A visit to Donna Nook Nature Reserve

Last weekend was our second trip to this beautiful corner of Lincolnshire.  We’d found another gem, a long, long way away from Coventry, about 160miles and a 3 hour drive one way. We drove through Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Derbyshire before arriving at Lincolnshire. And it was worth it.

We have been visiting Donna Nook Nature Reserve to catch a glimpse of its most famous inhabitants, the Grey Seals. The reserve was a seal watchers’ paradise and boasts one of the largest and most accessible breeding colonies in the UK. 33% of the population were here. An encounter was always guaranteed because this reserve was actually a seal maternity hospital:-)

For much of the year, the seals were at sea or hauled out on distant banks. But every November and December, the females gave birth to their pups near the sand dunes, a wildlife spectacle which attracts visitors from across the UK.

A double wooden fence was  erected to reduce disturbances to the seals and ensure the safety of visitors. We were so close to the seals that it was easy to forget that they were wild mammals. Mothers with pups are very protective and bulls can be very aggressive. A mother seal may abandon her pup if it smells of humans and dogs. It broke my heart when I see people getting so close to the cute, adorable pups and some even shove their cameras next to their faces.

During our first trip, about 175 pups were born. On our second trip, it had more than double. Last year, there were more than 1300 pups. So there was more to come. I’m soo looking forward to that.

The bulls come ashore and compete for position among the breeding cows. We saw a lot of them just lazing about in the sun, huffing, groaning, scratching and arguing. They can stay for 5-6 weeks without feeding to be around to impregnate females. They have no role, whatsoever, in bringing up the pups.

The seals were birthing pretty much at a constant rate, and we were lucky enough to see a new born pup making its first contacts with its mother. These pups were cute bundles of fur when they were they born, adorable and highly photogenic. And they do cry mama, which sounded surprisingly human, quite eerily.   Many die in their first year but that, unfortunately, is nature and the natural world…….

A few weeks ago more than 4000 people visited in just one weekend. It was incredible that there was no entrance fee and free parking for about 50 cars. We were very fortunate that we always managed to get a parking space and if this was full, a nearby farmer’s field will be open for only £1. This reserve was kept running smoothly by volunteer wardens from the Lincolnshire Wildlife’s Trust and the staff of RAF Donna Nook. Kudos to them for ensuring that the visitors had a wonderful time.

As this site is situated on England’s East Coast so it becomes a fly over point for many passage migrants. Each time we were here, we made a conscious effort to walk as far as we can into the other side of the beach from the seal observation point. Unfortunately, due to health issues we can’t get that far into the site, but still far enough to see all manner of species.

The reserve consists of dunes, slacks and inter-tidal mudflats. These in turn attract a wide variety of birds which came here to feed. Starlings were abound, swirling around the reserve in flocks of several hundreds. We saw our first flock of several hundred Brent Geese have been resident on the beach on each of our visits. The geese take off for a circuit of the beach quite often giving great views of them and  their flight.

Little Egret and Shelducks are all over the place, with hundreds of Redshanks showing on our most recent trip. We also saw a couple of Curlews , a Kestrel, Dunnock, wagtails, a Rock Pipit, Golden plovers and lots of Black Backed Gulls.  We were also very lucky to see a flock of Beswick Swans flying in.

The only problem with the site for birds is the distances involved for the photographer. This probably explains the number of idiots we saw hopping over the ropes with signs which say “please don’t walk on the beach”. Is it worth disturbing the animal life in order to get a shot? For us the answer is a resounding NO…..

Apart from the seals and the birds, the reserve was also dotted with plant life. The orange berries of the Sea Buckthorn provide colour to this otherwise bleak landscape. This dense, thorny shrub with blue, grey leaves provide food for the birds. We spotted these starlings enjoying a feast from the berries.  Marram and sand couch grasses held the the sand dunes together. There were also lots of fungi. I bet in summer, marsh orchids will be plentiful.

We planned to make a final visit before the pups leave. Pups put on weight quickly, suckling on their mother’s fat-rich milk. Cows stay close to their pups during this period and don’t feed at all. As she finished feeding her pup, a male impregnates her. She then leaves the pup which now lives off the feeding it had received. In a week, the white natal fur is moulted and the first adult coat appears. Then it too heads off to sea.

Bonn voyage my little pups and hoped to see you again next year.

And tell me, grey seal
How does it feel to be so wise?
To see through eyes that only see what's real
Tell me, grey seal

~Elton John ‘Grey Seal’~

 

Some excerpts taken from our other blog written by Babe http://wildlifewatcher99.blogspot.com/

Thanks darling.