This week has been glorious at Bempton Cliffs, despite the weather forecast telling us otherwise. On Thursday the gannets, fulmars and kittiwakes were showing off their aerial acrobatics in the blustery, yet sunny, cliffside conditions and a very obliging linnet sat at one of the viewpoints to have his photo taken. Several sandwich terns were also having a paddle in the shallow water at the base of the cliffs and all in all there was a very relaxing holiday type mood about the place. Even without the birds, the scenery was truly stunning and it wasn’t difficult to see the cliffs as far away as Robin Hoods Bay.
Mid morning, one of our volunteers radioed the visitor centre to let us know that a curlew was flying northwards along the length of the reserve. We rushed to the windows to try to catch a glimpse through the display binoculars but had no luck. Hopefully the visitors down at the edge were more successful. Another of our volunteers also told us about a young kittiwake that seemed to be stranded on the path near Staple Newk. She ushered it gently off the main thoroughfare but as there was no serious sign of distress or injury, she left it to make its own way back into the air and fortunately, when she went to check the bird’s progress later in the day, there was no sign of it.
If you visit the reserve in the next month or so look out for willow warblers who will be passing through on their way back to their wintering grounds in sub-Saharan Africa. We believe that we may have had willow warblers nesting on the reserve, but in the past week or so we have had an increased number of sightings so it is possible that migration time has arrived.
Rachael Tulloch (Warden Intern, RSPB Fairburn Ings)