Call for information about winter behaviour of seals…………..

[Julie]

You might be aware that INCA with its team of dedicated volunteers has been monitoring the seal population (Harbour Seal and Grey Seal) in the Tees Estuary for the last 20 years or so.  All of our data is focused on the peak season which covers the pupping season for our breeding seal, the Harbour Seal, in June and the time that they moult in August and early September.  Sadly our resource doesn't allow us to monitor outside of this period, but we've suspected from anecdotal evidence that large numbers of seals remain throughout the year, including winter.   Dave Britton has confirmed this recently, when he reported an amazing 62 Harbour Seal at Greatham Creek on 9th February 2013.

If you're a regular visitor to the estuary , I'm interested to hear of any observations of good numbers of seals hauling out at Greatham Creek or Seal Sands, or observations of seals hauling out in new locations (note that small numbers of both species are already known to use Billingham Beck and the Tess Barrage). Any information will be welcome, particularly if you could be specific about the time, date and location of your observations.   

If you need any advice about differentiating the two species, or want to send any observations of the nature described earlier, you can contact me at robert.woods@inca.uk.com.    Thanks very much for your help.