CRESLI 2021-2022 Seal Walks and Research at Cupsogue Beach
Almost 29,000 seal encounters at Cupsogue since 2006
By: A. H. Kopelman, PhD
CRESLI 2021/2022 Seal Walk Season is on!
28,998 seal encounters at Cupsogue since 2006 (478 trips).
Join us to observe, photograph, and learn about Long Island's seals.
These 1.2 miles round trip walks are suitable for children and take about 1 to 1.5 hours.
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DONATIONS while NOT REQUIRED, are RECOMMENDED because they help us fund our research and education programs. Remember these are simply suggested donations ($5.00 per adult; $3.00 under 18)
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if you wish to make a donation in advance, go to https://www.cresli.org/common/donations/donate.cfm?clientID=12000.
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If the donation page above isn’t working, please go to our PayPal donation page. You can make your donation via credit card (no PayPal account needed) at https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=5VYSF7M5XNKEN
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If you have a confirmed reservation, you will not be turned away. DONATIONS help us, but are not required. We are severely restricted in the number of participants this year. We hope that next year we will have put the Covid-19 Pandemic in out rear-view mirror.
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Please be prepared for the weather, i.e., wear warm clothing in layers. Hats, gloves, warm waterproof shoes are recommended, as are cameras and binoculars.
Check the weather for Westhampton Beach and assume that the winds will produce wind chill. It’s better to be a more-on, than a less-on, i.e., having more layers than you need is the right thing.
Please be advised that our New York State Department of Health (DOH) Covid-19 Safety Plan was submitted and approved by Suffolk County Parks and will be in place for all seal walks.
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Appropriate facial coverings must be warn properly at all times during our walks. Individuals are required to wear facial coverings even when 6' apart.
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Each walk will be capped at a maximum of 50 participants.
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All equipment will be sanitized before and after each walk.
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Telescopes will be replaced with high resolution digital cameras with viewing screen which the public will not be allowed to touch.
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Please DO NOT PARTICIPATE IF YOU ARE SICK OR HAVE ANY COVID-19 SYMPTOMS. If you have been in contact with someone who is sick, please wait the 14 day period at home before coming into contact with others. Please Stay Home!
CRESLI 2021/2022 SEAL SIGHTINGS AT CUPSOGUE BEACH
| Date | Type of trip | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
| Monday November 15, 2021 | SEAL MONITORING SESSION | 21 Harbor seals hauled-out
PHOTOS available to view (and/or purchase) via this link
Here's a slideshow
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| Saturday November 20, 2021 | SEAL WALK | We saw just 1 harbor seal in Moriches Bay near the haulout site, but weren't able to get a photo. We later searched for and found 2 humpback whales seen about 400-800 meters from shore on the ocean side.
PHOTOS available to view (and/or purchase) via this link
Here's a slideshow |
| Sunday November 28, 2021 | SEAL WALK | 43 Atlantic harbor seals (Phoca vitulina vitulina) and 2 Atlantic gray seals (Halichoerus grypus atlantica) on the new secondary haulout area of the sandbar, NNE of what was the main haulout site at Cupsogue Beach County Park. These seals were approximately 800 yards away, in an area used when disturbed and flushed from the primary eastern haulout site. We watched a the seals reacted en-masse to an unknown disturbance to their west (based upon the rapid head turns). Over the ensuing 30 minutes, we continued to remain low and quiet and watched as the seals swam past us, a few briefly looking our way.
PHOTOS available to view (and/or purchase) via this link
Here's a slideshow |
| Wednesday December 1, 2021 | SEAL MONITORING SESSION | 51 Atlantic harbor seals (Phoca vitulina vitulina) and 2 Atlantic gray seals (Halichoerus grypus atlantica) on the new secondary haulout area of the sandbar, NNE of what was the main haulout site at Cupsogue Beach County Park.
PHOTOS available to view (and/or purchase) via this link
Here's a slideshow |
| Thursday December 2, 2021 | SEAL WALK
OREGON MIDDLE SCHOOL | 44 Atlantic harbor seals (Phoca vitulina vitulina) and 2 Atlantic gray seals (Halichoerus grypus atlantica) on the new secondary haulout area of the sandbar NNE of what was the main haulout site at Cupsogue Beach County Park. These seals were approximately 650 yards away. I regret to note that we were TOO LOUD and the seals reacted by jumping into the water. We left the area to allow the seals to return, which they did in about 10 minutes.
PHOTOS available to view (and/or purchase) via this link
Here's a slideshow |
| Saturday December 4, 2021 | SEAL WALK | 25-30 Atlantic harbor seals (Phoca vitulina vitulina) were hauled out very far away at the tertiary northeastern haulout area.
PHOTOS available to view (and/or purchase) via this link
Here's a slideshow
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| Sunday December 12, 2021 | SEAL WALK | We encountered about 20 seals hauled out at the tertiary far northeastern haulout area, but they were flushed into the water. Here are several of those that remained
PHOTOS available to view (and/or purchase) via this link
Here's a slideshow
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| Monday December 13, 2021 | SEAL MONITORING SESSION | Taken over 1.5 hrs, 25 (early)- 63 (later) seals (60 Atlantic harbor seals and 3 Atlantic gray seals), hauled out at the far NE haulout area at Cupsogue
PHOTOS available to view (and/or purchase) via this link
Here's a slideshow |
| Thursday December 16, 2021 | SEAL WALK
SAXTON MIDDLE SCHOOL | Once again the seals were far off on their haulout area to the NNE . Approximately 30-35 seals were observed and photographed
PHOTOS available to view (and/or purchase) via this link
Here's a slideshow
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| Saturday December 18, 2021 | SEAL WALK | SEAL WALK CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER |
| Sunday December 19, 2021 | SEAL WALK | The winds were from the N gusting over 25 knots (31.25 mph), the water level was so high that the "new" haulout area was underwater.
No seals were hauled out and we were able to see 2 seals swimming.
No photos were taken. |
| Monday December 20, 2021 | SEAL MONITORING SESSION | There was no wind and the water was like glass (Beaufort Scale 0). Approximately 35 seals were seen, including a few harbor seals that were photographed swimming near the "old" haulout area across from the old overlook above the rocks.
The majority of the seals were hauled out on a new spot, even further north, almost 3/4 of a mile away. They were so far away that it was impossible to get an accurate cont. The exact reasons for this change in haulout areas are unknown. We hope that the changes are temporary and that the seals will ultimately return to their normal haulout areas soon.
PHOTOS available to view (and/or purchase) via this link
Here's a slideshow
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| Monday December 27, 2021 | SEAL MONITORING SESSION | 65 harbor seals hauled out, then flushed from the "new" haulout area in Moriches Bay. Later a harbor seal and a humpback whale were seen on the ocean side as well
PHOTOS available to view (and/or purchase) via this link
Here's a slideshow
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| Tuesday December 28, 2021 | SEAL MONITORING SESSION | 75 Atlantic harbor seals hauled out, 66 hauled out in the "new" area NNE, 9 hauled out in the prior main haulout area. One seal we hadn't seen since March 2016, Lucky, was back.
PHOTOS available to view (and/or purchase) via this link
Here's a slideshow
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| Friday, December 31, 2021 | SEAL WALK | Approximately 70 Atlantic harbor seals hauled out, in the "new" area NNE
PHOTOS available to view (and/or purchase) via this link
Here's a slideshow
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| Sunday, January 2, 2022 | SEAL WALK | While monitoring the fog-bound haulout area prior to the seal walk we found about 30 seals hauled out in their "old place," namely the area they used from 2004-2006. 1.5 hours later, the seals were still fog bound, but at their "new" distant haulout to the NE. We waited paitiently and in a short while the fog cleared to show us ~90 seals hauled out in the "new" area.
PHOTOS available to view (and/or purchase) via this link
Here's a slideshow
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| Sunday, January 9, 2022 | SEAL WALK | 75 seals at sunrise! 29 at their main haulout area and 46 on the new area on the NE end of the sandbar.
PHOTOS available to view (and/or purchase) via this link
Here's a slideshow
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| Sunday, January 16, 2022 | SEAL WALK | 12 harbor seals observed swimming
PHOTOS available to view (and/or purchase) via this link
Here's a slideshow
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| Thursday, January 20, 2022 | SEAL MONITORING SESSION | Up to ~41 Atlantic harbor seals hauled out on the far NE edge of the sandbar in Moriches Bay at Cupsogue Beach
PHOTOS available to view (and/or purchase) via this link
Here's a slideshow
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Seals are seen typically throughout the 7 months between November and May, however the average number of individuals per sighting varies per month. Take a look at the chart below.
REMAINING TRIPS
| Date | TIME | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday, January 29, 2022 | 9:45:00 AM | Wait-listed |
| Sunday, January 30, 2022 | 10:45:00 AM | Wait-listed |
| Saturday, February 12, 2022 | 9:15:00 AM | Wait-listed |
| Sunday, February 13, 2022 | 10:00:00 AM | Wait-listed |
| Friday, February 25, 2022 | 7:30:00 AM | Scroll down to register |
| Saturday, February 26, 2022 | 8:30:00 AM | Wait-listed |
| Sunday, February 27, 2022 | 9:30:00 AM | Wait-listed |
| Wednesday, March 2, 2022 | 12:00:00 PM | Scroll down to register |
| Saturday, March 12, 2022 | 7:50:00 AM | Scroll down to register |
| Sunday, March 13, 2022 | 9:50:00 AM | Wait-listed |
| Wednesday, March 16, 2022 | 12:00:00 PM | Scroll down to register |
| Saturday, March 26, 2022 | 8:15:00 AM | Scroll down to register |
| Sunday, March 27, 2022 | 9:15:00 AM | Wait-listed |
| Wednesday, March 30, 2022 | 12:00:00 PM | Scroll down to register |
| Saturday, April 9, 2022 | 7:00:00 AM | Scroll down to register |
| Sunday, April 10, 2022 | 8:00:00 AM | Scroll down to register |
| Thursday, April 14, 2022 | 11:00:00 AM | Scroll down to register |
| Saturday, April 23, 2022 | 6:45:00 AM | Scroll down to register |
| Sunday, April 24, 2022 | 7:45:00 AM | Scroll down to register |
| Wednesday, April 27, 2022 | 10:30:00 AM | Scroll down to register |
| Saturday, May 7, 2022 | 5:45:00 AM | Scroll down to register |
| Sunday, May 8, 2022 | 6:45:00 AM | Scroll down to register |
| Wednesday, May 11, 2022 | 9:15:00 AM | Scroll down to register |
Contact Dr. Artie Kopelman to arrange additional dates and times during the week for school groups, homeschoolers, and other groups
REGISTER FOR THE SEAL WALKS BELOW
2020-2021 CRESLI Seal walk schedule, monitoring sessions, & status reports
From our colleagues at NOAA Fisheries New England/Mid-Atlantic:
If you see seals on the beach, use the Rule of Thumb while watching seals to make sure you are giving them enough space.
1) Close one eye.
2) Make a thumbs up and hold your thumb so it's in line with your vision and the seal.
3) If you can see the seal from behind your thumb, you are too close so back up!
https://www.facebook.com/NOAAFisheriesNEMA/photos/a.1841106822794035/2588783844692992/
Don't forget to contact your local stranding network 631-369-9829, or our regional hotline 866-755-6622, if you think the seal needs help!
2019-2020 SEAL SIGHTINGS AT CUPSOGUE with photo links
All CRESLI Cupsogue Seal Videos on Vimeo
More information on past seal walk results