Rare fin whale filmed off Falmouth

A wildlife photographer has captured rare footage of a fin whale off the coast of Cornwall, in what he describes as one of the most memorable moments of his career.

Dylan Coundley-Hughes, who is based in west Wales, was visiting Cornwall for a few days to film marine wildlife when he received a tip-off from local fishermen about a large whale sighting in Falmouth Bay.

“We headed out early Friday morning and started scanning the water,” he said. “There were feeding frenzies going on, dolphins, tuna, birds, and then we saw the blow of the whale. It was massive.”

The fin whale, known as the “greyhound of the sea” for its speed, is the world’s second-largest animal after the blue whale

Mr Coundley-Hughes was able to film it from above using a drone, alongside a pod of common dolphins.

He said: “The dolphins really put into perspective just how huge the whale was. It was incredible to witness.”

He added that the experience was a career highlight.

“It’s the biggest whale I’ve ever seen. I do a lot of marine wildlife filming, and this is definitely one of the top moments.

“A lot of people don't realise just how much marine life we have right here off our coasts.”