PaulAshton
Well-known member
I’ve just returned from a Family holiday at New Quay in Ceredigion – Wales.
To a large extent my wildlife and bird watching has to fit around my youngsters and the missus.
I’ve taken to holidaying in New Quay in recent years because it does allow for quality bins time while not abandoning the wife and kids too often.
While the Bottlenose Dolphins are the star of the show like the title says it’s not just about them as there’s plenty more to see. I’m far from being an expert bird watcher or mammal watcher, but still get a big kick from my sightings.
Anyway to start with the dolphins.. I managed to spend an hour or so each morning sitting on the harbour wall watching Bottlenose Dolphins, or early evening while the kids went crabbing (on or around high tide). Each morning before a late breakfast and counting the evening high tides I’d say 50% of the time 1 to 4 BN Dolphins including mothers and young would come close to the harbour wall or into the harbour entrance within a stones throw of those watching. Quality encounters especially when it was dead calm and silent with the sound of their blow holes and the close encounters.
At any time during the day groups of up to six could be seen further off shore playing, jumping and feeding, with plenty of astounding acrobatics. A 8x pair of bins held steady gave a great view. Luckily for me I spent a few hours a day on the beach while the kids played in the sea, so viewings like this (most days at some point) called my ever present 8x Russian monocular to hand.
Some days were no shows, while others were full of the blighters.
Now onto the other wildlife within a stroll of New Quay..
From the cliff path I watched Choughs, Peregrines, Linnet, (a family of fledging Great Tits that flew around me without fear), Stonechat, Wheatear and Whitethroat. Not to forget the nesting masses of cliff dwelling Guillemots, Razorbills, Kittiwakes and some Fulmar.
Down at the base of the cliffs were a couple of Grey Seals that occasionally pop round to peep at New Quay itself. Plenty of boat trips are available.
When we did decide to use the car we went down to Strumble Head - Pembrokshire (1hour and a bit away) and had five sightings of Porpoise, a few Grey Seals and even a Otter swimming around the base of the cliffs under the concrete viewing shelter. Well worth the trip down.
On our way back we diverted to Mwnt beach/headland where thanks to a delay on the top of the cliffs chatting to another bin carrier where we chatted about spotting Choughs, but no dolphins, we then saw a Porpoise pass close to the cliff bottom and then within a minute four Bottlenose Dolphins passed as well.
Not forgetting the nature park/farm opposite Cardigan Island where access to the cliffs gives good views of the local Grey Seals that are easy to see up close as they've been exposed to people for a long time.
Also back at the holiday cottage within a 5 minute stroll of New Quay I twice watched 2 and then 5 Badgers playing in rough pasture fields at sunset.
Final note on New Quay harbour after sunset Bats came out to hunt over the harbour.
A lovely wildlife watching location and family holiday location rolled into one |8)|.
To a large extent my wildlife and bird watching has to fit around my youngsters and the missus.
I’ve taken to holidaying in New Quay in recent years because it does allow for quality bins time while not abandoning the wife and kids too often.
While the Bottlenose Dolphins are the star of the show like the title says it’s not just about them as there’s plenty more to see. I’m far from being an expert bird watcher or mammal watcher, but still get a big kick from my sightings.
Anyway to start with the dolphins.. I managed to spend an hour or so each morning sitting on the harbour wall watching Bottlenose Dolphins, or early evening while the kids went crabbing (on or around high tide). Each morning before a late breakfast and counting the evening high tides I’d say 50% of the time 1 to 4 BN Dolphins including mothers and young would come close to the harbour wall or into the harbour entrance within a stones throw of those watching. Quality encounters especially when it was dead calm and silent with the sound of their blow holes and the close encounters.
At any time during the day groups of up to six could be seen further off shore playing, jumping and feeding, with plenty of astounding acrobatics. A 8x pair of bins held steady gave a great view. Luckily for me I spent a few hours a day on the beach while the kids played in the sea, so viewings like this (most days at some point) called my ever present 8x Russian monocular to hand.
Some days were no shows, while others were full of the blighters.
Now onto the other wildlife within a stroll of New Quay..
From the cliff path I watched Choughs, Peregrines, Linnet, (a family of fledging Great Tits that flew around me without fear), Stonechat, Wheatear and Whitethroat. Not to forget the nesting masses of cliff dwelling Guillemots, Razorbills, Kittiwakes and some Fulmar.
Down at the base of the cliffs were a couple of Grey Seals that occasionally pop round to peep at New Quay itself. Plenty of boat trips are available.
When we did decide to use the car we went down to Strumble Head - Pembrokshire (1hour and a bit away) and had five sightings of Porpoise, a few Grey Seals and even a Otter swimming around the base of the cliffs under the concrete viewing shelter. Well worth the trip down.
On our way back we diverted to Mwnt beach/headland where thanks to a delay on the top of the cliffs chatting to another bin carrier where we chatted about spotting Choughs, but no dolphins, we then saw a Porpoise pass close to the cliff bottom and then within a minute four Bottlenose Dolphins passed as well.
Not forgetting the nature park/farm opposite Cardigan Island where access to the cliffs gives good views of the local Grey Seals that are easy to see up close as they've been exposed to people for a long time.
Also back at the holiday cottage within a 5 minute stroll of New Quay I twice watched 2 and then 5 Badgers playing in rough pasture fields at sunset.
Final note on New Quay harbour after sunset Bats came out to hunt over the harbour.
A lovely wildlife watching location and family holiday location rolled into one |8)|.
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