Gannets on Staple Newk Rock

My call to the cliffs started well enough, weather-wise, although dull it was very mild with no rain forecast. Ha Ha! By the time the visitor centre was open, the rain (that wasn't forecast!) was falling heavily and determined to soak me without mercy! Even with "waterproofs", I ended up wetter than a wet thing on a wet Sunday! However, it was business as usual for both myself…

The "Auks" are back in Town! (But will they stay or will they go?)

I was awakened this morning by the call of the cliffs but opened the curtains to a dark, dull, drizzly and misty start! Today, I decided, was going to be full of challenges and we love challenges, don't we? Most readers will agree that RSPB Bempton Cliffs is an amazing place in all conditions. Last week, the first week of March, was amazing…

A piece of vital life-saving equipment is now in situ at the RSPB’s Seabird Centre at Bempton Cliffs thanks to the generosity of a local woman.

Pat Gardner (seen above with the RSPB's Sarah Aitken and Yorkshire Ambulance Services,Jayne Scott ) lost her husband Terry in 2009 and since then has been raising money in his memory to install defibrillators across the county.   Bempton Cliffs is the latest recipient…

"Morning has broken...."!

This morning dawned bright and cheerful as I received my call to the cliffs, echoed by a delightful chorus of birds as I arrived in the car park. An early walk to Grandstand and Bartlett Nab revealed thousands of Guillemots and hundreds of Razorbills on the cliffs, on the sea and in flight. I had hoped that the Kittiwakes would have arrived on the cliffs with their piercing "Kittiwake…

Short-Eared Owl

I arrived at RSPB Bempton Cliffs well before the Seabird Centre opened this morning, in order to have a good look around and report back sightings before our visitors arrived. The light at 0800hrs was perhaps the best the day would offer, with a golden glow. As I walked down the diagonal path towards the cliffs, a Short-eared Owl quartered the field before taking a well earned rest on the bench!

"Tumbling" Fulmar

It is always a pleasure to answer the call of the cliffs, but even more special when the sun is shining, the sky is blue, the wildlife is increasing and visitors are in awe of this special place! Today I spent most of my time on Bartlett Nab viewpoint, engaging with visitors and photographing the wildlife in the immediate vicinity. It was noticeable that the Gannet numbers were increasing…

Gannets on Staple Newk

Today the weather threw many challenges at the cliffs, it was blowing a hoolie and hardly got light with short, sharp, showers of rain and sleet. The cool wind did its best to blow me off the paths but I was dressed appropriately and could laugh at nature and enjoy the cliffs in their wild splendour! It was, however, a photographers nightmare! The grey cliffs, grey sky and grey sea dulled the…

Razorbill

RSPB Bempton Cliffs is good for walking at any time of the year and in any weather, catering for long, medium and short distances. The cliffs today promised to be rather special and this was fulfilled with good weather, good birds and good company. Sunshine, blue skies, light winds and mild temperatures were the order of the day and approaching the cliffs, the sound and sight of thousands of sea birds filled…

Gannets on Staple Newk

It is always a good feeling to leave my house in Bempton and head towards RSPB Bempton Cliffs in glorious sunshine and frost on the ground. It is even better to spot two Grey Partridge in the fields adjoining the reserve on Cliff Lane!

Before the visitor centre was open, I had a quick walk around Grandstand and Bartlett Nab viewpoints to get a feel of the day ahead. I couldn't resist attempting…

The weather on the cliffs this morning started with a combination of early morning frost, a sea fret,  hints of blue sky above the mist and brightness where the sun managed to find weaknesses in the fret. This combination did give some excellent photographic opportunities and of course, I was happy to accept the challenge!

Good Morning RSPB Bempton Cliffs!

 Walking towards the cliffs, the paths were being guarded…

Fulmar

The forecast for Bempton today was rather inclement, however the reality was better! Yes we had mist, light rain and a gentle blow but bright intervals also intervened and made for a good day. The light was difficult and photographers were challenged with the need for high ISO settings! Today, I visited the viewpoints at Grandstand and Bartlett Nab to interact with our visitors and when alone concentrated on birds…

Approaching the cliffs this morning, a strange gurgling growling sound could only mean one thing - the Guillemots are back in town (or at least on the ledges)! There were Guillemots here, Guillemots there, Guillemots almost everywhere! The cliffs were alive with the sound of.....yes you guessed it - Guillemots! In fact c3000! Although colleagues have reported seeing Guillemots on the cliffs, these were the first ones…

Staple Newk

Happy New Year!

With Christmas celebrations over and on New Years Day, what better way to blow off the cobwebs and fight the extra pounds than a brisk walk on the magnificent Bempton Cliffs? There was certainly a challenging blow today, doing its best to "take my breath away" and on occasions, attempting (and nearly succeeding!) to "blow the man down", and I'm no lightweight!!

The fog rolled down Cliff Lane and turned the familiar drive to the Seabird Centre into an adventure.  The road ahead became invisible and trees and hedges were erased from the landscape.   It was the perfect scene setter for an evening talk on shipwrecks.      

Volunteer Tony Mayman has spent months researching the 50,000 wrecks that litter the coast from Spurn Point up to Whitby and turned up some riveting tales of dramatic…