New Seabird Research Residential Volunteer at Bempton checking in

Hello all.

I’m Sophia and I am this year’s Seabird Monitoring Research Assistant Residential Volunteer. Thankfully my first few weeks were wonderfully sunny, which made for a stunning introduction to the spectacular seabird covered cliffs of Bempton and Flamborough.

So my role is to assist the seabird research assistant with his work. I have several plots to carry out productivity studies on. This is involves being out on the dramatic cliffs nearly every day to see whether the birds have eggs/chicks and the end result of this.

So one of my first challenges was to match the cliff face to their names and remember where each cliff face was. This is much harder than it sounds, however after a few visits I thankfully got my head around them. Here is an example of some plots to distinguish between:

You soon forget you are sitting on a cliff (with 6 + layers on and thermals) when you are staring down a telescope at one of 50 birds. Not realising you are quietly saying to yourself “wiggle for me, come on, you know you want to show me your egg. Show me your egg!” It becomes addictive when you are determined not to give up on the bird potentially getting up from sitting down so you can peak under what they are sitting on (if anything). Unfortunately there have been several occasions when I have looked up and seen someone standing next to me giving me odd looks.

Above is a Gannet on one of my plots (Jubilee view point) briefly showing me its egg.

There have been a few windy days here, but never dull. On the way to one of my plots at Jubilee viewpoint at Bempton, I had the joys of standing in awe while being surrounded by a group of gannets floating in the wind. Listening to the whoosh as they fly past. I was utterly mesmerized.

Above: The Gannets floating in the wind (apologize for the quality, iPhone was all I had on me)

Every morning I go down to one of my monitoring plots I remember how lucky I am to have the opportunity to work here in this amazing location.The Gannets are on eggs and Gannet chicks are appearing now! A good number of Guillemots and Razorbills are on eggs now too. So the monitoring season is starting quickly. Soon the days will be non-stop busy with seabird related surveys and counting. More updates from me as the season goes on.

Above: monitoring away at one of my plots at  Flamborough Head