Bempton Cliffs

The first of hopefully many

As I write this I am almost falling asleep at the keyboard.  We have had an extraordinary day at Bempton.  The weather was brilliant, sunny and clear.   The birds, as usual, were superb it was really worth getting up at 3:30 in the morning.   Even the sunrise this morning was exceptional, I just wish i had the time to stop and capture a few photographs, but we were on a time table - we must get to Bempton early to get the best light and views before the crowds arrive.

I will publish more details as I finish processing the photographs, and hopefully after a good night sleep.  For now I have only been able to work on one photograph - not bad seeing that this was only taken this morning and I had to drive 100 miles back home before I could do this.

Bempton Cliffs

Just found this photograph of Bempton Cliffs.  It gives you a better feel for the scale of the cliffs - I just hope the weather is better than this day.

Off to Bempton in the morning

We're off the the Bempton Cliffs RSPB reserve in the morning, and when I say morning I mean it is a 4am start.  Why such an ungodly hour to set off?   Well it takes nearly two hour to get there so we should arrive around about 6am.  The reserve at this time is deserted and you get the pick of the photographic locations.  As the day wears on then you get a lot more people there and you don't have the freedom to roam that you have earlier in the day.   Also the light starts to become too harsh, it is, after all nearly May and so the sun is getting quite high in the sky.

Gannet

So what do we hope to see in the morning.  Well there will be an ever increasing Gannet colony and if we are really lucky we should see the first Puffins of the season. 

Bempton Cliffs

The Bempton reserve is a strange place.   It is about a mile from the village and when you arrive all you can see are fields and the sea, there is no indication of a bird colony at all.   However, as you walk to the sea you start to become aware of noise of the birds, yet very little sign of them. Then wham you are on top of some of the tallest chalk cliffs in the country and below you are all the birds stacked high up the cliff face.  This stretches for miles along the Yorkshire coast and is a fantastic spectacle in its self.   Lets just hope the weather holds.