harbor seal (Phoca vitulina)

(pins!)

The Seal (Phoca vitulina) | Animal portraiture (1912) | Biodiversity Heritage Library | Flickr | Public domain

Common seal

April end of month post 2 of 4: Ten of my favourite mammal and butterfly pictures I took this month of; Otters on Mull, Roe Deer at Nethy Bridge, Common Seal on Loch Eil, Red Squirrel at Dell Woods, two more of Otters on Mull, Grey Seal at Croggan on Mull, Comma by the River Stour in Dorset, Orange Tip at Winnall Moors and Speckled Wood at Lakeside Country Park. 

My month summary is here: https://dansnaturepictures.tumblr.com/post/716019757084770304/april-end-of-month-post-1-of-4-ten-of-my

Harbour Seals in Sovereign Harbour!

Nothing common about *this* seal

This dude (gn) was a long way from his usual stomping/boinging grounds. Made our morning to say ‘hallo’ though: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CqsVUWrP7Lw/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

okay i think that's all the oceany valentines i'm going to do . happy (early) valentines day!

Male Polar Bear (Ursus Maritimus) Chasing A Bearded Seal

By Andreas Weith

recent doodles of the boys ( @danielhowell & @amazingphil )

Those other marine mammals

For the UK bycatch project, I also had to illustrate some other species than the cetaceans I am so familiar with. Animals with legs and fur and nails... foreign concepts for sure. Jokes aside, it's always a challenge to illustrate a species you don't really know. I always wonder whether a seal or otter scientist would also approve of these, or if mistakes would immediately jump out to them (like they do for me with cetacean illustrations).

I don't really like how the harbour seal turned out, it looks too much like a stuffed animal to me. And the grey seal was a challenge because frankly, those males in real life look like weird muppets. So when drawing you're constantly torn between "does it look weird because I'm messing up or because I'm doing well?" haha. In the end I'm happy with it though! And the otter I'm very fond of. Such keen eyed creatures, I hope to see one in the wild some day.

Doodles after learning the different meanings of different wax seals; according to this infographic using blue wax indicates romance or passion, the darker the blue, the stronger the feelings. Abram only has red wax (the default option) if any at all, but luckily he knows exactly who to ask when he finally learns there’s a separate proper way to seal certain sweet letters to his prince

Find the royal au masterpost here 💕

I asked John what he thought about Silvia the Seal

Make of this what you will boys 🫡🫡🫡

in the latest episode of the Smithsonian Sidedoor podcast, the host goes to great lengths to describe how elusive and hard to spot river otters are, meanwhile I've seen them in a city park?? during broad daylight??? in a major metro area???? many times????? She even interviews an otter researcher who is like 'I've been studying them for years and still only actually seen one in person at the national zoo :('

like girl, move to seattle maybe? idk what to tell you, I've seen them while walking my dog or birding or even just getting coffee.

I love this one seal I saw. so shaped

11th April 2023: Mull-Otters, eagles and more 

Photos taken this time last week in this set: 1. Otters on Loch Spelve, it really was such a mesmerising and euphoric moment when we saw these couple of Otters in the water, swimming to shore and dashing under one of the many in flower gorse bushes that adorned Scotland last week. I had dreamed of seeing a wild Otter for so long and we pinned a lot of hope on this Scotland trip including Mull so for us to see them was astonishing. Mammalian beauties who’s fur glistened in the fine spring sunlight. 2. View from near where we saw the Otters. 3. Grey Seal at Croggan on Loch Spelve, another fantastic mammal I was excited to see in perhaps my best ever week of mammal watching with so many seen. 4. View from Croggan a lovely spot. 5. A wholesome Wheatear at Croggan, for a second April running they’ve starred in a holiday for me. 6. The Pheasant I photographed moments before we had word of the Otters as me and my Mum walked away from the group to explore momentarily and I ran back to see the Otters. 7, 9 and 10. More beautiful views of the rugged and inspiring Mull, what a tranquil and enticing place. 8. Common Seals in the rain at Salen a great sight too. 

Also standing out was of course the whirlwind sightings of eagles with two glorious Golden Eagles including a juvenile and five gigantic White-tailed Eagles including astonishingly three at once at one point seen. Otters and eagles are what Mull is so famous for and I was in my element getting so lucky to see them. It was sensational to see a milky male Hen Harrier flying and get a breathtaking close view of a magical Merlin flying and hunting a Meadow Pipit flock around rocks. My first Razorbill seen this year, Gannet, Black Guillemot, loads of Great Northern Diver, more stunning summer plumage Slavonian Grebe views, singing Grey Wagtail on a wire which I’d never seen for this species before, a neat Redwing seen very well a believed Icelandic bird a good one to make the most of before they migrate, Turnstone and Oystercatcher bringing back memories of my childhood early birdwatching in one of the best weeks I’ve ever had for bird and wildlife watching, Red-breasted Merganser, Hooded Crow and lesser celandine were other highlights. One of the best days of my life.

thinking about the two common seals i symbolically adopted from Zeehondencentrum Pieterburen last year, Eva and Lytse Pier. that rainbow you see in the background was supposed to be the promise of a bright and fulfilling future for them both, but Eva's life was tragically cut short just last month. i hope she's still among that rainbow now—no pain, no worries, just seally happiness. and lots of yummy fish.

this is once more a PSA to please keep your dogs on leashes when outdoors to the best of your abilities (because i know dogs can escape), especially if there's a lot of wildlife in the area. please.