The time of the breeding season changes slightly at different places along the coastline, with slightly later dates the further south they are. 

	The top 6 photos were all taken at Donna Nook, a nature reserve managed by Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, during December 2008. The females arrive first and take sanctuary on the protected sand banks to give birth to their pups. Although the males arrive shortly later and wait in the shallows until the females 'come into heat' and are ready to breed again - this is only a couple of weeks after they have pupped. The top three images show the white coats of the newly born pups. They are easily approached (if you move slowly and lie down) and curious of everything. Their mothers however are never far away and are totally attentive of all that is going on.  In the third image, I had crawled towards the pup without disturbing it and had taken a few images. All of a sudden I heard a hiss and was aware of the mother moving very quickly to protect the pup, I looked over my shoulder and saw a family with two children standing next to me taking photos on a camera phone!
	The fourth image shows a bull seal waiting for the females to come into season.
	The fifth and sixth images show the courtship and the act of mating, also it highlights the difference in sizes between the sexes.                   Top 6 images taken with Canon 30D and either -              Canon 17 - 85mm    or                      Canon 100 - 400 mm lens.
	This photograph was taken from a tourist boat en-route to land on the Farne Islands bird sanctuary. I had to hand hold the camera and steady myself and time the shot against the rise and fall of the boat in the tide.      Pentax *ist D Sigma 70 - 300mm lens.
	The final image was taken on Longstone Island in February 2007.            Canon 30D          Canon 17 - 85mm lens.