Bempton Cliffs

I always look forward to a visit to RSPB Bempton, on the East Yorkshire coast. It's a chance to get up close to our sea birds in their nesting habitat, and not looking at some floating dots in the distance. It's even better when the weather is good, and it was another hot one. The birds didn't disappoint either, with hundreds and thousands of Gannets, Guillemots, Razorbills, Kittiwakes, Fulmars and Puffins all within touching distance as they went about their business of raising their young on the cliffs. The sights, sounds and smells are a real privilege to witness. I recommend it to anyone who has an interest in wildlife and even those who don't.

You can see highlights of my trip here:

Fulmar

Gannet

Kittiwake

Puffins

Razorbills

Cley

A visit to my parents recently saw a good opportunity to sea watch and also sit in the hides at Cley. It was pretty blustery to say the least while we were there and it did push the sea birds closer to the shore. The hides in the good morning light gave the opportunity to watch and photograph some of the raptors that were causing havoc amongst the waders and waterfowl.

A Marsh Harrier hunting over the reeds.

A Peregrine Falcon tormented the waders but was unsuccessful with each attempt.

Razorbills were in abundance along the coast, sprinkled with the odd Guillemot.

A rare sight for me, a Common Shrew. Ver quick and easy to miss, but this one ran across a road towards us before darting off into the safety of the grass.

Puffins & Razorbills - Bempton Cliffs

The East coast of Yorkshire is a lovely place, and at this time of year its cliffs are jam packed with breeding sea birds. Puffins, Gannets, Guillemots, Razorbills, Kittiwakes and Fulmars fill the air, sea and land. The sight, sounds and smells are a joy to behold. I recommend a visit to anyone who can get across there at this time of year. I've been many times and it never fails to produce.

There were not too many Puffins around this year. Maybe avian flu has had an impact or the long term problem of food shortage is taking it's toll. Not being very big birds, it was a case of scanning for those orange feet and the famous bill. They just put a big smile on my face when I see them.

Puffin

Good numbers of Razorbills were lovely to see. Quite often when I see these birds they are floating a long way out at sea, or whizzing past at speed, so it was nice to see them at close quarters on the rocks.

Razorbill

This one made sure the Pigeon knew he wasn't happy with him flying past.

Northumberland Razorbills

Around the majority of coasts of the UK at this time of year you'll have a pretty good chance of coming across a Razorbill on the rocks. They only come to shore in the summer months to breed and raise their young, before spending the winter in the North Atlantic. Part of the Auk family, which includes Guillemots and Puffins, they remind me a little bit of the penguin. A very upright stance and large deep bill. I had a great time watching these around the Northumberland coast recently.

Staple Island

Once on the island I didn't really know where to begin. So many birds and only an hour on the island. It's not a very big island, but I really could have spent hours here. The sun was out, its was relatively warm and what I had been waiting for was all in front of me. I just had to get on and do what I came here for. Hold the camera up and press that button for as long as I liked. Absolutely perfect.

Kittiwake.

Being able to see so many Atlantic Puffins close up is probably the abiding memory I will have. I've seen them before, but not in such numbers at close quarters. Truly breathtaking.

Sand eels are what the Puffins eat. They're pretty clever at stacking them up too.

Sunning themselves on the rocks were the Razorbills. 

Staple Island - The approach

The morning had finally arrived. My day trip to the Farne Islands. I had been constantly checking my weather app for days, and it was at least looking dry. That's all I wanted. As I went to pay though I realised that the wind was also quite an important factor. If it's too windy with too much swell we wouldn't be able to land on Staple Island. After a tense fifteen minute wait, we were all systems go.

We set off on time at 9.30am. The islands look deceptively close from the shore. They're actually 2-3 miles away, and that takes quite a while by boat. I think it probably took 30 minutes to get to Staple, when it looked like it should be 10.

Glad Tidings 3. My boat for the day.

Bamburgh Castle seen from the boat.

Inner Farne and the lighthouse in the distance.

Eider Ducks will be one of my lasting memories of my time at Seahouses and the Farne Islands. A bird that I usually struggle to get on my year list is in abundance on the seas here. In the harbour at Seahouses on the boat journey across, and around the Farnes too. There are oodles of them. Super looking birds, and most had young with them.

Approaching Staple Island and you can see the cliffs heaving with Guillemots and Razorbills. Kittiwakes in the air, and an extraordinary smell.

I didn't really know where to look first, such was my excitement. I kept catching birds out of the corner of my eye as they took off from the sea. Others were flying in front of us. I was trying to bring the camera up every now and again but to no avail as everything was moving so fast. I need to remind myself that I am 41 and not 21. Should I be feeling this excited. The grin on my face was telling me YES!

The best I could do with a Puffin in flight shot from the boat.

A solitary Puffin on Staple Island as we approach.

Razorbills looking fantastic in the sunlight. My wishes for good weather had been answered.

Bempton

Some more pictures from Bempton Cliffs. The cliff top paths allowed us to get very close to all the birds, but it was the Gannets that really stole the show for me. I spent a lot of time trying to get good flight shots, but then I also found myself concentrating on the birds that were sat on the rocky cliffs.

A Gannet giving me the eye.

 

And in flight.



A Guillemot possibly with a Sand Eel .

A very good looking Razorbill.



And applying the breaks for landing.