FAQ: Before You Scan the Shore

Yes. River plumes, kelp margins, tidal exposure and bird movements reveal ecosystem relationships even when marine mammals remain unseen. Begin with the habitat guide and choose one connection to watch.

There is no universal best season. Patterns depend on latitude, weather, prey and species. Check regional information and current access rules. Our seasonal table offers broad questions, not a sighting calendar.

Follow local legal minimum distances and increase separation whenever your presence changes behaviour. A minimum is not a target. Avoid blocking travel or escape routes, and do not assume that an animal remaining still is unaffected.

Watch for a repeated rolling sequence, consistent travel and a visible back or fin. If the evidence is incomplete, record an unidentified surface movement. Glare and rough water can make identification impossible without making the observation worthless.

No. Birds can indicate a feeding opportunity, but a flock does not prove that marine mammals are present or identify the prey. Describe the visible diving or surface-feeding activity without adding unseen animals to the record.

Keep people and dogs back. A seal may be resting normally. If it appears injured or threatened, contact the appropriate local wildlife authority and follow its instructions. Do not touch, feed, move or return it to the water yourself.

Do not use a drone to approach or provoke wildlife. Aviation permission does not override wildlife protection, land-management restrictions or seasonal closures. Choose a permitted shore viewpoint and binoculars instead.

Include date, approximate time, general area, weather, sea state, numbers, observed behaviour and identification confidence. Separate observation from interpretation. “Two birds diving repeatedly” is better evidence than “two birds catching herring” when the prey was not visible.

Avoid publishing sensitive coordinates, access routes or live locations. Use recognized reporting schemes with safeguards when precise records are needed. General habitat descriptions can teach other visitors without bringing a crowd to a vulnerable site.

No. It prepares plain text locally. You choose whether to copy it, download it or send it separately by email. It is not an emergency-reporting or scientific monitoring service. Open the local composer.