Use the guide below to find the best spots for seal watching on long island and see how many you can count. Once you make your way to the top, stop at the bluff along the long island sound and carefully venture downhill onto the beach for a stroll along the shoreline. Great white spotted in long island sound block island times. Cruise out onto long island sound this winter with the maritime aquarium at norwalk in hopes of seeing some of the seals and birds that spend the colder months just off connecticuts shores. Though the foundation is still finalizing 2015 numbers, there were approximately 1,200 sealsabout 820 harbor seals and 380 gray seals, counted last march on long island and fishers island. Harbor seals and gray seals can be found among the rocks off stonington and groton at the. Explore the sea life in long island sound and learn how to use a wide range of oceanographic equipment as part of our flagship environmental monitoring program aboard the envirolab research vessel. Search from 30 top long island sound pictures and royaltyfree images from. The mating system for gray seals is polygynous poly many.
Phocid seals are generally deeper divers than the otariids or the odobenids. While fishing for striped bass on long island sound, a seal holds on to striper with its flippers and will not let go playing tug of war as i was reeling the fish in. Thieving seals appearing in long island sound connecticut post. Cruise out onto long island sound with the maritime aquarium at norwalk this winter in hopes of seeing some of the seals and birds that spend the colder months just off connecticuts shores. Mothercalf pairs and individual animals are spotted in new yorks waters each year, primarily from march to june, but they rarely remain in the area for an extended period of time. Cruisin connecticut seal watching on the long island sound. To get here we had to drive the length of long island for two and a half hours past jones beach, fire island, the hamptons and amagansett, and even six miles past the hamlet of montauk itself to lands end, montauk point.
As seals return to long island, so do watchers the new. These sounds do not come with a license for commercial use. Harbor seals are the most common seal in new england waters. The program serves four types of seals in long island sound. The riverhead foundation runs seal cruises out of freeport through.
Project oceanology will transport you out to see them as the seals bask in the winter sun. If you have a commercial and professional project it would be wise to license professional sound effects. See seals and birds on maritime aquarium long island sound cruises, starting dec 10 by. During the time they are here they can be seen on the coasts from stonington to greenwich. The best spots for seal watching on long island your aaa network. Cresli seal walks in long island, west sayville, ny. David gurliacci november 30, 2016 cruise out onto long island sound for the chance to see some of the seals and waterfowl that spend their winter just off our shores on one of the seal spotting and birding cruises organized by the maritime aquarium at norwalk. A marine mammal expert will take visitors to the best sealviewing vantage point. A young harp seal comes ashore on a beach along the long island sound for some time sunbathing on a warm, early spring day. If problems are encountered in downloading the esi data or with file corruption, contact noaa. The harbor seal, called laysan, is expected to hang around the holyoke dam until the shad migrating up the connecticut river run out. Harbor seals are our most common seal, making up about 95 % of long island s seals. Every year beginning in december connecticut becomes a temporary home for seals that migrate to the long island sound from maine.
So far this january, anywhere from 20 to 115 seals have been spotted. Many long island whalewatching tours depart from historic montauk on the tip of long island s south fork. Eight long island hiking trails worth trekking out for. Download a copy of the travel guide for inspiration and. Maritime aquarium offers sealspotting and birding cruises.
Historically, long island s seal species typically included harbor and grey seals, which are relatively abundant in our waters from late fall until late spring. Marine mammals and sea turtles of narragansett bay, block island sound, rhode island sound, and nearby waters. Get your kindle here, or download a free kindle reading app. According to the article, the sound has resident populations of grey and harbor seals, but is also visited by harp and hooded seals in winter.
Usually they are found in shallow, coastal waters, inlets and bays off the south side of long island, or in long island sound. See seals and birds on maritime aquarium long island sound. The best spots for seal watching on long island your aaa. Mamaroneck seals are fairly frequent visitors to the long island sound, but its not every day that they are spotted just a few feet from westchester countys shores. The envirolab has plenty of space on deck for optimal viewing and is equipped with heated cabins and a. Be sure to stop by and get a sealfie with our seals while they are in their temporary home formally our go fish. A peek at long island sound s harbor seal population eating six to eight percent of their weight daily, harbor seals seek out herring, menhaden, sea bass, tautog, flounder, stripers, bluefish. Captain greg has been fishing for 50 years in the sound. Amityville, long island wabc one group of researchers has possibly tracked a great white shark in the long island sound. Seals typically stay in the area for several months, making. Its incredible to view seals in their natural environment.
Cresli is a non profit organization as defined in section 501 c 3 of the internal revenue code. Harbor seal spotted on nyc shore has an inspirational story. To access this data with matlab click here to download the deep matlab toolbox. Wandering seal back in long island sound after swimming. Where to go seal watching on long island jones beach seal watching 5167803295. Neighbor news mondays sharkattack anniversary in long island sound. Autumn, winter, and spring are seal seal watching season join us at cupsogue beach, or the outer islands of eastern long island sound. Today were keeping the rods ashore, and taking a nationalgeographiclike adventure in search for harbor seals in the long island sound. Why seals love long island long island pulse magazine. The chart on the left tracks the most seals observed in a day at sheffield island in each. Download these seal sounds from harp seals, grey seals and elephant seals. Wandering seal back in long island sound after swimming 100. Vignessraposa university of rhode island, june 22, 2010. Cruise out onto long island sound for the chance to see some of the seals and waterfowl that spend their winter just off our.
Today, a gray seal spent some time hanging out in mamaroneck harbor, where larchmontmamaroneck community television captured it on video. Sealspotting, birding cruises coming to maritime aquarium. Every year in march and april an adorable group of harbor seals enters the waters of the long island sound as part of their migration pattern. Great white shark spotted off long island sound for first. Park in field 10 no fee in winter, walk down to the beach and set your sights on the water. Winter is prime time to go seal watching on long island. A harbor seal repeatedly seen at muscota marsh in inwood has a history and another alias. The same type of shark that frightened movie audiences in the 1970s was spotted not too far from block island on monday morning a reallife version that created somewhat of a stir when it was tracked swimming close to the shore in long island sound. On this page, you can download free environmental sensitivity index esi maps and data in a variety of formats pdf portable document format files geodatabase format with an arcmap map document. An analysis of existing data for the rhode island ocean special area management plan by robert d.
It forms the border between new yorks long island and connecticut. Jim knox with a giraffe i remember them squintingblinking back the silvery glare of long island sound s ice and waves magnified through the swarovski spotting scope. Bundled up in layers upon layers against the january gusts on the jutting promontory of stamfords cove island park, my daughters and i were finally rewarded with a glimpse of our quarry. The maritime aquarium in norwalk, ct has enlisted volunteers to observe and record the number of seals frequenting and hauling out at sites in western long island sound from on several days december to early april. Long island sound is a tidal estuary of the atlantic ocean, lying predominantly between the. A harbor seal that traveled 100 miles up the connecticut river past hartford is safely back in long island sound, the new england aquarium reported friday evening.
Seals have been recorded swimming at over 12 knots more than 15 miles an hour, and local fishermen have reported seeing seals over 70 miles off long island s shores. The seals found in connecticut migrate from northern waters to the long island sound from midnovember to december. Seals in long island sound the maritime aquarium in norwalk, ct has enlisted volunteers to observe and record the number of seals frequenting and hauling out at sites in western long island sound from on several days december to early april. Marine mammals and sea turtles of narragansett bay. Where to seal watch on long island long island pulse.
Harbor seals are a species of seal that spend their summers in the gulf of maine and migrate into long island sound from october to april, explains educator allyce irwin. The long island sound is a relatively safe place to swim, but there are some sharks around that you should look out for. Coastal research and education society of long island. Maritime aquariums sealspotting and birding cruises on long island sound end april 14. A young harp seal comes ashore on a beach along the long. The envirolab has plenty of space on deck for optimal viewing and is equipped with heated cabins and a restroom. Click for more information on the best places for whale and seal watching on long island, new york.
Project oceanology in connecticut has a magical seal. Then hell likely move back down to long island sound. The long island sound study has posted some interesting information on the various species of seals that inhabit long island sound. Fishstealing seals are nothing new to anglers who ply the northerly waters of nantucket sound and cape cods atlantic shore, where large. A harbor seal that traveled 100 miles up the connecticut river past hartford is back in long island sound, the new england aquarium reported. This data set is a portion of the esi data for long island sound. Ocearch said monday the shark, named cabot, was located less than a. There was a real wildlife treat when a harp seal decided to sun itself for several hours on the long island sound in fairfield county. Gray seals off little gull island on long island, new york. A pretty rare sight seals seldom come onshore in that area unless ill the seal was judged by wildlife officials from mystic aquarium and connecticuts department of energy and environmental protection to be about 1 or 2 years old and was in good.
The riverhead foundation runs seal cruises out of freeport through april, and winter walkers along new york harbor, the long island sound, jones beach, long beach and. Whale watching long island, new york discover long island. It was designated a ramsar site on 24 september 2001. Though gray seals tend to hang out on the east end, harbor seals are regularly seen beaching and swimming all over long island. Kopelman noticed a previously unknown probable gray seal rookery on little gull island, in long island sound.
The last recorded shark attack in the long island sound occurred in 1961. Seals have also been seen in western long island sound and. They spend the winter and leave for northern waters again in midmarch to april. But great whites can move from 100 to 150 miles per day, and ocearch researchers said cabot is expected to exit the sound. Great white shark possibly tracked in long island sound by. The date following each geodatabase link shows when modifications were made to the data tables andor map document only. Tug of war with seal striped bass fishing on long island. Did you know that seals swim near long islands shores. Park in field 10 no fee in winter, walk down to the beach and set. Bring your binoculars and get ready to be awed in one of the finest east coast whale watching and seal watching.
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