Breakwater Afternoon 30/06/2025

 Greedy Dolphin Scoops The Jackpot

A beautiful calm afternoon on the breakwater today. One Bottlenose present when I arrived feeding inside the harbour. It quickly moved to outside the breakwater though and spent forty minutes or so milling around before moving off. 

 

 Thirty minutes or so later another moved in and it too went to inside the harbour and became very active chasing fish. 

 

 

I was trying to keep track of it when it suddenly got very aggresive with spray going all over. Then I got to see why. It had caught what I can only describe as the biggest Salmon I've ever seen in the bay. At least 20lb, fat as a barrel but right out of luck. Such is nature though and I bet that was one happy dolphin. 

 

A few minutes later and it was a Garfish that was the dessert. The poor thing was trying it's best to mimic a flying fish so I guess it knew well what it's fate was to be, and could no doubt see the shape of the dolphin just below the surface as could I.

All was mostly calm after that so with having spent a wonderfull two hours with them I took a few more shots and made my way home a very happy chap.

Bottlenose Delight. 29/06/2025 -- Part 2

 As promised, the second series of images from yesterday's encounter with the Bottlenose off the North breakwater. I've also included a few of our feathered friends who also put in an appearance. For the full synopsis of the day please see the previous blog entry.

              Below we have a Sandwich Tern, Black Guillemot, Gannets and an Oyster Catcher.

   It's good to see a growing number of juvenile Gannets about. Shows recovery after bird flu is well                                                                                      underway. 

 

Bottlenose Delight. 29/06/2025

 It was one of those days you wish for but seldome have. A message from Cliff saying Bottlenose off the breakwater sent me scrambling. When I arrived Cliff and Aneesha were watching a now slightly distant single animal. I'd put my medium length lens on the camera but then had to go back to the car for the 800mm bazooka. Fifteen minutes or so later Cliff and Aneesha left me to carry on and I decided to wait in case more came in. My choice to stay paid off as five more moved in quietly and were soon milling around in front of me. By this time the ferry was warming up ready to leave and almost straight away you could see the mood amongst them change and as the ferry started to round the breakwater they grouped together looking quite agitated. The ferry moved out to the NW and the Bottlenose moved out also. I watched them go Northward until almost out of my view and so decided to pack up and leave. 

Car packed and boot lid closed I was just about to get in when I spotted two moving in from the Pen Anglas direction. Out with the gear again and after another twenty minutes or so one seemed to disappear whilst one stayed for another ten minutes or so before it too moved off. (or did it) I again put the kit away and this time I drove off toward the entrance fully intending to go home. I stopped to look at the birds on the Cow & Calf  and out to my right spotted several Bottlenose moving toward the end of the breakwater, (Sigh) so turned around again and back to the end only to see the other individual was still there. I'm so glad I did as this group started being more playful which gave the opportunity for some nice breaching images. So between all this action and a few bird shots I came away with over a 1,000 images which was eventually whittled down to 150 a sample of which you can see below. If time permits tomorrow I may post a few more. Enjoy!!