing trying to take pictures with big lenses.”
And he said the novelty of seeing the mammals never wears off.
Charlie said: “I’m always excited to see them doing acrobatics. Every time I see a dorsal fin my heart beats a little bit quicker.”
He spotted the dolphins at Chanonry Point near Elgin, Moray – a popular site for seeing the animals.
