April 6th -Porpoise approx 25 Ramsey Sound (porpoise are resident in Ramsey Sound, usually 6 to 10 in number, numbers are increasing
April 11th -Common Dolphin approx 100 in St. Brides bay, Porpoise approx 30 St. Brides Bay
May 17th -1 pod common dolphin circ 20, 1 pod common dolphin circ 45, lots of juveniles in both pods, shearwaters, puffins, guillimots and gannets rafting, 1 storm petrel, plenty of Atlantic Grey Seals
May 17th -2 minke whale, 1 rissos dolphin
May 30th – 2 pods common dolphin, circ 45 in one pod and circ 150 in the other pod. Feeding frenzie of gannets and shearwaters and a whale, possibly a minke whale
May 31st -1 pod of approx. 20 common dolphin, 2 storm petrels
June 3rd -2 pods of common dolphin, juveniles in 1st pod
June 8th – porpoise approx 8, 2 young seen, 3 pods common dolphin with jouveniles (60+, 20+, 60+)
June 11th -2 pod of common dolphin approx 20, stayed with boat for a good half an hour
June 12th – plenty of atlantic grey seals, puffins, porpoise and of course the spectacular gannet colony on Grassholm. 3 pods of common dolphins (20+, 10+, 80+)
June 14th – a solid 1 1/2 hours of common dolphin, 200+
June 20th -4 pods of common dolphins, approx 20 in each pod
June 23rd – Common Dolphins 25+, 1 whale possibly Minke whale
June 27th – Lots of Gannets on and around Grassholm Island, many with chick’s (still fluffy white) also some adults feeding by the Smalls Lighthouse with other birds returning from the Northwest from more distant foraging trips. Also on the island good numbers of Guillimots with again this year a small colony of Kittiwakes. Feeding frenzy by the Smalls Lighthouse involving 1000’s of Manx Shearwaters, many Kittiwakes and separately some Gannets. Puffins seen, many with sand eels from Ramsey to the Smalls and to Grassholm. Also, seals and porpoise on Grassholm and porpoise with calf’s in Ramsey South.
July 1st – Gannets, colony on Grassholm very active, chics seen. Also on Grassholm Guillimots and Kittiwakes. Some Fulmars foraging around the island. Feeding frenzy near the Smalls lighthouse involving many thousands of Manx Shearwaters together with hundreds of Gannets. Puffins, flocks of birds seen in the South end of Ramsey Sound and on the journey out to Grassholm. Storm Petrels, approx 25 seen on the voyage. Seals, approx 35 seen on and around Grassholm.
July 3rd – 2 pods of common dolphin, circ 10 to 15 in each, large feeding frenzie, 2 storm petrels, pod of about 6 porpoise, puffins sighted the whole trip also south end of Ramsey Island
July 7th – Puffins off the south end of Ramsey island. Feeding frenzie of gannets and shearwaters.
July 8th – 1 small pod of common dolphin, 3 porpoise. About 18 seals, 2 storm petrels
July 10th – On Grassholm plenty of guillimot, kittiwake and gannet chicks seen, also present shag, raven and rock pipit. About 30 seals. 2 pods of common dolphin, about 10 in each pod. Puffins sighted of the south end of Ramsey Island
July 11th – Large feeding frenzie of gannets, shearwaters and about 20 storm petrels. 1 pod of about 6 porpoise, about 20 seals, 60 to 100 common dolphins, 1 minke whale, 1 orca
July 12th – Common dolphins 200+, about 5 pods, 1 tall black fin sighted in the distance
July 14th – Common dolphins in their thousands as far as you could see, lots of jouveniles, lovely display of skills from the very young calves swimming in the bow wake on the side of the boat, 3 maybe 4 pilot whale, circ 20 storm petrels amongst the shearwater and gannet feeding frenzie
July 15th -Pod of about 40 common dolphin, mainly jouveniles, splashing, leaping, bow and stern wave riding, another 2 pods of about 50 with a very young calf in one pod. 1 minke whale sighted. Plenty of nesting kittiwakes on grassholm with chicks, puffins carrying sand eels, lots of guillimot chicks seen out at sea. Circ 10m porpoise south of Ramsey.
July 16th – 6 to 7 pods of common dolphin ranging from 3 to 25 a pod, lots of jouveniles, one very young calf and a few heavily pregnant females. 1 pod of about 5 porpoise. Plenty of puffins and shearwaters throughout the trip. Circ 15 storm petrels
July 21st – Lots of puffins, rafts of shearwaters in 100’s, 1 pod common dolphin circ 10
July 22nd – Storm petrels throughout the trip, common dolphins 50+
July 22nd – Lots of gannets, puffins and shearwaters throughout the trip, 6 to 8 porpoise
July 26th – 5 large pods of common dolphin, adults, juveniles and calf’s. Circ. 40 seals around Grassholm. On Grassholm 2 ravens, guillimots, kittiwake with chic’s, herring and greater black backed gulls with chic’s. Storm petrel circ 10, feral pigeon 2, manx shearwaters 100’s
July 26th – Guillimots and Razorbills in rafts throughout the trip, 2 pods common dolphins
July 27th – Approx 100 common dolphin seen in 3 pods, leaping and bow riding. Porpoise approx 40 seen passing through Ramsey Sound. Feeding frenzie for at least two hours involving thousands of manx shearwaters, gannets, fulmars and gulls together with porpoise, common dolphin and minke whale. Approx 50 storm petrels and a GREAT SKUA chasing and feeding from gulls.
July 30th – 3 pods of common dolphin, 6 to 12 per pod. Manx shearwaters, gannets, gulls and storm petrels.
July 31st – Lots of bird activity, atlantic grey seals and 8 porpoise
August 1st – Common Dolphins 1st pod 20+, 2nd pod 60 to 100
August 1st – Common dolphin 40 to 60, Basking sharks feeding, 7 in total (see video clip), 6 adults 1 juvenile swimming around boat for about 1 hour
August 2nd -3 basking sharks feeding, 3 pods of common dolphin, 10 to 20 per pod
August 2nd – 2 basking sharksfeeding, 6 to 8 porpoise
August 4th -3 pilot whales surfing alongside boat
August 6th -2 pods of common dolphins, 25 to 40 per pod
August 7th -1 pod of common dolphin 40+ with juveniles
August 8th – 2 pods of common dolphin approx 50 seen, 30+ seals on grassholm with 2 pups. 2 little gulls near smalls, sooty shearwater south of grassholm, storm petrels 25+, lots of puffins south of Ramsey
August 9th – 1st pod common dolphin 6 to 8, basking shark swimming around boat, 2nd pod dolphin 60 to 80
August 10th – Rissos Dolphin,1 minke whale, lots of dolphins throughout the trip, 60 to 80 per pod
August 10th – 3 minke whale swimming around boat for 20 to 30 minutes, small pod of common dolphin exceptionally playfull, performing and bowriding with the boat for quite a while, 30 to 40 porpoise seen throughout the trip
August 11th – 100+ common dolphins seen during the trip, large feeding frenzie of gannets and shearwaters
August 11th – Lots of gannet activity on Grassholm Island, rafting guillimots and young, lots of shearwaters, 5 porpoise
August 11th – Manx shearwaters throughout the trip, about 15 to 20 common dolphins seen, bowring and jumping
August 12th – Pod of common dolphin 20+ bowriding and playing around the boat, 3 minke whale
August 12th – Lots of gannets flying around throughout the voyage, 1 sunfish, lots of porpoise throughout the trip
August 15th – 1 pod common dolphins 25 to 30, 1 pod common dolphins 10 to 15
August 16th – 200+ dolphins in one pod, smaller pods throughout the trip
August 16th100’s of common dolphins seen throughout the trip in large pods
August 17th – 100’s of common dolphins seen throughout the trip in large pods
August 17th -1 rissos dolphin, plenty of gannets and shearwaters
August 27th – 150 to 200 common dolphin, lots of porpoise throughout the trip
August 27th – pod of about 10 common dolphin, 2 great scua, lots of porpoise
August 27th -10 to 20 common dolphin, lots of porpoise, groups of black headed gulls, lesser black backed and heron gulls, plenty of young guillimots, kittiwakes
August 28th – 4 rissos dolphins with storm petrels, plenty of gannet activity on grassholm and many chicks swimming near Grassholm having left the island, lots of atlantic grey seals and pups, 2 sooty shearwaters
August 30th – Dolphins, two pods of about 20 animals, pod 1 some adults and juveniles, pod 2 included 1 mother and calf, many juveniles in both pods leaping and bow and stern wave riding. Lots of seals and pups, approx 10 porpoise,10 plus storm petrels, 6 sandwich terns, 25 plus common terns, 3 little gulls and many rafting guillimots
September 6th – Common dolphins on both morning and afternoon trip, four pods leaping and stern wave riding, pod 1 30+ adults and juveniles, pod 2 15+ adults, pod 30+ adults, juveniles and calfes, pod 4 10 adults. Many gannet chicks, 16 storm petrels, common tern 100+, storm petrel 8, arctic skua 3, black tern 3, grey Phalarope 1, atlantic grey seal 100+ including pups, porpoise approx 10
September 12th -Lots of pods of common dolphin seen throughout the trip 100+, lots of rafting guillimots mostly young, possibly 1 minke whale
September 13th – Common dolphin seen throughout the trip approx 40, atlantic grey seals, rafting guillimots, a few puffins and quite a few shearwaters