Southend-on-Sea RSPB Group - Bempton and Rutland 22

RSPB

Bempton and Rutland 22 - 23 July 2000

My brother and I made a visit to the RSPB reserve of Bempton Cliffs as part of a trip to Bradford. This was a wonderful chance for me especially as I have never been to a sea bird colony; after reading the articles (on sea bird colonies) in the "Birds magazine" and Bill Oddie's article in the "Birdwatching magazine" I was hoping for a chance to visit one.?

We left home at 8.00 AM and arrived at the reserve at 1.00 PM. After this long journey it was nice to get out off the car, even if the weather seemed more like March than July. The cold windy weather didn't defuse my enthusiasm for my first visit here. Watching Swallows, House Sparrows, Pied Wagtail and Linnets in the car park, we quickly glanced through the visitor's centre shop, before we walked across the freshly bailed hay meadows to the cliff top viewing points.?

I was exhilarated with my first views of Puffin. These magical sea birds are so comical and funny with their landings and take off. With these lovely birds were Rock Dove, Kittiwake, Fulmar, Guillemot, Razorbill and Gannets. This gave us the opportunity to study some on their specialized nesting ledges while others were intermingled in flight as they flew round these wonderful cliffs: Kittiwake and Gannet still had nestling at different stages of their development. A Kestrel was hunting the cliffs, as were Herring Gulls, which also nest there, some still with a nestling.?

On our way home Sunday we stopped at Rutland Water, this is another excellent reserve, but a completely different habitat. Green Sandpiper, Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Ruff, Lapwing and Common Tern were all observed. One Ruff was in full summer plumage. There were plenty of Duck, Coot, Moorhen and a few Heron. Near the centre we had good views of Blue, Great, and Marsh Tit with Greenfinch and Chaffinch. There were House Sparrows feeding with the rare and handsome Tree Sparrow. The centre staff pointed out the "Osprey Translocation Project Rearing Pen" in the distance; we could just make out the Osprey chicks exercising their wings.?