1 00:00:07,889 --> 00:00:10,220 MICHELLE DOUGLASS: Hello and welcome to the National Trust 2 00:00:10,229 --> 00:00:14,300 podcast. I'm Michelle Douglass podcast producer and wildlife 3 00:00:14,310 --> 00:00:18,000 enthusiast at the National Trust. Today, we're traveling to 4 00:00:18,010 --> 00:00:21,159 Blakeney Point on England's East Coast to discover how a 5 00:00:21,170 --> 00:00:25,540 seemingly inhospitable four mile shingle spit is famous for one 6 00:00:25,549 --> 00:00:29,459 of the UK's biggest and fluffiest natural phenomenons 7 00:00:29,469 --> 00:00:30,370 every winter. 8 00:00:31,110 --> 00:00:34,040 But in this special episode, we're following Blakeney 9 00:00:34,049 --> 00:00:37,669 National Nature Reserve through every season to uncover the 10 00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:41,569 sights, spectacles and secrets of life on this rugged and 11 00:00:41,580 --> 00:00:43,549 unique landscape. 12 00:00:43,549 --> 00:00:47,290 And just as a heads up, this is nature at its fullest, so at 13 00:00:47,299 --> 00:00:55,340 times things get a little bit gritty. 14 00:00:55,340 --> 00:01:00,029 Every year in deepest darkest winter, this flat unassuming 15 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:03,509 pebble shoreline becomes the stage for one of the UK's 16 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:05,370 greatest shows. 17 00:01:05,660 --> 00:01:09,069 Visitors peer from ferries to catch a glimpse of the scene. 18 00:01:09,080 --> 00:01:12,480 Phones held high and cameras clicking to capture the action 19 00:01:12,489 --> 00:01:13,930 unfolding on the beach. 20 00:01:14,610 --> 00:01:19,239 The coastline is packed with around 4000 plump, white coated, 21 00:01:19,239 --> 00:01:21,809 impossibly fluffy, seal pups. 22 00:01:24,220 --> 00:01:27,720 It's Grey Seal pupping season. And Blakeney Point in Norfolk is 23 00:01:27,730 --> 00:01:30,269 one of the world's most important sites for the 24 00:01:30,279 --> 00:01:32,230 Charismatic marine mammals. 25 00:01:34,919 --> 00:01:38,459 But what most people don't get to see is the story behind this 26 00:01:38,470 --> 00:01:40,809 spectacle each winter. 27 00:01:40,809 --> 00:01:44,309 Blakeney National Nature Reserve is not only part of a designated 28 00:01:44,319 --> 00:01:47,650 area of outstanding natural beauty, but a remarkable 29 00:01:47,660 --> 00:01:49,430 conservation success story. 30 00:01:49,940 --> 00:01:53,519 And the best way to discover what makes this place so unique 31 00:01:53,529 --> 00:01:57,230 is to journey through a year on this remote stretch of coast 32 00:01:57,239 --> 00:02:00,489 through the eyes of the people who look after work and even 33 00:02:00,500 --> 00:02:02,989 live out here through the changing seasons. 34 00:02:05,519 --> 00:02:09,500 This story really starts on a cold February day. 35 00:02:10,020 --> 00:02:13,949 I'm in a land rover with ranger Duncan Halpin and I'm feeling a 36 00:02:13,960 --> 00:02:17,669 little nervous about the essential but grisly job we're 37 00:02:17,679 --> 00:02:18,440 here to do. 38 00:02:20,199 --> 00:02:23,779 DUNCAN HALPIN: We're driving along Blakeney Point. There's 39 00:02:23,789 --> 00:02:27,750 about three miles of shingle stretching out in front of us, 40 00:02:27,899 --> 00:02:31,500 salt marsh gleaming an almost golden colour in the low 41 00:02:31,509 --> 00:02:35,440 sunlight and then the North Sea, which is looking almost 42 00:02:35,449 --> 00:02:36,380 temptingly blue. 43 00:02:37,580 --> 00:02:40,020 MICHELLE DOUGLASS: Duncan pulls up the land rover and attaches a 44 00:02:40,029 --> 00:02:44,009 trailer to the back. We're met by a hardy band of rangers and 45 00:02:44,020 --> 00:02:46,940 volunteers here to help with the task. 46 00:02:46,940 --> 00:02:50,130 The kit we'll need for the job is handed around the group. It's 47 00:02:50,139 --> 00:02:54,550 pretty basic. A pair of gloves and some thick black bin liners. 48 00:02:54,559 --> 00:02:56,039 Then we set off. 49 00:02:57,979 --> 00:03:01,009 We've come a little bit back past the dunes to the marshes. 50 00:03:01,550 --> 00:03:03,389 DUNCAN HALPIN: There is a great example of why we doing it just 51 00:03:03,389 --> 00:03:03,880 up here. 52 00:03:03,880 --> 00:03:06,789 MICHELLE DOUGLASS: The annual seal carcass clear up is vital 53 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:10,740 conservation work here at Blakeney. Sadly, not all the 54 00:03:10,750 --> 00:03:14,050 seal pups born during pupping season will make it beyond the 55 00:03:14,059 --> 00:03:16,350 first few crucial weeks of life. 56 00:03:16,350 --> 00:03:20,699 DUNCAN HALPIN: A very... ripe carcass in front of us, let's 57 00:03:20,710 --> 00:03:24,839 say, and you can actually see all the little rat prints coming 58 00:03:24,850 --> 00:03:28,119 down from the burrow and then around the carcass. So the rats 59 00:03:28,130 --> 00:03:30,880 in that borough have just been feeding on this carcass. So 60 00:03:30,889 --> 00:03:32,470 they'll just be able to multiply. 61 00:03:32,740 --> 00:03:34,669 MICHELLE DOUGLASS: If the carcasses were left here, they'd 62 00:03:34,679 --> 00:03:38,410 provide food for the rat population to grow. And too many 63 00:03:38,419 --> 00:03:41,990 rats could threaten the huge colony of Terns that in a few 64 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:45,490 months will also use Blakeney as their breeding grounds since 65 00:03:45,500 --> 00:03:48,149 rats will eat bird eggs and even chicks. 66 00:03:48,770 --> 00:03:52,750 So this grim task of removing the seal carcasses is actually 67 00:03:52,759 --> 00:03:55,470 clearing the way for new wildlife to thrive here. 68 00:03:57,110 --> 00:03:59,580 They've got a good chance of survival, but sadly, this one 69 00:03:59,710 --> 00:04:00,779 didn't quite make it. 70 00:04:00,929 --> 00:04:03,500 DUNCAN HALPIN: Yeah, absolutely. That's just part and parcel of 71 00:04:04,179 --> 00:04:05,059 nature if you like. 72 00:04:05,059 --> 00:04:07,839 During the pupping, the mortality here runs at something 73 00:04:07,850 --> 00:04:11,500 like 5% which is quite low really. 74 00:04:11,500 --> 00:04:13,750 Places I've worked in the past like the Farne Islands, some 75 00:04:13,759 --> 00:04:18,519 years the mortality for pups there can be up to 40%. The 76 00:04:18,519 --> 00:04:22,279 majority here will go on to live happy, healthy seal lives. 77 00:04:23,500 --> 00:04:25,720 MICHELLE DOUGLASS: Blakeney Point's abundance of space and 78 00:04:25,730 --> 00:04:29,079 food makes it a palatial and popular pupping site. 79 00:04:29,679 --> 00:04:32,730 Grey Seals spend most of their lives at sea, but during 80 00:04:32,739 --> 00:04:35,679 breeding season, they come ashore for a dramatic and 81 00:04:35,690 --> 00:04:39,920 intense life cycle played out in a few short weeks as Dr. Debbie 82 00:04:39,929 --> 00:04:43,160 Russell, Deputy Director of the Sea Mammal Research Unit at 83 00:04:43,170 --> 00:04:45,540 Saint Andrews University explains. 84 00:04:48,329 --> 00:04:51,230 DR DEBBIE RUSSELL: Grey Seals they pup in autumn and winter. 85 00:04:51,559 --> 00:04:54,809 The females give birth to a single white coated pup. We call 86 00:04:54,820 --> 00:04:55,929 it lanugo the coat. 87 00:04:56,170 --> 00:04:59,290 The females lose over a third of their body weight, giving the 88 00:04:59,299 --> 00:05:00,510 pup the milk. 89 00:05:00,519 --> 00:05:03,429 So after weaning the females come into estrous, which means 90 00:05:03,440 --> 00:05:05,489 they're ready to mate with a male. 91 00:05:05,489 --> 00:05:09,019 Male seals, which we call bulls have a group of females that 92 00:05:09,029 --> 00:05:10,429 they will try and mate with. 93 00:05:10,660 --> 00:05:13,790 There may be kind of one big male, one beach master that 94 00:05:13,799 --> 00:05:17,100 tries to basically control the access to any of these females. 95 00:05:17,380 --> 00:05:20,730 You can often identify the kind of older males by the scars that 96 00:05:20,739 --> 00:05:21,519 they have. 97 00:05:21,609 --> 00:05:23,820 The pups are left on the colony alone. 98 00:05:25,670 --> 00:05:28,119 MICHELLE DOUGLASS: First seal down and starting to push any 99 00:05:28,130 --> 00:05:32,260 squeamishness aside. I team up with a fellow newbie to scour 100 00:05:32,269 --> 00:05:34,230 the beach for more carcasses. 101 00:05:34,429 --> 00:05:37,119 SUE GREGORY: Hello, my name is Sue, I'm a volunteer. 102 00:05:37,459 --> 00:05:42,829 I'm really interested in seals so to be able to come out, 103 00:05:42,839 --> 00:05:47,010 actually be with like minded people who also love seals and 104 00:05:47,019 --> 00:05:50,709 be able to talk seals is really, really good. 105 00:05:51,220 --> 00:05:53,529 MICHELLE DOUGLASS: In fact, if you're a seal super fan, like 106 00:05:53,540 --> 00:05:57,989 Sue, the clear up even offers an intriguing lesson in anatomy. 107 00:05:58,880 --> 00:06:01,500 SUE GREGORY: Oh, here's my first dead seal. There's not much of 108 00:06:01,510 --> 00:06:05,007 it left and there's some nice bones! 109 00:06:05,007 --> 00:06:08,820 So that's a scapula. The shoulder bone, that's the 110 00:06:08,829 --> 00:06:13,230 humerus. So that's the long upper arm bone. 111 00:06:13,230 --> 00:06:14,519 Oh dear. It's smelly. 112 00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:16,579 There we are. 113 00:06:17,459 --> 00:06:19,480 MICHELLE DOUGLASS: The team spends the next few hours 114 00:06:19,489 --> 00:06:21,320 spreading out and sweeping the beach. 115 00:06:23,320 --> 00:06:27,320 The clear up is physically hard work, picking up carcasses and 116 00:06:27,329 --> 00:06:31,170 heaving the heavy bags over the sand dunes to the trailer and 117 00:06:31,179 --> 00:06:35,230 then doing it all again and again until finally, operation 118 00:06:35,239 --> 00:06:36,910 seal clear up's complete. 119 00:06:43,609 --> 00:06:46,660 CHRIS BIELBY: Pretty much the last of a grizzly haul, 120 00:06:46,670 --> 00:06:47,690 shattered now! 121 00:06:47,730 --> 00:06:49,709 I'm Chris Bielby, I'm the countryside manager for the 122 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:50,790 Norfolk Coast and Broads. 123 00:06:51,510 --> 00:06:52,690 MICHELLE DOUGLASS: And now what happens? 124 00:06:52,700 --> 00:06:56,029 CHRIS BIELBY: So they will be taken back to our yard at Priory 125 00:06:56,040 --> 00:06:59,160 Farm in Blakeney and we have a specialist contractor who's 126 00:06:59,170 --> 00:07:01,420 brought a skip and they will then go in the skip with a 127 00:07:01,429 --> 00:07:03,970 special lid put on top and then they will take them away and 128 00:07:03,989 --> 00:07:05,450 dispose of them suitably. 129 00:07:06,100 --> 00:07:08,670 You'd think that doing this job, the atmosphere would be really 130 00:07:08,679 --> 00:07:11,410 sombre, but actually everybody's been fairly upbeat. 131 00:07:11,410 --> 00:07:13,769 When the Tern colony arrives this will be so important. 132 00:07:13,959 --> 00:07:16,350 Really pleased to get that done. 133 00:07:16,350 --> 00:07:18,440 MICHELLE DOUGLASS: After the beach clean up, Blakeney Point 134 00:07:18,450 --> 00:07:21,100 stays relatively quiet for the rest of winter. 135 00:07:21,350 --> 00:07:25,040 Then as the freezing weather melts away in the sunshine, this 136 00:07:25,049 --> 00:07:28,730 coastal and salt marsh habitat bursts into life. 137 00:07:28,739 --> 00:07:32,570 Spring has arrived and rangers and volunteers begin to prepare 138 00:07:32,579 --> 00:07:35,269 for the next big natural spectacle of the year. 139 00:07:35,679 --> 00:07:39,489 But before things get busy, there's still time for the 140 00:07:39,500 --> 00:07:43,190 Blakeney team to enjoy the season at a more relaxed pace. 141 00:07:47,519 --> 00:07:50,899 If you're an inlander at this time of year, you might get out 142 00:07:50,910 --> 00:07:54,790 and about hiking or biking to see the natural world in full 143 00:07:54,799 --> 00:07:55,290 bloom. 144 00:07:55,929 --> 00:07:58,779 But if you live along the North Norfolk Coast, like National 145 00:07:58,790 --> 00:08:01,730 Trust volunteer, Sue Gregory, you might prefer to take a 146 00:08:01,739 --> 00:08:05,350 different mode of transport altogether for a nature safari 147 00:08:05,359 --> 00:08:07,480 with a unique perspective. 148 00:08:07,480 --> 00:08:10,480 SUE GREGORY: This morning I'm going to record some of the 149 00:08:10,489 --> 00:08:14,109 sounds and describe some of the sights as I go kayaking in the 150 00:08:14,119 --> 00:08:15,720 harbour at Blakeney. 151 00:08:17,760 --> 00:08:20,769 It's middle of May. It's just such a lovely morning. 152 00:08:21,980 --> 00:08:25,750 Coming north, I can see the old lifeboat house on Blakeney 153 00:08:25,760 --> 00:08:28,459 Point, that iconic blue building. 154 00:08:29,059 --> 00:08:33,929 We have the entrance to the Clyde Channel and then just 155 00:08:33,940 --> 00:08:38,489 looking around the east hills and the pines. 156 00:08:40,820 --> 00:08:44,559 I've now just kayaked across to the Blakeney Point and I'm just 157 00:08:44,570 --> 00:08:50,159 sitting very quietly over some marsh which is flooded and I'm 158 00:08:50,169 --> 00:08:52,210 now starting to see birds. 159 00:08:55,539 --> 00:08:59,130 I've just had a flock of Oyster Catchers fly over the top of me. 160 00:08:59,700 --> 00:09:02,369 There were a couple of gulls that were obviously stalking 161 00:09:02,380 --> 00:09:05,690 their nests and they've just seen them off. 162 00:09:07,640 --> 00:09:12,119 Other birds I've heard were a Curlew and this is an area where 163 00:09:12,330 --> 00:09:14,760 it's quite good to see Spoonbills. 164 00:09:17,630 --> 00:09:22,969 I just had a little Tern go right in beside me and pull out 165 00:09:23,669 --> 00:09:28,719 a little sand eel and it's still managing to squeak with it's 166 00:09:28,750 --> 00:09:30,049 food in it's beak. 167 00:09:32,039 --> 00:09:35,169 It's just so nice to sit and float, but I'll have to put in 168 00:09:35,179 --> 00:09:38,010 some effort and then I'll go home for breakfast. 169 00:09:40,380 --> 00:09:43,030 MICHELLE DOUGLASS: Over the next few months, the number of ground 170 00:09:43,039 --> 00:09:46,669 nesting migrant seabirds turns arriving at this globally 171 00:09:46,679 --> 00:09:49,239 important site to breed keeps growing. 172 00:09:50,679 --> 00:09:54,989 It's summer on Blakeney Point and by now from shoreline to 173 00:09:55,000 --> 00:10:00,520 June, this baby boom beach is a frenzy of noisy feisty families 174 00:10:00,530 --> 00:10:02,260 of the feathered variety. 175 00:10:02,500 --> 00:10:06,080 All this action on the beach requires 24 hour conservation 176 00:10:06,090 --> 00:10:09,609 care such as patrols to keep away predators, population 177 00:10:09,619 --> 00:10:11,340 counts and informing the public. 178 00:10:11,539 --> 00:10:15,150 So Ranger Duncan Halpin leaves all his home comforts to head 179 00:10:15,159 --> 00:10:16,039 off grid. 180 00:10:16,049 --> 00:10:19,510 Moving into an old blue corrugated metal life boat house 181 00:10:19,520 --> 00:10:22,760 where he and two assistant rangers spend eight months of 182 00:10:22,770 --> 00:10:26,349 the year hanging out with some very rowdy neighbours. 183 00:10:26,840 --> 00:10:30,289 DUNCAN HALPIN: My favorite part of the job is probably living on 184 00:10:30,299 --> 00:10:34,020 the point over summer being literally stuck amongst the 185 00:10:34,030 --> 00:10:34,849 wildlife. 186 00:10:34,859 --> 00:10:36,770 That's an incredibly rewarding experience. 187 00:10:37,289 --> 00:10:41,909 Summer on the point is an amazing time. There's again, 188 00:10:41,919 --> 00:10:47,950 huge concentrations of life and a riot of noise. We have up to 189 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:51,599 3000-4000 Sandwich Terns nesting. They have a really, 190 00:10:51,609 --> 00:10:54,989 really distinctive call which it really is the sound of summer on 191 00:10:54,989 --> 00:10:57,960 this bit of coastline. 192 00:10:57,960 --> 00:11:02,380 Little Terns are one of the UK's rarest seabirds. They're the 193 00:11:02,390 --> 00:11:05,710 smallest tern in the UK and they make this almost squeaky. I 194 00:11:05,719 --> 00:11:09,210 think it's a bit like a squeaky dog toy call as they fly over. 195 00:11:09,719 --> 00:11:13,580 We do get the occasional Arctic Tern. The Arctic Tern has the 196 00:11:13,590 --> 00:11:17,000 longest known migration of any animal. At the northern reaches 197 00:11:17,010 --> 00:11:20,239 of their limit, they will effectively fly pole to pole 198 00:11:20,250 --> 00:11:21,219 every single year. 199 00:11:21,590 --> 00:11:24,380 MICHELLE DOUGLASS: Other sights of summer at Blakeney include an 200 00:11:24,390 --> 00:11:28,219 abundance of colourful coastal butterflies and splash in the 201 00:11:28,229 --> 00:11:31,739 right puddle on an evening and you might see the sea sparkle 202 00:11:31,750 --> 00:11:35,010 with blue bioluminescence. 203 00:11:35,010 --> 00:11:38,710 As the long days of summer draw to an end the landscape changes 204 00:11:38,719 --> 00:11:41,969 again, the thousands of Terns take off from their breeding 205 00:11:41,979 --> 00:11:45,729 grounds to head to warmer climes forming part of the great late 206 00:11:45,739 --> 00:11:48,799 summer migration in UK skies. 207 00:11:48,799 --> 00:11:52,469 As colder weather creeps into the fresh water marshes eels 208 00:11:52,479 --> 00:11:56,909 begin their epic and mysterious 4000 mile migration back to the 209 00:11:56,919 --> 00:12:00,700 Sargasso Sea where they breed a single time before they die. 210 00:12:01,369 --> 00:12:05,070 And rangers have migrated from the remote lifeboat house to the 211 00:12:05,080 --> 00:12:08,909 familiar comforts of the Blakeney Ranger Hut. Autumn is 212 00:12:08,919 --> 00:12:13,229 here and the coastline flaunts a seasonal look all of its own. 213 00:12:15,729 --> 00:12:17,940 DUNCAN HALPIN: There are definitely seasons on the point, 214 00:12:17,950 --> 00:12:21,270 but they're different to- well, what I call the mainland. 215 00:12:21,900 --> 00:12:25,250 There's no trees, you know, turning into autumn colours, the 216 00:12:25,260 --> 00:12:29,659 greens on the salt marsh from plants like Samphire and Sea 217 00:12:29,669 --> 00:12:31,599 Purslane and Shrubby Sea Blite 218 00:12:31,609 --> 00:12:35,539 They all start to change in late summer into the traditional 219 00:12:35,549 --> 00:12:37,909 autumn colours that's the oranges, the bronzy colours. 220 00:12:37,919 --> 00:12:40,640 And the salt marsh just takes on a completely different hue, 221 00:12:40,640 --> 00:12:43,859 which when the light shining on, it just has this golden edge to 222 00:12:43,869 --> 00:12:48,280 it. There's a nervous anticipation in late October 223 00:12:48,289 --> 00:12:50,679 waiting for the first Seal pup. 224 00:12:55,380 --> 00:12:58,650 MICHELLE DOUGLASS: It's winter, mid December. The UK's in the 225 00:12:58,659 --> 00:13:02,859 grip of a deep freeze, but the icy expanse of coastline and low 226 00:13:02,869 --> 00:13:07,130 winter sun in Norfolk's big open skies look beautiful and I'm 227 00:13:07,140 --> 00:13:10,070 just arriving at the Blakeney ranger hut for an event I've 228 00:13:10,080 --> 00:13:15,039 been looking forward to witnessing for myself all year. 229 00:13:15,039 --> 00:13:17,546 Duncan. Hello. Lovely to see you again. 230 00:13:17,546 --> 00:13:20,030 DUNCAN HALPIN: Hello there. Last time you were here we were doing 231 00:13:20,039 --> 00:13:22,750 the seal clear up. But let's go see the spectacle. 232 00:13:31,479 --> 00:13:33,080 MICHELLE DOUGLASS: We've just got out the jeep. 233 00:13:33,080 --> 00:13:35,940 As we've been approaching today, at first, it was little velvety 234 00:13:35,950 --> 00:13:38,960 heads of seals popping up from the waves and then the further 235 00:13:38,969 --> 00:13:41,909 that we got towards the colonies, it was these huge 236 00:13:41,919 --> 00:13:46,940 balls and then we started seeing the babies, little white furs 237 00:13:46,950 --> 00:13:52,190 with their huge eyes and now we've reached a dense part of 238 00:13:52,200 --> 00:13:56,289 the colony and we're going to look at how Duncan conserves and 239 00:13:56,299 --> 00:13:59,710 tags these seals to help them and to help the spectacle keep 240 00:13:59,719 --> 00:14:00,750 happening every year. 241 00:14:03,679 --> 00:14:05,020 What's going on now duncan? 242 00:14:05,179 --> 00:14:07,940 DUNCAN HALPIN: What we're gonna do is we're gonna try and spray 243 00:14:07,950 --> 00:14:09,919 some pups with some marker spray. 244 00:14:10,479 --> 00:14:12,969 It'll come out when they moult, but it'll allow us to track that 245 00:14:12,979 --> 00:14:17,039 pup up to when it does start to moult. We're trying to get good 246 00:14:17,049 --> 00:14:18,919 data for the Sea Mammal Research Unit. 247 00:14:19,250 --> 00:14:21,599 MICHELLE DOUGLASS: The rangers on the ground work like spraying 248 00:14:21,609 --> 00:14:25,780 the pups with paint to identify them all feeds into a big study 249 00:14:25,789 --> 00:14:29,469 monitoring the health of the UK seal population. As Doctor 250 00:14:29,479 --> 00:14:32,849 Debbie Russell from the Sea Mammal Research Unit explains. 251 00:14:33,770 --> 00:14:36,010 DR DEBBIE RUSSELL: Blakeney actually used to be a very small 252 00:14:36,020 --> 00:14:36,770 colony. 253 00:14:36,770 --> 00:14:40,640 20 years ago there was less than 100 Grey seal pups born at 254 00:14:40,650 --> 00:14:41,150 Blakeney. 255 00:14:41,260 --> 00:14:44,200 And now it's likely there's about 5000 pups born at 256 00:14:44,210 --> 00:14:44,700 Blakeney. 257 00:14:45,809 --> 00:14:49,039 It used to be that the number of seals that were born was 258 00:14:49,049 --> 00:14:52,030 estimated through ground counts. But the size of the colony 259 00:14:52,039 --> 00:14:55,929 essentially prohibits that. So our work now is to do so by 260 00:14:55,940 --> 00:14:57,645 aerial survey. 261 00:14:57,645 --> 00:15:00,190 There's an airplane with the hole in the floor where there's 262 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:03,580 two cameras and as they go over the colony, they're taking 263 00:15:03,590 --> 00:15:07,299 multiple pictures and we stitch them together and count the pups 264 00:15:07,309 --> 00:15:07,909 that are on them. 265 00:15:08,869 --> 00:15:13,049 Grey Seals have historically been hunted at very high levels. 266 00:15:13,059 --> 00:15:16,109 There has also been times where Grey Seals have been culled as a 267 00:15:16,119 --> 00:15:19,000 result of potential interactions with fisheries. 268 00:15:19,109 --> 00:15:22,849 So there was a much reduced population which is now kind of 269 00:15:22,859 --> 00:15:23,690 recovering 270 00:15:23,700 --> 00:15:27,650 And potentially expanding beyond what it would have been. So, the 271 00:15:27,659 --> 00:15:32,270 UK probably has about 36% of the world's Grey seal population. 272 00:15:32,280 --> 00:15:36,440 And in Europe, the UK has the vast majority of Grey Seals. So 273 00:15:36,450 --> 00:15:40,239 it really is an incredibly important area for Grey Seals. 274 00:15:49,690 --> 00:15:53,380 MICHELLE DOUGLASS: Going up and tagging pups on the bottom. 275 00:15:54,280 --> 00:15:57,239 Isn't the easiest conservation task. 276 00:15:58,130 --> 00:15:59,919 DUNCAN HALPIN: It's a difficult job to get close to the pups. 277 00:15:59,929 --> 00:16:03,219 The mums are very defensive and then you add in the bulls that 278 00:16:03,229 --> 00:16:04,349 are on the beach. 279 00:16:04,359 --> 00:16:07,229 It's all about having a look, seeing what the situation is and 280 00:16:07,239 --> 00:16:10,409 then getting it done as quickly as possible to avoid disturbance 281 00:16:10,419 --> 00:16:12,419 and avoid the possibility of getting bitten as well. 282 00:16:13,500 --> 00:16:15,820 MICHELLE DOUGLASS: So, what kit do we have to do this 283 00:16:15,830 --> 00:16:16,900 conservation work? 284 00:16:18,619 --> 00:16:20,869 DUNCAN HALPIN: We've got a bag of marker spray here and a 285 00:16:20,880 --> 00:16:22,270 healthy can do attitude. 286 00:16:26,510 --> 00:16:31,299 I'm gonna mark this pup with a blue and yellow mark. Hopefully, 287 00:16:31,309 --> 00:16:37,309 if it doesn't run away! 288 00:16:41,090 --> 00:16:43,880 MICHELLE DOUGLASS: Almost ballet like, Duncan quickly nips in and 289 00:16:43,890 --> 00:16:47,359 out to spray the babies. But the super protective mums move 290 00:16:47,369 --> 00:16:53,270 surprisingly quickly. They 24 stone or 155kg bulks lunging 291 00:16:53,280 --> 00:16:57,340 towards the imposter teeth bared. 292 00:16:57,340 --> 00:17:00,239 After Duncan's done this delicate dance, about a dozen 293 00:17:00,250 --> 00:17:03,460 more times enough pups have been tagged for the day. 294 00:17:03,880 --> 00:17:06,400 DUNCAN HALPIN: It's not a disturbance free procedure, but 295 00:17:06,410 --> 00:17:09,989 the study zone is a very small part of the colony. So the 296 00:17:10,000 --> 00:17:13,500 benefits sort of outweigh the negatives. We managed to spray a 297 00:17:13,510 --> 00:17:16,750 few seals and we can go away and leave them in peace now. 298 00:17:19,369 --> 00:17:23,410 MICHELLE DOUGLASS: I've just left Duncan and I'm off to meet 299 00:17:23,420 --> 00:17:26,250 two of volunteers who've been looking after Blakeney for the 300 00:17:26,260 --> 00:17:30,660 whole year. Looking beyond the seals. I can see two figures and 301 00:17:30,670 --> 00:17:34,550 that must be Hanne and Sue. Hi! 302 00:17:34,630 --> 00:17:35,689 SUE GREGORY: Hello! 303 00:17:37,000 --> 00:17:38,989 MICHELLE DOUGLASS: How does it feel being back here? 304 00:17:39,589 --> 00:17:43,170 SUE GREGORY: Oh, it's absolutely fantastic. The seal colony, in 305 00:17:43,180 --> 00:17:46,530 my opinion has expanded this year. I'm not quite sure whether 306 00:17:46,540 --> 00:17:49,329 we're at the peak at the moment, but I suspect we may be. 307 00:17:49,520 --> 00:17:53,400 HANNE SIEBERS: Hello. I'm Hanne Siebers. I've been volunteering 308 00:17:53,410 --> 00:17:59,459 with the National Trust for five years. I go out here as often as 309 00:17:59,469 --> 00:18:00,250 I can. 310 00:18:00,430 --> 00:18:07,959 I find it uplifting, healing and I have absolutely no need for 311 00:18:07,969 --> 00:18:12,689 going away on holiday. Best of all, I am National Trust 312 00:18:12,699 --> 00:18:14,719 Property photographer. 313 00:18:14,849 --> 00:18:17,079 MICHELLE DOUGLASS: So, can you give us some of your top tips? 314 00:18:17,310 --> 00:18:21,869 HANNE SIEBERS: If you want to photograph seals, you have the 315 00:18:21,880 --> 00:18:26,839 rules like for any wildlife. Nature comes first. 316 00:18:27,160 --> 00:18:30,910 It is of course different because I am privileged. I am 317 00:18:30,920 --> 00:18:35,860 right in the middle of the rookery with a long lens, I can 318 00:18:35,860 --> 00:18:44,880 zoom in. I try to capture a seal not looking directly into my 319 00:18:44,890 --> 00:18:45,469 lens. 320 00:18:46,910 --> 00:18:52,160 We have two pups here, they have just been sprayed one yellow, 321 00:18:52,170 --> 00:18:58,160 one gold with a bull guarding his territory and the cow next 322 00:18:58,170 --> 00:19:03,780 to the pups. I have a nice backdrop with the roaring sea. 323 00:19:04,589 --> 00:19:12,760 I get down on my knees to be on the same level as the seals. I 324 00:19:12,770 --> 00:19:20,760 use my long lens and a wide aperture. I get that shot now. 325 00:19:20,760 --> 00:19:23,689 And this is really Blakely Point for me. 326 00:19:24,739 --> 00:19:28,040 MICHELLE DOUGLASS: A beautiful but a freezing day on Blakeney 327 00:19:28,050 --> 00:19:30,479 Point might be time to head back for a cup of tea now. 328 00:19:34,859 --> 00:19:39,000 When we started with the clear at the start of the year, it was 329 00:19:39,010 --> 00:19:42,170 a little bit sad, a little bit gritty but coming back and 330 00:19:42,180 --> 00:19:47,349 seeing just as far as the eye can see fat, healthy, gorgeous 331 00:19:47,359 --> 00:19:51,030 seals doing their thing, expanding their colony. It just 332 00:19:51,040 --> 00:19:54,050 goes to show what conservation can do somewhere like Blakeney. 333 00:19:54,560 --> 00:19:57,390 DUNCAN HALPIN: It's a real success story here, seeing so 334 00:19:57,400 --> 00:20:00,319 many seals and the numbers going up year on year. It's a great 335 00:20:00,329 --> 00:20:04,020 reward for the work we do. Having such a massive 336 00:20:04,030 --> 00:20:07,339 concentration of life in what is quite a small space is just 337 00:20:07,349 --> 00:20:07,839 astounding. 338 00:20:17,839 --> 00:20:19,770 MICHELLE DOUGLASS: Thanks for listening to this episode of the 339 00:20:19,780 --> 00:20:23,229 National Trust podcast. We hope you've been inspired by this 340 00:20:23,239 --> 00:20:26,670 programme and please remember to follow our guidelines for the 341 00:20:26,680 --> 00:20:31,510 best safest and most disturbance free ways to enjoy the seals and 342 00:20:31,520 --> 00:20:33,430 other wildlife at Blakeney Point. 343 00:20:34,280 --> 00:20:37,500 For more information, follow the links on this episode's show 344 00:20:37,510 --> 00:20:40,930 notes where you'll also find advice about how to photograph 345 00:20:40,939 --> 00:20:43,890 seals responsibly without getting too close. 346 00:20:44,459 --> 00:20:48,069 If you've enjoyed this podcast, keep listening for a brand new 347 00:20:48,079 --> 00:20:51,260 series of the National Trust podcast launching in May, which 348 00:20:51,270 --> 00:20:54,670 will be packed with more immersive audio adventures. 349 00:20:54,670 --> 00:20:57,390 And don't forget to follow and review us on your favourite 350 00:20:57,400 --> 00:21:02,859 podcast app or head to nationaltrust.org.uk/podcasts to 351 00:21:02,869 --> 00:21:05,739 browse our full back catalogue of audio programmes. 352 00:21:06,329 --> 00:21:09,319 For now, from me, Michelle Douglas. Goodbye. 353 00:21:16,709 --> 00:21:22,150 GENERIC: Nature is amazing, but it's in crisis. Go wild for 354 00:21:22,160 --> 00:21:27,189 nature. Once a week. If we work together, our skies will be full 355 00:21:27,199 --> 00:21:31,500 of bird song again, air will be fresher and safer and rivers 356 00:21:31,510 --> 00:21:38,050 will be clean. Head to save our wildisles.org.uk for inspiration 357 00:21:38,239 --> 00:21:43,670 and ideas. So you can make a difference. Love nature and act 358 00:21:43,680 --> 00:21:46,469 now to help save our Wild Isles.