Strumble Diary 29/10/2026

 With a light southerly wind and good visibility, things looked good for today's survey. I arrived just after 10.am and as I parked up I could see Commons some 300mtrs out. I set up at the lookout and started my session. Two or three separate small groups were moving around the view in front of me, at varying distances. Just around 10.30, Andy arrived and we watched as group after group moved in, and by the time the Thursday survey team arrived with Dawn at the helm at around 11.20am, our count was already up to 200+. The action died down for a while but more were soon coming in. We were now up to around 300, so our interns and visitors alike were getting good views right through their session. Sharp eyed Dawn spotted a Sunfish moving toward Pen Caer point with Andy confirming the sighting. A very late sighting for this species for Strumble Hd. I ended my session at 12.30pm and left the team to catch the final action of their survey.

 

 

Strumble Diary 17/10/2026

 My session at Strumble today got off to a rather shocking start, in a nice way I might add. So, I'm rounding the final bend before the gates and cattle grid and on a post to the right of the gates is the most magnificent raptor I've seen in an open setting. I just stopped the car and looked at it. A few seconds later it took off revealing the most striking plumage. As I made my way along to the car park it was flying off to my right and then I realised it was a kept bird which had a jess and bell attached. I parked up and got the camera out and took some pics as it swept low over the lookout, then returned to the hand of it's keeper, who turned out to be a former Sea Trust volunteer (Sean). A lovely conversation and catch up followed before he headed home and I walked to the lookout for an afternoon session.

The sun was out but the NE wind was keeping things cool and there was a moderate swell with the tide race just starting to form.  Not a strong tide today and things were very quiet  for the first hour or so. Off to the north at distance I spotted a small pod (12 or so) of Common Dolphin heading in toward me. They didn't come any closer than 300mtrs or so beyond the tide race and in the swells were not showing particularly well. Sadly no Porpoise sighted which is starting to get quite concerning considering this is the fourth session in a week or so that I've had a Porpoise blank. 

                                                    This magnificent bird is a Harris Hawk

 

Young Greys at Strumble Hd.

 I had three sessions at Strumble last week and sorry to say that as far as cetaceans were concerned they were three blanks. Reasonable conditions with West to N'Westerly strongish winds, just how I like it for dynamic shots, but they were just not there. Even the bird life was quiet on at least two of the sessions but better on the third which was last Friday 9th October. I decided to go and see how our young seals were doing and found four down by the lighthouse on the low tide, two of which were resting and two happily playing in the tidal pools left after the tide had dropped. 

 

Strumble Diary 03/10/2026

 A bit late getting this one in but better late than not at all.

What a gorgeous day it was. I was sat below the lookout at the small rock outcrop overlooking the water. A cool breeze to my face and the warming sun on my back. What's not to like. The first action on the dropping tide mid afternoon was a small very distant group of Commons about a mile and a half out to the NE.

About a dozen in all with Gannets diving in amongst them. Soon after Commons were coming in from the North, North West and the West, and all of a sudden it was dolphin central with upwards of a hundred at it's height.

 

 

Soon the Porpoise showed up as well which livened things up even more and I was happy to get a Common and Porpoise in the same shot.

As the tide race picked up so did the number of porpoise coming in to feed. A steady stream of sightings but mostly further out than I would have liked. All in all a very pleasing session with lots of action on a gloriously sunny afternoon.