I just love surfy porp dudes!

Having had a bit of a poor result in my aspirations of a big event at Goodwick Parrog this morniung , I took advantage of the southerly winds to visit Strumble this afternoon. Once or twice I have referred to my "surfy porp dudes" on the blog but never really managed a descriptive pic' !

It happens in a South Westerly at Strumble on a dropping tide when large combers push in to the shore.

It took lots of blank shots to capture this rather sad record shot, but none the less I think it sort of gets us there.

You just have to imagine four metre surfs coming in and these little babies reveling in it!

I hope they are showing so well next week at our 5th annual New Years Day Porpoise watch at Strumble 2.30pm to 3.30 pm Saturday 1st of January 2011...

Too cool for me (but not for some others!)

In the words of the immortal John Lennon... "and so its Christmas... " but when you plan stuff Christmas never comes ... and then it does and you have planned a crazy event of a "World Record" attempt " To build a sand sculpture of a whale.
And loads of people are up for it. But this Christmas is a very white Christmas in terms of frost following snow.
And so at 10 o clock this morning I arrived at the Parrog at Fishguard Harbour/Goodwick.
And the sand above the high tide mark was solid!
I hung about for a while and several people turned up. I met some and explained the futility of the event and apologised, putting up a notice explaining the situation. Family duties took over until ...
At about 3 o clock I returned to remove the notice and found this rather wonderful sand sculpture!
I know a lot of our friends in the community were up for this event but I don't know who did it. It just goes to show our supporters are pretty amazing and were really on board with our vision!
WOW!!! that says something about the people who are supporting us!
Not sure who was responsible but I really think you are groovy!!!!!! blew my mind. I am thinking that if it was not a world record Sand sculpture of a whale it is probably the biggest sand sculpture of a porpoise!

Malcolm the Ice (cool) man!

I have tried a couple of times to get to Strumble this week and finally made it yesterday but the visit was brief and I saw nothing . On the other hand...


HI Cliff
there has been a nice few porpoise in the sound the last few days, including a couple of young calves!
The amount of calves and juveniles I see here is interesting? (Very)
Today I got a couple of snaps of porps moving down the sound, I take a lot of pics so I can enlarge them and look see...
the attached picture sure looks like Split Fin.

Been challenging but great to be out at the sound, loads of snow, lots of birds knocking about, thrushes, plovers, lapwings,snipe, woodcock, finches,raptors,ducks, the 10 swans that arrived on the Gann flew over Ramsey Island and then me about 1.30 yesterday.
Saw 3 whoopers this morning over flying the dowrog on my way into St Davids.

See you Boxing Day
cheers
Malcolm

This is bloomin amaizing!!!!!!We had a porpoise called Polo that appeared to have been seen in the area of Fishguard/Mwnt over a three year period now whe have splitfin (I am sure it is the same animal) two years running in Ramsay sound. The experts have always said that there was no proof to say that animals were resident and as such under the terms of protection under the EU Habitats and Species Directive, Porpoises have not been included as part of the Marine SAC listings. As most Porpoise are pretty indistinguishable it was a hard one to prove. I think if we can say the only really identifiable animal we know has remained in the same waters then its fair to speculate that it is not a unique situation and they are

1. to some degree resident
2. to some degree dependant on the good conservation status of particular areas.

Well done! Malcolm Ernst and Aneik, and Alison , those hardy souls who have taken the trouble and care to learn about these fascinating little cetaceans in the Ramsey Sound through snow rain and sunshine!

The last word - ish

Last information recieved from Rod...
Hi Cliff,

I’ve just recovered the live-stranded/euthanased animal at Dale.

It was a male common dolphin 2.12 metres long, the teeth were quite worn with some missing so this is probably going to be an old animal. It was very emaciated with its body being concave on its rear flanks either side of the dorsal fin, I would suspect that it had re-mobilised its blubber and also started on its muscle by visual inspection, it will be interesting to see whether its old age or whether its a disease case, we will have wait to see what the pm examinations shows.

It was exhausted and coming to the point where it had to be supported in the water. It was a good job Terry Leadbetter (Welsh Marine Life Rescue) attended as he is experienced in assessing the condition of these animals and made the right call to put this animal out of any further suffering.
Many thanks to the RSPCA who were able to carry-out the euthanasia and to BDMLR who also attended in not very conducive conditions.

I shall forward a copy of the post-mortem examination report to all involved when it becomes available but this animal wont be going up to London for examination until later in the New Year.

Many thanks for reporting this stranding.

Regards

Rod.

Rod Penrose, Strandings Co-ordinator (Wales)
UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme (CSIP).
World Wide Web: www.ukstrandings.org
British Isles & Republic of Ireland 'TURTLE' Database Manager.
Tel: 01239 682405

On a happier subject!

I have just noticed our visitor count for the Whales in Wales blog is 29,998! just two short of Thirty thousand visits! Thanks to Rich Crossen for getting this blog (and several others) going and putting our Welsh and Pembrokeshire wildlife in the spotlight!

Just a reminder that we will be continueing with our awareness raising over the Christmas Holidays (weather permitting) so come along and join in!

Ifanc y Môr....Fishguard Harbour Parrog Boxing Day...Sunday 26th... The Great White “Fishyguard” Whale Sand Sculpture!!! World Record Attempt !!!Come and help!!! Your Whales in Wales need YOU!!!Fight the flab! burn some blubber! Bring: adults, food and goodies! Boxing Day 10.30 till dark! bring buckets and spades Boxing DayWorld Record Attempt: come for an hour - come for the day!

Porpoise Watch... Also on New Years day, we will be holding our fifth annual New Years Day Porpoise watch at Strumble Head Lookout from 1430 pm to 15.30 pm (or whenever we get too cold!)
Bring binoculars and some new years optimism!

allthingsgood, cliff
Haha... just as I was writing this, we passed 30,000!

End story.

Thanks to Andy Davies for this image of the dolphin which live stranded several times on the Gann Estuary yesterday before being euthanised. From Andys image it looks like an adult Common Dolphin Delphinus Delphis and from reports it appears to have been in poor condition.The scarring and nicks on the fin and dorsal area suggest it was possibly an old animal.
In the circumstances there is , sadly, little anyone can do other than release it from its suffering.

The story so far story.

It appears the animal in question was probably a Common Dolphin. Several attempts were made to refloat it but in the end a decision was made to euthanise the animal which I am sure was the right decision. Thanks to Andy Davies for this news. Rod Penrose strandings courdinator tells me it was extremely emaciated according to Terry Leadbetter who organised the subsequent operation. Rod will be picking the animal up for examination tommorow and will keep us informed...

Sad Story

I have just recieved several calls from people around Dale, reporting what appears to be a juvenile dolphin trying to live strand on Jubilee beach near the Gann estuary on the Northwestern side of the Milford Haven. I have contacted Rod Penrose the Welsh Marine Mammal Strandings Coordinator (See Links) and he in turn has alerted Terry Leadbetter of the Seal Rescue Centre based at Milford.

Sadly the prospects for this animal are not good as it appears to have lost its mother and most animals that live strand are in a bad way. It seems their fear of drowning overtakes their fear of getting stranded. Of course the first instinct of any would be rescuer is to help it back into the water but if it continues to strand let it. Try and keep it wet and protect it from stray dogs etc, untill help arrives.

Thanks to all those that phoned, we will update as further information becomes available...

Nice report sorry about the spelling!

Rissos seen 2009 image: Rich Crossen

Cliff,
I phoned in my sighting as I was not sure when I would be back at my
computer. Here is a bit more information. I seawatched at the Head on
14th Dec from 1200 to 1300. Wind N, force 2/3 visibility was excellent. I only noted 1 Porpoise during the time but at 1231, I noted 3 Risso's well inside the tide race moving steadily west. They were so close that if I had been sitting in the obs, (I was standing) I would have missed them out of my sight underneath me. One was very large with a dorsal fin which had a white leading edge and gradually faded to dark grey at the rear edge. The other two animals were smaller but were not calves.

I saw you on the ferry from the Head. Since the animals were on the other side of the tide race to you I am not surprised that you missed them.

Weather permitting I will try and get down Boxing Day to help with the whale on the beach.

BTW, you got my surname wrong on the blog, needs an 's' on Butter

Regards

Colin Butters

Colin , I have sorted spelling, if you don't tell anyone I got it wrong, I wont... it will just be a little secret between you me and about 30,000 people give or take 126! which is the number of visits since February 2009! see you Boxing Day!

Solitary Bottlenose of Aberporth

Haven't posted in a while (sorry - have been recording sightings), but wanted to drop in a report of a solitary Bottlenose who popped up right alongside our port hand sponson today as we made way about a mile off Aberporth. A fairly small /young animal who surfaced a few times (to see what we were about) and then dissapeared. No other cetaceans seen. Lots of seals beyond Cemaes and a fair few auks bobbing about in the beautiful winter sunshine! Dan

Stena Europe/December Dolphins part 2

Photo : Steve Rosser

We awoke after a good nights sleep on the "Stena Europe" back in Rosslare this morning and enjoyed a great breakfast in the Truckers Lounge.

Looking out at the sea beyond the harbour wall it became apparent that the flat calm sea of Monday was nothing more than a memory and that overnight the weather had roughed up a little. We arrived on the bridge and set up just before departure wearing a multitude of layers against the bitter NE wind.

Having set sail for Fishguard we stared our eyeballs out into a choppy glary sea and after a while I spotted a Porpoise smash through the wave tops adjacent to the Tusker.

It didnt get any better and we joked and argued as to whether Keith and Cliff Richards might be brothers all the while scanning as our eyeballs froze. This is probably why "Big Al" Murrow copped the Minke whale which we missed!

Just to add salt to the wounds, apparently Colin Butters who was watching from Strumble Head had three Risso's heading west at 12.31which we also presumably missed as we came off effort entering Fishguard Harbour at 12.22.

Its probably worth saying that in real terms unless the conditions are right as they were yesterday as against today, surveying in the depths of winter is pretty hit and miss. Also from certain angles Cliff and Keith bear a certain resemblence, in the same way that distance sampling is a useful tool ...

From the far North!

Cliff.

Only one sighting reported this month, they must be feeling the cold !

22/11/10, A small group of unidentified dolphins just off Porthdinllaen.

Regards

Peter O’Brien. (NCI Porthdinllaen)

December Dolphins bring good cheer!

As we arrived on the bridge of the Stena Europe, we heard the dreaded words "Loads of dolphins this morning , you should have been there!"... In fact "Big Al" had put down a pod of 50 Commons in his log as well as several other sightings from the week including several smaller pods of Commons and two Risso's Sightings.
So that was probably going to put the mockers on things....except... the weather was calm and the sea state a lovely 1 to 2, overcast and as we left the harbour we saw flocks of feeding sea birds off Strumble. Soon after we logged our first porpoises. and then some more and then another.There were odd Fulmars, Auks (mostly breeding plumaged) and plenty of gulls to keep us amused over the cold short afternoon. And then Steve Rosser shouted "splashes" Rich Crossen (the third member of our team) and I were soon on them, a lovely pod of circa 15 obviously feeding but as we approached came in to bowride!
A few moments later Steve picked up more splashes several hundred metres to portside
we estimated another ten or so. By then we were about half way across with the Tusker Rock lighthouse winking at us in the distance. The light was beginning to fail, the cold was creeping into the marrow of our bones, it was time to call it a day! Roll on tomorrow,

More winter Porps with calves from Steve...

Hi Rich

A porpoise and calf were in the centre of Rest Bay, Porthcawl, this morning about 1/2 mile out. They appeared to be feeding rather than travelling and there is a lot of whiting and cod in that area at the moment. I stopped the boat to observe but while they appeared unconcerned at me travelling they were not happy with me stationery and disappeared from view.

Steve

.... I spoke to Steve later on the phone and he had some interesting thoughts on Porpoise off Porthcawl. His late grandmother and older members of the community felt had a saying about Porpoise bringing hot weather and the arrival of Mackerel! not much of either about in the Bristol Channel this week I would bet! Basically they were thought of as a summer species and were seen in pods of 40-50 at least thats Steve's memory. The problem is all small dolphin species tended to be called porpoises, its just possible that what they were seeing were Common Dolphins and as Steve happily admits its a long time ago and he wouldn't want to swear on it...

The thing is when he starts going down mememory lane, it getes even more interesting.

"We used to have mackerel for about 6 weeks in June/July but then the sharks would break up the shoals..."
"Porbeagles - 80lb plus, then the longliners caught them all off Lundy, or so they said..."
"Hardly any Mackerel now , or Sharks but plenty of Whiting and Cod..."

Really interesting stuff, local knowledge amassed over half a century and likely to be lost like the Mackerel unless we get it all written down. Would love to hear any other stuff! allthingsgood, cliff.

They were only playing porpfrog...

On a dismal midwinters afternoon a dozen or so porpoises, working slowly up the tide from the Strumble light' were clos-ish and even in the persistent drizzle, fun to watch.Two mothers with very small calves almost glued to their sides were again proof of winter breeding.

Some porpfrogging with one animal leaping on/over the others back was also going on although I couldn't make out any real details of who was doing what to whom.

My guesses are:

1. its a male trying a bit of unsubtle foreplay with a female
2. or a weaned youngster trying to get a feed from an uncooperative mother
3. or a female driving off last years young.
4. Males fighting over females.

Take your pick, but either way there is some social interaction going on with tail slapping, surgeing type macho surfacing, some with puffy blows etc, with several animals involved.

Not much to report over the preceeding week with blizzards and gales messing things up. Our long term volunteer Verena Bolender went home on Monday, or at least tried to but had an unscheduled night in a Gatwick hotel as Frankfurt Airport was closed down with snow. Nice to know we were not the only place to be caught unawares by this cold snap! Even nicer to know she is now home and safe. Verena was a great help and we will miss her!

I tried to attach a flyer for our boxing day event but this is how it turned out...

Fishguard Harbour Parrog Boxing Day
The Great White “Fishyguard” Whale Sand Sculpture
!!! World Record Attempt !!!
Come and help!!! Your Whales in Wales need YOU!!!
Fight the flab! burn some blubber! Bring: adults food and goodies!
Boxing Day 10.30 till dark! bring buckets and spades Boxing DayWorld Record Attempt: come for an hour - come for the day.

not as pretty as the flyer but does the job!