Mystery Cetacean in North Wales

A report via Andrew Crowder/ Bird Forum of a stranding in North Wales ....

I wanted to alert folks to photos of a probable Northern Bottle Nosed Whale at Gronant - check out Birdforum.net, select Forums & scroll down to Sea-creatures..........

I had a day out birding when visiting my parents in N Wales. Unfortunalty I discovered more than I bargained for. When reaching the beach at Gronant dunes I discovered a dead Whale. Someone had already alerted the coast Guard who arrived later on.I am not sure what whale this is, I think Bottlenose ?It looks to be a fairly small one in whale terms but a lot larger than a Dolphin so I guess a juvenile??It had a small quantity of blood escaping from its mouth and one of its Gills so it may have been in contact with a boat.Birds had already started to peck at it. The tide was coming in so what happens to it next is in natures hands I suppose Sad sad sight.... the other side of nature loomed large and lifeless in front of me!! Dave

Well done Dave, where would cetacean nuts be without Birders (see yesterdays post from Graham). A beaked whale but not sure its a Bottlenosed Whale. Small detail; it could not have been bleeding from gills as cetaceans only breath through a blowhole. I have added a picture above the whale in question, of a Sowerbys Beaked Whale stranded here in Pemb's back in 2004. I have tried to contact Rod Penrose of Marine Strandings but no luck so far, any more info would be much appreciated allthingsgood, and thanks Andrew!