Tuesday, 30 June 2020

June Weather Report

We came down to earth this month as it has been very wet with a whopping 83.5 mm of rain compared to the 52 that would be expected. We have had some torrential downpours as well as some very strong winds. Temperatures have been normal, however with an average daily maximum of 20 C and an average minimum of 11 C. June also gave us the hottest spell of the year with the 26th reaching a scorching 33.6 C.

Friday, 26 June 2020

A Feast of Seabirds at Bempton

A Yorkshire Coast Feast.

We set out for Bempton after a relaxed start as the aim was to arrive about 12.00 ready for a brew up and have lunch , visit the cliffs and finish with fish and chips; our first of the year. When, however we drove towards Bridlington the traffic became busier and there were queues to get into the resort. Not to worry, I thought, they won't be going to Bempton, but when we arrived the car park was full and people were turning back. Wondering what to do we decided to try Reighton Sands and if that was quiet we would have lunch and while away a couple of hours on the beach and then try Bempton later. As it turned out Reighton was very quiet and we had made the right decision.

We enjoyed a brew and lunch in the car park and then wandered down to the beach. From the cliff path there were excellent views to Filey Brigg and the other way to Bempton Cliffs. We also found pyramidal and common spotted orchids; a real bonus. Down on the beach we removed our shoes and strolled towards the cliffs, enjoying paddling as we went. Another bonus was the wreck of the SS Laura at the east end of the beach. The Laura was built in Newcastle in 1880 and was owned by a Trieste company. She ran aground in fog on 21st November 1897. The boilers now form a superb artificial reef and are thickly encrusted with marine life, particularly barnacles, limpets, beadlet anemones and green and brown seaweeds. A few ribs can still be seen and also the stern post with an intriguing hole through it.

To view large, please click on an image.

Pyramidal Orchid

Common spotted Orchid

The boilers of the SS Laura

Stern posts and boilers of the wreck

Boiler close up

Boilers

The boilers seen through the stern post

By 4.00 we decided it was time to try to get parked at Bempton which, by now, we could. In fact the car park was half empty and we were soon heading down to the cliffs, first making, as usual, for Staple Newk where the best gannet and flight shots were to be had. Gannets were very much in evidence as I expected with the cliff arch below packed with them. They were also gathered on large numbers right at the cliff top allowing for close up portraits. This is a great spot to practise flight shots as the gannets cruise aling the cliffs at head height. There were also fulmars and kittiwakes flying forays out from the cliffs and swooping back in again making more challenging targets for flight photography. Normally I find fulmars difficult to capture in flight but this time I seemed to get on better, kittiwakes being the more difficult of the two. There were large numbers of auks here but as the cliff is undercut here they couldn't be seen on the ledges only fleeting glimpses as they flew out from the cliffs down to the sea or returning on whirring stubby wings.

After a while it was time to wander along the cliffs to the other viewing platforms to try for some static shots. There were plenty of opportunities and, although the sun was sinking, where it caught the cliffs the light was excellent. Although I had seen good numbers of puffins at Staple Newk, I only managed to find one to photograph later.

Eventually our stomachs told us that it was time to go and find some fish and chips. We drew a blank in Flamborough village and Sewerby, but came up trumps on Bridlington seafront. Although it must have been crowded earlier in the day at 7.00 pm it was quite quiet and the fish and chips excellent.

A wonderful day out in perfect weather.