Trips to Grassholm and around ramsey Island with Thousand islands Wildlife Expeditions

Trips to Grassholm and around Ramsey today by boat were brill and we saw a host of Pembrokeshire’s wildlife, Common Dolphin, Porpoise, Seal, Loads of Puffins, Razorbill, Guillemot (Never seen so many on either island), Gannets and now well hidden but hatched chicks, Kittiwake, Raven, Chough, Buzzard, kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, and, unlike Italy a ‘prancing’ sheep - etc etc.

A BAD day at the office

Last night I looked at the weather forecast( blue skies, blue seas, no wind ) and all the options that may be available. I was very interested in going to Caldey Island to photograph in particular the Lighthouse. In view of the fantastic weather and flat calm sea at 5am this morning I opted to try boats and coastal activities. That was my first wrong decision, I failed to see Common Dolphin and Porpoise in Ramsey Sound, I failed to see the Black Guillemot in Ramsey sound, I did not see Bottle nosed Dolphins off Mwnt (apparently trying to mug children for their sweets on a boat trip) nor did I see Bottle nosed Dolphins off Borth.

Now one of next doors ‘tigers’ has just eaten a newly fledged Dunnock on my lawn.

Roll on tomorrows wind and rain.

Grassholm and Ramsey Island with Thousand islands wildlife Expeditions

Lovely weather, calm seas and sunshine – At Last !! Lots of porpoise now in Ramsey Sound with calves, Dolphins offshore and the spectacle of our breeding Sea Bird colonies. All in all a brill day out. A note of caution – be careful near a Sea Bird colony, what goes in ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

St Davids to Grassholm with thousand islands Wildlife Expeditions today

A trip over to Grassholm this morning let us see many sea birds. Firstly we saw a few puffins in Ramsey Sound. Lots more to the South of Ramsey and towards Grassholm. On the way lots of Manx Shearwaters, Fulmar petrels, Kittiwake, Porpoise. On Grassholm lots of Gannet activity, also, Seals, Razorbill, Guillemot, Hose martin, Swallow, Storm petrel ,,,,,,,,

Boat trip around Grassholm Island

A trip to Grassholm Island in lovely weather this morning with Voyages of Discovery was rewarded with some Porpoise sightings and Sea Birds including Guillemot, razorbill, Kittiwake, Manx Shearwaters, Puffins with Sand eels and great views of Gannets collecting nesting material and some courting

Grassholm today with ThIslands Wildlife Expeditions

Unfortunately the first find of the day was a dead Porpoise washed up on the Lifeboat slip. This animal was a very young female (sadly) and has now been passed to Rod Penrose the marine mammal strandings Officer Wales, for examination

However, we left ST Davids at 9am in breezy and slightly overcast conditions. On the way to Grassholm there were good numbers of sea Birds including, Guillemot, Razorbill, Fulmar, Kittiwake, Manx Shearwater and flocks of ‘busy busy’ Puffins returning to Skomer like little rockets above the waves.

The sun came out and the skies brightened as we reached Grassholm, the only breeding colony in Wales and Home to nearly 40,000 breeding pairs. The colony is now in full swing as we approach the hatching and sightings of chicks in the next few days. Some birds returning with full crops of fish suggest there may be youngsters already.

Meanwhile others are still busily fighting for and collecting mainly sea weed for nesting material. Other non breeding ‘teenagers’ are courting and starting to form possibly life long pair bonds