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Seals, Surveys, and Surprises: Two Summers In at Newburgh Seal Beach

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Our second summer season has now wrapped up, and once again the project has proven it never fails to surprise. This summer’s “fun” challenges included presidential visits that blocked GPS signals for a week and the seals themselves shifting just out of range for much of early summer. Why they moved, and why they came back, is still a bit of a mystery.

Restricted airspace map from altitude angel app. 

Local stories add some fun anecdotes to the puzzle. Some people remember being told as children that the sands around the North point were “sinking sands.” Others wonder if it’s simply that the seals prefer to sit beside the fence the reserve puts up each April.

if only seals would share their insights? 

Closing in on 100 Survey Days

We’re approaching a major milestone: 100 days of seal surveys. The project is now in month 16 of its two-year plan, and every day adds to our understanding of seal behaviour. So far, we’ve logged 96 days in the field and counted over 92,000 seals – an incredible dataset that’s helping us track age groups, genders, and seasonal use of the point.

                                                    Not growing tired of processing photos yet!


What We’re Seeing

The seals seem to favour the point more in summer. This could be because calmer weather and fewer storms make the exposed spot more comfortable, or simply because it offers quick access to the water for foraging. Because seals and people both enjoy this space, the community’s role is key in helping us understand how it’s shared.

Heatmaps of the seals resting spots (RED) of the summer season (June/July/August) and the moulting season (February/March) 

Get Involved

To explore the connection between seals and people, we’re asking visitors to share their activity tracks from the beach and reserve. Submissions so far have revealed hotspots along footpaths, the seal boardwalk and tideline and shown the mix of activities!

If you’ve collected tracks over the last two years (or know someone who has), we’d love to include them. Email them to GPS@sruc.ac.uk or click Get Involved on our website.

Beyond the Beach

This project isn’t just about studying seals — it’s about getting people involved with the research too. Over the past two years, I’ve had the pleasure of chatting with 756 people at events, and our blogs have reached over 800 readers. A real highlight this summer was when the project was featured on BBC Scotland’s “Out of Doors”, giving Aberdeen’s seals a moment in the national spotlight.

Rachel was absolutely lovely to talk to on the beach!

Looking Ahead

The next opportunity to share the project's progress is at the Aberdeen Science Festival held at the University of Aberdeen’s Zoology Building. These events are a brilliant reminder of the excitement and curiosity people have for the wildlife on our doorstep. Join on Thursday the 25th September at 1pm if you can! (Link: Seals, Drones, and Social Media: A Newburgh Beach Study (Aberdeen Science Festival) | Aberdeen Performing Arts

As we approach the 100th survey day, we can’t wait to see what will be revealed next. Thanks for your support — and keep staying curious with us!

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