Well Bempton of course! After visiting an island off Iceland and taking a trip to the Orkneys, Brian and Tracey finally got their first good views of Puffins today....at Bempton. Fabulous stuff. Viewpoint volunteer John was on hand, scope trained on the cliffs, ensuring the best views possible; they are truly little gems of birds, but finding them on the cliffs takes some practice. You'd think their bright orange legs…

Plenty to look out for on the reserve right now. Over the last few days highlights have included a Black Redstart and a few Wheatears around the fields to the left as you head to Jubilee viewpoint, a Swallow briefly over the cliffs between New Roll Up and Staple Newk and Chiffchaffs and a Blackcap around the visitor centre and feeding stations.

A Peregrine or two have continued to give amazing views, including really…

A fine male Wheatear today, in equally fine weather was the first of, I'm sure, what will prove to be many this spring. The sea was thick with flocks of Guillemots and Razorbills, although the Razorbills were the ones today which had more of an affinity for the cliffs - there were some sublime images of Razorbills on the new camera in the soft afternoon light, indulging in some very affectionate pair bonding preening…

There's nothing quite like a cross gannet.  Try to pinch its belongings and there'll be trouble - as we've been finding out.

The newly re-sited CCTV camera overlooking Staple Newk is once again bringing us some intriguing insights into the lives of the seabirds - none more so than the squabbles going on among the gannets.

Fom the comfort of the visitor centre - and often nursing a cup of something warm - we…

A second CCTV camera is now beaming amazing images of our seabird colony back to the visitor centre.

Last week, intrepid climbers from High Peak Geotechnical Ltd abseiled down the cliffs to re-install last year's Staple Newk camera and also sited a second camera, this time betwee Bartlett Nab and Jubilee viewpoints. This new camera will focus on the guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes and puffins.

The cameras are…

No recent sightings posts for a while so a bit of a summary of the last few weeks. Snow in the middle of February finally convinced the Desert Wheatear it was time to move on, but it proved to be one of the longest staying Desert Wheatears ever in the UK. Poor weather in mid February also brought one of the most amazing sightings you could imagine, that of a Bittern which spent the day sat in low scrub in the middle of…

Visitors to Bempton in recent weeks will have seen that we're making a few changes around the place - all with the aim of improving things for our visitors.

Our latest project is refurbishing the toilets. We know it's not very convenienet (see what I did there?) but while the contractors are working on one set of loos, we're temporarily making it so the others can be used by everyone. We promise we'll get this…

This weekend's snow did not stop our hardy visitors - and what a treat they had.

A bitterm, of all things, blew in on Sunday, making it quite possibly a first for the reserve. Of all the birds you wouldn't expect to find at Bempton Cliffs, I'm sure this guy would be high on the list! The bird hung around all day, resting up in an area not far from the visitor centre. We think it might have been pushed over…

Never imagined for one minute that I'd be writing at the end of January, reporting that the Desert Wheatear is still here and still frequenting Staple Newk. Word is, that on some days it can be so obliging as to be almost too close to photograph.

Other things of note over the last few weeks have included an unidentified large, long winged, long legged bird south over the reserve. Thought possibly a Common Crane by…

Big Garden Birdwatch has had a brilliant boost, thanks to our friends at Welcome to Yorkshire.

Gary Verity, who's the boss of the tourism body, has called on every tourism business in Yorkshire to join in Big Garden Birdwatch this coming weekend.

Gary said: “Yorkshire has amazing wildlife, which every year attracts huge numbers of people to visit the county. Garden birds are an important part of that mix and the…

Well, sort of! A few gannets arrived back on the cliffs yesterday and the fulmars are here too.

We have also had our New Year visit from the guillemots, with thousands on the cliffs over the last few days -  but, as usual, they tease us with their return and then they all go back out to sea. Won't be too long before they back to stay, though.

But it's a sure-fire reminder that the seabirds are on their way back. Over…

Come along on Sunday to brush up on your garden bird identification before doing your Big Garden Birdwatch 2012! We will have everything you need to take part, including help from those in the know who can help you sort out blue tits from great tits. You'll take home your very own survey leaflet so you can take part in the RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch .

Activities include watching and identifying birds in…

Remarkably the Gannet nests at Staple Newk (as well as the fields, fences and footpaths!) are still proving popular with the Desert Wheatear. Not entirely sure whether or not the impending arrival of the first few Gannets will change things, but for the time being at least the Staple Newk nests are the place to find it.

Sure sign of spring too, is the fact that Tree Sparrows are showing more interest again in visitor…

Check out the main blogg page for the latest sightings and news of the unexpected return of the Desert Wheatear.

After disappearing for a few days in truly awful weather the cracking male Desert Wheatear is back. It was seen briefly on Monday but then was seen well today feeding on the empty Gannetry at Staple Newk. It's quite likely the Gannet nests are insect rich and also very sheltered so all in all an ideal winter retreat. It can be difficult to see but well worth the wait.

Also, the last week has seen Fulmars showing…

Both the Short-eared Owl (although there may actually be more than one) and the Desert Wheatear put on a fine show today. The Owl spent most of the day hunting over the field behind the visitor centre and the Wheatear was typically mobile. Check for it between Staple Newk and New Roll Up viewpoints, but if it's not there head back to the Grandstand area.

Peregrine, Kestrel and Sparrowhawk were also seen today - most…

Despite the freezing cold, at least it was gloriously sunny today and the Desert Wheatear could at last bask in a little East Yorkshire sun. The Short-eared Owl was hunting again, still finding plenty to eat in the grassland and a Barn Owl headed up Cliff Lane toward the reserve this evening.

Over the last few days Snow and Lapland Bunting have been seen and over the weekend a remarkable record of a House Martin taught…

The beautiful male Desert Wheatear was still present today. Other bits and bobs over the last few days have included one or two Short-eared Owls still and a couple of Woodcock.

Last weekend a visitor to the reserve noticed a small bird on Staple Newk viewpoint whilst she was watching the Short-eared Owl. She managed to take some good photos and the bird turned out to be a Desert Wheatear. It was looked for, but not seen again until yesterday afternoon when it was present briefly again at the same spot and its still there this morning.

No, not night Owls, nor now so it seems, afternoon Owls, but the Short-eared Owl can be seen at almost any time of day! This morning it was flying around near to RAF station at 9:30am.

Again this afternoon a Short-eared Owl was almost constantly on show over the field behind the visitor centre - a truly beautiful bird and later in the afternoon a very upset Blackbird and an equally agitated Wren gave away the presence of a Long-eared Owl, which seemed to have been roosting somewhere around the car park. True to form the Long-eared only became active as darkness fell.

Seems the Tree Sparrows have taken…

Well, at the moment it's hard not to be mesmerised by our Short-eared Owls. Almost without fail up to three birds grace us with their presence each afternoon and hunt over the rough grassland and nearby farm fields. A dramatic flyby just outside the visitor centre caused even more delight this afternoon, so they really are showing well and not to be missed.

They were joined by a Hen Harrier very briefly this afternoon…

The last week or so has seen almost relentless movements of in coming thrushes and especially over the last few days, when there seem to be Blackbirds absolutely everywhere. Small groups of Fieldfares are 'chacking' their way over head and Skylarks and Meadow Pipits are still on the move, so yet again a top place to watch migration in action.

Further excitement has been added by the brief presence of a Waxwing…

Well 'fare'! Today there's been an almost constant trickle of Fieldfares coming in off the sea, some settling and feeding as soon as they've made landfall, others carrying on inland, 'chacking' away to each other. Lovely!

Following in their footsteps a Short-eared Owl was seen over the sea at Jubilee viewpoint and evidence of another Short-eared Owl on the reserve came in the form of a pellet…

Well, maybe not snow, but there are Snow Buntings on the reserve, so all the beauty of snow without any of the down sides! They were seen on the path beyond Staple Newk.

Also, migration is still in action with flocks of Pink-footed Geese over head and regular arrivals of Goldcrests and winter thrushes. Flocks of finches are still feeding in weedy fields and Bramblings have joined them. A Great Grey Shrike recently didn…