Bempton Cliffs and Flamborough Head

Second visit to Flamborough Head and Bempton Cliffs

The rugged cliffs of Flamborough Head had drawn me back.

This time I'd timed the visit for late June, hoping the seabird colonies would be at their peak—chicks visible in the nests and the puffin numbers at their highest.

We planned a long weekend in Yorkshire, with Friday at Bempton Cliffs, Saturday on the water approaching Flamborough Head from the sea, and a final morning visit to Bempton before heading home.

What I hadn't expected was needing a thick jacket and fingerless gloves in June.

Viewpoint atop the cliffs

Friday: Against the Wind

As we approached the cliff edge at Bempton, the relative quiet gave way to a wall of sound carried on the wind—the calls of thousands of nesting seabirds defending territories and greeting partners returning from the sea.

The cliffs were crowded with Gannets, Kittiwakes, Fulmars, Guillemots, and Razorbills.

Puffins worked their burrows along the cliff tops, while Herring Gulls and feral Rock Doves added to the coastal chorus.

Jackdaws were numerous all along the path.

Seabird City Gallery

Flying Puffin

Pair of Puffin

Gannet pair

Flying adult gannet with feathers ruffled by the wind

Young Gannet (possibly 3rd year)

Gannet head study

Guillemot (bridled version on right)

Razorbill

Kittiwake chicks in the nest

Flying Fulmar

Our plan was to start at the Staple Newk platform, keeping the rising sun behind us as we worked our way back along the five viewing platforms that span the forty-minute walk.

The immediate problem was the wind—a strong, cold gale blowing directly into our faces. This extra clothing didn't stop my teeth from chattering or my eyes from watering.

The wind had an unexpected effect on the birds.

Flying against the headwind, they were slowed, almost hovering in place, which made photographing them in flight less difficult.

This was most noticeable with the puffins.

A puffin is a small bird, and in normal flight its wings beat around 400 times per minute, making it a challenge to capture clearly. Against the headwind, however, they held their position over the cliff edge, which certainly increased the chance of a sharp shot.

The heavy tripod and gimbal head came out of the car with me. In the strong sea winds that met us, I was thankful for the stability. By the end of the session, I had taken over a thousand photographs.

As the day progressed, the wind finally dropped and the temperature rose considerably. I was glad I'd had the foresight to leave lighter clothing in the car.

Satureday's Trip on the Yorkshire Belle to Flamborough Head

Friday evening brought an email from the boat company warning of significant swell at sea and offering refunds for the Yorkshire Belle trip if we chose not to travel.

Saturday, however, dawned bright with only a gentle breeze in Bridlington Harbour, so we decided to proceed.

The calm did not last.

Once we rounded the headland, the boat met the swell and began rolling from side to side.

Photographing birds from dry land is one thing; doing so from a moving boat in choppy water is another level of difficulty entirely.

The water, however, was covered with thousands of Guillemots and Razorbills, providing subjects to practice on despite the conditions.

Guillemot above the rolling waves

A hop, skip and in flight!

The Yorkshire Belle is a large vessel with tiered seating that limits the view to one side. I chose the port side for the journey out, which offered a clear view of the bird colonies on the cliffs.

The trade-off was missing a porpoise sighting on the starboard side.

The swell was strong enough that the skipper turned back before we reached Flamborough Head proper.

On the return journey, I was positioned to see a pair of Manx Shearwaters flying low over the water, but they vanished before I could capture them.

The boat's crew navigated carefully around the large rafts of floating birds, maintaining a respectful distance from the cliffs.

This consideration was not shown by a pair of jet skiers who drove directly through the rafts, scattering birds in all directions.

The RSPB guide explained this violated the protective guidelines designed to safeguard the colonies during the vulnerable breeding season.

As we neared Bridlington, the sea calmed and offered a gentler passage back to harbour.

Beyond the Seabirds

It isn't only seabirds that make their home in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

We were fortunate to witness a family of Swallows fledging near the visitor centre.

We counted four in total, with one leaving the nest on Friday and the rest by Sunday morning. They perched on fences and bushes around the car park while the parents worked tirelessly, catching insects for their hungry brood.

Feeding time for young swallows