We had a day off today; it’s getting to be a habit. We decided on Scarborough again (well, Julia did, I just drove), but started off sooner and dropped in at Bempton Cliffs on the way. They seem to have spent a lot of money since we last came, with nice flat paths making it easy to walk round, even for a fat man with arthritic feet.
Unfortunately this also allowed all sorts of undesirables to access the reserve and get in my way. There was one particular woman who seemed to make it a point of honour to get in front of me and block the best view. When I got fed up and walked on she seemed to immediately give up and slip in front of me at the next good spot.
If it had been an episode of something by Agatha Christie the third occasion would have seen a body spiralling into the sea, hundreds of feet below. I can see the shot now…
However, that’s more of a comment on my favoured reading matter rather than the Bempton Cliffs experience.
We only saw one species of butterfly on the cliff top – ringlets! Would be wouldn’t it? They flew low, sheltering in the tops of the grass from the stiffish breeze so I couldn’t get a decent photo. The breeze was quite handy, as it was blowing out to sea, and taking the stench of fishy bird excrement with it. On a hot windless day, this can be a memorable part of the visit.
Here are some pictures – I’ll let them speak for themselves. Puffins are looking a bit dull after rearing a family – next year we will visit sooner.
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Wonderful photos! So many different types of bird there too. I must remember to go there next time we travel north.
It’s well worth doing, though you’re lucky having Minsmere in Suffolk.
Great pics – love the Agatha Christie analogy – sadly I am not in the vicinity of any handy cliffs – which has forced me to count to ten so many times I think I have invented a new number!
Is that tengrrr? I use it a lot too. 😉
I especially love the shot of the puffin with the daisies.
I think they know how to look photogenic after they heard what happened to the great auk.
What happened to the great auk?
Hunted for food, oil, fishing bait and feathers. Then the last few were killed by collectors. If they’d had a cute coloured beak they might still be with us.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_auk
Mmm, the beak unfortunately doesn’t do them any favours! Still, awful that they were hunted out of existence.
Yes, particulalrly the story of how collectors pursued the last few. ;-(
Yes!
Great pics. Just in case you ever need it, did you know that auks reversed gives you skua?
No, I hadn’t noticed that. I will have to look for a chance to work it in. Maybe time for a palindrome…
The puffins look like charming creatures. I like their striped beaks.
Lovely pics… Must have been a great trip…
Yes, it was. Haven’t been for a few years and really enjoyed it. Puffins are always good to see. 😉
Great pictures and I just love the Puffin’s …
They area bit faded now, and most of them seem to have left already. Will try again next year!
That sounds like a great plan to me.. 🙂