New Kid On The Block

I have just recently joined the team of volunteers at RSPB Bempton Cliffs Reserve. I just volunteer on a Saturday, I have currently done 4 shifts and cannot wait until the next one. Bempton is an amazing reserve with 400ft white cliffs and thousands of seabirds to match.

The reserve is slowly quietening off now with most of the Auks moving back out to sea, however the Gannet colony's are booming with activity and if you are planning on visiting the reserve soon you must go to the view point called "Staple Newk", this is where our biggest Gannet colony is, and when you peer down to take a look you will be amazed - its an awesome sight.

More Peregrines

The young Peregrines are still very active on the cliff, chasing the handful of young Kittiwakes that are still present. One of the adults is giving a helping hand with catching prey, and if you click on the first image above to enlarge it you will see blood on its talons. The two juveniles feeding on the Kittiwake are actually feeding on prey that the adult caught for them then exchanged it to one of the youngsters in mid flight, hence the blood on the talons.

As I was watching all this commotion, I spotted a large raptor flying overhead and to my surprise found it was an Osprey, but just could not get my camera to my eye fast enough before it flew out of few - what a bonus.

Honey Buzzard

Finally at last I managed to get a few record shots of Honey Buzzard in Wykeham Forest. These birds have been very reclusive to my camera. I have had several sightings recently but not in the range of my lens. The above bird was still very distant and I have enlarged the images some to show some definition in the pictures.

Local Mammals

I like to class myself as a wildlife photographer, but to find and photography some of our British mammals can be very difficult indeed. So to photography a Roe Deer and a Hare in the space of a couple of days, you could say I was quite pleased.

Bass Rock - Part 6

Other bird species on the rock include Lesser Black Backed Gulls, Herring Gulls (make sure you bring a hat with you) and a pair of Peregrine Falcons. The Kittiwake images where taken at Dunbar Harbour before the boated departed for Bass Rock, they are nesting on the wall of Dunbar Castle that overlooks the Harbour. If I have wetted your appetite to take a trip over to the Bass Rock then all the information you need is on the Scottish Seabird Centre website - click here, or drop me an email for more information.