The winter months are a magical yet challenging time for seal surveys. But for our team, the beauty of this season is just one side of the story. Winter also marks an exciting period in seal ecology—the birth of pups. While the snow and frost transform Forvie sand dunes into breathtaking landscapes, winter is far from ideal for fieldwork. The shortened daylight hours are the first hurdle, limiting the windows when we can fly our drones. On survey days, we work to make the most of the precious light, often starting during sunrise or racing against the early sunset. Surveying at sunrise (photo credit: Charlotte Wood). Adding to the difficulty, winter storms sweep in with gusty winds and relentless rain. Both are enemies of drone flight. The high winds make it unsafe to launch, and rain can damage equipment. There’s no denying the frustration when a perfectly planned survey day is postponed because of bad weather. Snow covering on the new beach board walk at Newburgh SealB...