Bempton Cliffs had two very special visitors this week...

John and Nancy Eckersely, a retired couple currently based in Flamborough, visited the reserve as part of an incredible 1, 200 mile charity walk for Christian Aid. Their walk started at Land’s End on the 1st of April this year and they are aiming to arrive at John O’Groats during the last week of August.

Their goal is to raise £45 000 to donate…

There are lots and lots and lots of chicks on the cliffs - and they are certainly gaining fans among our visitors. The CCTV cameras are zooming in on the youngsters and they are just so cute.

The one thing we're hearing more than anything is.... aaaahhhh, aren't they cute. And we have to agree.

The orchids on the reserve are so amazing that some of our visitors are getting down on their hands and knees for an even closer view of the stunning flowers of the northern marsh and pyramidals.

But we've got a bit of a mystery. There's one that sort of looks like a common spotted, but something just isn't right and Ian, our site manager, isn't convinced. If any orchid expert out there can put him out of his misery with a…

A quick update first. You'll remember the Puffin which was found exhausted a couple of weeks ago and taken into care, well apparently next morning it happily stood on the edge of its pen and eagerly gobbled down a hand fed beak full of whitebait. it appeared quite chirpy (not entirely sure Puffins chirp, of course) and seemingly fully fit. It was released at Bempton later that day and flew incredibly strongly out to…

A fledged Razorbill chick reported during the week, amazing! Now is just a fabulous time to visit as every parent is fully intent on getting their chick to that stage, so they are all hugely busy bringing in beaks full of food. Look out in particular for flying Razorbills carrying tiny bright silvery fish, or of course for Puffins with beaks crammed full of Sandeels. 

On the way to the viewpoints amidst the carpets of Red…

This time's it's garden tiger moth caterpillars that are being seen in big numbers. Don't you just love this place!

Johnny, one of our brilliant information assistants, spends some of his time watching over a seabird plot at Grandstand Gully, where, this year, there are 13 pairs of razorbills. He's been monitoring the birds for a month but his favourite moment so far happened at the weekend.

On Saturday, he caught his first glimpse this year of a razorbill chick, followed today by more great views of the youngster. He watched as one…

There must have been something in the air tonight, as hundred of Swifts were hunting over the fields around the reserve and right the way through to Speeton. They say one Swallow doesn't make a summer, but surely hundreds of Swifts do? Keep an eye out for large groups of these marvels of the air if you're heading to the reserve this weekend.

Other things to look out for are Brown Hares, although increasingly…

They're hairy, can be up to two inches long and kids love 'em.

The caterpillars of the drinker moths are fascinating our younger visitors, as they crawl along the reserve paths (that's the caterpillars, not the children).

All around the reserve, swathes of pink campion are giving the place a rosy glow

This lovely wildflower is really looking good at the moment, despite the recent high winds that have made life on the reserve a little "interesting", to say the least!

And it isn't just our visitors who think the pink campion is awesome - we've spotted the kittiwakes and gannets pinching bits of it to take back to their nests…

What was I saying about it being an early season - Razorbill and Guillemot chicks two weeks early - show gardeners at Chelsea finding their blooms are two weeks early, all the moths in the garden flying two weeks early and now we have the first Kittiwake chick of the year, yes you've guessed it....two weeks early and one of the earliest we can remember in 20 years of monitoring. Born into the teeth of a gale too, lucky…

A busy spring is drawing to a close (and apologies for the lack of updates for a few months) and one of the earliest seabird breeding seasons ever is well underway. Guillemot and Razorbill chicks have both been seen already, which is a couple of weeks earlier than usual and more predictably there are a few pretty large Gannet chicks around - check out the live images of Peckster and Flip on the CCTV at the centre - their…

It isn't just us who think Bempton Cliffs is amazing. In this last few days, our visitors have been telling us how much they have enjoyed the puffin patrols.

Have a look at what some of them said... You can't blame us for feeling a bit smug, can you.

The puffin patrol was an excellent way to explore the cliffs and learn about RSPB Bempton Cliffs

A great visit by us all, truly inspired by the walk leaders and…

Johnny, our new information assistant, can't believe his luck - he's finding the whole experience of working at Bempton just amazing.

When he's in the visitor centre, he can hear grasshopper warblers clicking just outside the door, he walks down the path and hears the "crazy, manic" sound of sedge warblers and today he's seen his first orange-tip white butterflies of the year.

A couple of times…

There was a bit of a pong in the air on the reserve today. A mild easterley wind has really emphasised that at this time of year Bempton Cliffs is about the sights, sounds and SMELLS of an amazing seabird reserve.

But what a sight! Kittiwakes are zooming into a pond on the reserve to collect mud and grass to make their nests. There were so many birds in the air that they looked just clike a cloud of snowflakes. And as…

If you're on Facebook, just have a look at the amazing images which have been posted by visitors, volunteers and staff. They'll take your breath away.

You'll find us at www.facebook.com/RSPBBemptonCliffs

The kids are now back on the cliffs. Young gannets are swarming back to the reserve - and puzzling one or two of our visitors.

With their black and white "piano" wings, the youngsters leave some of our visitors scratching their heads, puzzling out if they are actually gannets.

Yes they are. And they'll soon be setting up their own clubs. A gannet takes at least five years to reach maturity and during this…

... (and even if you have)

They're the most elusive seabirds on the reserve - but we aren't letting that stop us.

Starting on Easter Saturday (23 April), we'll be scouring the cliff tops, searching out one of the reserve's favourite seabirds - the puffins.

They might be hiding in cracks and crevices, but we have some pretty sneaky staff and volunteers who'll be doing their best to track them down and…

Spend a day with seabirds by joining the seabird spactaculars we're organising with our friends at Visit Hull and East Yorkshire.

You get a tour of the reserve with one of our staff or volunteers, a three-hour puffin and gannet cruise on the Yorkshire Belle (which sails under the awesome cliffs at Bempton, weather permitting) and lunch and drinks at a local restaurant with views of Bridlington harbour. During the…

Sorry for my dreadful use of the English language there, but i'm trying to draw your attention to the REYTA's, or the Remarkable East Yorkshire Tourism Awards. Bempton Cliffs is up for  an award in the 'Remarkable Experience' category and we'd really like your vote. All you have to do is click  the link below and vote for Bempton. You don't have to give any details and you'd be doing us a huge favour…

Some of you may remember that last year Steve Race and I carried out a little questionnaire on the reserve regarding our viewpoints. This wasn't just so we had an excuse to get out on the cliffs and sun ourselves, it was to try and find out what you guys would do to improve the views from Jubilee and New Roll Up. Two of the main comments we received were to improve the wheelchair access and to provide more benches.…

Spring, even if it is a little premature, seems to be in the air this week at Bempton Cliffs. The sun is shining, buds are on the trees and shoots are pushing their way through the ground. Our estate maintenance team have re-painted the benches, visitor centre staff have changed the displays and office staff are planning summer cruises and seabird monitoring.

This week the RSPB launched an appeal that might help you…