Strumble Diary, May 18th.

11.00-13.00 SW 3/4 but surprisingly sunny as all the way from Mathry to the Ocean Lab in Goodwick and then from O lab to within half a mile of Strumble we had steady drizzle. I joined Fran and Lucy for the Monday Sea Trust Porpoise Photo ID survey this morning. As we arrived at 11am a vertual swarm of around 100 House Martins flew past the lookout, heading west. Presumably migrants brought down by the nearby rain? Others passed in dribs and drabs with a few swallows throughout the watch. five or six swifts also passed by in the same direction and then a few more swallows that flew straight out northwards. From the start we had 60+ common Dolphins with a similar number of attendent feeding Gannets which eventually moved off to the west with the tide. Cetacean-wise it was pretty quiet for the second part of the watch with only a couple of porpoises sighted despite optimum tide conditions (HT 10am) Interestingly, given the massive loss of Gannets on Grassholm i looked for sub-adults, but could ony find three second summer birds. As we made our way back up to the car park at the end of the watch, at least eight Chough were feeding in the field behind the car park, some of which had yellow bills, marking them as juveniles. I did not see the bill colour of all of them, perhaps some crecheing going on?

Catch up! Strumble diary and Fishguard Harbour.

Intrepid local Yachtsman Ian Hotchin reports: Cliff. Saw 3 or 4 bottlenose dolphins North of the breakwater on Tuesday 12/5/26. Bottlenose dolphins usually turn up late spring/early summer but this year they were quite early with Holly/Kens sighting on April 24th. Another sighting By lloyd this morning 14th off the harbour enterence looks like they are likely to be a regular feature of this blog in the coming months.Having returned from a week up north in Barmouth Fran and I had a look at Strumble on Sunday . Despite a gnarly sea we did briefly spot around half a dozeen porpoises around what we call the sweet spot out from the lookout.

Strumble Diary 03/05/2026

 Well this morning felt more March than May. A chill NW'ly wind was rattling around the lookout. It did however mean large swells running against the tide, which is my favourite conditions for shooting porpoise. To catch the tide today did mean a 7.30am start and almost straight away I was sighting Porps out in the tide race. They were all distant though and I'm still very much missing my big 800mm lens which is in Glasgow being repaired, but hopefully back in my hands in the next couple of weeks. No dolphin sightings today but lots of bird movement with hundreds of Manx Sheerwater, good numbers of kittywakes and the usual skanes of Gannets. By 08.30 the action had died away and I finished my session at 09.00.

 

Strumble Diary 29/04/2026

 Well Strumble may have looked summery this morning but it felt more like winter with a strong NE'ly wind giving no shelter inside or outside the lookout. Despite the wind running with the tide, the swells were still substantial making for messy seas. When I arrived there were many Ganets wheeling over small groups of Commons out beyond the tide race. The feeding lasted all through my session but eventually pushed back West with the tide. I saw seven Porpoise dispersed through the session but all but two were "One breath and gone" sightings. 

 

A Cold Pen Anglas 27/04/2026

 Any signs of summer coming were firmly dispelled this morning, and as it turned out the weather was completely the opposite to what was forecast, but that's Pembrokeshire for you. The promised sunny morning was instead a mixture of fog and low cloud which did open out for a short period but left me hunched up with hands firmly in pockets waiting for any cetaceans that may come along. First to arrive was a single porpoise slowly working it's way against the tide allowing for some decent images. A shallow notch on the dorsal fin make it identifiable but perhaps not at distance. However, it's another for the catalogue if not in already. This one stuck around for a good 40 mins or so and it was a half hour or so later that a second porpoise showed briefly and just passed through going West with the tide. After that a couple of single Commons foraging before a few more arrived but only stayed a short while before moving on. At this point the sea mist started rolling in again and now feeling even colder I decided to make my way home for a warm up and a hot cuppa.

 

At one point I got buzzed by these three Malard six foot overhead before they turned and gave me these shots. 

 

Strumble Diary 26/04/2026

 A really early start today and I was sat at the lookout before 7am.  The tide race was just forming off the point with the sea being calm except for the disturbance caused by the tide. Sadly the light was quite flat under the cloudy sky but at least there was enough light to get some images. As the time went on there were Commons all over the view in front of me. Some close, most distant, with Porpoise spread in amongst them. I'd say the ratio was 10-1 in favour of the Commons but they were so well spread it didn't seem to bother the porps.

 

A flypast by a pair of Whimbrel