Away from Oxfordshire

Like so many others we've been corralled close to home for months, however this week we're spreading our wings and have made it to Cardigan, West Wales for a week's holiday. I'm acutely conscious of the fact that our mammal target is not quite as advanced as I was hoping, but the reality is that spotting anything with small kids in tow is not the easiest and my idea that they would happily skip alongside me as I carry on working was way out. I had a great view of a bank vole last week, but by the time I'd managed to get their attention and they'd made it to where I was standing it was long gone. Similarly I've managed at least eight different bat species over the past few weeks, but never with the girls by my side, otherwise we would have smashed our 26 species target long ago!

Still, this week will hopefully provide different opportunities... So far on our first day we made it to the coast and a well-known seal-spotting spot. I was well prepared - binoculars (my 'proper' ones, rather than their smudgy, bleary children's models), more snacks than you can shake a stick at, oh, and an off-road buggy with a flat tyre, which obviously filled me with joy when it made itself known at the furthest point of the walk (my husband and I had great 'fun' carrying it back up the cliff with Seahorse inside)!

Nevertheless, this was one time when we wouldn't be disappointed as we watched three grey seals playing in the water below us. The binoculars weren't even required, which was probably just as well, and even Seahorse commented on how they were all playing together and were friends. We spent a good ten minutes watching them before the girls got bored and demanded yet more snacks as we carried on our way Further round the cliff we found two other individuals with more glimpsing views as they soon dived underwater and out of site.

We had also been hoping to see common dolphins, but that level of luck unfortunately wasn't with us - but we have a few more days in the area so there may yet be another chance. As for now, well in typical Welsh fashion it's raining rather heavily, so mammal spotting is on hold for a little longer...