Latest Sightings
Please tell us what you’ve seen
Cardigan Bay Special Area of Conservation is one of the best places in the country to spot marine wildlife, with a large population of bottlenose dolphins as well as grey seals and harbour porpoises. Common dolphins, basking sharks and minke whales are occasionally seen and there have even been sightings of humpback and killer whales.
The shores and rockpools too are home to a wealth of fascinating, if somewhat smaller, plants and animals. Divers and snorkelers have a window onto life below the waves, but you don’t need to get wet to see some of the weird and wonderful undersea life. Drop a crabline into a harbour, or cast a fishing line out to sea and you never know what you might catch (only keep what you plan to eat and let everything else go unharmed of course!).
Use the discussion board below to let other people know what you’ve seen and see what other people have spotted too. Any unusual sightings will be passed onto the appropriate recording scheme, and so help scientists and managers understand more about the natural world. This includes tracking the spread of potentially invasive species, learning how plants and animals are responding to climate change, and discovering which areas might be of particular importance for certain species. Remember to enter your email address so that we can contact you to get more details about a sighting if necessary (your email won’t appear in your posting).
13 Comments
SAC Officer on December 7th, 2009
Two bottlenose dolphins reported at New Quay harbour this morning by Mr Lovatt. They were very active, leaping clear of the water and generally putting on a fantastic display for those braving the wet weather. Three dolphins were seen in the same area on the morning of 5th December.
Liz on December 21st, 2009
5/6 Bottlenose seen off New Quay head at 12.30pm today heading south. Very active (leaping etc.)
SAC Officer on April 19th, 2010
There have been regular bottlenose dolphin sightings at New Quay through the winter and early spring. April is traditionally the month that numbers really begin to build up in the SAC, and with the calm seas and warm, sunny days forecast to continue, this is a great time to head to the coast and see what you can see.
And don’t forget the smaller creatures too! As the weather warms the sea, animals that have spent the winter months in deeper water return to our shores. Prawns and fish are starting to come back to the rockpools, seaweeds are putting on a colourful flush of new growth, and a recent shrimping trip found young plaice, flounders and brill within a few feet of the beach. Remember to check the tide times when heading onto the shore and ALWAYS follow the seashore code.
Julian Pearce on May 28th, 2010
0755 Fri 28 May a seal swimming off St David’s Quay, Aberystwyth. (First sighting in 2010)
0830 a dead seal on the tideline on North Beach, Aberystwyth.
SAC Officer on June 4th, 2010
I saw a large (approx 1m long) sea lamprey swimming in the river channel in Aberaeron harbour at low tide on the evening of 31st May, presumably before making its way upriver to spawn. I also received a record of a pair of sea lampreys, apparently spawning in the shallows in the river Teifi at Cenarth.
On another subject; bottlenose dolphins are now being seen from New Quay most days, with plenty of sightings elsewhere along the coast. Four harbour porpoises seen around 1 mile off Tresaith today (4th June).
Roger on June 25th, 2010
Today,25th of June observed & filmed three sea lamprey spawning in the River Towy just downstream from Llandovery
SAC Officer on June 27th, 2011
Sooty Shearwater seen off New Quay head on 18th June, close inshore in rough conditions. Also seen and photographed two days later; see http://ceredigionbirds33.blogspot.com/2011/06/sooty-shearwater-new-quay.html for pictures
SAC Officer on August 27th, 2011
Bottlenose Dolphins have been showing really well in New Quay all summer, often one or more mothers with their young. Their doesn’t appear to be any pattern in when they are likely to appear, but they are being seen most days, often very close to the harbour wall. Contacts at Mwnt and Birds Rock also report that this is a good year for sightings.
Watching from the land often gives excellent views, but if you do head to sea, make sure that you know and follow the Ceredigion Marine Code to minimise the risk of disturbing these magnificent animals.
SAC Officer on August 27th, 2011
A nice showing of birds from the Pembrokeshire islands in Cardigan Bay at the moment: huge numbers of Manx Shearwaters feeding offshore and flying past New Quay head, in rough conditions. Quite a few gannets passing too.
Cardigan Island on September 27th, 2011
We have had many sightings of bottlenose dolphins from the shores of Cardigan Island Coastal Farm Park, Gwbert, Cardigan SA431PR , during 2011. August and September have been particularly good months, especially during the calmer days. The usual number seen is two, four, six or even eight. Sometimes they have come very close in just north-east of Cardigan Island, near the popular Grey Seal viewpoint. They are probably chasing migratory fish such as Teifi salmon and sewin [sea trout]into the estuary. If they are “into fish”, they often leap wildly, high out of the water in order to come down and stun the fish. It is an amazing spectacle , often seen from the safety of the Farm Park’s fenced cliffs.We also see seal pups from the cliffs during the Autumn. They breed in the caves and coves.
Wayne on June 1st, 2012
Spotted just off Pen Peles north of Mwnt a pair of Atlantic grey seals. I believe a male and a female, certainly one was considerably larger than the other. Showed great interest in me as I sat on the rocks. Dived for a few minutes at a time before resurfacing on many occasions within an hour period.
craig on August 20th, 2012
Spotted several bottlenose dolphins today, 20/08/12(as many as 20 in all) from the coast path between Aberystwyth and Borth, a couple of them jumping high out of the water, the rest of them just arching in the usual manner spread out over an area of a couple of hundred metres from the cliffs. I would estimate that we were about one and a half miles south of Borth. My family and i feel priveledged, it was a treat.
SAC Officer on November 27th, 2009
Reported by Richard Thomas of Keep Wales Tidy: A large piece of wood covered in Goose Barnacles has washed up on Llangrannog beach this morning (see picture above). These fascinating animals spend their lives attached by a long stalk to objects floating on the open ocean, such as logs or buoys. The shell plates at the top protect their feather-like legs which are used to filter plankton out of the water. Because of their oceanic existance they are seldom seen, but can wash ashore after a prolonged southwesterly blow.