A Day at the Coast Part 1

We took our annual trip to Bempton on Sunday morning. We picked a good day, it was windy (of course) but the rain held off and the sun even came out a little.

As we turned on to the lane towards the cliffs a Hare jumped out of the grass at the side of the road and leapt in front of the car, we were going slow and luckily the Hare was going very fast, it ran across the road into the verge at the other side. It's been a long time since i've had such a close encounter with a Hare!

Walking down to the first viewpoint we spoke to one of the RSPB staff who had a telescope set up on a Puffin, we spotted another on the cliff but both were a little difficult to pick up through the grass. Still it was a good start, I mean we love the cliffs and seeing the huge numbers of birds is amazing but spotting that first Puffin is a little special!

Spot the Puffins among the Guillemots!

They weren't are only ones during the day, we saw quite a few on the cliff faces and flying backwards and forwards to the sea. We saw the same lady again at another viewpoint and this time she had a clear view of a Puffin on the scope and called us over to look. The are such stunning little birds.

Lots of the birds had chicks, though most were hidden amongst the adult birds legs these three Kittiwake chicks were a little more showy!

Kittiwake

Gannets 

Kittiwake (with a Razorbill in the foreground)

A pair of Fulmar were huddled together on one of the cliffs.

Away from the cliff face there were plenty of birds about, we saw Meadow Pipits, Skylarks, Linnet, Whitethroat, Tree Sparrows, Reed Buntings and the ever present Jackdaws. At the visitors centre these Swallows were getting lots of attention, I don't think they'll be far off fledging, they were trying out their wings.

Jackdaw

There were a few butterflies around, Ringlet and Small Tortoiseshell but they were almost constantly on the wing.

We had lunch by the car and then headed off to Filey for the rest of the day, more to come on that!