From time to time, groups of bottlenose dolphins appear on our shores following shoals of fish, much to the delight of both visitors and locals. They are mostly seen around the east coast and have sometimes escorted the island’s ferries from the Bec du Nez all the way into the harbour, much to the enjoyment of those on board. Over the last decade or so dolphin numbers appear to…

The Sunfish is named after their habit of ‘sunbathing’ on the surface of the sea. These ocean wanderers can grow to be several metres across but feed almost exclusively on jellyfish. They are native to tropical seas but are occasionally seen around the British Isles although usually much later in the summer. George Guille recalls seeing a basking shark: “The sea was really calm,” explains George, “so at first I noticed just…

Divers exploring the rocky reefs around Sark this month came across a very rare sea slug. The animal, just two inches long, was found at L’Etac, the islet off the south coast of Little Sark best known for its puffins. Sea slugs, known more correctly as nudibranchs, are often very colourful, unlike their land counterparts, making them popular with divers particularly underwater photographers. Most only have scientific names. This one,…

If you’d like to see Sark’s most charismatic seabirds, the puffins, you need to get your skates on as the breeding season will soon be over. The puffins, along with their relatives the guillemots and razorbills, only come ashore for as long as it takes to rear their single chicks. At the moment all are busy hunting for sand eels and other small fish to feed their growing youngsters. All…