Hey there, have you ever been to RSPB Bempton Cliffs Nature Reserve? I hadn’t until recently, but let me tell you, it was an amazing experience.
Bempton Cliffs is on the east coast of Yorkshire, which is about a 3-hour drive from Lancashire where I live on the west coast. Initially, I was wondering whether I could do the trip in one day, but I’m so glad I decided to do it over two days.
My partner Annabeth and I decided to stop over in an AirBnB cottage in Pickering, which is about 50 minutes away from Bempton.
We really didn’t know what to expect from the cliffs, but we were excited to see what was in store for us. We really hoped to see a Puffin, but we were also keen to capture other bird species in their natural habitat.
All the best bird photography is done at bird level, and I was wondering if this would be possible on the cliffs.
We took the scenic route of the Yorkshire Dales and the A59 instead of the boring motorway. We went first thing on a Thursday morning and planned to return on the following Friday.
On the first day at the cliffs, the weather was perfect, and the sun was out. I even got sunburnt! The staff at the reserve were amazing, very friendly and helpful, and made us feel very welcome.
On my bird list were Razorbills, Guillemots, Kittiwakes, and Puffins.
The reserve was very busy, but you were able to get to the viewing platforms, and all the visitors were very courteous.
The noise and the atmosphere was amazing, and we were in awe of all the birds that were perched precariously on the cliff edge, which is 330 feet tall.
It’s mid-May, and the birds were preparing nests and incubating eggs. We were surprised to find out that the cliff birds only have one egg each year.
Three bird species we weren’t expecting to see but did was the Tree Sparrow, Rock Dove, and Peregrine.
The equipment I used was my Nikon z50, Nikon D3300, Sigma 150-600c, and my 1.4tc, which really made the difference. I took a couple of batteries and memory cards because I knew I’d be taking a lot of photos.
Binoculars or a scope is very important so you can scan the cliffs looking for birds and great photo opportunities.
On the second day, the weather was extremely misty and windy, but it was great to experience the cliffs in both types of weather.
All the birds were enjoying the strong winds, and they looked like they were almost playing on the updrafts. It was an incredible sight to behold.
Overall, the trip to Bempton Cliffs was a fantastic experience. I can’t recommend it enough if you’re looking for a place to take amazing bird photos.
If you’re planning on going, I suggest taking the time to stay overnight nearby and making sure you have plenty of batteries and memory cards for your camera. Binoculars or a scope are also essential for spotting those incredible birds.
Have fun exploring the beauty and complexity of the natural world at RSPB Bempton Cliffs!
As you can imagine, I have a lot of photographs from the trip and I’ll be creating a new post very soon showing all the photographs I took. Watch this space!
Till next time, keep exploring!
Scott
scottpollard.uk
