Harbor seals haul out along New Hampshire’s Seacoast heaviest in winter, and the record bears that out: January, November, and December together account for 23 of the state’s 55 sightings, more than double any single summer month, tracking the season when seals move into sheltered bays like Great Bay to rest between foraging trips. NatureServe rates the state’s non-breeding population S4N, apparently secure, and with 52 of 55 records from iNaturalist, most of what’s documented here comes from people spotting hauled-out seals rather than survey data.
The sharp spring dip, March and April combine for just 2 records, likely reflects seals dispersing back toward larger haul-out sites and pupping grounds farther north and south along the coast rather than any real seasonal absence from New Hampshire waters.
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