Blakeney Seals

A violent north westerly wind blew through Sheringham on our recent holiday to Norfolk - enough to blow wheelie bins up the street anyway. This was bad news as it blew down our friends' tent. Not the time to punch the air with delight at the prospect of some good seawatching. Apparently. Good seawatching in theory anyway. As it was, I couldn't manage more than a few Great and Arctic Skuas despite an early start one morning. The breaking waves were impressive though.

After the storm had blown through we took an evening boat out to the Blakeney Point seal colony in calmer waters. This is not just a good way to see seals - there are usually Little Terns fishing in the channels, and other waders and gulls on the point. A Greenish Warbler had been at the Point earlier in the week but none of the boat trips were landing duuring our stay. So the choice was between (i) a 4 mile yomp through the shingle into the wind to look for a bird which might or might not be there or (ii) have an ice cream with the kids. Sorry to disappoint those who like their stories to end with a heroic battle against the odds, but the ice cream was excellent.

Common Seal at Blakeney Point

Common Seal in the waters off Blakeney Point

Common Seal pup

The throng on the beach was made up almost entirely of Common Seals

The turbines of the Sheringham Shoal windfarm can be seen in the background

Common Seal

Common Seal

Turnstone. And Common Seal.

A boiling North Sea.

Grey Seal.

Grey Seal - looking more like an Elephant Seal