Porpoise - Stackpole Head

Sighting from Bob Haycock - Harbour Porpoise seen well close inshore off east side of Stackpole Head (close to Griffith Lorts Hole/Lattice Windows area) at around 1700 hrs - literally below the cliffs. Lost from view somewhere off Barafundle Bay after several minutes of observation by four people.

Fishguard - Rosslare Ferry Survey

I joined Cliff Benson on a Seatrust ferry survey on 24/25 February. The outward leg yesterday was in ideal conditions for Cetacean sighting - glassy calm with bright overcast cloud cover. We didn't see any Dolphins on the trip but had a total of 27 Porpoises spread right across the Irish Sea - mainly singles but a few groups of two's and three's, nearly all adults. Several were seen resting or 'logging' on the surface.
The return leg this morning was much less productive with just 2 Porpoises - one at each end of the crossing. This was probably largely due to the conditions with a sea state of 2 or 3 and a bright, low sun which, though making for a much warmer trip than yesterday, hampered observation.

Bottles pop up at Fishyguard.

I have been keeping a regular look out for Porpoises and Dolphins from the outer breakwater of Fishyguard Harbour but only managed Porpoises so far this year. A message from Rodger Strawbridge (one of the Lifeboat crew) just rang in to let me know they had at least four Bottles in Fishguard Bay this morning! If I had not been singing in the choir with the other boy soprano’s I might have seen them but that’s sods law for you.

Porpoises - Manorbier

A stroll on this glorious, spring like day, this afternoon out to the Priests Nose, Manorbier Bay was rewarded with 3 Porpoises close into the headland - a mother with a well grown calf and another adult.

Fishguard Breakwater.

A porpoise with a small calf was seen heading out from the harbour towards Pen Anglas where at least five more porpoises could be seen.

First Seal Pup of 2009?

Is this the first grey seal pup of 2009? looks like its a few days old , maybe a couple of weeks so born early Feb, I would guess. It seems fit and healthy amongst the rocks in the gully that seperates the lighthouse from the mainland at Strumble Head, allthingsgood, cliff.

Ferry Survey - Dolphins

Another ferry survey, the Rosslare to Fishguard leg completed in perfect conditions of sea state and overcast skies. Porpoises in groups, porpoises with calves , porpoises creating beautiful lingering footprints as little flotillas of auks cruised past leafing a wake on the glassy surface of the southern Irish Sea. From the Ferry passing Strumble at a mile and a half + we did not get such a close view but I saw several specks in the distance inshore that I thought indicated quite a lot of porp activity
Back home later and I decided to get the view from Strumble. I met up with an old acquaintance, Cliff Watson who told me he has been watching the porpoises earlier and estimated 50+, but according to him activity had slowed down considerably but I managed two slow scan counts of 43 and 51 which confirmed his estimate albeit as a low one, probably closer to 90/ 100 + On occasions they were actually logging, cliff saw some breaching earlier but the general impression was of extremely laid back porpoises mostly in twos and threes but some in groups of 15+ spread over a very wide area.
I did not try a click count as *I was talking to cliff and just enjoying the close of a great day but I suspect my clicker would have seized up anyway! allthingsgood, cliff

Porpoises

Good porpoises at Strumble today from 14.00 to 15.00 with a click count of 327 for the hour, the tide was low and dropping fast with most porpoises dissapearing behind the lighthouseby the time I left. I then popped round to the Outer breakwater at Fishguard Harbour where at least 3 porpoises were seen making their way out of the harbour towards Pen Anglas.