The Orkney Image Library
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This female grey seal has been poncing bait off me at the creels for the last 12 years. You can stroke her, and she takes the bait out of your hand very gently. Must have been in a seal sanctuary at some time I would think.
Picture added on 01 January 2009
What a great photo Bill, its nice to know that there's still a creel man oot there that works with nature.
Added by Colin Mcbeath on 02 January 2009
Wonderful capture!
Added by Rae Slater on 02 January 2009
I have only just seen this fine picture. The seal's eyes are more than usually prominent, showing a ring of white sclera around both corneas. I think her vision may be impaired - possibly a factor in her unusual tameness. Eleven years ago I took a shot of a female Grey Seal with similar eyes and sent it to 'BBC Wildlife' magazine. Their wildlife veterinary expert thought it might be a case of glaucoma. That seal was less shy than the norm too, though far from hand-tame. She had a pup on the beach below Barth Head, S Ronaldsay. I just wonder if we both photographed the same animal, ten years apart.
Added by Ian Hourston on 06 October 2009
Just seen your comment Ian. I don't know about her having poor eyesight. I know she can see me waving a fish at her from 100 yards away. I last saw her in mid October before I hauled up my boat for the winter. I was fishing near the Mill Bay, Stronsay, with Jimmy Stout, and as Jimmy was hauling in a big Pollack, Sammy grabbed hold of it and tried to get it away from him. As a test, I fed her about forty cuathes which was all I had, and she scoffed the lot. Imagine the amount of fish eaten by seals each day !
Added by Bill Miller on 09 November 2009
Is this the famous seal and fisherman featured on BBC Autumnwatch?
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Added by Josh Gourlay on 22 December 2010
Stronsay
