412 grey seals were recorded on the beach at South Walney yesterday as part of Cumbria Wildlife Trust's regular drone surveys to monitor the population.
A spokesperson said:
"Over winter, grey seals spend more time on land as they undertake their annual moult.
"South Walney is the main haulout site and the only breeding site for grey seals in the North West.
"In the 1980s there were only a few seals using the protected beaches on the reserve and last year our peak count almost reached 500. There is still a few weeks left to see if we can beat the record this year."