Breakwater Bottlenose 16/07/2025

 Another day and another session with Fishguard Bay Bottles. Nothing there at first as the tide topped out but a half hour later four arrived and started foraging off the end of the breakwater. These were different from the ones that have been around lately which was nice to see. Some very different fin notches will help to ID them in the future. Nothing exciting today in the way of feeding/play action I'm afraid but still nice to be out there with them all the same. That four eventually moved off and as they did the three that have been around for well over a week now moved in from the Pen Anglas direction. They only stayed a short while and when they too moved off so did I. A light lunch then a sort through 1,016 images kept me busy into the evening and up to posting this blog entry. Call me mad if you like but I do love what I do.

 

Breakwater Bottlenose 14/07/2025

 I arrived at the breakwater two hours after high tide expecting like the day before to wait for any dolphins to come in. When I reached the end though there were three Bottlenose foraging in the area just behind the lighthouse. I quickly got the camera out as recently they haven't been staying very long. Today was different though, as they stayed for two and a half hours, mostly just milling around with the odd burst of action as they came accross fish. I always take a look over toward Pen Anglas as well just to see if there's more about and sure enough there were at least another three out in the tide race showing intermitently about 300mtrs out. When they did catch fish it seems it was Sea Trout and Mullet were on the menu as they played with them and threw them up in the air before devouring them. One particular sequence was very interesting as it looked as if the fish, a Grey Mullet, was all but safely away untill the final bite came. There is no escape from those jaws. I'll put that sequence up first.

There was one other incident where a Gannet came down and took a fish being chased by a dolphin and it was so big the gannet, after swallowing it, couldn't take off. The dolphing was not best pleased and came at the Gannet veering away at the last moment. I was hoping for some play action but sadly none this time but two of them did go and escort a large sail boat entering the bay with one of them bow riding for a short while. 

                                                  A lovely silver bar of a fish " Sea Trout"

Breakwater survey 13/07/2025

 I decided to do a "sit and wait" survey on the breakwater this morning. I arrived at 08.45 and set up my kit. For two hours I waited and waited but nothing but boats and a couple of birds passing. I was set to come home and had brought my camera kit back to the car and I thought just one last scan around before I go. Then there, some 400mtrs off Crincoed Point a fin. Then another and another. Might they come in to the breakwater's end I thought. They were milling around in the same spot for ten minutes or so and then one broke away and headed in followed by the other two a few minutes later. They spent all of ten minutes or so in front of me and then moved off toward the cliffs at the opposite side of the bay. 

That was enough though for some decent images which let me see that one of them was our friend with the growth on it's face. This group of three are nearly always seen together as are the other five that have been frequenting the bay. That's eight that I know are using the bay on a regular basis but mostly at different times. Watching them almost daily does allow us to build a picture of the groups and their behaviour while they are here. Any sightings you may have could be very useful in that respect so please if you do see Bottlenose while out and about do report it in to Sea Trust either by phone or on the Sea Trust Wales Facebook "Pembrokeshire Porpoise Whale and Dolphin sightings" page.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/545573509378069/

While waiting for the dolphins I took some shots of some of my feathered friends to pass the time.

 

Red Shank

Common Sandpiper

Cormorant