Wildlife

James Lowen

So far, 700 pups have been born at Horsey: a record, I understand. And there were youngsters, females and males everywhere. The heart of the colony makes for great viewing, but because you are high above and distant from the animals, not for great photography. Further south towards Winterton, however, there are better opportunities. Here are some of the results. Take a minute or so to watch the whole slideshow: this was a simply brilliant experience!

And so to the seals. One I last came to Horsey, on 31 October, a group of 30 or so Grey Seals gave great views as they lounged (and fornicated) on a small stretch of beach. Today could not have been more different. With the beach closed to human visitors, the seals had spread out along kilometres of sandy substrate. This terrain was all theirs.

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7 Dec 2014 Navy Seals

US Navy Seals have not had the best of press recently. I found myself thinking of this gun-toting military elite as I approached the Grey Seal colony at Horsey yesterday. Such straying thoughts were less to do with seeing their namesake, and more to do with my approach to the coastal dunes being heralded by gunfire. As I walked south along the path inland of the sands, with seals over the ridge to my left, from the fields to my right came the sounds of shooters. Whether waterfowlers or pheasant-poppers, I do not know. What I do know is that I found quite unsettling the juxtaposition of hundreds of people keen on enjoying their wildlife alive with a score of middle-aged men in tweed and Barbour intent on destroying whatever they saw move. If only the latter would forsake cannon for Canon.