Dead Porpoise, Peacehaven

A dead stranding of a Harbor in Porpoise, Peacehaven, just the other side of Brighton in East Sussex.

Report and pictures from Elaine, British Divers Marine Life Rescue

Dead starfish on Shoreham Beach

There have been a large number of dead starfish washed up on Shoreham Beach. The general consensus is that it is due to inshore spawning.                                                                                                            

As with many animals that gather and reproduce/spawn on mass this often leaves Looking at my past records, the starfish mass strandings seem to be around this time of the year - and starfish do spawn in the spring (some may spawn in the summer). Not all starfish gather in very large groups, I guess it may depend on the biomass of starfish in that area. They need to be relatively close to each other as reproduction is external.

Dead shore crab with eggs (pictures by Jackie, Friends of Shoreham Beach)

Seal not seen since the snow

The seal/s we have been watching in the River Adur, Shoreham, have not been seen since the snowy weather

Additional seal sighting in the Adur

I received another sighting of the seal seen in the River Adur last Sunday. The observer, Angelika,  spotted the seal, around 4pm, in the same general location. It was swimming back and forth between the western and the eastern bank, occasionally beaching itself on the western bank.

She said it looked very relaxed with the presence of humans (many walkers and dog walkers) and was still there when she left a good half hour later.

Another seal in the River Adur

I have just received a report from a canoeist who saw a seal higher up the river near Lancing College. The seal on the left hand bank watched as they paddled a respectful distance past, then as the tide was turning we drifted back past. This seal was estimated to be between 4 and 5 feet in length so cannot be the juvenile seal reported earlier.

When the canoe was about 20 feet away the seal entered the water and emerged 30 feet or so way and watched the canoe drift off, he dived again and then reappered in the same spot. The observer, Darren, said it felt like the seal was just checking they were on their way before heading back to the 'perch' where we first spotted him.

Juvenile seal in River Adur, Shoreham, West Sussex

A juvenile common seal has been spending time in the river Adur. The seal was first seen on 7th February in the morning, It appeared that the seal had swum back out to sea. However, on the 14th February the seal was hauled out on the estuary mud and reported again in a different location on 15th February by the Shoreham Port Authority.

As the seal was a juvenile we reported the sighting to British Divers Marine Life Rescue, even though the seal appeared to be fit and healthy, so they can monitor the situation.

The seal disappeared again and reappeared on 18th February. It’s great that the River Adur is receiving periodic visits from seals.

However, it’s important that these seals are not approached as they will quickly move to a quieter location. While seals are inquisitive and appear cute and appealing they are best enjoyed from a distance.

Common Dolphin at Shoreham harbour

I have been following up several sightings of a dolphin/s reported at Shoreham Harbour on 30th December. One sighting mentions 2 dolphins which occurred outside of the harbour. Photographs show that the dolphin seen inside the harbour was a common dolphin.

© Mike Hobbs, Watchkeeper at Shoreham National Coastwatch.

All the other sightings are of a single dolphin inside the Harbour. So it might be possible that there were two dolphins and that only one of them entered the harbour. Sightings also suggest that the dolphin was around for longer than we originally thought on the 30th December and may have been around for a couple of days or more.

© Mike Hobbs, Watchkeeper at Shoreham National Coastwatch.

Comparing the picture of the Shoreham Dolphin with the Brighton dolphin back in 22nd September, (See earlier web entry) they are not the same dolphin; the dorsal fin is much more curved in the Brighton pictures. I am trying to track down any possible images of the dolphin that the Brighton Dolphin joined up with at Seaford back in 22nd Sept?

© Mike Hobbs, Watchkeeper at Shoreham National Coastwatch.


There is a small chance that this Shoreham dolphin is the one that the Brighton dolphin hooked up with, but this can only be confirmed if a photograph as taken of the Seaford dolphin that we could compare. These two dolphins have been spotted in east Sussex (Hastings area) since the original 22nd sighting - so they may still be around. It is unusual to see common dolphins, especially two dolphin together, so the chances are that they are the same animals but only photographs will prove this conclusively.

Reported sightings include those from the Shoreham National Coastwatch, based at the mouth of Shoreham Harbour who also provided the photographs for this entry, the Port Authority and Sea Watch Foundation