Two humpback whales spotted in Channel Islands

A pair of humpback whales have been spotted in the Channel Islands.

John Ovenden, a wildlife photographer, spotted the two mammals on Tuesday while on a boat between Jersey and Guernsey.

The Jersey Biodiversity Centre said it was rare to see humpback whales in the English Channel.

Mr Ovenden said he had "never dreamt that they'd appear that close to the Channel Islands".

He said: "I was photographing the whales with a long lens because I didn't want to disturb them... when their tales come up you realise just how huge they are.

"It was an amazing day because I'd seen Risso's dolphins, I'd already seen those, then I saw common dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, sunfish, it was one of those amazing days where everything just seemed to be there."

Jon Rault, manager of the Jersey Biodiversity Centre, said there had been rare sightings in England recently.

He said: "There have been a couple of sightings recently, in April of this year a humpback whale was spotted by divers off the coast of Kent, and in December 2022 there was a sighting off the coast of Cornwall.

"They really are a spectacular species and seeing them is an incredible and unforgettable experience."

Mr Ovenden said his job allowed him to take photographs of an array of species in the Channel Islands, but never thought he would be able take pictures of humpback whales there.

"It was a privilege to see them and something I'd dreamt of but never thought I'd see them like this, it was just wonderful."

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