Birdwatcher’s Diary No.330 Bempton Cliffs

Published on: 1 Jul, 2025
Updated on: 1 Jul, 2025

By Malcolm Fincham

Inspiring weather conditions continued to remain as we moved into the middle part of June, as another plume of warm air pushed up from Europe bringing temperatures up to 30 Celsius in southern counties of the UK.

To my surprise, for our 43rd anniversary of marriage, my wife had arranged for us both, and as a treat for me, a fortnight’s stay at Bempton, East Yorkshire.

They say a change is as good as a rest, and for me and my cameras this was both. It gave me the opportunity to photograph birds not seen within our landlocked Surrey countryside, as well as some occasionally seen locally that could be seen and heard in abundance in the hedgerows as we drove the country lanes, through the mosaic of open fields and farmlands on our arrival there.

Understandably, my wife, although a lover of wildlife too, was notably becoming quite frustrated as I excitedly continued to announce the various bird sounds instead of the directions we should be taking as we drove with our car windows open along the lanes.

Yellowhammer, Bempton Cliffs.

Yellowhammers were surprisingly common there, singing at regular intervals from the hedgerows.

Corn bunting, Bempton Cliffs.

While a few corn buntings could be heard.

Skylark in song.

Several skylarks sang over the fields.

Meadow pipit, Bempton Cliffs.

And a few meadow pipits could be viewed perched on fence posts.

Greenfinch and blackbird, Bempton.

Arriving in the village of Bempton where we were staying, we were first greeted by a greenfinch and a blackbird in song, perched on the TV aerial where we resided and giving us a pleasant reception.

Swift.

Swifts screamed over the gardens in small groups.

House martin.

And locally breeding house martins flew overhead.

RSPB Bempton Cliffs Seabird Centre.

Just a mile’s walk from the village at the other end of Cliff Lane, Bempton Cliffs RSPB can be found with free parking and a visitors centre.

Tree sparrow, Bempton Cliffs.

A great delight to see about the buildings and the reserve were sizeable family groups of tree sparrows.

Tree sparrows, Bempton.

They were once resident in our Surrey countryside where only house sparrows can now be seen.

Tree sparrow, Bempton.

At Bempton nest boxes have been provided, with some birds having already started second broods.

Compared to house sparrows tree sparrows can be distinguished by their chestnut-brown crown and nape, white cheeks with a black spot, and a white collar.

Swallow, Bempton.

About the building several swallows’ nests could also be observed, some with young ready to fledge.

Swallow fledglings.

Some having already just fledged could also be seen, mouths open, awaiting their parents return with a food delivery.

Goldfinch, Bempton Cliffs.

From the picnic tables, families of goldfinches could also be seen.

Sedge warbler, Bempton Cliffs.

While close to the centre, a pair of sedge warblers had already raised their brood of young.

Common whitethroat, Bempton Cliffs.

And the familiar sound of a common whitethroat could be heard and seen.

Linnet (male) feeding on thistle seeds, at Bempton Cliffs.

The few hundred yards walk from the visitors centre to the cliffs allowed further sighting of tree sparrows and linnets about the hedgerow.

Male reed bunting, Bempton Cliffs.

Also adding sightings and calls of several male reed buntings.

Female reed bunting, Bempton, Cliffs.

And adding a few plainer looking females.

Bempton Cliffs.

Arriving at the cliff face, with its well constructed safety fences and viewing platforms, immediately below was a cacophony of sound from the seabirds that had gathered along the cliffs.

Bempton Cliffs.

Many having returned to the cliffs as early as March and April. Now with thousands of birds on show they were already attempting to breed another generation of young.

Gannets, Bempton Cliffs.

Gannet with chick, Bempton Cliffs.

A gannet on the cliffs could be seen to have a red leg ring, suggesting it had almost certainly been raised along that part of the coastline several years before, and was now raising a youngster of its own.

Gannet with rapidly growing youngster.

Another gannet could also be viewed with a youngster almost the same size as itself.

Gannet, Bempton Cliffs.

While many more gannets could be viewed at eye-level as they glided past.

Guillemot, with chick, Bempton Cliffs.

Several guillemots could also be seen with chicks along the narrow ledges along the rock face.

Razorbill, Bempton Cliffs.

Joined by those impressive looking razorbills.

Fulmars, Bempton Cliffs.

Also now paired up, along the cliff face were fulmars.

Fulmar, Bempton Cliffs.

With numerous fulmars flying about the cliffs, typically with their ridged wings much likened to the Royal Navy’s Fairey Fulmar aircraft of the Second World War, also renown for flying long distances over the ocean and named after that bird.

Kittiwakes, Bempton Cliffs.

Many of the more delicate looking kittiwakes of the gull species were also present and in good number.

Puffin, Bempton Cliffs.

Although having apparently declined along this part of the coastline in recent decades, it was a delight to pick out and photograph a few puffins that were reasonably close to view.

Puffins, Bempton Cliffs.

Even getting a few photos of some that had paired up and could be seen affectionately nuzzling each other with their bright, colourful beaks.

Staying local to the reserve gave me the opportunity for regular evening visits. By then, most of the daytime visitors had departed leaving just a handful of observers present.

And with very little in the way of rain during our fortnights’ stay, I became quite addicted to absorbing the surrounding ambience.

Barn owl, Bempton Cliffs.

Another attraction was the regular sighting of a barn owl out hunting over the reserve.

Barn owl, Bempton Cliffs.

Behind you! Barn owl hunting by one of the viewing platforms, at Bempton Cliffs.

And occasionally a second one making an appearance in the evening sunlight.

They were apparently in the process of raising two young that had recently been officially checked in a nest box situated on the former RAF base adjacent to the reserve.

Barn owl, Bempton Cliffs.

Therefore, they were busily quartering the fields collecting small mammals to sustain their young.

Barn owl, Bempton Cliffs.

And allowing me a good selection of photos to wet my appetite too!

Kestrel, Bempton Cliffs.

On a few occasions a kestrel would make an appearance competing with the owls for the selection of small critters hiding in the long grass.

Roe deer, Bempton Cliffs.

As the evening light began to fade, a few roe deer would also make an appearance.

Brown hare, Bempton. Cliffs.

While also adding a few sightings of brown hares.

Sun sets at Bempton Cliffs.

Often concluding the day with some rather exalting sunsets.

Flamborough Head.

Other places visited included Flamborough Head.

Grey seals, Flamborogh Head.

where groups of grey seals could be viewed bathing on the rocks.

Puffin with sand eels, Flamborogh Head.

I was also able to photograph a puffin with a beak full of sand eels.

Red grouse, on the North Yorkshire Moors.

And a pleasant drive across the North Yorkshire Moors allowed us a chance sighting of a red grouse as it poked its head up from the now coming into flower, heather-clad moorland.

Red admiral, Bempton Cliffs.

The pleasant dry conditions had also encouraged plenty of butterflies out on the wing at the places we visited. Mostly ones I had already seen this year in Surrey, including lots of red admirals.

Painted lady butterfly, Bempton Cliffs.

Several painted lady butterflies.

Small tortoiseshell, Bempton Cliffs.

A few small tortoiseshell butterflies.

Large skipper butterfly, Bempton.

But also adding a large skipper butterfly to this year’s sightings.

Arriving back in Guildford on June 23 left me little time to catch up with some of the newly emerging butterflies that had been reported while we had been away, and before the month was over.

Dark-green fritillary butterfly, Sheepleas.

A visit to Sheepleas the following day allowed me to add a photo of my first of a dozen or so dark-green fritillaries, on display there.

Ringlet butterfly, Sheepleas.

As well as a few ringlets.

Essex skipper butterfly, Sheepleas.

And also my first Essex skipper of the year.

Purple hairstreak butterfly, Whitmoor Common.

A visit to Whitmoor Common also added a few purple hairstreaks that were freshly emerging on the oak trees that bordered the old horse paddock.

Silver-washed fritillary butterfly, Chiddingfold Forest.

And with much thanks to reuniting with Bob for a visit to Chiddingfold Forest on June 28, I was able to add silver-washed fritillaries.

White admiral butterfly, Chiddingfold Forest.

White Admiral butterflies.

Purple emperor butterfly, Chiddingfold Forest.

And even, having seen a few purple emperors in flight while there, eventually have one come to ground for long enough to be photographed.

Wood white butterfly, Chiddingfold Forest.

Also adding a handful of wood white butterflies to our day’s list.

White-letter hairstreak butterfly, Shalford.

Wrapping up both the day as well as the month and keeping up-to-date my Surrey butterflies, on our return we stopped off at a large elm tree in Shalford to view half a dozen or so white-letter hairstreak butterflies buzzing about its canopy.