A much better day for weather today. As John and Steve were playing golf and the ladies caught the train to Ulverston, I treated myself to a session at Leighton Moss RSPB reserve. As usual at this splendid reserve, I had an excellent day with 43 bird species and 9 butterfly species.
It is always a pleasure to visit Bempton Cliffs RSPB reserve on the Yorkshire coast between Bridlington and Filey. It was a real juggling act this time, though, to decide on the day as the weather forecast was continually changing, usually for the worst. As it turned out we had an excellent day: overcast but bright with very little wind. As it was a Saturday we were expecting it to be busy and we realised we were correct as we were directed to the overflow car park for the normal overflow one! It is amazing, though, how as soon as you get out on the reserve, the crowds seem to be absorbed, apart from in the visitor centre which was very busy. We followed the usual format for the day: south to Staple Newk first for the gannets and flight shots and then north for the auks. My appetite for the birdwatching and photography is bottomless but when Heather has had a surfeit she gets her drawing stuff out and records the views in beautiful sketches. In fact I often move on and leave her drawing and we catch up with each other later.
As always the gannets were spectacularly majestic and we were lucky to find them collecting nesting material on the cliff top. As they negotiated the cliff top air currents to come in to land, they provided endless opportunities for dramatic flight photography. I was pleased today to capture some really pleasing flight shots of kittiwakes which I generally find very challenging; perhaps it was trying out different camera settings which helped. On the way back up to the north end of the reserve the barn owl was out hunting which was a particular thrill. As always it was a delight to watch and photograph tree sparrows which we don't see at home.
As always an excellent day which finished with fish and chips at Pappa's in Willerby on the way home.
