Strumble Diary Saturday 8th Aug 2020

Things did not look promising at all as I made my way out this morning. Very low cloud with drizzle and viz down to 100mtrs as I reached the high point above Pontiago. As I approached Strumble though things began to clear and although not perfect there was sight of the sea at least as I rounded the last series of bends. The tide race was well formed and I thought I may have missed the action for this tide as yesterday's lasted barely ten minutes. So I set my kit up and with binos in hand scanned the race more in hope than anything else. Forty to fifty minutes went by before the first sighting, a lone porp rushing through the tide then nothing again for another thirty minutes. Off to the east of the tide race I spotted a group of several porps moving very quickly with some even breaching as they went. They dispersed into the race and spent several minutes foraging before they too move through. Bonus was a marked animal that we've seen before so not a wasted day at all.

 

Time went on and I spotted some fins off to the west of the lighthouse. Commons!! about 30-40 of them, quite distant but at least I could get some record shots I thought. I watched them move to the SW and then as if to grant my silent wish they turned and headed into what was left of the now dying tide race splitting into smaller foraging groups as they did so. At one time it seemed as if there were dolphins everywhere I looked so I made the most of it and racked up a few hundred shots. This went on for nearly an hour and then as if someone had flicked a switch they had gone.  I'm always amazed at how they can be there one moment and suddenly gone with no trace, not even being able to watch them going off into the distance. Still, it made for a great session though.