Wales Feed

Fins off Pembrokeshire coast

Martin Aaron — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 13:45:30 +0000

Marine experts say that groups of fin whales are now returning to Welsh waters on an annual basis.

The fin whale is the second largest living animal (growing up to 27 metres in length) after the blue whale and is an endangered species.

Research by the Sea Trust indicates that pods of fin whales are swimming to waters off Pembrokeshire every year, in increasingly larger numbers.

It's remarkable to think that these magnificent creatures are swimming around, just off the Welsh coast during the summer months. Read more on BBC News.

Here are a few photos of the spectacle, courtesy of Richard Crossen and the Sea Trust:

Keep up to date with whale and dolphin signtings here in Wales via Richard's blog - Whales in Wales.

And last week also saw a blue shark being washed up on a beach near Amroth.

The five-and-a-half feet long shark had no obvious signs of injury, so probably died from an unknown illness. It had been seen swimming uncharacteristically close to shore on the previous day indicating that is was unwell, as they are normally found in deeper water.

A dead blue shark near Amroth on 18 August, 2011. Image by Richard Crossen.

Moby Dick in Fishguard

Derek Brockway — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 11:57:58 +0000

The biggest ever whale sculpted from Welsh sand took form yesterday at Goodwick Parrog in Fishguard Harbour.

The first day of the half term holiday saw over 50 Sea Trust volunteers turn out to create the 25 metre long replica of Moby Dick in just under five hours. The whale building exercise was the brainchild of Sea Trust's Cliff Benson.

Cliff said: "I just wondered how big it would look and if we could get enough people together to build it. In the end loads of kids and parents turned up and we moved tons of sand."

"We had a whale of a time on the beach, next to our marine exhibition in the Ocean Lab."

"It's all about Fishguard and Goodwick's rich marine heritage and we are hoping to build an even bigger blue whale during the Christmas Holidays - maybe even a world record."

The great white whale was made famous in the Herman Melville novel and later the John Ford film made partly in Fishguard starring Gregory Peck as Captain Ahab, back in 1954.

Whale and dolphin watching

Martin Aaron — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 08:16:50 +0000

Cliff Benson from the Sea Trust has been in touch about a recent spate of whale and dolphin encounters off the Welsh coast:

"With two reports of minke whales seen in the Bristol Channel this month as well as hundreds of common dolphins off Pembrokeshire - it's safe to say, the whale & dolphin watching season is already off to a spectacular start".

"June seems to be a particularly good month for seeing minke whales in our waters".

"A recent survey by the Gower Marine Mammal Group just off the South Pembrokeshire Coast produced a feeding frenzy with at least two minke whales and one larger whale - probably a fin whale".

"Risso's dolphins as well as hundreds of common dolphins were also recorded. Another minke whale was seen yesterday by charter vessel 'Jessica Hettie', off Lundy Island".

A common dolphin off Ramsey Island taken by Richard Crossen on 6 June, 2010:

"People are often surprised to hear of whales in our waters but with this beautiful weather and calm seas - we're hoping for a bumper season of sightings".

"It seems that from our records, minke whales start arriving in our waters about now (June), following the mackerel shoals".

"They also seem to be breeding here as can be seen from Adrian Shepherds picture taken on one of our recent surveys":

"Last August we were surrounded by huge fin whales so you never really know what's going to be out there".

Find out more about whales and dolphin sightings off the Welsh coast by following the Whales in Wales blog.

We've had some lovely photos of dolphins submitted to our Flickr group so take a look if you have a spare minute.

As usual - you can submit pics to our Flickr group or e-mail them to us at wales.nature@bbc.co.uk.

Gull

Blue Whale killed in California

Martin Aaron — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:33:11 +0000

Not Wales nature related as sadly we don't see them off our coastline but interesting nevertheless.

Sad to see such a magnificent creature killed by a ship but it does give scientists a unique opportunity to study it. This individual is thought to weigh more than 50 tons!

http://www.wildlifeextra.com

Northern bottle nose whale

Martin Aaron — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 14:04:59 +0000

Yet another whale has been washed up dead on a Welsh beach this year.

On the plus side we've also had sightings of killer and fin whales off the Pembrokeshire coast as well various pods and super pods of both common and risso's dolphins.

At the start of September a dead minke whale washed up at the Knap in Barry.

This time however it's a northern bottle nose whale at Talacre in Flintshire, a beach better known for it's population of rare natterjack toads than whales.

Another northern bottle nose whale was washed up in Bournemouth a few weeks ago...

More on this story from BBC Local

Gull

Northern bottlenose whale images on www.arkive.org

A whale of a time

Martin Aaron — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 14:03:10 +0000

It's pretty rare to find them in the Bristol channel although we do get curious creatures washing up from time to time, such as swordfish and various species of turtle...

Here's Derek doing the live weather forecast from the scene on Tues evening. I bet the smell was pretty over powering!

Image by Capt' Gorgeous from our BBC Wales Nature Flickr group:

Watch the Minke Whale video clip on BBC News Online.

It's amazing to think that these creatures are out there, swimming just off our coastline.

In Sept 2004 a 60 ft Fin whale washed up at St Brides in West Usk and in Dec 2007 a 15ft Humpback whale washed up at Aberavon.

Keep your eyes peeled and if you spot any unusual marine creatures - get in touch by emailing me at wales.nature@bbc.co.uk

Thanks

Gull