A ‘fluke’ sighting has helped identify a Humpback whale feeding off the Newquay coastline.

Ian Boreham from Newquay Marine Group managed to put a name to one of the four whales as ‘Surf Rider’ due to the unique patterns on its tail fluke.

An amateur wildlife photographer has captured incredible pictures of a humpback whale off Newquay. Adrian Langdon spotted the whale near Watergate on Thursday (13 Feb). He says: "I was on board a boat surveying the coast as part of the Cornwall Seal Group Research Trust regular seal and marine life surveys. We first spotted the whale early morning approximately two miles offshore. There have been up to three humpbacks in the area in recent weeks and this was my second sighting; the first was from shore but seeing it at water level was very exciting.
The whale has been identified through their tail flukes (Picture: Adrian Langdon / SWNS) (Adrian Langdon / SWNS)

The marine enthusiast was among a group onboard Newquay Sea Safaris and Fishing undertaking a seal and marine life survey on behalf of the Cornwall Seal Group Research Trust when he identified the whale.

An amateur wildlife photographer has captured incredible pictures of a humpback whale off Newquay. Adrian Langdon spotted the whale near Watergate on Thursday (13 Feb). He says: "I was on board a boat surveying the coast as part of the Cornwall Seal Group Research Trust regular seal and marine life surveys. We first spotted the whale early morning approximately two miles offshore. There have been up to three humpbacks in the area in recent weeks and this was my second sighting; the first was from shore but seeing it at water level was very exciting.
Ian Boreham was able to put a name to one of the two whales due to their unique markings on their tails (Picture: Adrian Langdon / SWNS) (Adrian Langdon / SWNS)

Another of the whales was identified as Minstral last year.

Hundreds of people have flocked to the Newquay coastline to watch the four whales since they started to appear on New Year’s Eve.

An amateur wildlife photographer has captured incredible pictures of a humpback whale off Newquay. Adrian Langdon spotted the whale near Watergate on Thursday (13 Feb). He says: "I was on board a boat surveying the coast as part of the Cornwall Seal Group Research Trust regular seal and marine life surveys. We first spotted the whale early morning approximately two miles offshore. There have been up to three humpbacks in the area in recent weeks and this was my second sighting; the first was from shore but seeing it at water level was very exciting.
One of the Humpback whales spectacularly breaching (Picture: Adrian Langdon / SWNS) (Adrian Langdon / SWNS)

Chris Lowe, the skipper of Newquay Sea Safaris, who is WISE accredited, the UK’s National Training Scheme for minimising disturbance to marine wildlife, said: “We are being very careful how we view the whales because they are highly protected in UK waters.

Hundreds of people have flocked to the coastline to watch the whales. Many have gathered at Bedruthan Steps where one of the whale has been feeding (Picture: Warren Wilkins) ( )

“We are legally allowed to as long to go and see the whales as long as we adhere to strict guidelines of being no closer than 100 metres away, not staying for more than 15 minutes and not revisiting it.

“The closest we have been 200 metres when the whale came over to us.

An amateur wildlife photographer has captured incredible pictures of a humpback whale off Newquay. Adrian Langdon spotted the whale near Watergate on Thursday (13 Feb). He says: "I was on board a boat surveying the coast as part of the Cornwall Seal Group Research Trust regular seal and marine life surveys. We first spotted the whale early morning approximately two miles offshore. There have been up to three humpbacks in the area in recent weeks and this was my second sighting; the first was from shore but seeing it at water level was very exciting.
People have watched the whale tail fluking where it sticks its tail and the air before diving down (Picture: Adrian Langdon / SWNS) (Adrian Langdon / SWNS)

“The sightings have been spectacular.

“We have seen the whale breaching and tail fluking where it sticks its tail and the air before diving down.

“I travelled half way around the world in January to watch Sperm whales in January but to have this on your doorstep is amazing.”

An amateur wildlife photographer has captured incredible pictures of a humpback whale off Newquay. Adrian Langdon spotted the whale near Watergate on Thursday (13 Feb). He says: "I was on board a boat surveying the coast as part of the Cornwall Seal Group Research Trust regular seal and marine life surveys. We first spotted the whale early morning approximately two miles offshore. There have been up to three humpbacks in the area in recent weeks and this was my second sighting; the first was from shore but seeing it at water level was very exciting.
People have watched four Humpback whales off the Newquay coastline since they started to arrive on Newquay Year's Eve (Picture: Adrian Langdon / SWNS) (Adrian Langdon / SWNS)

Adrian Langdon, from Wadebridge, took the pictures of the Humpback Whale aboard the Newquay Sea Safaris boat at Watergate Bay.

He said: “We first spotted the whale early morning approximately two miles offshore.

"There have been up to three humpbacks in the area in recent weeks and this was my second sighting.

“The first was from shore but seeing it at water level was very exciting.

"We stayed a long way off from the animal and I photographed it with a long telephoto lens. We limited our time and then left it feeding in the area.

"We encountered a second whale about lunchtime near Polly Joke and took a few photos mainly for identification purposes.

An amateur wildlife photographer has captured incredible pictures of a humpback whale off Newquay. Adrian Langdon spotted the whale near Watergate on Thursday (13 Feb). He says: "I was on board a boat surveying the coast as part of the Cornwall Seal Group Research Trust regular seal and marine life surveys. We first spotted the whale early morning approximately two miles offshore. There have been up to three humpbacks in the area in recent weeks and this was my second sighting; the first was from shore but seeing it at water level was very exciting.
Chris Lowe is sticking to strict guidelines to watch the whales as they are highly protected in UK waters (Picture: Adrian Langdon / SWNS) (Adrian Langdon / SWNS)

"Later in the afternoon we saw the first whale again near Watergate Bay and this time it went through a whole routine of displays, breaching totally out of the water, fluking, showing its tail flukes as it dived, blowing and fin slapping its huge pectoral fins onto the water surface.

"It was quite choppy with a strong south easterly blowing off the shore, and it was quite a struggle to stay balanced on deck and hold a long lens steady, but I managed a few good shots which I was pleased with, and which will also help catalogue this individual.

An amateur wildlife photographer has captured incredible pictures of a humpback whale off Newquay. Adrian Langdon spotted the whale near Watergate on Thursday (13 Feb). He says: "I was on board a boat surveying the coast as part of the Cornwall Seal Group Research Trust regular seal and marine life surveys. We first spotted the whale early morning approximately two miles offshore. There have been up to three humpbacks in the area in recent weeks and this was my second sighting; the first was from shore but seeing it at water level was very exciting.
There were whoops and cries when the whale breached (Picture: Adrian Langdon / SWNS) (Adrian Langdon / SWNS)

"There were lots of whoops and cries when the whale breached with people holding their breath before the event just hoping to guess where the whale would surface.

"It breached at least a dozen times, but the light was failing fast when we left the area. There were many happy faces aboard."