Ex-dolphins!

I've posted a few shots of the two Common/Striped Dolphins I've seen in Connemara over the last week. I also came across skeletal remains of an unknown cetacean. I think these dolphins are probably just dying naturally in small numbers far out at sea but with the last four weeks of extremely rough weather a lot of them are ending up here on our beaches. Once the examples below get to this state of decomposition they are in, they are very difficult to tell Common Dolphin from Striped Dolphin.

Common/Striped Dolphin, Trá Mór, Aughris Beg, 2nd January 2014.

Common/Striped Dolphin, Trá Mór, Aughris Beg, 2nd January 2014.

Common/Striped Dolphin, Dogs Bay, Roundstone, 9th January 2014.

Common/Striped Dolphin, Dogs Bay, Roundstone, 9th January 2014.

Dolphin sp. (with Cow tooth), Sellerna Beach, Cleggan, 2nd January 2014.

Dolphin sp., Sellerna Beach, Cleggan, 2nd January 2014.

 

Cow tooth, Sellerna Beach, Cleggan, 2nd January 2014. Found this next to the rib, scapular and vertebrate above. I was looking at the wrong end of the tooth and assumed it came from the same animal (thanks Simon).