Borth Bottlenoses

Sighting from Bob Relph for 22 April at Borth - At about 2.00pm I saw a single Dolphin swimming quite close to the shore and heading South. About ten minutes later 4 more Dolphins put in an appearance going in the same direction but quite a lot further out to sea. This group had at least 2 show offs who repeatedly jumped, flipped and twisted. It was a brilliant show!

Whale from a Welsh Boat!

Yesterday from the Stena Europe in completing the fifth year of at least one monthly Irish Sea survey from the Stena Europe, we sighted a Minke Whale in much the same place as we saw one five years ago! No idea if it was the same animal but sadly it is an Irish record rather than a Welsh one as it was in the vicinity of the Tusker Rock within sight of the Irish mainland.

It was particularly amusing, we were watching a feeding group of seabirds and I was just saying to fellow observers Mick Brown and Rich Crossen, that this was an area where we had seen Minke in the past. No sooner had the words passed my lips than we saw the back of the Minke break the surface giving a brief and tantalising glimpse, so typical of this inobtrusive pocket leviathon. Brief sightings of two common dolphins on the bow of the Stena Europe, and other sightings of porpoises gave us 3 species for what was otherwise quite an uneventful couple of days worth of trips.

The preceeding Sunday we set off on the Celtic Wildcat to survey our box in the Bristol Channel only to find conditions extremely lively upon reaching the NW corner. As the wind was coming from the SE it boded badly so we gave up and surveyed the Celtic Deep and around the Pembrokeshire Islands. A pod of around 20 common dolphins overhauled and joined us for several minutes but otherwise there was no other cetacean activity despite the steadily decreasing sea state.

allthingsgood, Cliff

(I should point out this Minke is one photographed by Tim Collier in Scotland)

Porpoises Borth

Sighing sent in by Bob Relph - Whilst sea-watching at Borth yesterday Monday 20th April at about 2.00pm, my friend and I saw two Porpoises.They were together and heading south along the coast.

Bottlenose Dolphins, Porth Ysgo

Sighting sent in by Andrew Clarke on 19 April - This evening I had great views of a pod of 7-8 adult Bottlenose Dolphins off Porth Ysgo, Rhiw down here on the sunny Lleyn Peninsula. They were very active (possibly fishing and some breaching) and eventually headed east towards Hell's Mouth/Porth Neigwl. Time: 1930-1938 BST. Visibility was perfect with blue skies, light winds and sea state 2.

Borth Ynyslas Bottlenose dolphins

5 Bottlenose dolphins travelling leisurely from Ynyslas to Borth early this morning

Sea Trust Pelagic

The Sea Trust pelagic yesterday was a real treat. From Neyland we headed out for the Celtic Deep and a fair way out a pod of 18 - 20 Common Dolphins came to ride in our bow wave and stayed with us for 10 mins or so. Excellent to see Dolphins so early in the season.
The Sea Birds were great too see the Pembrokeshire Birds blog for more details.

More Pelagis will be run by Sea Trust later this year - see here for details.

Bottlenose Dolphins Ynyslas

Sighting from Janet Baxter - At least 5 bottlenose dolphins leaping into the sunset at 7.15 this evening at Ynyslas. Click photo for larger image.

More Finny Buisiness!

Dave Brittain sent in this picture of another porpoise with a damaged fin... taken at Mwnt. We seem to be seeing a lot of this suddenly, or is this something that has always happened and we just did not notice. Its possible, but a lot of good people have been looking in the past and it seems to be a recent phenomenon. Maybe its just down to better cameras and lenses, interesting though, thanks Dave! allthingsgood, cliff

Stranded Porpoise at Oxwich

Info and photo sent in by Richard Davies - a Porpoise was stranded on Oxwich beach Sunday Afternoon 13 April. Despite all attempts the porpoise sadly died.

Sunday Trip aboard the Celtic Wildcat!

Weather permitting we are hoping to go out in the Celtic Wildcat in search of cetaceans and seabirds this coming Sunday, 19th of April; Cost £50 per head
To book email; info@seatrust.org.uk

Meet at Neyland Marina @ 0830 for 0900 sailing back 6pm (approx)

Easter Bottlenose Spectacular seen from Shore!

A report in from Sea Trust supporters Marian and Richard Jenkins who have a caravan on a site between Cardigan Island and Mwnt and were watching from the coast.

Marian tells me that on Saturday morning she her husband and a local farmer who was working in the fields nearby enjoyed the marvellous sight of a big pod of 30-40 Bottlenose Dolphins heading North past Mwnt from Cardigan Island . They were leaping with as many as half a dozen animals in the air at any one time! The group also clearly included calves a really nice early report,Thanks!



Porpoises put on a good show at Strumble on our Sea Trust Easter Porpoise watch last Sunday. They were a bit distant but dozens of people used binoculars and our telescopes to get good views!

Weekend Events

Sat 11th April, Cetaceans in Pembrokeshire, Whales in Wales, illustrated talk/ presentation Cliff Benson /Miles Isted-s'Jacob, Newport Boat Club, Pembs 7.30 pm kick off
Porpoise watch Strumble, Easter Sunday 200-400 pm

They were there... they were here!

A busy week concluding with a Stena ferry survey Friday/Saturday undertaken by Kelly Thomas and myself. Kelly from Porthcawl, was one of the first to take part in a Stena Ferry Survey back in May 2004 after a couple of initial trial runs made by Adrian Rodgers and myself in April 2004.

Conditions were far from easy, SS4-5 overcast with drizzle yesterday, and SS4-5 but sunny with lots of glare today. None the less we managed to spot both Porpoises and Common Dolphins on both sides of the channel so well worth the effort.

To be honest, Kelly spotted most of what we saw although she has been keeping in practice in New Zealand and Australia spotting Dusky Dolphins, Sperm Whales, Indo Pacific Bottles and Humpbacks!

Welcome home Kelly!

Sea Trust Pelagics

There will be a Sea Trust Pelagic Boat Trip on Easter Monday 13 April. Meet at Neyland Marina at 8:30 for a 9:00 am departure returning c.5 - 6pm. The boat will likely go out to Grassholm & the Celtic deep depending on weather and sea conditions.Price £50 per person. Email info@seatust.org.uk to book a place.
Sea Trust will also be running a number of Pelagic Boat Trips from Neyland Marina in July, August and September this year. As well as Dolphins and other cetaceans the trips provide a great opportunity to see a wide variety of sea birds at close quarters. Dates and full details of these trips can be seen by clicking here.

Click Count 2/4/09.

An early evening click count at Strumble taking advantage of the lighter nights. Tide was low just before slack water and porpoises had moved through west past the lighthouse into the glary waters of the decreasing ebb tide race.
Not good conditions I thought with the sun getting lower, turning the sea to shining molten lead. As I did a pre-count scan I noticed the sun flash off the back of a surfacing porpoise like a signal mirror and then a couple more, the conditions were actually working in my favour.
Ha Ha! my first five minute scan revealed 32 sightings, the second, 15 and the third 20 = 67 divided by 3 for an average of 22.4 per hour, not bad for bottom of the tide count!