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Post Info TOPIC: Black-browed Albatross returns to Bempton Cliffs, Yorkshire. 3/4/22


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Black-browed Albatross returns to Bempton Cliffs, Yorkshire. 3/4/22
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After last years stay in Yorkshire of a few months people began to think, Will the Black-browed Albatross return in 2022? Well on the 31st March it re-appeared at Bempton Cliffs RSPB reserve, probably after 5 months in the North Sea. It has returned to a regular Gannet breeding site in the forlorn hope that it can attract a mate! With this species being confined to the Southern Hemisphere oceans the chances are next to zero. A trip out was planned for this weekend and along with Bob K & Kevin C we left a dry Castleton at 8am. A gentle drive to Bempton took 2 hours with traffic being pretty light. There were lots of cars at the reserve on our arrival, wonder why? News that the Albatross had been seen flying onto the rock face at 8-30am meant that it was still present, we hurried on up to Staple Newk viewing platform. We got into position by 10-15am on a sunny cool morning and enjoyed watching the Gannets, Razorbills, Guillemots, Kittiwakes, Puffins, Rock Doves(?) etc. As time passed by most of the avid birders remained in position with their cameras ready to capture a photograph of the Albatross as it left its lofty perch. At about 1-45pm one of our team had to go back to the car to have some refreshment, as we know after lots of hard luck stories about Leaving your post in the past, the inevitable happened. At 2-10pm the Black-browed Albatross flew off the cliffs directly in front of us and after a brief fly around landed on the sea about 250 yards away. I tried to get pictures but failed miserably (as usual) after alerting our missing colleague, we headed back to the car and met him going in the opposite direction, and he saw the bird well as he arrived. In the 4 hours we waited for the Albatross to put in an appearance we had a few Chin wags with other birders. All in all it was a successful day trip out enjoyed by us all. On the way home the M62 was very kind and was negotiated without any major problems. Dave O.

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