RSPB Bempton Cliffs, North Yorkshire, England, UK. - Birdwatching Locations on Waymarking.com

Long Description:
The chalk cliffs at Bempton form part of England's largest seabird colony between Flamborough Head and Bempton. Over 200,000 seabirds breed on the reserve alone. As well as managing reserves such as this the RSPB also works for the better protection of the marine environment.

For much of the year, the cliffs at Bempton are relatively quiet, but during the breeding season, between April and August, they are crammed with birds. The spectacle, noise, activity and smell all contribute to an overwhelming and memorable experience. As many seabird colonies are on remote islands Bempton offers a rare opportunity to watch breeding seabirds at close quarters.

Both puffins and gannets breed at Bempton. About 2,000 pairs of puffins return to the cliffs to breed and each pair lays a single egg in a crevice in the rock face. Between May and the end of July they regularly visit their young with small fish but by August, the young puffins have left the cliffs to spend the winter on the North Sea. Bempton has the largest mainland gannet colony (gannetry) in Britain. Over 2,500 pairs nest on the cliffs and can be seen here from January to November, but are most active between April and August when they are breeding. They will travel up to 60 miles to find food. When fishing, gannets can dive from heights of up to 130 feet, entering the water at up to 60 mph.

Six other species of seabirds nest at Bempton Cliffs. Kittiwakes are the most numerous, with 45,000 pairs packed onto the cliffs. Guillemots and razorbills also nest on the narrow cliff ledges. Look out for the distinctive gliding flight of fulmars around the cliffs, and herring gulls and a few shags also nest on the cliffs.

Park Name: RSPB Bempton Cliffs Sponsoring Organization: Royal Society for theProtection of Birds Handicap Accessible?: Yes Website: [Web Link] Entrance Fee: 4.00 (listed in local currency) List any Hides, Birding Towers, or other structures to assist in Birdwatching found at the location: Entrance fee is £3.50 per car. There is a hide near the entrance building which allows visitors to see the feeding stations that attract many different species throughout the year. The main attraction is the cliffs with nesting seabirds. There are paths (on the safe side of the fence) as well as a number of viewing platforms. Viewing points The five cliff-top viewpoints and a bird feeding station are: Grandstand: 200 m from visitor centre and car park, accessible by wheelchairs andpushchairs with care. Bartlett Nab: 400 m from visitor centre and car park and not easily accessible by wheelchairs or pushchairs Jubilee Corner: 900 m from visitor centre and car park, not easily accessible by wheelchairs or pushchairs New Roll-up: 500 m from visitor centre and car park, not easily accessible by wheelchairs or pushchairs Staple Newk: 900m from visitor centre and car park, not easily accessible by wheelchairs or pushchairs. The bird feeding station is easily reached and is 50 m from visitor centre and car park. Nature trails There is one nature trail leading to five cliff-top viewpoints. The most distant viewpoints are 900 m from the visitor centre. Part of the trail is crushed chalk, with the remainder over worn grass. There is easy wheelchair and pushchair access to one viewpoint only. Paths can be wet and slippery following wet weather conditions, therefore care should be taken. Parking Coordinates: Not Listed

Visit Instructions:
A clear, original image is required to log a visit to a waymark in this category. The image must contain a bird at the site, a nest, or other evidence that visitors partook in the delight of birdwatching at this site. Please tell us about your experience with an identification of a bird or two that you've seen!

Recent Visits/Logs:

There are no logs for this waymark yet.