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| Porpoises "Leapfrogging": image Ernst Shrijver 2010. |
The weather was overcast and a bit misty but we managed to get the ebbing tide just right. Porpoises were passing by with the tide as we arrived. We set up the bincam on a tripod and then did our first click count of surfacings. We watched filmed and counted for an hour and although as usual they were quite distant got some reasonable video.
I have to say the binocular part of the bincam is really not too clear but the resulting film is a big improvement on older cameras, as there is no "searching" with the image going in and out of focus. The enhanced digital zoom is also the best I have seen so far but sadly things still look a long way away at Strumble. We had some nice interactions and at least one mother with a small calf. Our surfacing click count averaged at 33 surfacings per hour but to be honest it was pretty none stop with at least that many animals spread over quite a large area of a couple of square miles.
The really good thing is with this evidence we can present a really good case for the waters adjacent to Strumble Head to be nominated as a SPA for Porpoises. This does not mean local fishermen being prevented from fishing as they already do because of course the porpoises are not bothered by them and we can prove thuis. It would give us the possibility of preventing any new developments that might adversely affect them. Have a look at Hannahs edit of my video! it really does confirm the fact our porpoises are there! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LQqC_lurlo&feature=youtu.be