Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre

2 hour survey, Start time 09:00
Weather conditions: rain, overcast/dull; sea state 3; wind SW

No sightings

2 hour survey, Start time 11:00
Weather conditions: overcast/dull, fair; sea state 3-4; wind SW

Dolphins were seen all throughout this survey, mostly staying, foraging and playing near the fish factory. Two were seen initially just north of the fish factory, and half an hour into the survey these were joined by four others; all of them seen mingling at the surface in the same spot. Two dolphins were then seen traveling away along the coast, and the four others stuck around for the rest of the survey, foraging, chasing prey, and mingling, leaping and tail slapping at points.

2 hour survey, Start time 13:00
Weather conditions: rain, fair, and sunny; sea state 3; wind S/SW/SE

Two dolphins were seen in the first 30 minutes of the survey, leaping and tail slapping to begin with and then taking long dives, thought to be foraging at depth. They were joined by two more for another 15 minutes, but then all disappeared and none were seen for the rest of the survey.

2 hour survey, Start time 15:00
Weather conditions: overcast/dull, rain, sunny; sea state 3; wind SW/S

No sightings

2 hour survey, Start time 11:00
Weather conditions: sunny, fair, overcast/dull; sea state 3-4; wind S
One Atlantic grey seal and two bottlenose dolphins

At 12:15 one Atlantic grey seal was briefly spotted in the water near the harbour wall. Fifteen minutes later two bottlenose dolphins were sighted just in front of the harbour wall and were foraging at depth. They then moved further offshore to dive and forage west of the buoy area until the end of the survey.

2 hour survey, Start time 13:00
Weather conditions: fair, overcast/dull, rain; sea state 2; wind W
Six bottlenose dolphins

Dolphins were observed throughout the entire two hour survey. At 13:00 one group with two individuals were foraging near the buoy zone while another group of two including a calf foraged further offshore. After fifteen minutes the groups joined and travelled westwards together. Another group of two dolphins entered the survey area at 13:30 and were seen foraging at depth in the offshore zone, while the original four dolphins were seen leaping and splashing between the pier and the fish factory. The group of two dolphins travelled westwards and left the survey zone at 14:30 while the group of four remained until the end of the survey travelling and foraging.

2 hour survey, Start time 15:00
Weather conditions: overcast/dull, fair; sea state 2; wind SE/SSW/SW
Six bottlenose dolphins

At the beginning of the survey four bottlenose dolphins were sighted between the pier and the buoy zone foraging while another single dolphin was seen foraging and diving close to the harbour wall. At 15:30 the single dolphin joined the group of four and the group travelled south, surfacing irregularly. Of the five dolphins, one appeared to be a juvenile and one was a calf, staying close to its mother throughout. The group of five left the survey area at 15:45 and there were no further sightings until 16:15 when one dolphin was briefly seen travelling west towards the fish factory. It left the survey zone shortly after and there were no further sightings.

2 hour survey, Start time 09:00
Weather conditions: overcast/dull; sea state 2; wind S/SE

No sightings

2 hour survey, Start time 11:00
Weather conditions: rain; sea state 3-4; wind S/SW

No sightings

2 hour survey, Start time 13:00
Weather conditions: rain; sea state 3-4; wind SW/SSW

No sightings

2 hour survey, Start time 15:00
Weather conditions: Rain, overcast/dull, fair, sunny; sea state 2; wind SE/SW

One Atlantic seal was seen at 16:00 near the fish factory.

2 hour survey, Start time 09:00
Weather conditions: fair, overcast/dull; sea state 1-2; wind S/SE

No sightings

2 hour survey, Start time 11:00
Weather conditions: fair, overcast/dull; sea state 1-2; wind SW

One Atlantic grey seal was seen at 12:15 north of the harbour wall.

2 hour survey, Start time 13:00
Weather conditions: overcast/dull, fair and rain; sea state 2-3; wind SW

No sightings

2 hour survey, Start time 15:00
Weather conditions: overcast/dull, fair; sea state 1-3; wind S/ SE/ SW/SSW

No sightings

1.5 hour survey, Start time 11:07
Weather conditions: sea state 1-2, visibility >10km, light swell
Three Atlantic grey seals

Fifteen minutes into the survey three Atlantic grey seals were spotted hauled out on the rocks near Bird’s Rock. The seals appeared to be adults. Upon returning to Bird’s Rock on the way back to the harbour at 12:17 the same three adult seals were sighted again on the rocks.

1.5 hour survey, Start time 14:06
Weather conditions: sea state 1-2, visibility >10km, light swell

No sightings

1.5 hour survey, Start time: 11.02
Weather conditions: sea state 1, visibility >10km, light swell

An Atlantic grey seal was seen in the water just north east of Cym Tydu.

1.5 hour survey, Start time: 12.45
Weather conditions: sea state 1-3, visibility >10km, light swell

Two female Atlantic grey seals were seen in the water, one north of Cym Tydu and the second just off the New Quay headland.

1.5 hour survey, Start time: 14.18
Weather conditions: sea state 2, visibility >10km, light swell

Two Atlantic grey seals were spotted in the water, one just around New Quay headland and the second just west of Cym Tydu near the rocks. On the way back into New Quay, just before the fish factory a harbour porpoise was spotted travelling west.

2hr survey, Start time 09:00
Weather conditions: fair, sunny; sea state 1; wind N, NW.

At the very start of the survey one dolphin was seen foraging off the cardinal buoy however it soon disappeared to continue its search for food elsewhere. Later on in the survey, around 10:15 two bottlenose dolphins entered the survey area making long dives thought to be looking for food at depth. By 10.45 the dolphins had left, travelling west back past the fish factory.

2hr survey, Start time 11:00
Weather conditions: fair, sunny; sea state 1-2; wind N.

No sightings.

2hr survey, Start time 13:00
Weather conditions: sunny; sea state 1; wind NE.

No sightings.

2hr survey, Start time 15:00
Weather conditions: sunny; sea state 1-2, wind NE, N.

No sightings.

1.5 hour survey, Start time 14:40
Weather conditions: sea state 2-4, visibility >10km, medium swell

A female Atlantic grey seal was seen in water just west of the bird colony at bird’s rock travelling North. When returning to New Quay seven bottlenose dolphins were spotted in a loose group foraging and travelling west. They were located about 300 meters north of the harbour wall.

1.5 hour survey, Start time 16:07
Weather conditions: sea state 2-3, visibility >10km, medium swell

Towards the end of the survey five bottlenose dolphins were seen near fish factory headland. They were staying and regularly surfacing, tail slapping and bow riding.

2hr survey, Start time 09:00
Weather conditions: fair, overcast/ dull; sea state 2; wind SW

No sightings

2hr survey, Start time 11:00
Weather conditions: fair, sunny; sea state 2, wind SW, W

No sightings

2hr survey, Start time 13:00
Weather conditions: fair, overcast/dull; sea state 1, wind SW

No sightings

2hr survey, Start time 15:00
Weather conditions: fair, overcast/dull; sea state 2-3; wind W, SW, NW

Fifteen minutes into the survey two dolphins were present off the fish factory and travelling west making long dives thought to be looking for food. Two other dolphins entered the survey area, one sticking with the group of two and the other coming close to the harbour wall and doing leaps and tailslaps. By 16:15 the dolphins had left the survey area.

2hr survey, Start time 09:00
Weather conditions: fair, overcast/dull; sea state 3; wind SW, WSW, W
Three bottlenose dolphins

After the first 30 minutes of the survey one bottlenose dolphin was seen circling and staying at the surface in the area between the pier and the fish factory. It remained there until 10:00 taking deep dives to forage for prey before continuing to mill around the surface. At 9:45 another two dolphins were sighted travelling westwards rapidly, leaping and splashing as they surfaced. After this period all three dolphins left the survey area and no further marine mammals were sighted.

2hr survey, Start time 11:00
Weather conditions: overcast/dull, fair; sea state 2; wind NW, W, SW
Three bottlenose dolphins

At 11:30 a group of three dolphins was spotted travelling eastwards from the offshore zone from behind the headland. They moved into the buoy zone close to the Cardinal buoy after a further 15 minutes. Here they displayed deep diving and foraging behaviour together as a group until 12:00 when they left the survey zone. From 12:00 to 13:00 there were no further sightings.

2hr survey, Start time 13:00
Weather conditions: sunny, fair; sea state 2-3; wind W, SW, WSW

No sightings

2hr survey, Start time 15:00
Weather conditions: sunny, fair; sea state 3; wind W, SW

No sightings