RSPB Blacktoft Sands

Reed Warbler

As much as we love RSPB Bempton Cliffs, we needed a change of scenery, so headed down to RSPB Blacktoft Sands! The weather was a challenge with sunny intervals and (very) heavy showers! We managed a number of year ticks with Black Tailed Godwits, Green Sandpiper, Marsh Harrier, Spotted Redshank, Common Snipe, Bearded Tit and a juvenile Water Rail. The light was appalling, changing from dark and rainy to very bright with little contrast. Couple that with distance resulting in a challenge for 500mm plus 1.4 converter! That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!

Reed Warbler

Grey Heron

Measuring up? Grey Heron with Little Egret

Green Sandpiper

Spotted Redshank

Avocets

Black Tailed Godwit with Lapwing

Lapwing

Ruff

RSPB Bempton Cliffs

Gannet with Chick! Jubilee Corner

I went to the cliffs this afternoon to pick Heather up at the end of her volunteering day and to give Symphony a walk. Of course, I had my camera with me and felt obliged to use it! I walked to Bartlett Nab and then to Jubilee Corner and back.

At Bartlett Nab, my attention was drawn to a Great Skua having Kittiwake for tea, c400ft below us! I was also impressed with the ripples in the water surrounding the birds.

Loving the patterns surrounding the birds!

One of the last to go - Bridled Guillemot at Bartlett Nab. Probably female as the male (not necessarily bridled) will have taken the "jumpling" out to sea.

The Gannets that I am following at Bartlett Nab

Synchronised "ledging"!

At first, I thought this Gannet had two chicks, but it was just a large chick resting in a strange position!

Thornwick Pool, Flamborough.

Moorhen

Another quiet hour this morning at Thornwick Pool, Flamborough hoping that some exciting waders would arrive! My excitement stretched to c11 Dunlin and a very attentive Moorhen family! Moorhen chicks are so ugly making them, paradoxically, very cute!

Moorhen

Dunlin

Pied Wagtail

RSPB Bempton Cliffs - 24th July 2016

juv Kittiwake

I was dismayed to wake up this morning and finding a sea fret extending through Bempton village on my day for volunteering on the cliffs! I needn't have worried as it cleared quite quickly and a very warm, sunny morning greeted our visitors. The day was only marred by a "rogue", heavy shower during the late afternoon.

My first stop on the cliffs was at Bartlett Nab to check on the Gannet chick that I am following which is now c9wks old, still growing and not afraid to have a tussle with the adult bird!

Kittiwakes are very "pretty" birds but I think juvenile birds are particularly handsome now that many are gaining their black "W" on the wings.

Most of the Guillemots and Razorbills have now left the cliffs with their young to eventually fledge from the sea. Today, on Grandstand, the Puffins outnumbered their relatives! They will, unfortunately soon be leaving.

Great Skuas are being regularly seen, but in small numbers. This one had Kittiwake for its lunch!

The sea fret lingered over Flamborough Headland making for some atmospheric images!