South Landing, Danes Dyke, Bridlington

Another unplanned trip. Initially I thought I'd go to Bempton, but upon checking the weather with a cold northerly I decided to stay on the Flamborough area, but walk on the sheltered, shouthern side of the peninsula. I got the train to Bridlington and then the C14 coaster to Flamborough. On the way I watched the increasing number of Kittiwakes settling onto their nest sites and starting to call. Herring Gulls and Lesser Black-backed are well known urban gulls, not so Kittiwakes (other than the famous colony on the Tyne bridge in Newcastle). They are charismatic, endangered birds and we should celebrate them, but instead people put netting on roofs to deter them, which ends up entangling gulls and their chicks.

This Kittiwake is not moving from her nest on King Street, but it is a risk to nest by the netting as either the parents or the chicks can become entangled.

This Herring Gull wasn't as lucky. It probably was a long and painful death.

This Kittiwake displayed on its downpipe. They use very narrow ledges, but this one is quite ambitious!

After a short bus ride I got to Flamborough. The tide was rising and I had 3 hours before high tide. It was not a very high tide, so that left plenty of time to walk to Danes Dyke by the base of the cliff, which should take half an hour. When I got to South Landing, I was surprised about the amount of sand on the beach (top shot). This was the case much of the walk, which made it for a much nicer one underfoot, as I alternated walking on chalk boulders and walking on quite compact sand. It was relatively quiet bird wise, compared to the winter.

Whitethroat at South Landing.

Great Black-back Immature showing its bulky bill.

Displaying Stock Dove.

Rock Pipit.

As I was approaching Danes Dyke, I noticed hundreds of sand hoppers, jumping up the beach ahead of the rising tide. Some got stopped by chalk boulders, and they would pile up in front of the boulders and slowly make their way up. I walked around Danes Dyke until high tide. Walk on the dry bed of the beck, had a coffee and recorded the wonderful ferns. The calls of a Nutchatch called my attention and Imanaged to find it and take some photos. An Early Purple Orchid was also quite a nice and unexpected find.

The bottom of the ravine.

Unfurling Male Fern.

Unfurling fronds of Hart's Tongue Fern.

Ferns everywhere under the greening canopy.

A bed of flowering and pungent ramsons at the sides of the path.

Nutchatch upside down.

And right way up. There are also Nuthatches at Sewerby, but few other places in East Yorkshire have then.

Early Purple Orchid.

The wind didn't bother me much in the sheltered south side of the peninsula. It was cold even in the sunshine.

A Green Tiger Beetle was hunting on the beach. Until a wave took it away!

Pied Wagtail. I love the white canvas of the chalk rocks at Flamborough.

Oystercatchers.

Whimbrel.

Wheatear.

Turnstones. A group of 22 fed and roosted on the beach.

One of two Purple Sandpipers fed with the Turnstones.

The Yorkshire Belle.

Crow and Rabbit.

A brisk walk along north beach and I soon was back at Bridington. The tide was still quite high and after a walk around the harbour I walked back to the station to catch my train back.

Thornwick Bay to South Landing

A Saturday outing to celebrate the start of the East Yorkshire Walking Festival. I take the train to Bridlington and walk along the Gypsey Race park to catch bus C14 to North Landing. Its a mild day with a light breeze. There is a spring tide today and the harbour water is as low as I've seen it.  

A Blackcap feeds on aphids under sycamore leaves.

Black Horehound by the harbour at Bridlington.

A few pairs of Kittiwakes are still on their nests at Marlborough Terrace, this pair was preening. No young on the nests.

I catch the bus, which is approaching North Landing an hour before the walk is due to start. I leave the bus at Thornwick Holiday village and walk along the cliff to North Landing. 

Starlings gathering by Thornwick Bay.

Thornwick Bay from the coastal path.

A Beewolf, used to be quite rare but expanding north. They feed their larvae with honeybees they stock in nests in sandy banks. I've recorded them by the Humber before, but this is my first Flamborough record.

Beewolf.

Linnets.

Five or six Fulmars circle the cliffs as I get to North Landing. I descend to the beach and watch them. I can't find any nests though. The sea is flat and out, with some people preparing to go to the water on inflatable waterboards. Oystercatchers piping and young Guillemots begging calls ringing from off shore. I climb the ramp to meet the walkers at the car park. The walk is led by the Flamborough Ramblers. Thirty people have assembled, and after a short information talk by the leader we set off towards Flamborough. I take the rear as I'm likely to stop to take photos and record in iNaturalist and chat with the woman in charge of closing the rear and a man with a small dog that stops every time I stop, unwilling to leave me behind. 

North Landing.

A young Stonechat at North Landing.

The rear of the walking group today.

Highland cows and Greylag Geese on the YWT nature reserve.

Breil Nook and the Queen rock.

Shags, including some juveniles, by Breil Nook.

Jackdaw.

We soon get to Selwick Bay and the Lighthouse. Most of the group do a look to see the Grey Seals. The tide is starting to turn and the seals comically lift their flippers and heads to stop getting wet. As the tide is so low, the seals are not in their spot in the beach, but out on flat rocks offshore. The seals call and at times a waft of their smell reaches us.

A very nice day for a snooze on the rocks.

I have a hot drink in the cafe and leave the group to carry on towards South Landing. The wind is now picking up, but mostly light. There is bright clouds and occasional sunny spells, ideal for walking.

A flock of Common Terns with many juveniles settle on a rock, they are spooked several times, but they return to the same rock again.

Common Terns.

Cormorants.

Over 60 Great Black-backed Gulls loafing, most adults.

I reach South Landing and sit down on a bench to have my lunch. At that moment I notice a small group of Bottlenose Dolphins, one of them breaching repeatedly and falling on its side making a big splash in front of the others. I take a short video and the following are two screengrabs. 

Bottlenose Dolphins.

 These are the first dolphins I see at South Landing. What a way to finish the walk! I walk to Flamborough village to catch my bus to Bridlington and my train home.