Bridlington and the Yorkshire Belle

Bridlington is always popular with the children and today, on top of the usual visit we had a trip aboard the Yorkshire Belle to Flamborough Head. I had hoped to make the longer cruise to Bempton, but the trip was later in the day when the weather was predicted to get stormier, so we settled for the one hour round trip at 12:00.
The juvenile gulls were either fledged or just about to, and the usual Herring Gull calls in town were accompanied by the plaintive whistles of the young. I noticed quite a few Kittiwake nests in town, in addition to the ones by the out harbour wall, and there were some fledglings for this species too.
 It was high tide when we arrived, and the usual group of Turnstones awaited on the wall, with three Purple Sandpipers too. A group of Great Black backed gulls sat on the roof of the building at the end of the harbour wall, with some immatures too.
 Nothing amazingly to report from the boat trip, other than the fantastic views and the lively commentary from the skipper. A cormorant and a few terns and gulls, but the kids enjoyed the storm, having to rush inside to avoid the rain and watching how the sea become rougher and the view of the coast almost disappearing behind a curtain of water. Next time we will do the long cruise to Bempton!
Before we leave, we watch a squirmish between a Herring Gull and a feral pigeon. The adult gull had caught the pigeon, and it had managed to escape, leaving a bunch of feathers behind. The gull immediately set its eyes on another pigeon, but this one didn't give it a chance and flew away. A pity I couldn't get this on the camera.

Great Black Backed gull preening on a building rooftop by the harbour

Young Kittiwake begging to adult on Prince Street

Herring Gull portrait

Herring Gull adult and juvenile

Kittiwake nests on outer harbour wall

And a group of Great Black Backed gulls 

Record shot of Purple Sandpiper

Yorkshire Belle coming back to harbour

Juvenile gull feeding on dead pigeon

A lone Barnacle Goose on the harbour

and another Herring Gull, I can't resist as they are so tame here.

A juvenile Herring gull looks suspiciously to the camera

Danes Dyke from the Yorkshire Belle

Flamborough Head with storm ahead

For the last leg of the journey, we are immersed in the storm

This pale immature gull caught my eye as we were coming into the harbour. James Spencer identified it as a juvenile Mediterranean Gull.

Bird list

1. Barnacle Goose       
2.  Black-headed Gull        
3.  Carrion Crow        
4.  Common Tern        
5.  Feral Pigeon        
6.  Great Black-backed Gull        
7.  Herring Gull        
8.  House Sparrow        
9.  Kittiwake        
10.  Mallard     
11.  Purple Sandpiper        
12.  Redshank        
13.  Starling        
14.  Turnstone
15. Mediterranean Gull