Celebrating the seals of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve for International Day of the Seal

Rye Harbour Nature Reserve has grown in popularity with visitors since the Discovery Centre has been part of the reserve, but it's not only visitors on foot we're seeing more of - it's also the seals of Rye Harbour. So, for International Day of the Seal, March 22nd 2023, we'd like to celebrate these charming creatures and their local presence.

At one time, seals were not readily seen at Rye Harbour except by local fishermen. However, the Common Seals (also known as Harbour Seals) are now much more of a visible presence, as noted in a previous blog. Sometimes solitary but often in pairs, Harbour Seals can be seen swimming up the River Rother, coming from their English Channel fishing grounds (and playground) to travel up-river for a bit of a rest whilst the tide is in. The large exhibition space window in the Discovery Centre is the perfect place for a little seal-watching as these marvellous marine mammals (pinnipeds) swim past the window on their route up-river. 

When swimming up the river, the seals are heading for local river inlets where they stop off for a rest and, if it's a quiet time of day such as early morning, they have even been seen resting up on the village side of the harbour itself. This rest period is crucial for seals to re-energise and to digest their food, so if you do spot a seal out of the water, it's important to keep dogs and children away and to give it plenty of space. 

If you see the seals swimming down the river, towards the harbour mouth, then they're on their way out for fishing and fun. They are very active in the water and local kayakers, swimmers and fishing enthusiasts often enjoy close encounters with seals in the inshore waves beyond the harbour mouth and along Rye Bay, just off the beach reserve.

Despite also being known as the Common Seal, this species is actually less common in the UK and it's great to see them so regularly at Rye Harbour. These are easy to identify when they're resting: if you see one holding its body in a curved banana position, with head and tail in the air, then it's a contented Common Seal! 

We're also fortunate that the Common Seal is not the only species seen at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve, as Grey Seal can also be seen locally. These tend to be larger than the Common Seal and have a head which is visibly longer. If you're being greeted by a curious head watching you from the water - the most frequent seal-spotting view from the Discovery Centre - then it's worth knowing that Common Seal have a shorter head and V-shaped nostrils, compared to the longer head and parallel-looking nostrils of the Grey Seal. If you'd like to know more about spotting the difference between the seals seen at Rye Harbour, click here for a useful leaflet.

The local seals have a special mention in the book Shingle Shore, by Barry Yates and SC Morgan, with a reminder that the engagement we have with the local seals is a two way exchange: 'They are as curious as we are and will often turn to look as you walk by. Old stories tell of fishermen calling seals to them by whistling. Try it ... they often look up.'

All of the photos in this blog were taken at the Rye Harbour end of the River Rother, so please enjoy looking out for the local seals next time you are at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve.