Peltic Surveys 2019

MARINElife have once again been taking part in the Peltic survey, watching out for marine mammals and seabirds aboard the R/V Cefas Endeavour as part of the Cefas Peltic ecosystem survey.

The survey has been going on for nearly a month now, and so far our surveyors have dodged storms, and spotted dolphins, fin whales, minke whales, shearwaters, petrels, porpoises, tuna, and the rather unfortunate sight of a dead leatherback turtle.

Head over to our Facebook page to read daily accounts of what’s been sighted, plus we have some great photos to go along with the reports.

VSAS Newsletter

The VSAS (Volunteer Seabirds At Sea) newsletter is now out.

This is the first newsletter for volunteers taking part in the new CalMac programme, to keep them posted on programme developments and survey news. A programme for which MARINElife will be using our vast experience in ferry-based research to coordinate the seabird monitoring.

The newsletter covers the project's progress so far, and what's coming in the future.

Find out more, and read the first issue online here.

Lundy Training Places Available

Join us on Lundy Island for a 6 Day Marine Wildlife Experience in 2019, taking place from Saturday 29th June to Thursday 4th July.

The 6 Day course is a fantastic opportunity to gain and improve your seabird, sea mammal, and seashore wildlife identification skills both from our detailed presentations and through sustained field observation. Benefit from our trainers' insights into behaviour, and learn how to accurately record your observations.

There'll be a full programme of activities which, weather permitting, will include rock pooling, snorkel safari, seal survey, guided walks, and a sea watch

Full details can be found on our website.

MARINElife Talks

Back at the beginning of October, our Chairman Rick Morris, gave a talk to Barnstable U3A. The talk was well-received, and we received a lovely thank you note from one of the attendees; Vicky.

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Just a quick email to say thank you so much for your talk yesterday. It was amazing, and I am so glad I made it back from the US even if I was still spaced out from jetlag.

So many of our members told me how much they had enjoyed it, even one who is usually ambivalent about the speakers said how good she found it.

Our other U3A groups in the area often hear reports about our speakers and ask for details, so I hope you won't mind me passing on your contact details if I am asked.

Good luck with fundraising and making the powers-that-be listen to your recommendations in the future.

Once again, many, many thanks.

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MARINElife love to give talks to enthusiastic groups who would like to learn more about our work, and in marine life in general. If you'd like us to give a presentation to your local group, please contact us at info@marine-life.org.uk.

In The Marine News

Male humpback whales change their songs when human noise is present.

Has Benny the Beluga been living in the Thames since July?

Pod of dolphins spotted off Sussex coast.

Why do Herring Gull colonies vary in size?

How did ancient whales lose their teeth?

It's a bumper year for South Stack's seals.

97-year-old fin whale vertebrae uncovered in Devon sand dunes.

Dolphins are getting drowned out by our noisy oceans.

'Worst year' for Horsey seals injured by rubbish.

FXU MarineWatch Supports MARINElife

Falmouth’s student group SeaQuest have rebranded to ‘FXU MarineWatch’ and have adopted MARINElife as their charity to support.

They are a very active and dedicated group of upcoming marine conservationists, and recently MARINElife's Rick Morris delivered a weekend course for the group on marine life surveying; including a boat-based practical.

Participants were lucky to see gannets, greater black-backed gulls, common scoters, little grebes, and a common seal.

We look forward to working more with this enthusiastic group in the future.