Blakeney Point in Norfolk is home to England’s largest colony of grey seals. There are roughly 15,000 seals that call the salt marsh, a National Nature Reserve, home and, of course, part of the reason they do so well there is the fact that there are no humans around to disturb their peace. But that doesn’t mean we can’t admire them from a distance.
This time of year offers one of the most impressive sights to behold on Blakeney Point. From the end of October until early January the colony comes ashore as thousands of adorable pups are born. And this year, for the very first time, the public can witness it via a live webcam.
The solar-powered camera, which is hidden away in the beach’s grassy dunes, was trialled for the first time last year and is the only responsible way to see the colony besides an expert-led boat trip. The National Trust, which oversees the site, says that ‘some of the highlights included a live seal birth, cows suckling their pups and bulls vying for dominance and the chance to mate with the females’.
It’s estimated that around 9,000 pups are born during Blakeney Point’s pupping season each year. The female seals (AKA cows) suckle their newborns for around three weeks, during which they start to moult the fluffy white coat they were born with. After they’re weaned, the pups to fend for themselves – they grow their short waterproof coat and can enter the water to catch fish.
Shortly after each cow is done weaning her pup, mating season begins with bulls fighting with one another over groups of up to 10 cows. How charming.
Seals have been able to thrive at Blakeney Point for several reasons. For one, there are no predators in the vicinity – always preferable. On top of that, the area is undisturbed by people and dogs, the sloping beach is easy for the creatures to haul onto from the sea, and the dunes offer good protection during stormy weather.
You can tune into the National Trust’s seal-cam here. If you jump on at the right moment, you might even see a birth happening in real time.
Did you see that four rare animal species are being reintroduced to Scotland?
Plus: a British UNESCO heritage site will become a National Trust attraction in 2026.
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