Razorbill
The cliffs today promised to be rather special and that promise was fulfilled with good weather, good birds and good company. Sunshine, blue skies, mild and light winds were the order of the day and approaching the cliffs, the sound and sight of thousands of sea birds filled the heart with joy.
Todays Sightings
At least 3000 Guillemots graced the ledges with their "gurgling, growly" calls and a scan through them soon identified Bridled Guillemots and a good number of Razorbills (my first on the cliffs this year!).
Spot the Bridled Guillemot!
Razorbill
And this winter plumaged Guillemot
My morning got even better when I found a juv/1st winter Glaucous Gull, eating a Guillemot, below Bartlett Nab.
Throughout the day, Short-eared Owls quartered the fields around the visitor centre culminating in four birds late afternoon.
With so many Guillemots on the ledges, my camera lens was constantly being pointed in their direction, observing and capturing many of their activities!
Coitus! This pair mated at least 5 times!
Coitus! This pair mated at least 5 times!
Was it good for you, dearest!
And a few of the rest!
Gannet
Herring Gull
?3rd winter?
Jackdaw
Brilliant pics, especially love the owls
ReplyDeleteThank you Kez
ReplyDeleteGreat pics and wonderful to see the Guillemots and Razorbills starting to return to the cliffs, as well as the other highlights such as the Short-eared Owls and the Glaucous Gull. I was there myself yesterday and as you say it was pretty special :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you David. You may have met me - I am a volunteer at Bempton and yesterday I was around Bartlett Nab viewpoint. I'm glad you had a great day.
ReplyDeleteThat lot would take me a month of Sundays to get and you do it in a day. I envy you Kevin.
ReplyDeleteAnd all on my doorstep. Mike!
ReplyDelete