With it being my birthday, and one ending in a zero as well, we decided on a trip out. The weather forecast didn't look too good to be honest but we chanced it. We have taken to going up to Norfolk to see the seals at Horsey Gap around this time of year. They are in the middle of pupping season and the beach is set up with roped walkways so you can observe them. That is the theory of course and it doesn't stop the seals from trespassing onto the paths through the dunes so you can get some quite close encounters! We left very early and got to the coast just after dawn - to be greeted by a glorious, still, sunny morning.
The site is on the coast near the Norfolk/ Suffolk border and is a series of sand dunes just inland of what I presume is reclaimed marshland. The low sun gave everything a golden glow with the mist hanging just over the fields. In the distance, as we had our coffee and almond croissant, you could hear the sound of the seals chuntering to each other. Once we were suitably refreshed we took the short walk up the dunes to survey the beach below us. It was covered in seals - pups, juveniles, mothers and slightly aggressive males.
The beaches weren't packed tight and family groups were well spread out. The whole colony goes on for miles along this bit of coast and every gap between the groynes had its own little drama going on.
Sometimes you get a lot of conflict and aggression between them but today they seemed to be quite chilled out in the early sunshine with the pups especially just lounging around.
You could see some of the larger males patrolling up and down just off the beach but at least for this morning they left the mums and their pups alone.
As we were the first into the car park we had the place to ourselves and that also meant we had the best views of the youngsters in the dunes. They only get fed for about three weeks after that they wait on the beach or in the dunes whilst they lose their fluffy white coat and become waterproof.
You can see this here as this youngster has almost completed his moult but still has a very cute patch of fluff to lose on one side. The main path was covered in patches of this lost fur, looking like a sugar-frosting on the sand. The seals themselves seem quite relaxed as I presume they are used to people. As we were the first along the main path below the dunes we were even lucky enough to come across this mother still suckling her youngster.
I presume that as more people arrive they shuffle off into the cover of the dunes. I should also say that these photos are all taken with a 400mm lens combined with a 1.4x converter on an R5 camera which allows for cropping and taking the photos from far enough away to not hassle the seals.
You also came across juveniles mooching about in the dunes themselves. This one was the very first one we came across, right next to the path. It had a nice position overlooking the beach and seemed to have pretty much completed the moult.
They do seem to have a smile on their faces, although I know that is just being anthropomorphic and they would not take very kindly to you getting too close to them! I presume that also applies to other seals as they never seemed to form creches and all had their own little patch of dunes or tussock to rest on.
Im not sure whether I'd like all that sand in my lovely new fur coat though,
and I half-wished I'd brought a tissue along to wipe this ones nose!!!
Although the seals are obviously the main attraction there are some birds. Gulls and a flock of sanderling were down on the beach and a gorgeous barn owl was quartering the marsh behind the dunes.
It seemed to be quite successful at hunting and dived on one vole (?) and promptly disappeared, presumably having a late breakfast. This rather smart robin joined us for a bit to watch the owl from a safe distance!
As we left for our fish and chip lunch in Southwold the car park was starting to fill up with more eager seal watchers. You could hear the seals still grumbling away to each other as we pulled out. Not a bad way to spend my birthday!
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