Carrion Crow, overlooked by many, an intelligent bird!
Wow! What a scorcher! Sunshine, blue sky but a haze over the sea. I felt overdressed in shorts and polo shirt (don't often get the chance on Bempton Cliffs!). Unfortunately, I could only stay until 1230hrs and I had a guided walk from 1100hrs with a lovely couple from York so not a lot of time to explore and obtain stunning images! Today was my last walk on the cliffs as they finish on 30th August.
On the cliffs the ledges continue to empty with many Kittiwakes on the move. Today they were forming large rafts on the sea and will no doubt be gone completely by the end of the month.
If you are a regular reader of my blog you will recall the last weeks mystery of the missing Fulmar chick and the arrival in its nest of a Gannet Guga. This occurred near Bartlett Nab viewpoint where a tunnel in the chalk houses a Fulmar nest. The Fulmar was far from fledging and looked healthy. Then, last Sunday, there was no sign of the Fulmar chick and in its place was a rather unhealthy looking Gannet Guga, dishevelled and dirty. It could only have tumbled from ledges above and managed to save itself by scrambling into the Fulmar nest. Did the Fulmar chick spit its oily stomach contents at the Guga, resulting in its dishevelled appearance? Was the Guga being serviced by its parents still? The Guga was alive yesterday and observed to move around the hole. Today, there was no sign of the Guga and no sign further down the cliff. Had it fallen? Had it died of starvation or hypothermia? It certainly hadn't fledged. This is now a mystery never to be solved! (Images of the Guga appear in previous blog posts).
Just off Bartlett Nab is a Guga, still being serviced by its parents, but will fledge very soon. Today, I caught it at feeding time!
Feed me! Feed me!
I've got enough for three!
Wow! That's some manoeuvrable jaw!
I love my mum! Even though I'm bigger than she is!
Gannets on Staple Newk
And finally, Today's Sightings (as at 1230hrs)
Back to a full day next Sunday, in the meantime "Keep 'em Peeled!"
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