Having returned to work after my break in Scotland, I then had to leave for meetings in the Northeast of England, most inconveniently on my wedding anniversary - I did send flowers and ask if she'd had a nice day! On the Thursday we had a close out meeting which lasted until lunchtime at which point I could leave and drive home - ETA was 5.00pm and so my working day was over. Instead, I made a detour round the North Yorkshire Moor to RSPB Bempton Cliffs, a place I've never visited before - a journey of just under two hours. On arrival I made use of the facilities and set out to where Albert, the black-browed albatross had been reported. From reports Albert was roosting on the rocks as viewed from the second platform on the right as you came from the Visitors’ Centre. Never have I seen the numbers of kittiwake, guillemot and razorbill on the cliff, in the air and on the water. The sky was also full of gannets.
Soon I reached the platform and managed to squeeze in amongst the onlookers. In addition to the birds already mentioned I also picked out handfuls of puffins on the rocks - too distant for anything but a record shot. I waited for about an hour before a shout went up that Albert was on the wing and wheeling around the bay below - he made a couple of passes before landing on the rocks but out of sight. About 15 minutes later exactly the same happened and I shot off another series of photos. How lucky was I - my first ever attempt to see the bird and I had, twice and within 1½ hours.
I calculated that I only had at most another hour before I'd need to be on my way home - a journey of 3½ awaited. I made my way back along the clifftop towards the platforms to the left of the Visitor Centre. I stopped as I came across a small flock of tree sparrows which seem to be doing OK here - we've lost all ours from local sites around Banbury.
I'd watched fulmar on the wing while waiting for Albert but now had better views of an individual on the cliffs. There were razorbills galore and guillemots everywhere you turned.
I stopped to look for puffins but was taken with the gannets on the rocks - I thought I was going to get one of those classic shots of bonding pairs but there were individuals behind, and it was a messy shot. They were still tender and I took a photo. when I found a different viewpoint and cropped appropriately.
I found several puffins but all too distant for anything other than a record shot - great to watch though. On my return a pair popped out from a crack in the cliff and showed well, this time at an intermediate distance. What great views I had in the bins.
So that was it, time called, and I had to head home - but what a couple of hours - and I bagged Albert on my first attempt!
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