Grey Seals at Donna Nook

[rlchew]

It seems like the Grey Seal pupping season has commenced ....

Seal pups start popping up at coast

I visited Donna Nook last November and, apart from the journey from hell both there and back, I had a very enjoyable day with plenty of opportunities for photographs some of which I have included on my website.

Highly recommended .... but try and avoid the hordes of visitors by going midweek. I will be trying to get a day off work between now and Christmas.

More information ....

Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust

Photographing Grey Seals at Donna Nook

Richard

[Alan]

Went a couple of weeks ago nothing there, but obviously they're turning up now!

If I've got time I'll nip down in the week and keep you updated. Coming from the north, the coast road (A1031) at Grainthorpe was closed off last time due to roadworks, so if anyone takes a trip there and goes by that route, you'll have to follow the diversion if the situation is still the same. Just head for North Somercoates and you can't go wrong. You should be ok coming from Louth though.

Alan

[eeyore]

i've thought about it but the "40 min walk out to the sandbank" does tend to put me off , (I know there is a fenced area closer but your man - on the linked website- says it is no good for photography) , I tend to prefer a blakeney and a nice boat trip out from morston

[Brian Phipps]

Hi Guys,
Weekends are best for sure, as midweek you can`t get out to the sea as the RAF restrict it. I go every year and never get bored of it.

Don`t worry about the big crowds most of them hang around the picket fence area, which is like was said usless for pictures.

Put on your warmest clothes and water proofs, and walk out to the sea, you`ll get some people out there but there is plenty of room

If your taking pictures you`ll want to get down eye level.Its very easy for pictures as there are hundreds of seals around and you don`t need big lenses, even wide angles get almost frame fillers.

Keep your camera gear covered can be windy and the sand blows like hell.

Cheers
Brian

[Suesseals]

Wow - great links, website and photos. It is interesting as what you seem to be saying is that the pupping season is only just starting at Donna Nook. We had our first pup on 23rd Sept and have had 12 so far. This is not many by your standards I know!!!! The pupping arrangements seem to be totally different in our areas - our females have their pups in caves or on isolated beaches. They may be the only mother on the beach!!! Makes them very special to us! I have seen loads of pregnant females this year and many that I recognise, so I know this is their first pregnancy!!! Very exciting. Also got our first 2 net entangled pregnant mums for the first time - seem to be coping fine, despite the net cutting into their necks tightly - especially now they are hugely pregnant! Check out our website (news section) for pup stories. We now have a digital photo catalogue of over 450 seals. I am desperate to ID one from your area - so if you take photos (good ID ones show the seals neck patterns) and you are willing for me to see them, please pm me and I'll send you my address.

Sue

[Rainbowmum]

Hi Guys, a question. I know very little about Seals, so can someone explain why they pup in late Autumn heading towards winter? Rather than late spring for example. Thanks xx
Louise

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by Rainbowmum

Hi Guys, a question. I know very little about Seals, so can someone explain why they pup in late Autumn heading towards winter? Rather than late spring for example. Thanks xx
Louise

Only the Grey Seals do - Common Seals pup in about july. I'm not an expert but i think it has something to do with the availability of food, Grey Seals eat a lot of sand eels so it may be something to do with the eel movement patern. Sueseals will know I guess

[nightshade]

I thought there were worries about sea birds because there was currently a shortage of
sand-eels

[Suesseals]

To be honest I don't really know why Grey Seals pup Oct to Dec. Food may be one reason and presumbly at some time in their past they pupped on snow, which is why pups have white coats. Their preferred and main food is sandeels though they can be opportunist and can diversify. I have great concerns about sandeels as a food supply - there have been issues about their late development having a huge impact on sea bird colonies, the impact on seals has yet to be seen.

[RobSutton]

I came across a theory once that late pupping (is that a proper term?) in Grey Seals came about because of early (Mesolithic?) human pressure on seal colonies. As the pups stayed on the breeding beaches for three weeks or so after they were born they were very vulnerable to human exploitation. By breeding later they suffered more bad weather losses but that bad weather made human access to the breeding sites more difficult and overall losses were lower. As a result there was a selection pressure in favour of later breeding. The Common Seal pups can swim immediately they are born so were less vulnerable to human pressure and so breed earlier. Now all I'll have to do is rack my brains for a source for you - I'm pretty sure it was one of the big island naturalists, Morton-Boyd or someone like that - I'll try and remember and let you know.

[Rainbowmum]

Originally Posted by RobSutton

I came across a theory once that late pupping (is that a proper term?) in Grey Seals came about because of early (Mesolithic?) human pressure on seal colonies. As the pups stayed on the breeding beaches for three weeks or so after they were born they were very vulnerable to human exploitation. By breeding later they suffered more bad weather losses but that bad weather made human access to the breeding sites more difficult and overall losses were lower. As a result there was a selection pressure in favour of later breeding. The Common Seal pups can swim immediately they are born so were less vulnerable to human pressure and so breed earlier. Now all I'll have to do is rack my brains for a source for you - I'm pretty sure it was one of the big island naturalists, Morton-Boyd or someone like that - I'll try and remember and let you know.

Wow, if that's the case it is truly amazing and what very intelligent creatures they are!

[speckled wood]

Originally Posted by RobSutton

I came across a theory once that late pupping (is that a proper term?) in Grey Seals came about because of early (Mesolithic?) human pressure on seal colonies. As the pups stayed on the breeding beaches for three weeks or so after they were born they were very vulnerable to human exploitation. By breeding later they suffered more bad weather losses but that bad weather made human access to the breeding sites more difficult and overall losses were lower. As a result there was a selection pressure in favour of later breeding. The Common Seal pups can swim immediately they are born so were less vulnerable to human pressure and so breed earlier. Now all I'll have to do is rack my brains for a source for you - I'm pretty sure it was one of the big island naturalists, Morton-Boyd or someone like that - I'll try and remember and let you know.

I have read something similar concerning Rabbits in that by nature they live above ground and feed in the daytime and that it was simply the fact that humans preyed on them that drove them to burrow and live underground and feed at night. It is interesting that in some European countries typical British "garden" birds such as Robins and Blackbirds are confined to woodland and seldom seen near human habitation apparently because of human predation.

[Alan]

Went to Donna Nook this afternoon - plenty of visitors there. A couple of weeks ago it was reported that in one weekend they had 7000 visitors! The wardens told me last Saturday alone they had 4000

The seal pup count hasn’t finished yet for this year, but last year they had 995.

The couple of pics below where taken from the picket fence area.

Quite an old pup..


A very young one (still white)..


Alan

[aeshna5]

Lovely pics- must try + get there one day!

[Susie]

Oh wow - what lovely photos!

[cherrybee]

Ahhhh what lovely photos.Wish I lived nearby I would love to see seals especially the babies.They really have the Ahhh factor with those beautiful eyes

[Falc]

I went at dawn on Sunday, walked out to the sandbanks and with only 3 people there we got some close close shots. I had 800m of beach to myself and several hundred cows/pups and fighting bulls. Here's one of the Cows and her pup.

http://www.pbase.com/falcn/image/71135927

[Alan]

Originally Posted by Falc

I went at dawn on Sunday, walked out to the sandbanks and with only 3 people there we got some close close shots. I had 800m of beach to myself and several hundred cows/pups and fighting bulls. Here's one of the Cows and her pup.

Atlantic Grey Seal and Pup photo - falcn photos at pbase.com

Nice shot Falc, and well done for taking the sandbank walk! Last time I was out on them (few years ago), there was a bit of a gale. Binoculars ended up with sand inside the lenses! The F3 didn't look to healthy either.

Welcome to WAB by the way.

Alan

[Suesseals]

On the matter of the intelligence of Grey Seals, I read a book called 'Atlanta My Seal' by HG Hurrell published in 1963. It is not very politically correct for this day and age, but Hurrell did all sorts of 'experiments' to test Atlanta's intelligence. It tells amazing tales of the seal learning to use a slide into its pool, play on a swing, push balls through hoops and responding correctly to single word instructions on cards - like roll and log. This Grey Seal was clearly very intelligent, not dissimilar to that of a dog. It is an incredible book - I got my copy from Amazon.

[Paul mabbott]

Even getting into the papers:
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