New England · 2000—2026
Grey and harbour seals
Seals around New England.
Follow public seal observations from New England. Browse published records, explore the places and stories behind them, or share an encounter with the Seal Watch team.
- Total reports
- 443
- Latest observation
Public reports · newest first
Public records archive
15 April 2003—15 November 2023
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Explore by place
All placesMarkers group reports by reviewed names in their public locations, not exact sighting positions. Circle size reflects report counts. Select a place to filter the archive.
350 of 443 reports mapped · 19 places
New England Six-state outline
Reported places Detail of outlined region
Mapped places North to south
- Eastern Maine12 reports
- Bangor Waterfront1 report
- Downeast Maine / Acadia51 reports
- Midcoast Maine41 reports
- Casco Bay / Portland16 reports
- Southern Maine13 reports
- Seacoast / Isles of Shoals6 reports
- Massachusetts North Shore30 reports
- Boston Harbor / Charles River13 reports
- Holyoke / Connecticut River1 report
- Outer Cape Cod40 reports
- Plymouth / South Shore12 reports
- Lower Cape Cod47 reports
- Mid Cape Cod6 reports
- South Cape / Buzzards Bay17 reports
- Rhode Island coast17 reports
- Martha's Vineyard4 reports
- Connecticut coast15 reports
- Nantucket8 reports
Places without a map point · 93 reports
Broad or unreviewed public locations remain available in the archive.
- Barnstable County10 reports
- Barnstable County waters1 report
- Barnstable County, Massachusetts3 reports
- Brothers Island4 reports
- Bunker Ledge1 report
- Cape Cod3 reports
- Cape Cod / Barnstable1 report
- Cape Cod National Seashore1 report
- Cape Cod National Seashore, Massachusetts1 report
- Cape Cod, Massachusetts1 report
- Hancock County2 reports
- Hancock County, Maine1 report
- Jeffreys Ledge1 report
- Knox County1 report
- Lincoln County2 reports
- Long Island1 report
- Maine coast3 reports
- Maine coastal island, public place only1 report
- Massachusetts coast1 report
- Massachusetts coastal waters1 report
- New England44 reports
- New Hampshire coast, exact site unspecified1 report
- Newport County1 report
- Plymouth County1 report
- Sagadahoc1 report
- Southeastern Stellwagen Bank area1 report
- Washington County1 report
- Washington County, Maine1 report
- West Brother Island1 report
- York County1 report
Map: Natural Earth.
Reports over time
Select a year, then a month. Counts describe published reports; one animal may appear in several reports.
Grouped by each record’s archive date. Approximate dates keep their original labels in the records below.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Alina Martin — iNaturalist (alinamartin)
Observation: Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as grey seal (Halichoerus grypus).
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Ari Drennen — iNaturalist (aridrennen)
Observation: Photographic observation identified on iNaturalist as grey seal (Halichoerus grypus).
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/13056462
Observation: Two Grey Seals were photographed near a pier in Chatham.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/37233697; https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/37233701
Observation: One Grey Seal head was photographed near Eastham.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/7594784; https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/7594812
Observation: Grey Seals were photographed swimming and feeding near Chatham.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/11397459
Observation: One Grey Seal was photographed swimming near Chatham.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/25308201
Observation: Three Grey Seal heads were photographed in the water near Chatham.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/154079993
Observation: Grey Seals were photographed swimming in Chatham Harbor.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/254713816
Observation: One Grey Seal was photographed swimming near a pier in Chatham.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/66702349
Observation: Five Grey Seal heads were photographed in the water near Eastham.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/21577487
Observation: One Grey Seal was photographed swimming near Chatham.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/21416242
Observation: One Grey Seal was photographed swimming toward the camera in Chatham coastal waters.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/38097728
Observation: One Grey Seal was photographed swimming at the surface near Chatham.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/5131579
Observation: One Harbor Seal was photographed with its head above the water near Orleans.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/38376381
Observation: One Grey Seal was photographed swimming in coastal water near Chatham.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/4589561
Observation: One Grey Seal was photographed with its head above coastal water near Chatham.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/4447679
Observation: One Grey Seal was photographed with its head above coastal water near Eastham.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/4132089
Observation: A Grey Seal was photographed swimming near Chatham.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/298345817
Observation: A large Grey Seal colony was photographed in surf and on a haulout near Chatham.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/298345863
Observation: A Grey Seal was photographed swimming near Chatham.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/141269846
Observation: A Grey Seal was photographed swimming near Chatham.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/298345321
Observation: A Grey Seal head was photographed swimming near Chatham.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/32345947; https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/97563531
Observation: A Grey Seal colony was photographed on the beach near Monomoy Island.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/171280502
Observation: A Grey Seal was photographed swimming near Chatham.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/171123040
Observation: A Grey Seal was photographed swimming near Chatham.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/19847332
Observation: Several Grey Seals were photographed near Chatham.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/3939453
Observation: Two seals were photographed swimming near Chatham.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/30784307
Observation: A seal head was photographed near Cape Cod National Seashore.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/9531182
Observation: A seal was photographed hauled out near Chatham.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/229147687
Observation: Direct original iNaturalist page and photograph reviewed. One live Grey Seal head is in water. Kept separate from the same-day Portland source because observer and state differ.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/381681
Observation: Direct original iNaturalist page and photograph reviewed. The note says several groups were seen swimming parallel to shore; the photograph shows at least two seal heads. Count remains unset.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/18608552
Observation: Direct original iNaturalist page and photograph reviewed. Many Grey Seals are hauled out; count remains unset.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/19562784
Observation: Direct original iNaturalist page and photograph reviewed. One Grey Seal is on the beach. The original place label included a street address, which is omitted; only the Chatham coast is retained.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/290744753; https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/290744751
Observation: Direct original iNaturalist pages and photographs reviewed. Same local outing: one photo shows one Grey Seal close in water and the other many hauled out. Grouped as one encounter; count remains unset.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/2855647
Observation: Direct original iNaturalist page and photograph reviewed. One Grey Seal is visible in water.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/221887266; https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/221887591
Observation: Direct original iNaturalist pages and photographs reviewed. Same observer outing: one photo shows one Grey Seal hauled on sand and the other many Grey Seals on Monomoy beach. Grouped as one outing; count unset and no subspecies claim.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/59169901
Observation: One Grey Seal was photographed swimming near Chatham.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/174637629
Observation: Direct original iNaturalist pages and photographs reviewed. Many live seals are hauled out at the surf line; current Grey Seal identification is retained as probable and count is unset. Source photographs are all rights reserved and no media is uploaded.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/192216469
Observation: Direct original iNaturalist page and photograph reviewed. Dozens of seals are hauled out on sand beside surf; count is unset. Current Grey Seal identification is retained as probable; an eBird checklist link is secondary context.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/29893232
Observation: Direct original iNaturalist page and photograph reviewed. A group of several live seals is partly in shallow water; count is not reliably visible. Current page identification is Grey Seal with supporting IDs; no subspecies claim.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/229146083
Observation: Direct original iNaturalist page and photograph reviewed. One live grey seal is visible swimming near the surface with its body visible.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/33497583
Observation: Direct original iNaturalist page and photograph reviewed. One live grey seal is swimming beside a boat or structure. The page history includes an initial Harbor identification that was withdrawn in favor of Atlantic Grey, with disagreement preserved; the original public page gives the exact day.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/188742057
Observation: Direct original iNaturalist page and photograph reviewed. One distant live seal head is visible in surf; species is retained as probable grey seal from the page consensus, with limited photographic detail.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/261669224
Observation: Direct original iNaturalist page and photograph reviewed. One very distant seal head is visible; visual certainty is limited.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified Jeremy D'Entremont (nelights) — Flickr
Observation: A grey seal was photographed near Chatham on Cape Cod.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/54655862
Observation: Direct original iNaturalist observation reviewed. Source IDs: 54655862. Original page has visible photograph asset and research-grade grey seal identification.
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Date:Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/239526932
Observation: Direct original iNaturalist observation reviewed. Source IDs: 239526932. Original photograph visibly shows a live seal on an offshore rock; page taxon is harbor seal.