02.02Guest Article – England, Gannets of Bempton Cliffs
By Sue Berry
Sue Berry originates from Yorkshire and she is currently living in the Midlands. Her two passions in life are photography and travel. She especially loves wildlife and landscape photography, and she is enjoying the learning process after taking the plunge and moving from a compact camera to an SLR 2.5 years ago. Her favourite travel destinations for photography are Africa and Scotland.
Over the last few years I have visited a number of spectacular wildlife locations, however of my very favourite places for photographing wildlife is situated right back here in the UK in my home county of Yorkshire. The RSPB reserve Bempton cliffs during the annual breeding season, is a haven for photographers and bird watchers alike.
What sets Bempton cliffs apart from many other seabird nesting sites around the UK is its accessibility. Bempton is situated on the mainland coast, just outside the seaside resort of Bridlington and for a nominal car parking charge you can spend many hours watching and photographing the birds without the time pressure of having to catch a boat back to the mainland. The cliffs are accessed through a visitors centre during opening hours, but the reserve is accessible at other times using a gate at the side.
During the months from April through to August the towering chalk cliffs team with nesting seabirds such as Razorbills, Guillemots, Kittiwakes and Fulmars. Puffins are another visitor to the cliffs providing some great photo opportunities. However the real stars of the show for me are the Gannets, who make superb photographic subjects.
The meadows running along the cliff tops and feeding station near the visitors centre also provides alternative photography opportunities with some of the smaller meadow birds.
During spring and summer of 2008 I made the trip to Bempton three times to photograph the birds at the different stages of the breeding season.
The first visit late April gave me the opportunity to watch the hive of activity on the cliff faces as the nest building stage was in full swing. During the second visit mid to late May, I was able to photograph birds on the nest with a glimpse of the eggs from time to time. The flowers along the cliff top are in full bloom at this time of year and can really add a little extra to your shots.
A further visit at the end of June, gave me the chance to see the young being tended by their parents perching precariously on cliff ledges. This place is so addictive I just have to keep going back for more!
On arrival at Bempton the first stop for me is usually the small visitors centre for a coffee, they also sell basic and snacks, and provide the essential toilet facilities.
Passing through the visitors centre and heading for the cliffs the first signs of the birds is the noise and the glimpse of circling birds above the cliff tops.
Along the cliff top there are five specific viewing points and you can get some good shots from these points, however from my experience the very best shots of Gannets have been taken at points along the cliff where the Gannets congregate on the cliff top to gather nesting materials. On a bright sunny day using spot metering on the birds with the sea behind you can achieve some lovely dark backgrounds to your shots.
I would recommend wandering along the cliff paths in both directions beyond the viewing points. With a little patience, getting a feel for the points the Gannets seem to favour and just sitting and waiting a while with your camera at the ready, the rewards can be great.
The opportunities for capturing Gannets in flight are plentiful and due to their size it’s relatively easy to come away with some great shots. The smaller faster birds such as Puffins, Guillemots and Razorbills can be more of a challenge!
Photography Gear
In order to make the most of the superb photographic opportunities a lens with good reach is essential, a 400-500mm is ideal. I have used my 400 prime exclusively on my trips, and it’s covered 95% of opportunities. The 100-400 Canon zoom is also a popular choice and could those occasional shots where the Gannets come in really close. A tripod is optional, I have never used one there yet as one moment you could be capturing in flight shots, the next moment a ground or cliff shot. Lots of memory cards and batteries are essential, as photographing these birds is extremely addictive.
Useful Links
The RSPB website provides a lot of useful information on the reserve and how to get there. http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/b/bemptoncliffs/about.asp
for more photographs of the birds of Bempton Cliffs, please visit my website:
http://sueberry.smugmug.com/Birds
While you are there…
Flamborough Head is just along the coast and worth visiting at the same time. There are once again opportunities for photographing seabirds such as Puffins, the sea cliffs are spectacular and there is also both an old and new lighthouse.
Great Article. Thanks for sharing. Keep them coming.
July 11th, 2009 at 1:14 pm