Bempton's Other Birds

Of course Bempton provides outstanding views of other cliff nesting species. However, most visitors want to see Puffins - well they are cute and charming. There were plenty flying in and out of the lower cliff but not so many on the tops and never that close. Just about every nook, cranny and small ledge had a resident of some sort, again black and white birds presenting a challenge for the camera. The birds that really interested me were the Tree Sparrows, nothing like the flighty residents at Dungeness, these birds are almost tame, approximately 100 pairs occupying the plentiful nest boxes at the visitor centre. I would really like to have brought a pair home with me.
 

Guillemots

 

Puffins

Not going far on those wings.

 Razorbills

 

 

 

Feral Rock Dove

 

 



 

and my favourite - Tree Sparrows

 

 

Bempton Cliffs - Gannets Galore!

Bempton Cliffs are situated on the Yorkshire coast just north of Bridlington and are both a seabird and photographer's heaven. Approximately 200,000 birds use the cliffs in the breeding season between April and August; Puffins, Kittiwakes, Fulmars, Guillemots, Razorbill and without doubt the stars of the show, for me, are those masters of the air - the Gannets. Since my birding companion Martin paid a visit last year it has been on the top of my list for a photographic opportunity.

RSPB Bempton provides five superb viewpoints, the southern two - New Roll-up and Staple Newk and the coastal path between providing the best views of Gannets.  Photographing white birds is always a nightmare, too much light and the plumage highlights are blown, too little results in noisy blurred shots. Luckily we had booked into a comfortable hotel near Scarborough for three nights, affording two whole days on the reserve. With that amount of time at hand I should have been able to get some results. As it happened, Monday our first day was heavily overcast but Tuesday was bright and sunny. Oddly enough the weather affects more than exposure - the wind strength and direction appears to determine how the birds fly along the cliff edges. Not enough breeze to give the required lift and the birds stay low and if they are flying predominantly north, then in some flight shots the wings cast a shadow over the head - complicated old game isn't it.

Up close and personal with a stunning bird, either on the ground.............

 

.....or in the air.

More control surfaces than a RAF Typhoon and probably more aerobatic!

Nesting material is hard to come by, the cliff top grass systematically denuded by a horde of desperate birds. Further inland the Kittiwakes were doing the same to a field of grass, any deterrent used by the farmer was totally ignored.

Uniform spacing between nests determined by the ability to deliver a well aimed stab of the beak without exposing the egg.

 

 Miles of perfect nesting habitat - looking south from Staple Newk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pulborough Nightingales

Today was a slot to catch up on the Nightingales we missed a couple of weeks ago. So we started with a quick visit to Waltham Brooks just in case anything exotic was in residence. It was far from quiet, many birds singing their heads off, particularly Sedge Warblers. I expected a Cuckoo, the Brooks is normally a banker for these birds, but not today.

On to Pulborough where we immediately came across Willow Warbler, Garden Warbler and, of course ,very vociferous Nightingales that were happy to perch out in the open and sing their heads off. Fattingates was particularly good. Eventually we decided to do a circuit and set off for "adder alley" where more Nightingales had been reported. Sitting on one of the benches we sighted some fresh in Swifts accompanied by several high flying House Martins.

Having visited several hides and one of the viewpoints we decided to return to Fattingates to try to get some shots of a resident Garden Warbler and of course some more records of the Nightingales. Eventually we made our way back to the Visitor Centre, where, as we were enjoying a nice cup of tea, Paul "icemelter4" ( take a look at his stunning flickr site)  kindly informed us of a White Stork flying high above the North Brooks. We considered going back to the North Brooks viewpoint to try for a record shot but the bird was reported as flying south towards Amberley. So we tried to chase it, calling in at Waltham Brooks again and then down to the viewpoint at Amberley and finally a scan of the fields from Amberley Castle - unfortunately it had vanished. Never mind, we ended the day on a life tick, what more could you ask for?

Usual suspects.....

And a few shots taken this week that didn't make a blog.  The Duke of Burgundy butterflies from Heyshott escarpment and Kithurst Meadow and the loving couple from Breech Pool.