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