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.

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Total reports
443
Latest observation

Public reports · newest first

Public records archive

4 March—29 December

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28 of 443 reports

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Markers 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.

24 of 28 reports mapped · 8 places

Map: Natural Earth.

Reports over time

All dates

Select a year, then a month. Counts describe published reports; one animal may appear in several reports.

  1. 12000
  2. 12002
  3. 32003
  4. 42004
  5. 22005
  6. 22006
  7. 42007
  8. 142008
  9. 82009
  10. 212010
  11. 282011
  12. 292012
  13. 282013
  14. 282014
  15. 602015
  16. 862016
  17. 852017
  18. 12018
  19. 32019
  20. 32020
  21. 62021
  22. 32022
  23. 42023
  24. 32024
  25. 52025
  26. 112026

Months in 2013

  1. 0Jan
  2. 0Feb
  3. 2Mar
  4. 2Apr
  5. 2May
  6. 4Jun
  7. 3Jul
  8. 9Aug
  9. 3Sep
  10. 0Oct
  11. 0Nov
  12. 3Dec

Grouped by each record’s archive date. Approximate dates keep their original labels in the records below.

  1. Date:
    Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/491509; https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/152304134

    Observation: Seals were photographed in the Biddeford area.

  2. Date:
    Place: Salisbury Massachusetts
    Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/65750335

    Observation: Several seals were photographed hauled out near Salisbury.

  3. Date:
    Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/483251

    Observation: A seal was photographed hauled out near Parker River National Wildlife Refuge.

  4. Date:
    Place: Chatham Massachusetts
    Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/3939453

    Observation: Two seals were photographed swimming near Chatham.

  5. Date:
    Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/30784307

    Observation: A seal head was photographed near Cape Cod National Seashore.

  6. Date:
    Place: Chatham Massachusetts
    Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/9531182

    Observation: A seal was photographed hauled out near Chatham.

  7. Date:
    Place: Kennebunk Maine
    Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/177270325

    Observation: A seal was photographed swimming near Kennebunk.

  8. Date:
    Place: Bar Harbor Maine
    Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/235463007

    Observation: A seal was photographed hauled out near Bar Harbor.

  9. Date:
    Place: Chatham Massachusetts
    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.

  10. Date:
    Place: Bar Harbor Maine
    Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/356307851

    Observation: A seal was photographed swimming near Bar Harbor.

  11. Date:
    Place: Portland Maine
    Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/235461374

    Observation: Direct original iNaturalist page and photograph reviewed. One distant seal head is in water; source Harbor attribution is uncertain and the locality is broad/obscured. Kept separate from the same-day Chatham source because observer and state differ.

  12. Date:
    Place: Long Island Maine
    Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/242700585

    Observation: Direct original iNaturalist page and photograph reviewed. Decomposed seal carcass/remains with detached skull on rocks; retained as a private dead-remains encounter only, with no live-seal wording.

  13. Date:
    Place: Isle au Haut Maine
    Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/194042206; https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/194042207

    Observation: Direct original iNaturalist pages and matching photographs reviewed. Same observer, time and rock haulout; many seals are present. Grouped as one encounter and count remains unset.

  14. Date:
    Place: Portland Harbour Maine
    Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/251831118

    Observation: Direct original iNaturalist page and photograph reviewed. One seal is swimming; source attribution is Harbor Seal.

  15. Date:
    Place: Lackeys Bay Massachusetts
    Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/817243

    Observation: Direct original iNaturalist page and photograph reviewed. One Grey Seal is swimming. The observer’s note about eight individuals across 2013–14 is not treated as a population or named-individual claim.

  16. Date:
    Place: Bar Harbor Maine
    Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/202238048

    Observation: Direct original iNaturalist page and photograph reviewed. One clear Harbor Seal is close in water; separate dated encounter from 202267584.

  17. Date:
    Place: Bar Harbor coast Maine
    Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/202267584

    Observation: Direct original iNaturalist page and photograph reviewed. One marine mammal is in water; observer notes “Otter or Seal” and the source community ID says Harbor Seal. Species remains uncertain. The map pin appears inland/inconsistent, so only broad Bar Harbor coast is retained.

  18. Date:
    Place: East Sandwich Massachusetts
    Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/19326509

    Observation: Direct original iNaturalist page and photograph reviewed. One distant seal is at the surf line. The public page displays 15 July 2013; generic UTC/API display of 16 July is not used.

  19. Date:
    Place: Bremen Maine
    Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/51127914

    Observation: Direct original iNaturalist page and photograph reviewed. One Harbor Seal is swimming.

  20. Date:
    Place: Sagadahoc Maine
    Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/312280

    Observation: Direct original iNaturalist page and photograph reviewed. One Harbor Seal is hauled out. The public page displays 10 June 2013; generic UTC/API display of 11 June is not used.

  21. Date:
    Place: Barnstable County Massachusetts
    Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/242700556

    Observation: Direct original iNaturalist page and photograph reviewed. One Grey Seal head is visible in water.

  22. Date:
    Place: Nauset Beach Massachusetts
    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.

  23. Date:
    Place: Chatham Massachusetts
    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.

  24. Date:
    Place: Chatham coast Massachusetts
    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.

  25. Date:
    Place: Barnstable County Massachusetts
    Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/3673853

    Observation: Direct original iNaturalist page and photograph reviewed. One Grey Seal is at the water edge; broad county locality retained.

  26. Date:
    Place: Sandwich / Barnstable County Massachusetts
    Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/106121518

    Observation: Direct original iNaturalist page and photograph reviewed. One Harbor Seal is hauled out on a rock.

  27. Date:
    Place: Jodrey Fish Pier, Gloucester Massachusetts
    Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/65750264

    Observation: Direct original iNaturalist page and photograph reviewed. One live Grey Seal is in water.

  28. Date:
    Place: Salisbury Beach Massachusetts
    Reported: Unidentified https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/261380636

    Observation: Direct original iNaturalist page and photograph reviewed. At least three Harbor Seals are hauled out; structured count remains unset.