Hi Cliff and everyone.
Dave Cuniffe and myself attended the brilliant talk given by Mark Evans at the Pembrokeshire College in Haverfordwest this evening on the northern resident orcas of British Columbia. Mark is formerly from Wales and works as a senior naturalist guide and boat skipper for a whale and wildlife watching boat operator based on the Campbell river in BC namely 'Discovery Marine Safaris Ltd; www.adventurewhaling.com He is also associated with the renowned 'Stubbs Island Whale Watching' company www.stubbsisland.com
He kept the well attended audience enthralled with stories about his work and on orca behaviour and their fascinating social dynamics. Orcas are probably the most intensely studied species of cetacean on the planet and if you are new to this area of cetacean study then there is no better species to start with. They are the most amazing animals. Why else would I travel so far to hear a talk about them!
Dave and I made the most of our day and spent a few hours at Strumble Head in the afternoon. We both love this place. Dave spent his early years at Goodwick and somehow both of us has this inexplicable fondness for strumble head. I know many of you reading this who know the location will appreciate why that is.
We didn't see many porpoise during our time there maybe around 5 animals maximum even though conditions were excellent for observation. The bird life was good though and Dave spotted a short-eared owl. We also had a very quick glimpse of a small raptor which we think may have been a hobby falcon but we are not certain. There was a good passage of swallows too (this might explain the presence of the hobby? which predates on 'hirundines'). The auks and gannets and 'manxies' kept us happy though as did chatting to a few visitors to whom we handed out your excellent 'freebie' Sea Trust/Stena Line leaflets Cliff (I still had some left which you gave me for the 'Wales Coast Path' opening event at Aberystwyth on the 5th which incidentally went off a treat). I always love to promote the natural wonders and wildlife delights of Pembrokeshire.
