Cardigan Bay, popular for dolphin sightings!

CARDIGAN BAY has been named as the best place in the UK to see bottlenose dolphins because they appear whatever the weather, a study has found.

The seventh annual National Whale and Dolphin Watch reported that Wales had the highest number of bottlenose dolphin sightings at 98, followed by north-east Scotland with 79 sightings.
Edita Magileviciute, the organisation’s sightings offi- cer, said: “The likelihood of seeing cetaceans decreased significantly with poor visibility, rain, fog and high seas.

“However, in New Quay bay, West Wales, we observed bottlenose dolphins almost every day despite rain, fog and gusty winds.

“South-west Cardigan Bay was the most common location to see bottlenose dolphins together with Moray Firth in Scotland.

“The results were comparable to previous years with harbour porpoises being the most widely distributed around the British coasts, ranging from Orkney to Channel Islands, with concentrations mainly on the east coast of Scotland, Wales and south-west of England.”

Sixty manned sites were open to the public but watches were carried out in more than 165 locations around the country.

A total of 339 sightings of whales, dolphins and porpoises were reported during the week, comprising eight species.

The bottlenose dolphin was the most frequently seen cetacean with 146 sightings, while harbour porpoises were reported 106 times during the week.

The third most common species was the minke whale with 41 sightings.

The rarest species sighted was a humpback whale in Catfirth, Shetland, the survey said.