Dec 4th Horsey Gap

Grey Seal Pup

It is that time of year again. It is time for our annual trip to Horsey Gap to see the seals. They are well underway with their pupping season now and according to the latest update, there have been 962 pups born on the beach so far. From the viewpoint overlooking them on the dunes, there were plenty of adorable baby seals to look at and photograph. They ranged in various ages and sizes. Many were now big, plump and fluffy, but there were a few that were just a few days old, looking rather small and helpless. Their mothers were close by to feed, comfort and protect them from the other seals and from being washed away by the sea. None of these pups are old enough to swim yet, though some of the older ones are nearing that stage. These older pups have been weaned off their mother's highly rich milk and have been left on the beach alone, while their mothers are out at sea to feed.

Grey Seal Pup with Herring Gull 

Mother Grey Seal protecting her pup from the waves

Feeding time!

Herring Gull eating a Seal's placenta

Grey Seals at Horsey Gap

As usual, this beach at this time of year is packed with seals and with many more amongst the waves in the sea. About 1370 adult seals have been counted so far, though this number has more than likely increased since Thursday when the most recent count happened. With so many seals, it was a bit of battlefield in a nursery at times as several large males threw their weight around. When they want to, these big bulls can really move at surprising speed as they charge rival males away from their harem of females, moving like a blubbery caterpillar. There were plenty of fierce fights breaking out on the beach and most of it came from the females fending off these big brutes away from their pups. However, these males are here to mate with them and there was a bit of that on display this morning as we witness one bull forcing himself onto one of the females. It looked brutal and seemed to go on for quite some time, though there wasn't a lot of movement involved. Not the prettiest sight to see, but thankfully, there were many cute, fluffy pups around to distract me from that image in my head for long.

Two Bulls fighting!

Female Seal Vs a Bull Seal

Mating!