Visitors to an island in the Forth are being urged to keep a close eye on marine mammals this week.
Scottish Natural Heritage staff on the Isle of May are linking up with the Sea Watch Foundation for National Whale and Dolphin Watch and are hoping to encourage up to 1,000 visitors to take part. They can join staff during timed lookouts.
Staff will set up telescopes and explain how to identify the different whales, dolphins and porpoises during National Whale and Dolphin Watch, which runs until August 4.
Reserve manager David Pickett said: “We see harbour porpoises and bottlenose dolphins out at the May, and have even had unconfirmed reports of pilot whales.
“Last month, we also had minke whales, which we are hoping will return,” he said.
The results from the Isle of May watches will be collated with other watch data from around the country by the Sea Watch Foundation to create a picture of the dolphin and whale species in Britain’s seas this summer.
In this 12th year of National Whale and Dolphin Watch, the organisers hope that they will receive reports of at least 10 different species over the period.
The event has allowed thousands of members of the public to get involved, with their data helping to inform scientific research.