Yorkshire dolphin pod display continues as mother and calf entertain onlookers near RSPB Bempton Cliffs

Holidaymaker Lucy Benniston filmed this stunning footage of a mother and calf playing near the RSPB Bempton Cliffs nature reserve just days after Stuart Baines, who runs a local Facebook page charting sightings, captured their display off Whitby.The pod is often seen in the Flamborough Head and Bridlington areas of the coast as the former is a rich feeding ground for the dolphins.

The group - normally numbering around 30-40 animals - has migrated from the Moray Firth in Scotland and sightings in Yorkshire have increased with regularity since they were first spotted in the area in 2018. When they reached Spurn Point in 2019 it was the furthest south they had ever been recorded.

The pod's behaviour has fascinated marine biologists for the past three years, as a decade ago sightings of the species were almost unknown in the area.

There are over 130 bottlenose dolphins living in the Moray Firth, and they are the world's most northerly population. They are bigger and fatter than their counterparts elsewhere in the world and have evolved to insulate themselves from the cold North Sea temperatures.

They follow shoals of fish such as mackerel and herring, but the reason for their sudden relocation to Yorkshire is otherwise a mystery and scientists are undertaking a major study to find out more about them.

The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust's marine advocacy officer Bex Lynam said: "It is wonderful to see how far they travel, and although there are more sightings in later summer than in spring, we don't know whether that is because there are more eyes looking out for them or actually more dolphins."

A volunteer monitoring group now believe that the dolphins' presence in Yorkshire is year-round rather than seasonal.

"There have been a lot of sightings from residents rather than volunteers, and they seem to have been using this area more through spring. We think their presence is year-round now, although it peaks in summer.

"Bottlenose dolphins are opportunistic feeders and they are often seen at Flamborough Head, where there is a front where cold water from the north meets warmer water from the south. The conditions are nutrient-rich and there is plenty of plankton, fish and seals, which encourages dolphins and whales. They support the seabird colony as well."

The reasons for the pod leaving the Moray Firth are also being explored.

"Marine life is generally under pressure from climate change and disturbance, but we can't say for sure that that is why they are on the move. Our project will build up a picture of their movements. They are a relatively new phenomenon on the Yorkshire coast - five or 10 years ago they were rare, now they are more commonly seen and in time we will understand why."

The number of charter boat owners offering trips for tourists keen to see dolphins and whales has also increased, and the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust runs educational courses for captains to enable them to navigate safely around wildlife.