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Rough seas cover seals in foam at St Abb's Head

News imageCiaran Hatsell/National Trust for Scotland The seal is on a rocky shore and is covered large round flat pebbles. It is looking towards the camera. The seal is covered in foam that looks like the foam on a cappuccino. More foam is on the surface of the sea behind the seal.Ciaran Hatsell/National Trust for Scotland
A female grey seal emerges from the sea at St Abb's Head covered in spume

Rough seas at St Abb's Head National Nature Reserve in the Borders have left the shoreline - and the area's grey seals - covered in sea foam.

The site's National Trust for Scotland (NTS) staff said the foam, called spume, was a natural phenomenon caused by organic matter and oxygen.

They said it was a normal part of the seascape at this time of year when storms churn up the sea.

"The beaches have been awash with it but the seals don't seem to mind," said a member of the reserve's team.

News imageCiaran Hatsell/National Trust for Scotland The seal is on a rocky shore and is covered large round flat pebbles. The seal is covered in foam that looks like the foam on a cappuccino. More foam is on the surface of the sea behind the seal.Ciaran Hatsell/National Trust for Scotland
News imageCiaran Hatsell/National Trust for Scotland The seal is on a rocky shore and is covered large round flat pebbles. It is looking towards the camera. The seal has some foam on it that looks like the foam on a cappuccino. More foam is on the surface of the sea behind the seal.Ciaran Hatsell/National Trust for Scotland
News imageCiaran Hatsell/National Trust for Scotland A seal lies among rocks with a mass of sea foam behind it.Ciaran Hatsell/National Trust for Scotland