Chris and I went to Strumble Head at 2:25pm and.We saw a pair of Harbour Porpoises in the flooding tide race.The time of the sighting was roughly about 3:15pm ish. It was a strongWesterly wind and it made it quite difficult to pick out amongst the big rollers
Sent from my iPad
Saturday, 11 February 2012
Friday, 10 February 2012
Gowere Porpoise
From Rosemary Mason & Palle Uhd Jepsen - On 7th February we saw a single harbour porpoise off the South Gower Coast to the east of Pobbles Beach swimming within the sea area SS 540870. It was going around in a circle, surfacing, presumably feeding.
This is the first time we have seen a live harbour porpoise off the South Gower Coast, but we have found 2 dead ones on Three Cliffs Bay Beach in the past.
Thursday, 9 February 2012
Dolphins off Porth-y-Rhaw, Nine Wells
Info from Brian Powdrill - My wife and I were ‘entertained’ on Sunday afternoon (Feb. 5th) between 4-4.45pm by at least 12 dolphins leaping around off the headland. Unfortunately both our camera and binoculars were at home!
Brian isn't sure of the species but Common Dolphins would seem likely.
Brian isn't sure of the species but Common Dolphins would seem likely.
Saturday, 4 February 2012
What is really out there
Just got this from my pal Mac of the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group of a porpoise washed in onto a beach in Wexford just across the Irish Sea! I cant be sure but it looks like something has taken a great big bite out of this poor porpoise, the question is , if it was a bite what bit it. Orca is the only native marine predator with a mouth that big or perhaps a big Porbeagle or Mako Shark. I suppose just maybe it could be another species such as Great White or the less well known but perbhaps even more potrentially dangerous Bull Shark. We may never know but lets hope it dosent come here eating our porps!
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| A dead Porpoise found on a Wexford Beach (image: Irish Whale and Dolphin Group ) |
Saturday, 28 January 2012
WOW
Details and dates for this year's Wildlife Observer Wales (WOW) courses are now available. The courses are developed and delivered jointly by Pembrokeshire College Coastal and Marine Environment Research Unit and Sea Trust and cover Cetaceans, Seals, Seabirds for Beginners and Seabird Monitoring. Click here for dates and for further information and details on the Pembrokeshire College website click here
Tuesday, 24 January 2012
So near and yet so far...might be worth a visit though!
Brendan O'Connor 18:16 (17 hours ago)to me
Cliff,
Thanks for copying me in on much of the interesting projects etc that you and your organisation are doing. I wish you success in 2012.I have just returned from a great day of Whale and Dolphin watching. It was superb. In fact it was like watching a documentary.A friend and neighbour, Martin Colfer, took 10 of us out for the day in his 38 foot catamaran, Rebecca C. When we were about 3 miles south of the Hook Lighthouse, we saw whales blowing about a mile away. When we got closer, there were 3 Fin whales “messing about” on the surface. We were about 100 metres from them. They disappeared and then we got briefer sightings of them for about an hour and they disappeared. There was great bird activity about half a mile away and we investigated it. There were nearly 18 common seals there and then a Humpbacked whale appeared only about 50 metres from our boat. It was brilliant. We watched him for a while and he showed us his tail a couple of times. Then the Irish Whale and Dolphin people came along in a rib. They wanted to get a skin sample from the whale and had a crossbow. We then retreated to give them a better chance and we went back to the Fin Whales. Whilst we were watching one group, in the distance near the Saltee Islands, we could see whales blowing frequently.On our way home, the Dolphins put on a wonderful show for us and a few of them jumped clean out of the water. It was the first time I had seen that. What a day and what a treat. I can understand now how you are so enthusiastic. I had to tell someone about my day!Martin said that this was the first sighting this year of a Humpback whale in Irish waters. He does these trips as and when the weather permits. He said that it was a better than average day.Allthingsbetter
Cliff,
Thanks for copying me in on much of the interesting projects etc that you and your organisation are doing. I wish you success in 2012.I have just returned from a great day of Whale and Dolphin watching. It was superb. In fact it was like watching a documentary.A friend and neighbour, Martin Colfer, took 10 of us out for the day in his 38 foot catamaran, Rebecca C. When we were about 3 miles south of the Hook Lighthouse, we saw whales blowing about a mile away. When we got closer, there were 3 Fin whales “messing about” on the surface. We were about 100 metres from them. They disappeared and then we got briefer sightings of them for about an hour and they disappeared. There was great bird activity about half a mile away and we investigated it. There were nearly 18 common seals there and then a Humpbacked whale appeared only about 50 metres from our boat. It was brilliant. We watched him for a while and he showed us his tail a couple of times. Then the Irish Whale and Dolphin people came along in a rib. They wanted to get a skin sample from the whale and had a crossbow. We then retreated to give them a better chance and we went back to the Fin Whales. Whilst we were watching one group, in the distance near the Saltee Islands, we could see whales blowing frequently.On our way home, the Dolphins put on a wonderful show for us and a few of them jumped clean out of the water. It was the first time I had seen that. What a day and what a treat. I can understand now how you are so enthusiastic. I had to tell someone about my day!Martin said that this was the first sighting this year of a Humpback whale in Irish waters. He does these trips as and when the weather permits. He said that it was a better than average day.Allthingsbetter
Porps and things...
Hi Libman,yep I am guilty of not recording everything as well as I should , but winter records are very scarce and so in ways more important. There used to be a generally held belief that everything migrated in the winter which is obviously not true although at least some of our bottles seem to go walkabout!
Stevo and Chris took advantage of the good weather yesterday afternon (3.30) and spotted a couple of porpoises at Strumble but as far as I know the Risso's have not been seen there recently.
Here (above) are some Mick Brown photographed from the Stena Europe on one of our Dolphin-othons a couple of years ago!
Monday, 23 January 2012
Hi Cliff,
Yes, I'm sure you're right about the porps feeling safer when the dolphins are temporarily absent, given the Bottlenose propensity to attack porpoises. It wasn't far from Birds' Rock that someone filmed such an attack.
I take your point about recording the details, normally, during the summer Dolphin Watch that's what I would do, but this time of year I'm usually just walking the dog whilst having one eye on the sea.
Must come down to Strumble if the Risso's are still showing !
Wednesday, 18 January 2012
Just for the record!
Hi Cliff
Happy new year - it seems a while since I've reported any sightings but was in luck today at Strumble after a couple of blank visits to the Sound last month and this.
Spent a hour at lunchtime at the Head just as the mist lifted and within a minute of picking up my binoculars I spotted a lone porp foraging 150 metres out. Then I spotted another much closer who was swimming vigorously, porpoising and leaping almost out of the water - great views of head and tail. Then 300 - 400 metres out in a long strip of calmer water there were up to 6 porps foraging in a loose group, again a couple were quite active leaping and porpoising. Elsewhere there were a couple of tight groups of 3 foraging together - presumably mum, juvenile and calf? Given the time lapse between seeing the groups and inviduals, its difficult to say how many there were in total , certainly 12 - 15, possibly more. The best show of porps I have seen for a while so very pleased despite not clocking a Rissos! That will have to wait for another day.
Pob hwyl.
Phil Lees
Hi Phil, Stevo and I had a look yesterday and clocked a few porpoises. Today I was there this afternoon and had an interesting little group of around half a dozen porp's most of which looked like well grown youngsters. This was at high tide when I would generally not expect too much activity there. I could also see a few in the distance towards Fishguard where I would expect them to be. Its difficult to explain but there is a less defined fin shape and possibly a relatively larger darker dorsal area to younger animals I think. Do porpoises divide into groups of subadults? lots of other animals do... These rather descrete animals although relatively common give little away as to their private lives. The leaping /splashing thing is also interesting because it seems to happen at this time of the year. my suspicion is that its about mothers trying to get rid of well grown young and perhaps some breeding behaviour, fascinating stuff!
Sadly the Risso's have not returned to Strumble... seemingly...
Re Libman (Dave) , It seems quite a lot of the Cardigan Bay Bottlenose Dolphins may move out during the winter months. If so, then Porpoises might well feel safer in areas where they might otherwise be in danger. Th3e frustrating thing is that the hours of daylight are short and often the seas are rough so getting a handle on this is pretty difficult. None the less anecdotal is only a term . If you record the time yopu spend looking and take reasdsonably accurate details of the weather and tide , then it becomes effort related and much more useful especially when we know you are a comptent recorder!
Happy new year - it seems a while since I've reported any sightings but was in luck today at Strumble after a couple of blank visits to the Sound last month and this.
Spent a hour at lunchtime at the Head just as the mist lifted and within a minute of picking up my binoculars I spotted a lone porp foraging 150 metres out. Then I spotted another much closer who was swimming vigorously, porpoising and leaping almost out of the water - great views of head and tail. Then 300 - 400 metres out in a long strip of calmer water there were up to 6 porps foraging in a loose group, again a couple were quite active leaping and porpoising. Elsewhere there were a couple of tight groups of 3 foraging together - presumably mum, juvenile and calf? Given the time lapse between seeing the groups and inviduals, its difficult to say how many there were in total , certainly 12 - 15, possibly more. The best show of porps I have seen for a while so very pleased despite not clocking a Rissos! That will have to wait for another day.
Pob hwyl.
Phil Lees
Hi Phil, Stevo and I had a look yesterday and clocked a few porpoises. Today I was there this afternoon and had an interesting little group of around half a dozen porp's most of which looked like well grown youngsters. This was at high tide when I would generally not expect too much activity there. I could also see a few in the distance towards Fishguard where I would expect them to be. Its difficult to explain but there is a less defined fin shape and possibly a relatively larger darker dorsal area to younger animals I think. Do porpoises divide into groups of subadults? lots of other animals do... These rather descrete animals although relatively common give little away as to their private lives. The leaping /splashing thing is also interesting because it seems to happen at this time of the year. my suspicion is that its about mothers trying to get rid of well grown young and perhaps some breeding behaviour, fascinating stuff!
Sadly the Risso's have not returned to Strumble... seemingly...
Re Libman (Dave) , It seems quite a lot of the Cardigan Bay Bottlenose Dolphins may move out during the winter months. If so, then Porpoises might well feel safer in areas where they might otherwise be in danger. Th3e frustrating thing is that the hours of daylight are short and often the seas are rough so getting a handle on this is pretty difficult. None the less anecdotal is only a term . If you record the time yopu spend looking and take reasdsonably accurate details of the weather and tide , then it becomes effort related and much more useful especially when we know you are a comptent recorder!
Tuesday, 17 January 2012
Birds' Rock
Up to the Lookout on Monday afternoon. A beautiful, clear day and a flat, calm sea. Apart from a couple of seals, 30 minutes observation yielded just two porpoises slowly moving west. During the Summer months this is a fairly reliable spot for Bottlenose, but on other Winter observations I have had many more sightings of porpoises than of dolphins. I know this is only anecdotal, but I wonder if anyone else has noticed this apparent change of species in the same location? (Bird Rock, Newquay)
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