Yorkshire cliffs and moors

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 After waiting a few weeks for a free day and suitable weather, on Monday, we made the 3 1/2 hour  trip to Yorkshire  arriving at Bempton Cliffs at 9.30 where there was plenty of parking space  due to there not being any species of special interest about such as the albatross or red shrike!  The weather was cloudy with a very cold northerly wind so we were glad we had brought coats and needed hoods up too!  The forecast was for sunny skies later though. 

All the usual seabirds were nesting on the cliffs including puffins, guillemots and razorbills and you could soon smell and see the gannet colonies!  Lots of flying to and from the nests though no chicks were seen that day.  We were told by a keen photogapher that the northerly wind was ideal for the birds to give them a extra uplift (and I guess to provide better photo opportunities as they often hung in the air on the wind gusts before landing) 

No butterflies in evidence due to the weather which we do often see on the meadow areas.

 

 Puffin




 

razorbill

gannets



guillemot

kittiwakes

We left at 11 am( the carpark was now full) to make our way towards Pickering where we have a favourite eating place at Cedarbarn Farm. After an enjoyable lunch we took our familiar route across the moors through Hutton-le-Hole to Castleton and the Danby Yorkshire Moors visitor centre by which time it was sunny with blue skies and a bit warmer!

On the moors we looked for and soon spotted a curlew, then another and another and a couple of chicks. There seemed to be a lot more than we usually see possibly because it was earlier in the season than we usually visit and they generally only come up to the moors to breed.   

Red grouse were also in evidence with more than usual sightings of them too.  The vegetation was not as high as sometimes which probably helped viewing.  There seemed to be quite a variety of colourways of the female birds.

Once we got to the Visitor centre we stopped for tea and scones then I went for a short walk into the wooded area where I know there is a feeding station.  I didnt see much there but on the way out within a few minutes and a couple of trees I noticed a nuthatch, coal tit and goldcrest though all too quick for photos. 

So a good day out and 9 for my list which I am unlikely to find elsewhere this year.

female stonechat

curlew
 


curlew chick


red grouse female - pale plumage


red grouse - male

red grouse - female - dark plumage

skylark


across the moors
 



 traffic jam



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