Gannets at Bempton Cliffs 11th June 2025

Bempton Cliffs in East Yorkshire is the site of the only mainland Gannet colony in England and is rightly renowned as one of the RSPB's premier reserves, being immensely popular with birders, photographers and the general public alike as it offers, from March to September, the spectacle of a wealth of breeding seabirds in a beautiful, one could say awesome setting of huge cliffs which reach 330 feet above the North Sea at their highest and stretch for six miles although the reserve itself is much smaller in extent.

Approximately half a million seabirds come to the cliffs to breed, the largest in size being the Northern Gannets of which there were almost 12,500 pairs in 2015 but maybe less now due to the avian flu epidemic of two years ago. Given the right conditions with onshore winds the Gannets can come very close to the RSPB's specially constructed clifftop viewpoints which allow unforgettable views. One can stand for hours just watching the continuous activity of the Gannets circling around and coming close in to inspect the cliffs and it can seem that they are also inspecting the many human visitors standing on the viewpoints gawping at their majestic presence just metres away.

Gannets are impressive birds, bulky with an almost six foot wing span and infinitely graceful as they fly with supreme mastery on the wind. although they struggle to retain that quality when on land. Today many were coming to the cliff to tear at the thick clifftop  grass which they carry away to construct their nests on ledges on the cliff face.

The physical activity is not the only thing that is constant as the birds keep up a continuous pulsing growling sound that is almost soothing and which probably relates to its rhythmic quality.

The always popular viewpoints can get very crowded even in mid week and at times it is impossible to get a position in which to be able to photo the seabirds especially the Gannets but with patience a space will eventually become available on the railing and you dive in to secure it.

Staple Newk Viewpoint probably the best of the several viewpoints from which to observe the Gannets

Below are some images of the Gannets that I managed to take from Staple Newk Viewpoint last Wednesday.

Some of the Gannets checking out the clifftop and their fellow Gannets stood
in the grass below and maybe also checking out us, stood on the viewpoint
watching and admiring them

An unusual pairing of what appeared to be an adult male bird (right) with an immature female. I kept an eye on them for the hour I spent on the viewpoint and they never separated and looked to have formed a pair bond although they would not breed for at least another three years.Perhaps they were just rehearsing for the real thing in the years to come?

Two Gannets demonstrating their innate flying skills in the wind

This was the sight that greeted you when you stood on the viewpoint. Gannets were coming to collect nest material from the clifftop almost next to us.Many other Gannets flew past inspecting the birds settled in the  grass some of which, although appearing to be adults were only four years old or less and unlikely to breed this year

It is unusual for Gannets to return to their colony until they are at least four years old but every year there are exceptions and a very small proportion of young birds will appear.This bird is in its second calendar year and less than a year old, moulting from its brown juvenile plumage into the all white plumage of an adult which takes five years to achieve

An adult Gannet collecting nest material from the cliff just left of the viewpoint.They
forcefully tear at the vegetation with their formidable bills until they feel they have
enough material and then launch themselves from the cliff and fly off to their nest site