19/04/2018: Bottlenose Dolphins, harbour porpoise, Atlantic grey seals
Weather Conditions: Fair / sunny, sea state 1/2, Wind direction: variable
The Cardigan Bay big three were identified yesterday from the harbour wall. Dolphins were seen from 8am in the bay, foraging and surfacing regularly although quite a way out. This included a juvenile animal. Two seals were also spotted yesterday, one in the morning and one during the afternoon. Two harbour porpoise were seen later on in the day – around 500m from the fish factory. A purple sandpiper was also seen, as well as terns.
Weather Conditions: Overcast early but soon becoming sunny, sea state 2/3, Wind direction: S-SE
Towards the end of the 9am survey a group of 6 dolphins entered the bay past the headland and were observed foraging in the area between the harbour wall and the Cardinal Marker. The following survey recorded a further ten dolphins including a juvenile. During this survey a female Atlantic grey seal was observed north of the harbour wall together with the rare sightings of a group of migrating Whimbrel and an Iceland Gull. The afternoon brought a further two dolphins far off the headland.
17/04/2018: 4 Bottlenose Dolphins
Weather Conditions: Fair/Overcast with rain, sea state 2/3, Wind direction: strong S-SE
During a day of awful weather, two land watches were completed on the harbour wall – in which one was successful in recording bottlenose dolphins. Four individuals (including a juvenile) were seen foraging around 700m from the survey point. A northern gannet was also spotted.
16/04/2018: 6 Bottlenose Dolphins
Weather Conditions: Sunny / fair, sea state 2/3, Wind direction: strong S
Dolphins were first seen from 9:15am, leaping into the survey area. This included a juvenile animal and an adult mother. Later on, an additional three adult dolphins were spotted as well as another juvenile. They were seen undertaking long dives as well as leaps and tail slaps out in the bay.
Weather Conditions: Overcast/Showers, sea state 2 – 3, Wind direction Strong SE.
Despite the dull weather conditions of the day, our Living Seas Volunteers encountered some exciting marine mammal sightings throughout the day. An Atlantic Grey Seal was spotted directly off from the Harbour Wall during the 11:00am survey period. Later in the day, a solitary Bottlenose Dolphin was seen foraging in the bay, in the area in front of the Cardinal boy. This dolphin remained in the bay for over an hour and was a consistent sighting throughout the day.
Weather conditions: sunny, sea state 1, wind direction S/SE
Despite the almost ideal survey conditions, it was a quiet day in the bay. However our Living Seas volunteers spotted harbour porpoises during the two afternoon surveys, at 13:30 and 15:00. Initially one surfaced close to the harbour wall before moving off towards New Quay head. Later a porpoise was seen feeding further out off the headland.
Weather conditions: Sunny/overcast, Sea State 2, Wind direction: S/SE
Our Living Seas volunteers conducted 12 hours of surveys from the harbour wall. Despite foggy weather three bottlenose dolphins, including a calf, were observed leaping close to the harbour wall. Later in the day two harbour porpoise were spotted foraging close to New Quay headland. In the last survey five dolphins were seen foraging throughout the bay.
Weather conditions: sunny/overcast, sea state 1-2, wind direction E
Sixteen dolphins were seen throughout the day, including three calves. As well as travelling they were seen leaping out of the water on two of the surveys, and at one point came within fifty metres of the sea wall.
Weather conditions: Sunny becoming overcast later, Sea State 2, Wind direction: S/SE becoming NE for a while before returning to SE by end of day
There were two sightings of bottlenose dolphins during the day. A group of three dolphins including a juvenile was briefly spotted off the headland early in 7am watch. Just before 1 pm a group of 3 dolphins was seen off the headland travelling south-east into the bay coming within 200m north of the harbour wall. This group was again spotted during the following watch off the headland. Harbour porpoises were also identified on two watches foraging within the bay.
Weather conditions: Overcast/sunny, Sea State 2/3, Wind direction: N/ E later
Six bottlenose dolphins, including one juvenile, were seen from the harbour wall. Starting from 9am to 10.30am, they were travelling as two groups around the bay until they merged to head east. Four dolphins remained to forage, leap, and tail slap. Dolphins were not seen again until 6.30pm that evening. This group of five later split to a group of one adult and one juvenile where they were seen milling around close to the harbour wall.
09/04/2018: 5 Bottlenose dolphins, 4 Harbour porpoise, 4 Atlantic grey seals
Weather conditions: Overcast/sunny, Sea State 1, Wind direction: Variable, also none
Marine mammals were spotted during each of the day’s 6 surveys bar one. Firstly a grey seal was spotted by the headland, with porpoises appearing rarely over the next few hours while foraging for food. Dolphins (including a juvenile) were then seen at 4:00pm, travelling along the reef. They were seen milling at the surface, as well as performing tail-slaps. Finally, two seals were sighted swimming along the bay.
Weather conditions: Overcast at first becoming sunny, Sea State 1, Wind direction: S then N/NE later
The Cardigan Bay Big 3 was seen from the harbour wall by the Living Seas Volunteers. All surveys except the final one saw groups of bottlenose dolphins. 26 individuals were observed during the day exhibiting various behaviour including foraging and leaping. Two harbour porpoises were present in the bay between 14.30 to 17.00 hours. An Atlantic grey seal and another harbour porpoise were spotted during the final survey of the day.
