#bridlington

22/06/2022-Post one of three: RSPB Bempton Cliffs and Flamborough Head Gannet and Puffin boat trip on the Yorkshire Belle from Bridlington-The wildlife photos I took and story of it

We did this boat trip today and it was amazing. It was such a joy to see seabirds galore yet again and get such valuable chances to see the key species here so well and take in enormity of the hundreds of birds flying around you and hearing the noises of the seabird colony which I love, on the water and on the cliffs. It was a breathtaking experience that I am so glad I was able to have, it was my third time having a boat trip this year already after the Pembrokeshire ones around and getting to Skomer Island and along the Beaulieu River and this like the others was a sensational time seeing so much fantastic wildlife and a perfect way to enjoy it. The crew on the boat as well as the RSPB volunteers were brilliant, they went out of their way to ensure everyone saw the wildlife and provided such an interesting commentary of the species with a vast range of information conveyed and lots of stories of the area area. It was such a feel good trip and just a perfect thing to do on such a hot and sunny day to immerse yourself into a wildlife spectacle. The weather was amazing for it we’ve been very lucky with the weather once again this week away. And seeing the seabird covered cliffs complimented perfectly visiting Bempton Cliffs and the parts of Flamborough Head seeing these birds and their habitat from a valuable different perspective.

The boat headed out from Bridlington harbour a lovely happy seaside town which it was great to explore today after being near and going through this and last time staying in Yorkshire for us we enjoyed an ice cream and doughnut here after the boat trip, past Flamborough Head and to Bempton Cliffs and back, taking in some exquisite cliff and rocky coastline which we’ve enjoyed a lot the last few days getting great views of Thornwick Bay too. This was so beautiful to see. My next post has ten landscape pictures I took on this trip. 

In terms of the many birds we saw; Razorbills were a revelation as we saw so many of these stocky auks, getting some sublime close views of them on the water and especially as they sailed through the air right beside and over the boat, looking brilliant against the bright blue sky with their characteristic faces beaming out in the bright sunlight which was so good to see. I took the sixth picture in this photoset of one. Mixed in so well with them was another bird I love the Guillemots there were many chances to see them both together including two diving in synchronicity at one point which was great and seeing them next to each other was a great chance to compare the two. As well as the rich coloured adults which I love so much I was over the moon to spot a young one, and a bridled Guillemot with the eye ring and marking which is always a special find. I took the second picture in this photoset of one. There were many fruity billed auks also as we saw lots of Puffins on the trip today. In my best ever year of seeing Puffins with the double dose of Pembrokeshire for Skomer and Yorkshire for Bempton I really made the most of seeing these incredible birds again. They were making people’s day as so many of us on the boat enthusiastically watched them on the water and flying through the air. It’s the case too for the others but as a headline species perhaps I’ve latched onto it with Puffins that that’s five days in a row I have seen Puffins now as we have seen them each day since we arrived on Saturday and it’s been a huge pleasure and must be a record for me which I love.

Fulmars were headline birds on the trip too and I appreciated just how big these silver toned super birds are today with some exceptional views of them. There were Gannets galore once more a key species of this area and it was a real treat to be immersed into the world of this gigantic bird once more, they are mesmerising to observe. I I loved seeing them fly and there were also some impressive views of them sat on the water on the trip which was special. I took the fourth, fifth and seventh pictures in this photoset of them. There were also so many Kittiwakes seen on the trip, seeing these small onomatopoeic gulls was a true delight again, it was so nice to see them flying and lovely rafts of them on the beautiful blue sea. So breathtaking to see. And it wasn’t just on the boat I enjoyed these today as in Bridlington there are some nesting on the entrance to the harbour and on buildings like a fish and chip shop. This is reminiscent of the famous urban Kittiwakes in Newcastle on the Tyne which featured on the recent series of BBC Springwatch. Something I’ve never seen myself but have always wanted to, so this gave me a glimpse of that in a fairly urban area seeing these birds I associate with remote seabird colonies, it’s quite surreal of course to hear their iconic call and see them when in the streets and also just adds to the pleasant nautical tones of the place hearing and seeing them. I took the first picture in this photoset of some flying from the boat and eighth of some at Bridlington. 

There was one special bird I so hoped to see from the boat that I did on Monday at RSPB Bempton Cliffs and my Mum spotted from the boat a non-RSPB trip on the same boat yesterday and became known today as the person who saw it, the Black-browed Albatross affectionately known as Albert or Albie. And I am so pleased that it was sat in its usual spot on the cliff at Bempton. It was amazing to see this enormous rare bird on the cliffs this time after seeing it fly on Monday and make out it’s exotic charm, spending precious moments watching it in the binoculars and trying for zoomed in photos. It really enhanced the experience I had with this bird this week to get another view of it whilst seeing it Monday was absolutely amazing. What a wonderful moment to be able to see this bird and great to share it with many others. I took the ninth picture in this photoset a bridge camera record shot of it. We got talking to some great people on the boat and queuing up for it.

Also of note on the boat trip were two marvellous mammals seen, many shiny coated Grey Seals which we got great intimate views of. I love seeing these they are one of my favourite mammals. And we got exhilarating views of Harbour Porpoise which was sensational it was so good to see the dorsal fin come up. This was the first time I’ve ever seen a porpoise or any cetacean in English waters having only seen porpoise and Common Dolphin on boat trips in Pembrokeshire and of course we saw Harbour Porpoises so well from Skomer Island this year twice a massive part of that trip so it was amazing to see them so well so soon after and again this year.

Just like we did on a boat trip we did around Puffin Island off of Anglesey a year ago today in common with a few of the species seen today we saw Cormorant and Shag from the boat trip today which I really enjoyed. We got stunning close views of Herring Gulls as well and at Bridlington we saw them very well a key part of a place like that which was a highlight today. I took the third picture in this photoset of one flying so well beside the boat which was lovely.