Return to Bempton

Last week Jo and I finished work at lunchtime and decided to drive to Bempton Cliffs on the East Coast.  Bempton Cliffs is an RSPB reserve and has miles of footpaths along the cliff tops which is a reserve for all sorts of seabirds but most commonly Guillemots, Razorbills, Kittiwakes, Gannets and for three months of the year, Puffins.  As the Puffins were due to leave Bempton late July we decided to take the trip as one last chance to spot them before they departed.

However, Bempton isn't all about the Puffins, it's also a fantastic place to get the sea air, let the wind blow over from the sea and stroll along the cliff top enjoying the sea views..

Bempton Cliffs...a wonderful place 

Enjoying some late afternoon sun at Bempton

The reason for our visit..the Puffins..

Two of them in this shot.  There were hundreds on the surface of the sea but
also lots of them still on the cliffs.

"Should I stay or should I go.."

Bempton has a wide variety of birdlife..here two Herring gulls take a nap

and here a Kestrel hovers over the cliffs looking for a meal ..photo taken by Jo
We watched as first two then three Kestrels playfully attacked each other, rolling and soaring in the sky over Bempton

A typical Bempton view, Gannets on the cliffs whilst more soar and sweep over head
The wide expansive East coast beaches stretch in the far view

A Gannet soaring over the cliffs..

A Gannet on the nest still..keeping an eye on me as the wind gently ruffles it's feathers
and the sea rolls gently in the background

Gannet inbound!

Another Gannet looking for it's spot on the cliffside

Your author working at getting the shots!

Bempton atop the cliffs...looking towards Flamborough

A Gannet 'Big Wing' inbound

Another Gannet 'wing' with the expansive North sea behind them...

Carefully looking for the right nest..

Going for speed...

The Bempton cornfields, home to Corn Buntings and Skylarks..the weather is just changing..

Jo, at one of the many brilliant viewing platforms looking for that perfect shot
but just enjoying the view too..

The Gannet stack...no inch given or taken..

A typical Bempton view, the cliffs, soaring sea birds and the old WW2 Bempton Radar station in the background

Jo, enjoyng Bempton

Time to leave, for us and the last remaining Puffins..

Just looking for that last shot...

Bempton Cliffs, a truly remarkable place

Not at bempton this but at St Ives estate Bingley.
A bird I'd not captured before.  It's late dusk and the light is bad but I managed to capture this Jay