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whale and
dolphin watching trips
2008 SIGHTINGS
whale and
dolphin watching trips |
| Its
a little too early to go offshore but Greg our RSPB Warden on Ramsey
Island made the following few observations: |
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January
- A surprise on our return to the island after a spell of annual
leave was the discovery of two new grey seal pups on Porth Lleuog, both
around five days old. That brings the winter pup total to 3 so far. The
pup born in late December was nearing 21 days when we left the island and
was a good size. It was nowhere to be seen two weeks later, so is presumed
to have weaned successfully.
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February
- Another grey seal pup was born on one of the beaches during the
month, bringing the winter pup total to 4. Up to 55 adults were present at
haul outs.
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March
- Grey seals reached a maximum of 177 spread over three haul sites
by the month end. Small resident family of harbour porpoise in
Ramsey Sound.
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April
- Sightings of porpoise through April are becoming more frequent,
numbers between 5 to 10.
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17th April
- 50+ common dolphins seen split in 2 pods, lots of very very young
ones. Stopped boat, females and young swam around
the boat splashing and playing then some males joined in. One pod
swam closely around the boat for about 15 to 20 minutes. Thousands
of gannets on Grassholm and plenty of Puffins around.
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27th May -
offshore a Pilot Whale jumped clear of the water 2 times just 30 metres
away from the boat. Everyone had a close-up, clear view but the
whale just appeared in front of them and no-one got a photo, everyone was
so amazed they didn't get a photo the second time the whale jumped up in
front of them, again clearing the water. lots of rafting Puffins, plenty
of Shearwater activity, the Gannets were in full voice on Grassholm Island
also saw a Storm Petrel.
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| 27th
May - a Pilot
Whale was breaching West of Ramsey Island, about 8 porpoise South of
Ramsey. |
| 29th
May - Good day
for common dolphins, 100+. |
| 30th
May - Couple of
small pods of common dolphin, about 30-40 per pod. |
| 1st
June am - 'WDCS
Trip'. Lots
of diving gannets, plenty of Puffins, about 10 harbour porpoise. |
1st
June pm - WDCS
Trip'. Pods
of 20 to 30 dolphins popping up everywhere, couple of hundred in total. 2 x
Orca swimming together, 1 large male the other possibly a juvenile, male
jumped and cleared the water. Boat couldn't get clear of the
dolphins popping up everywhere.
Photo by: Janet Baxter
Not yet confirmed but we think the male Orca is called 'John Coe'
he visits this area every year in June and the Hebrides every August.
Now confirmed. |
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3rd June -
plenty of pods of common dolphin and calves, puffin, gannets and atlantic
grey seals
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7th June
Pods of 100+ dolphins, lots of Puffins and porpoise
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9th June
3 pods common dolphins about 30 to 40 dolphins per pod
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10th June
20 to 30 porpoise about 100 dolphins lots of rafting puffins
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13th June
100+ common dolphins, lots of atlantic grey seals and puffins
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16th June
1 large pod of common dolphins followed the boat for about half an hour
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16th June
about 40 common dolphins with calfs, gannets diving eveywhere
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24th June
100+ dolphins, sailing ship round Britain ~Power Boat racers, sun
fish 1st of the season
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25th June
20 to 30 porpoise also 200+ dolphin, 2 multi mast sailing ships from sea
festival milford
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7th July 3
pods of common dolphins, 1 large pod of porpoise
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| 13th
July small pod
common dolphins lots of rafting shearwaters and diving gannets |
| 13th
July 50 to 60
common dolphins, skue and porpoise |
| 14th
July
100+ dolphin, lots of puffins, shearwaters and gannets |
| 15th
July
harbour porpoise 2 pods, 1 sunfish, lots of common dolphins |
| 16th
July
100's common dolphins, frenzie of diving gannets |
| 20th
July 50+
common dolphins followed the boat for about 3/4 hour, saw another 2
smaller pods of 20+ in each |
| 20th
July 100+
common dolphins, puffins, gannets, shearwaters, lots of seals |
| 21st
July 3
pods common dolphins about 20 to 30 dolphins per pod, diving gannets and
rafting puffins |
| 22nd
July 4 pods
common dolphins about 20 in each pod |
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22nd July 3
pods of common dolphin, gannets seals and sunfish
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23rd July 100+
dolphins, Skue, lots of adult seals and pregnant seals, storm
petrels and gannets
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23rd July lots
of porpoise, 100+ common dolphins, puffins and shearwaters
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25th July 2
pods common dolphins about 30 to 40 dolphins per pod
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| 26th
July lots of
Common Dolphins, Rissos Dolphins and Puffins |
| 26th
July lots of
common dolphins and porpoise |
| 28th
July lots
of common dolphins, Minke Whales with the boat for quite a
while and gannets diving everywhere |
| 29th
July 2 pods of
common dolphins and porpoise |
| 2nd
Aug 50+
common dolphins, puffins, gannets, shearwaters |
| 3rd
Aug
about 9 porpoise, 2 pods common dolphins about 20 per pod |
| 4th
Aug
plenty of puffins, diving gannets, 100+
common dolphins |
| 7th
Aug 20+
common dolphins, puffins, gannets in a feeding frenzie |
| 7th
Aug 2 Pods of
dolphins, lots of Puffins, 7 porpoise
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| 8th
Aug Pod of 100+
common dolphins, 1 skue
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| 9th
Aug
Pods of 100+ dolphins, lots of Puffins and porpoise
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| 14th
Aug Plenty of
seals about 12 common dolphins, a few calfs |
| 15th
Aug Very large
feeding frenzie for about 30 minutes, 1 pod dolphin, about 15 at the end
of the trip, swam with the boat for about 15 mins |
| 20th
Aug 2 pods
dolphins, about 40 in one pod and 20 in the other, lots of Puffins and porpoise
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| 21st
Aug Couple of
small pods of common dolphin, about 30 per pod. |
| 22nd
Aug Puffins seen
throughout the trip, 1 large pod of common dolphins, about 40 to 50 |
| 23rd
Aug 3 pods common dolphins about 30 to 40 dolphins per pod
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| 28th
Aug 2 pods common dolphins about 30
dolphins per pod
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| 29th
Aug a few common dolphins
in the distance, plenty of gannets and puffins, 6 porpoise |
| 30th
Aug 2 pods common dolphins,
1 pod swam around the boat for a bout 20 minutes |
| 31st
Aug plenty of
seal pups in the bay, feeding frenzie out by the Smalls light house |
| 4th
Sept 100+
common dolphins, few puffins
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| 28th
Sept 2 pods common dolphins about
20 dolphins per pod
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| Weather
a bit windy this year so not so many trips, there were still plenty of
sightings of cetacean offshore just a bit too rough to take passengers
out. Hopefully a calmer year in 2009. |
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