Bempton Circular Walk - 26th July 2018

Razorbills, Bempton Cliffs

With the hot weather continuing it has been difficult to give Symphony any long walks. This morning we decided to go out just after 0600hrs and complete the Bempton circular walk (Bempton, Buckton, HoddyCows Lane, Buckton Cliffs, Bempton Cliffs and back to Bempton down Cliff Lane). It was pleasantly mild, with quite a lot of cloud, sunny periods and a strengthening wind. A heavy dew ensured that footwear and socks became sodden!

It's beginning to look a lot like Autumn! Walking through Buckton, the wires were full of hirundines, this image is all I could manage with my 400mm lens!

Arriving at Buckton Pond (or should I say puddle!) was a sad sight, rain is desperately needed.

It was nice to see male and female Yellowhammers along Hoddy Cows Lane

I managed to get a record shot of a juvenile Cuckoo, distant at the back of Hoddy Cows spring (a two year tick!).

Further towards the cliffs, a Corn Bunting. I've not seen one in this area for over a year!

A Sting moment ensued "You'll remember me when the west wind moves upon the fields of barley"

On Buckton cliffs the light was amazing

The sight and sound of seabirds on Buckton and Bempton Cliffs is reducing as the Auks (Guillemots, Razorbills and Puffins) leave the cliffs and head out to spend the cooler months on the North Sea. Small numbers of all these species can be seen still but they wont hang about much longer!

A small number of Puffins were seen on Bempton Cliffs (Bartlett Nab and Grandstand)

At least the Gannets, Kittiwakes, Fulmars and Herring Gulls will be on the ledges for a couple of months yet. The Gannets young known as "Gugas" are increasing in size with many already bigger than their parents! Some are also showing moult of their downy white feathers and gaining hints of black.

It's a hard life being a Guga!

Squabbles are regularly seen!

Here, the first hint of black feathers

And still time to display

Kittiwakes are very pretty birds with white heads, grey wings, black wing tips and black legs.

But now, many of their young, known as Tarrocks are fledging and for the next twelve months will show an even more spectacular plumage

And finally, my favourite seabird, the Fulmar