Dolphins spotted west of Sydney Harbour Bridge in rare sighting

In short:

Kayakers spotted a pod of dolphins in Sydney Harbour west of the bridge this morning.

Macquarie University marine scientist Vanessa Pirotta said it was rare to see the animals in waters on that side of the bridge.

Dr Pirotta said it was a sign of the harbour's improving environmental health.

Early-morning kayakers have been treated to the rare sight of a pod of dolphins frolicking in Sydney Harbour west of the bridge.

The pod of around 10 dolphins were seen in waters off Birchgrove by a kayak tour early this morning.

"I've never encountered a dolphin that side of the bridge," Tim Griffiths, who runs Cockatoo Kayak Tours, said.

" That is a very unusual to have a pod that far up the harbour. "

He said the pod was swimming up the Parramatta River towards Cockatoo Island when he spotted it.

Another kayak tour spotted dolphins off Blues Point in the harbour this morning.

Macquarie University marine scientist Dr Vanessa Pirotta said the animals, which were more frequently reported east of the bridge, had likely come into the harbour to find food.

"It's a rare sighting to see the dolphins going past the bridge," Dr Pirotta said.

" The presence of dolphins and other marine creatures in our harbour highlights our local biodiversity by also the marine environment's health. "

"They're very much serving as a reminder of the environmental conditions at present."

She said dolphins had previously been reported as far up the Parramatta River at Breakfast Point.

Citizen science project trying to confirm repeat visitors

Dr Pirotta runs the citizen science project Wild Sydney Harbour, which encourages Sydneysiders to report sightings of marine animals like seals, dolphins and whales using social media.

She said that, with help from the Botany Bay-based Gamay Rangers, they had identified that the same dolphin had revisited Sydney's waterways four years apart.

She said the double sighting led her to believe the dolphins may be returning visitors.

"I'm assuming that they're residents, or at least they love the Sydney surrounds.

"Maybe the animals enjoy this area."