Well it’s been a hectic few months, apologies for the lack of updates. However, here is the state of play at Bempton Cliffs from our residential seabird research volunteers.
“After a slow start, the breeding season at Bempton is finally in full swing, as is our monitoring effort. Most species are two or three weeks late breeding (some of this year’s early Gannet chicks were nearly a month later than last year’s), but chicks are now starting to appear more frequently. We have good numbers of Guillemot chicks, and though the Razorbills are a little slower we are seeing more chicks with every visit.
Gannet chicks are also starting to appear in reasonable numbers – the best chance of spotting one is at Staple Newk viewpoint. They start out small and black but become easier to spot as their white feathers grow. The Kittiwakes seem to be having a particularly late breeding year, and have only recently begun to lay eggs. We wonder whether clutch sizes may be smaller than average this year as Kittiwakes limit the effort they put into breeding and look forward to receiving the results from our Kittiwake monitoring team.
One species that missed the late breeding memo is Herring Gulls, with mobile chicks observed on a number of nests. They may have been less affected by the weather that had such an impact on the true pelagic birds earlier this spring.”
Yet there is more to see than just seabirds here at Bempton Cliffs. Skylarks can be seen singing high above the meadows, and Reed and Corn Buntings are often heard before they are seen, perched amongst the pink carpet of Red Campion flowers beyond Jubilee Corner. Birds of prey have also been putting on a good show, with the Peregrine and Kestrel both showing well at Grandstand viewpoint early most mornings, and the local Barn Owl making regular appearances. A Short-eared Owl has been seen several times towards the top of Hoddy Cows’ Lane at our reserve boundary, though this week’s highlight was the fly by from a Montagu’s Harrier, spotted by one of our Scarborough Peregrine volunteers.