I love my job. I spent yesterday at the wonderful Bempton Cliffs nature reserve. A quarter of a million noisy, smelly majestic seabirds on a 2.5km stretch of the East Yorkshire coast.
It was a joy to be able to go out on a boat and mix with the gannets, kittiwakes, puffins, guillemots and razorbills. It's the largest seabird colony in England with a rich history of seabird protection. It was here at Bempton that the Association for the Protection of Seabirds was established by the Rev. Henry Frederick Barnes, vicar of Bridlington, between 1849 and 1874. He led the way in campaigning to end the mass slaughter of seabirds caused by the Bridlington shooting parties. Westminster eventually took note and the Sea Birds Preservation Act was passed in 1869.
It may surprise you to know that I am the son of a vicar myself. So, as I bobbed about on the waves at Bempton, taking in the sights, sounds and smells, I was inclined to applaud the efforts of Rev. Barnes.
Today, not only are we protecting and showcasing the seabird nesting sites, but our research into the feeding and resting habits of these birds should underpin future marine protected areas. But for that to happen, we need, once again, to demonstrate public support for seabird protection. This is why 142 years on from the Rev. Barnes' efforts we are encouraging people to step up for seabirds and sign our latest petition.