Sunday, Monday & Tuesday. Three glorious days to have been out and about at the spectacular Bempton Cliffs NSPB Reserve. Mind you, for those who ventured forth, it was essential to wrap up warm and toasty. Woolly hats, gloves, walking boots (wellies optional) and three decent layers of clothing were definitely order of the day.
(Gannet - Image: Bempton Cliffs)
Appropriately attired, and with scopes and binoculars at the ready, a goodly number of outdoor enthusiasts made their way to our well positioned cliff viewing areas from where they enjoyed the sight of gannets, effortlessly sweeping over the waves; fulmars, gliding gracefully to and from the cliff ledges; several shags, bobbing up and down on the sea swell; a couple of red-throated divers, dipping beneath the water’s surface; half-a-dozen herring gulls, sitting quietly, passing the time of day far below down on the rocks; and two huge great black-backed gulls, swooping ominously over all they surveyed. Added to this, several pods of harbour porpoises also joined in the fun, and could be seen rising and submerging close by the red-throated divers. And, as if this wasn’t enough to have made facing the chilly sea breeze totally worthwhile, quite a few lucky onlookers also managed to spot a magnificent peregrine falcon checking out what might be on the lunch-time menu.
(Peregrine Falcon - Image: David Hunt)
Back at our reserve’s centre there was plenty to be seen going on there too, with a large flock of jackdaws noisily going about their business, making regular, if rather chaotic, raids on the bird tables; twenty-five or more delightful tree sparrows, entertaining us on the bird feeders; and a handsome, solitary stonechat, keeping a constant vigil on the top of a gorse bush.
(Tree Sparrow - Image: Steve Race)
Those who are acquainted with Bempton Cliffs, will of course know that many more species of birds will have been seen. And they are right. So here is a list of our other very welcome feathered friends who have honoured us with a recent visit: Lapwings, fieldfares, guillemots, a barn owl, robins, dunnocks, goldfinches, greenfinches, chaffinches, a rock pipit, and, just as we were closing on Tuesday evening, a majestic sparrowhawk raced by in pursuit of its prey, presumably on route for supper. In addition, and as yet, unconfirmed, a reported sighting of a red kite was also made, so we will be keeping an eye out over the next day or so in order that we may tick this one off on our visitor list too.
Okay. So it’s winter and it’s chilly. But what the hey. Pull on those winter thermals and come on over to Bempton Cliffs. We’d love to see you, and you are guaranteed the warmest of welcomes.
Written by Martin Southwell - Residential Volunteer