June 2012 - RSPB Bempton Cliffs & Seabird Cruise

Saturday 2nd: A 90 minute drive to the East Riding of Yorkshire and the RSPB NR at Bempton Cliffs was a perfect opportunity to test-out my new camera with its 35x zoom lens. This was Sandra's first visit to the NR and she was eager to see as much as possible. A "head-for-heights" is a must as the vantage points are at the cliff edge. Colonies of Gannets, Razorbills, Guillemots, Kittiwakes and of course... Puffins are clustered on the cliff faces.

Above: This Puffin was easily seen in a scope but just a small black and white speck on the cliff-side to the un-aided eye. The camera that Mel got me for my birthday easily zoomed onto the bird.

Getting there for 9:15am, we only had 4 hours or so to look around before leaving for Bridlington and the Seabird Cruise. Farmland and open fields enclose the NR as the variety of birds is numerous. First sightings were Tree Sparrows, a large colony is resident, Jackdaws abound and when we were eating our sandwiches, four Jackdaws congregated around us and Sandra fed some scraps of bread which they took.

Skylarks were continually flying upwards in the vertical line, all the time singing only to hover for around 30 seconds and then descending to a favourite perch for a few moments before dropping down amongst the tufts of grass and weed.

At the cliff edge as expected were hoards on Gannets, Guillemots, Razorbills and Kittiwakes, clusted in their separate groups. Immature Gannets flew close to the cliffs and hung in the breeze in order to entice a mate. Many were already on nests perched precariously on the cliff-side.

The Puffins were harder to spot. There are considerably less in number than previous years and the ones that are here are hidden in crevices and burrows from predators. But they can be seen with careful scanning of the cliff-face. Finding them is another matter as trying to spot a Puffin amongst all the thousands of Guillemots and Razorbills is like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack.

 Razorbill perched on the cliff-side.

Bempton Cliffs

A 20-minute car journey later and we were in the holiday town of Bridlington. As you'd expect, the town was busy and 30 minutes later managed to park the car on the promenade! At the North Quay, we waited with others for our boat, the "Yorkshire Belle", which would take us on an RSPB cruise around the "Head" and to the foot of Bempton Cliffs for some sea-watching. It wasn't long before the boat was sighted emerging from around Flamborough Head on its return from the previous cruise.

RSPB cruise boat "Yorkshire Belle"

As you would expect, the boat was crowded with sightseers eager to experience the sights and sounds from offshore around Bridlington, Flamborough and Bempton Cliffs.

 Flamborough Head Lighthouse

We were warned by the RSPB Wardens on board, that the seas were very choppy and that anyone who would feel the slightest "queesy" should not board! Needless to say, everyone boarded and myself, Sandra and the other experienced the massive swells of the coastal seas!

 Bridlington Harbour

Two hours later, the "Belle" was back in Brid Harbour. An exhilarating sea cruise, very cold and damp and very, very choppy seas! Time for a meal: and what else but fish & chips at the quayside!