WiSe Course: Be wildlife safe in Wales – ONLINE

UK Wide

The Sea Watch Foundation is pleased to announce that we are collaborating with the WiSe scheme to deliver a course on sustainable wildlife watching in Wales. The waters around the UK are home to a fantastic variety of marine wildlife, whether visible from the shore or from a boat. However, these wild animals are vulnerable to disturbance if not encountered in a manner that respects their wild nature. Sea Watch Foundation and WiSE share the same goal, reducing disturbance to wildlife through training, accreditation and raising awareness. The WiSe Scheme is a simple modular training course aimed primarily at wildlife cruise operators, dive and service boats, yacht skippers and sea kayakers, plus people participating in coasteering, stand-up paddle boarding and wild swimming.  The WiSe Scheme seeks to minimise unintentional disturbance through delivering training/accreditation to operators of registered passenger and charter vessels who wish to view marine wildlife responsibly; delivering training/accreditation to professional practitioners involved in coastal/inter-tidal adventure activities; working with operators of service and support boats that may interact with marine wildlife; and liaising with key conservation agencies and organisations to offer advice and guidance. WiSe has developed Codes of Conduct to promote safe and sustainable watching our our basking sharks, whales, dolphins, seals and seabirds. All WiSe trained individuals have agreed to abide by the appropriate Codes for the wildlife they encounter. A WiSe Scheme boat-sticker, flag and logo are provided for promotional use, along with copies of all Codes of Conduct. This course is currently being delivered in an online format due to Covid-19 restrictions and lasts around 4 hours, split into 2 evening sessions. Course lectures will be given by Sea Watch Foundation Monitoring Officer Katrin Lohrengel and ornithologist Dan Rouse. Advance booking/payment is essential for all courses - Standard WiSe course cost is per attendee is £100 plus VAT (a discount may be available if 3 or more from the same organisation). Please book via the WiSe Website!  

£100

Orca Watch 2021 – ONLINE

UK Wide

Join us for Orca Watch - Online. Due to the ongoing uncertainty caused by Covid-19, Orca Watch 2021 will now be held online. During the week we'll be hosting a series of online events open to all, including the ever-popular evening of talks. Locally-based volunteers who conduct watches all year round for Sea Watch will be continuing to do this, within the current Covid 19 Restrictions. They will feed back their data to Sea Watch for us to present in regular evening virtual live sessions. More details of the online event programme will follow in due course. For further information contact the event organizers at: orcawatch2021@gmail.com 

Mini-Marine Biologist – Wales Nature Wales

Celebrate the Watery World of Wales with Sea Watch Foundation and become a Mini - Marine Biologist! Our interactive morning promises too: introduce you to the amazing species that live under the surface; teach you how to spot and identify them; and show you how to make the equipment you need to become a mini-marine biologist yourself. Then join us after lunch (2 - 3 pm), when we will be live-streaming a land watch and you can put your new skills to the test!   This is a Zoom event, via Eventbrite. You will need access to Zoom in order to access this event. You will receive an email approximately 30 minutes before the talk is due to start (9:30 am), this will have the link you need to access the talk.   A week before the event starts we will also send a downable activities pack so that you have all the materials you might need to attend. We look forward to joining you then.

National Whale and Dolphin Watch 2021

UK Wide

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS EVENT WILL BE SUBJECT TO WHATEVER COVID RESTRICTIONS ARE IN PLACE AT THE TIME. WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO CANCEL THE EVENT IF WE JUDGE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO HOLD THE EVENT SUCCESSFULLY WITHIN WHATEVER RESTRICTIONS MIGHT BE IN PLACE.  Join our ten-day event which aims at involving the general public in collecting records of whales, dolphins and porpoises and at providing a general “snapshot” of what is in UK coastal waters over a short period of time. As well as gaining valuable research data, we hope this will draw attention to the conservation of our marine environment. Land-watches will be organized all around the UK. People with experience of “official watches” who can quite readily identify species just need some sightings forms, a pen and a pair of binoculars. “First timers” or people who need a bit of help in identifying a whale, dolphin or porpoise can join our online regional training days which are offering this year. Regional Coordinators will also provide their helps so please get in touch with them if you need anything in preparation for your watches. Online Training will also be provided. For further information contact the event organizers at: nwdw2021@gmail.com  

Mini Marine Biologist

UK Wide

Want to become a mini marine biologist online?

Dive with us into the watery depths of Wales as we explore which marine animals live in Cardigan Bay.

Email outreach@seawatchfoundation.org.uk to sign up to our Monday 26th July online workshop from 11AM until Midday on Zoom.

Afterwards, you will receive a certificate of completion and an activity pack to continue the fun with your family or friends.

Ages 7-70+ welcome!

3.00£

Thursday Marine Pub Quiz Online

UK Wide

Join us at 8-9.30PM on Thursday evening for an online Pub Quiz, to put your marine knowledge and mixology skills to the test!

Hosted by Josh, "The Wildlife Man" (@MyWildlifePosts), this event aims to bring marine-loving folk together for a virtual evening of fun and competition, complete with recipes for marine cocktails and mocktails for everyone to try at home.

For a minimum donation of £2, your quiz team will receive a drinks recipe sheet in advance, then a quiz sheet complete with picture and anagram rounds 30 minutes before the start.

Bonus points will be awarded for the best team name and the best cocktail/mocktail display!

Every penny you donate will support our work to protect and improve our understanding of the UK’s dolphins, porpoises and whales.

Please email outreach@seawatchfoundation.org.uk today to register your team and receive your recipes.

2.00£

National Whale and Dolphin Watch 2022

UK Wide

A staggering 30 species of whale and dolphin have been recorded in our waters, more than a quarter of the entire British mammal fauna but despite this there is little awareness in the UK of the tremendous diversity of whales, dolphins and porpoises to be found around our shores. The aim of Sea Watch's National Whale and Dolphin Watch is to give a general “snapshot” of what can be seen in UK coastal waters over a short period of time. The beauty of this citizen science event is that anyone who is in the UK during this time can be involved! So, whether you are planning a trip to the coast, travelling on a ferry in UK waters, sailing for fun, or just near the coast – you will have the perfect opportunity to take part! We are looking for people to conduct organised watches or events all around the coast but incidental sightings are also always welcome! For more information, visit our National Whale and Dolphin Watch page: https://www.seawatchfoundation.org.uk/nwdw/

Land Watch at Flamborough Head

Flamborough Head Yorkshire

Join Robin Petch, our Sea Watch Ambassador, at Flamborough Head to watch for and learn about the cetaceans of the Yorkshire Coast. Turn up any time, stay as long as you want and be part of this exciting and important annual event which helps us learn more about the status and distribution of these amazing animals around our coast. Robin will be next to the Fog Station, below the lighthouse.

Pub Quiz

New Quay Sports Bar, New Quay

NWDW Training Webinar

Online

Join Lorna Bointon as she runs through a refresher on how to record your data this National Whale and Dolphin Watch. She'll be running through everything you need to know, the best places and times to conduct your watch and tips to spot those fins! Join for free here.

Land Watch at Foreland Point

Foreland Point Lynmouth

Join Jack for his landwatch at Foreland Point from 10:30am on Saturday 30th July. Meeting point at Barna Barrow car park (free parking) (grid reference SS 752496) at 10.30 am. From there it is a 10 minute walk to Foreland Point (walk includes some steep / uneven terrain). The survey will take place at Foreland Point (grid reference SS 753508) from 11am - 1pm.   For further details please contact Jack at jack.ward@nationaltrust.org.uk