Aberdeen harbour is most commonly associated with maritime activity – but it is also a favourite spot for bottlenose dolphins.
And wildlife enthusiasts are being urged to head to the area to watch the charismatic creatures make a splash, with the help of RSPB Scotland.
As of today, members of the charity, along with a team of volunteers will be running Dolphinwatch at Torry Battery.
Held for the first time last year, dolphins were spotted on 87% of the days the project was running.
Mairi Cowan, community engagement officer for RSPB Scotland, is hoping the venture will be even more successful this year.
“We spoke to more than 1,000 people last year, from resident Aberdonians to people from Europe, and most had never seen dolphins before,” she said.
“The dolphins here are resident, so are visible all year round. This is really a project to engage people and Aberdeen is one of the best watching spots in Europe – you get amazing views from here.”
The harbour is a popular spot for the dolphins as they like to feed on salmon that migrate up the River Dee.
Yesterday, three dolphins were observed playing near the breakwater by Aberdeen lighthouse.
Dolphinwatch staff will be on hand every week from Thursday to Sunday until early August to help visitors spot the creatures, and explain their behaviours.
The project is being supported by Visit Aberdeen, Aberdeen City Council, Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC), Scottish Natural Heritage and Viking Optical.
Steve Harris, chief executive of Visit Aberdeen, said: “A lot of Aberdeen residents don’t realise what a wealth of wildlife there is here. It is an amazing place to watch dolphins.”