I’ve been rather tardy in producing blogs. Winter has been long, wet and miserable. Photographic mojo has taken a hit. I did venture to Donna Nook on the Lincolnshire coast late November. For a few months of the year, one of the best places to get to view and photograph grey seals. Donna Nook is run by Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust and its volunteers and the warden, are there daily from October through to Christmas. Which is the time the grey seals come ashore to give birth and create the next years generation. The UK now has around 40% of the worlds population of grey seals and 95% of Europes, its quite a turnaround, from the species being all most fully removed from the UK by hunting and ‘control’ by the early 20th century.
The numbers onshore peak around mid November hence why i choose late November to go! It does get very busy with visitors during the breeding season and its not hard to understand, as its such a great spot for wildlife viewing. I’ve always been on a weekday and time my arrival for dawn. Two carparks are around during pupping season, the more standard LWT carpark, which is free and there is a farmers field for the very busy weekends priced at £5. This also has portaloos and food options. There is an excellent fenced off viewing area, from where you can safely experience the seals and get photographs. The fence is there to protect the seals. The seals do come right upto the fence to give birth, so you can be feet away from pups but no touching, as it’ll likely cause the pup to be abandoned by its mother.
Affection
The viewing area is around four hundred meters long and most of the seals are situated towards the top end, as this is closest to the sea. The sea is probably half a mile away at this point.
It’s a two and a half hour drive from home which means a very early start to my day. I arrive around 7.30ish, when the sun has just risen. A quick cup of tea from the flask and a bite to eat and I get wrapped up and wander off into the viewing area. For the best wildlife photo’s the general rule is to be at eye level of the subject, which with the fence, isn’t possible. There is however a sand bank, which brings the seals to eye level and it’s a case of wandering up and down the viewing area, until you see the image you want to capture.
Eye level
On this visit, I’m graced with beautiful light, which brings with it different challenges, as the pups, and lets face it, I’m here to mainly view and photograph the cute pups are white to creamy white. Though the sun is slightly blocked by the bankside for the first twenty mins or so.
I spent the next two or three hours wandering up and down the viewing area, waiting for seals to do something photogenic.
There were quite a few bulls battling in the mud by at distance, so it’s quite a crop and one or two bulls came upto the pup area looking for females. They make quite a noise with the belly bouncing.
Feeling amorous
Something that isn’t communicated through photography, is the sound. The noise the pups make raises the corners of the mouth, they are such enjoyable fluffy white lumps of fur.
Oh No!
Thanks for reading!