pHOTOGRAPHING GREY SEALS AT DONNA NOOK - DECEMBER 6TH & / or 7TH 2008
Donna Nook - One of Greatest UK Wildlife Photography Spectacles
Donna Nook National Nature Reserve is probably the premier place in the UK to photograph Grey Seals. It lies on the east coast of England mid-way between Mablethorpe and Grimsby. It is some 20 miles away from both towns. Photographing seals from very close quarters is absolutely guaranteed.
Visit UK's Natural "Seal Maternity Hospital"
Each year hundreds of seal pups are born just metres from the car park. The pregnant mothers haul themselves onto the dry grassy sand dunes so that their pups are born on dry land. This will happen literally just a few metres away from the public viewing area next to the car park. It is a real privilege to get so close to the mothers and babies. The area is littered with placenta left behind from the night before. The births are over in seconds. One big push and that's it. You have to be extremely quick to capture this event on camera..
About Grey Seals
The male adult Grey Seals are some two to two and a half metres in length and are likely to weigh in excess of 300kg. The large bulls arrive here in early November in time for mating. The females, somewhat smaller, suckle their young for just three weeks before abandoning them and leaving them to fend for themselves. In this three week period the mother does not return to the sea. She survives solely from her own body fat while nursing a single cream coloured pup that will triple it's bodyweight in that time. Quite amazing. Once this three week period is over the mothers return to the sea and are ready to mate shortly afterwards.
Seal Behaviour
On the large beach area the females are herded into groups by the dominant males. Each of these males will constantly fight off any rival that encroaches into his space. These battles can be quite vicious and bloody at times. The mothers with babies must also be treated with caution. She is likely to hiss at you if you get too close, or she may roll over and wave you away with her flipper. This is a warning and it is time to back off slightly. You will undoubtedly also come across new-born seal pups on the beach, the result of the mother not making it to the grassy bank. These adorable creatures make superb photos. It is a sad fact of life that most of these will drown when the tide comes in. We cannot interfere, as once these have been touched by humans the result would be the same anyway.
Grey Seals Frolicking in the Sea
The pictures that most people want to take are of the seals playing in the sea. There are some amazing opportunities here. The seals are absolutely tireless and will perform all day long. They are initially quite nervous and need to be approached very slowly and without any sudden movements. However, once you have gained their trust, they are oblivious to your presence and seem to actually enjoy putting on a show. It is here at the water's edge that the lesser males will attempt to pair up with any females that have escaped the larger dominant males on the beach.
Photograph the Seals at Sunrise
There had to be a catch didn't there. The very best photographs are taken at sunrise and at sunset. We meet in the car park at the unearthly hour of 7am. This gives us the opportunity to walk out to the sea and be in a position to take photos of the seals in the sea as the sun rises. The colours and reflections are superb. The walk is almost a mile long. Part of this will be through up to 4-6 inches of water and part will be through 1 inch of mud. Wellington boots are an absolute must.
Food and Clothing
It can be bitterly cold here. It is quite a walk to the sea and you are unlikely to want to return to your car and come back out again. You must therefore take gloves, hats & plenty of warm clothes with you. You can always take layers off, but you cannot add clothes that you don't have with you.. Some food and drink is also advisable. Waterproofs are also recommended unless the weather is set fair. Many people use a two wheeled shopping bag or a converted golf buggy if they have a large amount of photo gear.
Photography Equipment
The majority of the keen photographers out here will be using 300mm to 400mm lenses most of the time. This is not absolutely necessary and you will see many people using shorter focal lengths. Something like a 75-300, 100-400 or 200-400 zoom would be ideal. You will also see professional photographers with 500mm lenses, but this is by no means a must. There will be times when a lens of this size is just too big. Sand and cameras do not mix well, so plastic bags will help if the wind blows. A tripod is absolutely essential.
Photographic Tuition
Tuition will be provided throughout the day. This will include a brief group session and individual one to one tuition thereafter. All techniques used to capture the images on this website will be revealed. For those of you wishing to partake on both days, it should be possible to view a slideshow, review your photos, and receive practical photography advice at a hotel on the Saturday evening. Final details are to be arranged on an actual cost basis.
Safety
Full account of tides and water levels will be assessed nearer the time. If thee are no storms forecast, then the tides at this time of year do not prevent us crossing to the sandbanks, even at high tide. This was easily achieved last year. Any required modification of start times will be advised nearer the time. All crossings to and from the sandbanks will be done together as a group, although people will be free to choose their own locations once there.
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Click here to see more Seal Photos
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Costs;
DECEMBER 6TH 2008 sold out
DECEMBER 7TH 2008 6.45AM - 3.30pm £50.00
Extra Dates;
Due to popular demand we have added two further dates on the weekend following. In 2007 the workshops also spanned over two weekends. We were there for the last weekend in November and the first weekend in December. The December dates were by far the most productive and there were far more new-born pups out on the beach to photograph. By the second week in December most of the births will have taken place, and there is likely to be less new-born pups on view. This will, however, be compensated by the fact that many of the mothers of the earlier pups will now be on the beach and in the sea mating and frolicking with the males. You may well also witness fights between the dominant males vying for the attention of their harem of females. Other less strong males will repeatedly attempt to lure away single females, also creating mayhem when spotted by the dominant "beachmasters" as the big males are aptly named.
DECEMBER 13TH 2008 6.45AM - 3.30pm £50.00
DECEMBER 14TH 2008 6.45AM - 3.30pm £50.00
