03 May 2010

Common Seal at Loughor Bridge

Sandra spotted this seal on a sand-bank when we crossed Loughor Bridge this afternoon, so we stopped to take a few photos. Although at the time it seemed to show Common Seal (Phoca vitulina) features, I suspect it will turn out just being a young Grey Seal (Halichoerus grypus). If anyone can help with the identification from these images I'd be grateful.
...Rob Colley has informed me that this is indeed a Common Seal, a very scarce visitor to Glamorgan shores, so was well worth turning around for and taking a few pics. Key features are the nostril pattern, head profile, banana posture and size. It was that it was resting on a sand bank that first drew our attention, another Common Seal trait.

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