Captain's Log 

Clifftop Walking

After the coffee, I first wandered around the nature trail next door to the visitor centre. The trail was so wet I had to be careful not to go for a slide. I didn't find a Short-eared Owl. In fact, I didn't find much at all. A few crows flew across the heathland but that was about it. I stepped my way gingerly down the trail to the path that runs parallel to the cliffs. 'There's lots of pigeons and crows showing over there.' There were two men and a woman on the path and the man with binoculars pointed northwards. I agreed with them that there wasn't much around. One of the blokes was carrying a plastic bag and a litter picker. I decided that he was either an RSPB volunteer or a Womble. I said that I'd head north along the cliffs and try my luck. There was nobody else about. The cliffs seemed even higher than normal when I was on the viewing platforms, the mist distorting the height. There were hardly any birds about. It was a little bizarre to see the cliffs so empty. 

As I approached the old radar station I saw a large bird sat on a fence post. Its head seemed too big for a crow. I got the camera out and started taking pictures. I got quite close before it took off and flew northwards into the mist. I looked at my photos and sure enough, it was a Short-eared Owl. The pictures were grainy because of the mist, but there was no denying it. Wow! It wasn't a wasted journey after all. I continued northwards and saw it a couple of more times before it was lost to the mist completely. I reached the northern end of the site and started retracing my steps southwards. 

Womble

Back near the Visitors Centre I looked across to the Owl box and could see a big bird on it. I looked through the long lens and, 'Wahooo!' it was a Short-eared Owl. The group of three, that I'd met earlier, were ahead of me and they pointed to the Owl. I gave them the thumbs up that I'd seen it. After a while the Owl flew off into the mist. 

I continued onwards and caught up with the group of three. I showed them the photo of the Owl that I'd taken near the radar station. 'Did you see the Rabbit's skeleton on the track near there?' the Womble asked me. I confessed that I hadn't. I asked him whether he'd picked it up with his litter picker and put it in his bag. He said that he hadn't. It turned out that they weren't RSPB volunteers and the Womble just picked up litter for fun (as they do). They had decided to give up and were heading back to the Visitors Centre. I decided to continue southwards to the spectacular Staple Newk viewing platform. Again, apart from the stunning view of the cliffs, there wasn't much wildlife that was visible. I started heading my way back to the Visitors Centre too. 

All Done

Just before reaching the Visitors Centre I started chatting to another photographer coming down the path. He had a serious looking camera and long lens, attached to a tripod that was slung over his shoulder. 'Seen much?' he asked. I proudly announced my Short-eared Owl sighting near the radar station. 'Yes, I often see them perched on posts over there.' I had that gut wrenching of being Tommy Topped. I wished him luck anyway. After another coffee in the cafe, I walked over to the carpark. The Womble and his friends were just departing too. They'd not seen anything else since I'd left them. Annoyingly, the mist seemed to be clearing a bit now, although it was late afternoon and the light levels were dropping. I heard an intermittent hooter in the distance which I took to be the fog horn at Flamborough Head. Odd how I'd not heard it earlier on when the mist was thicker.

It's probably best not to visit RSPB Bempton Cliffs on a misty  mid-December day. You may still get lucky though and see a Short-eared Owl. The coffee and cake aren't bad too. 

Gannet Fencing

Unfortunately there were still no Puffins when I returned from my walk. There were plenty of people though. It was sometimes difficult to get a position on the viewing platforms.

The size of the Gannets do take you by surprise, especially when they fly close. Quite a few Gannets were 'fencing.' Mated pairs engage in a fencing display where the two birds stand breast to breast and then fence with their bills. 

I hadn't brought my long lens with me and so I was pretty restricted in what snaps I could take. It was all a bit frustrating. Even so, I did manage to get some reasonable shots when the birds were close.

The wander along the viewing platforms was a great end to the day. I noticed that there is a nature trail leading from the Visitor Centre and so I'll have a look at that when I come here again. Shame about the lack of Puffins though.