It's probably fair to say the last few blog posts on here have been a bit short on 'light entertainment'! And following Storm Brian, hot on the heels of Ophelia, it looked like more tidings of woe were on the way. Yet more grey seal pups were lost and the numbers left on our beaches plummeted still further BUT....there is a good news story to end on!
There is a small beach to the south of the farmhouse called Hwrddod (an old Welsh word for ram). Following Ophelia all the pups on it were lost so when I checked on it the day after Storm Brian I was amazed to see a tiny new born pup feeding from it's mother! The pup was not brand new, the coat was dry and the umbilical chord had begun to shrivel up. I estimated it was 24 to 48 hours old meaning it had either been born the evening before Brian or, more likely, during it! it had endured 70mph winds and a 7m spring tide, the entire beach would have been 'washed out' and pup and cow would have be forced to swim in a boiling cauldron of a sea for hours before the tide dropped enough for them to haul out again.
An amazing display of motherhood by the cow to both keep the pup safe during the storm and remain with it. An equally dogged performance by the pup at such a young age!
To see more about the grey seals on Ramsey and a further update on the fate of our pups following the storms see ITV Coast and Country this Friday 27th October at 8pm on ITV Wales or catch up with the episode here when it becomes available online
Our visitor season is nearly at an end but a lull in the weather should see boats running to the island tomorrow and Friday. Call Thousand Island Expeditions on 01437 721721 to book a place on the boat and see some of these born survivors for yourself!