Since I dipped hard last year when I tried to twitch the
Black-browed Albatross at Bempton Cliffs, I was reluctant to make any kind of
move this year, knowing that it would probably be all in vain again. As such, I
spent all Tuesday following the birds progress, as it apparently spent all day
on view allowing everyone to connect. The last news from the evening was that
it had roosted again on the cliff, and so I decided to take a chance and try
for the bird again. Rather than waiting for news I made my move first thing,
leaving the house at 05.15 and arriving at Bempton at 07.10, just in time to
see the first Birdguides report of the day; not been seen!
But the day was still young and as such I held out hope that
it might make an appearance. And I did not have to wait long. As I was walking
down the clifftop footpath to the main viewpoint I have a quick scan with a
small crowd and immediately the bird was spotted. Although my views were brief,
I did see it. It wasn’t long before it was lost again, but consensus was that
it had returned to the cliff face, so we would only have to wait before it
appeared again.
When it did reappear, it continued to be tricky to get onto,
but it soon came closer as it was heading right for us, just below the cliff
top. It passed just in front of the assembled twitchers, offering absolutely unbelievable
views. It then rounded the corner and headed along the cliff towards Filey. The
lull in proceedings allowed time to catch up with other birders there, some of
whom I had not seen since the start of the pandemic. But while we were chatting
away, the bird returned. We knew nothing about it until it was picked up just
above our heads flying strongly back to where it had been. It did some small amount
of soaring before alighting on the cliff, where it remained for the next half
an hour.
The rest of the morning continued this pattern. Often when the bird flew it would come straight at us heading westward along the cliff face. It then passed directly below us offering insane views and would then drop onto the sea and return 15- 30 minutes later. I soaked up the occasion for three hours, savouring the spectacle of this magnificent bird. The final time I watched it pass it was pursued by a Herring Gull which slowed the birds progress and allowed me chance to grab some proper photos, really putting the icing on the cake for such a brilliant day.
RSPB Bempton Cliffs: Feral Pigeon, Common Wood Pigeon, Eurasian Curlew, Common Guillemot, Razorbill, Atlantic Puffin, Black-legged Kittiwake, European Herring Gull, Black-browed Albatross, Northern Fulmar, Northern Gannet, Great Cormorant, Western Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Eurasian Skylark, Sedge Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Eurasian Wren, Common Blackbird, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Common Chaffinch, Common Linnet, European Goldfinch,
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