Bridlington Pelagics

[plaxtonman]

Having had such a good time on one a couple of years back I've just booked up on two of the RSPB Bridlington pelagics on 4 September and 3 October. I just wondered whether anyone else would be on these?

From personal experience we had Sooty Shearwater and Pomarine Skua within touching distance of the boat, others I believe have had LT Skua and Sabine's Gull.

Steve the Plaxtonman

[birdman]

No experience of a pelagic myself, and the Sep date is, unfortunately, at an inconvenient time... but I'm interested in trying to talk my daughter into the Oct one...

[plaxtonman]

Does anyone know how or why part of my original post has vanished - I had put the dates and contact details for the RSPB pelagics in the middle of the message - are these not allowed?

Steve the Plaxtonman

[Rob Smallwood]

No idea where your post went but can thoroughly recommend the Yorkshire Belle trips out of Bridlington.

We will be on at least one this year - not 4/9 but maybe 3/10. If we do I'll see you there.

[markgriff]

Does anyone know how or why part of my original post has vanished - I had put the dates and contact details for the RSPB pelagics in the middle of the message - are these not allowed?

Steve the Plaxtonman

Steve,

I received your PM with the dates and contact details for these trips. Did you manage to speak to someone on this number? I've tried it several times but keep getting an answer service asking me to leave my contact details for someone to call me back - unfortunately they never do!

Regards,

[plaxtonman]

Hello Mark

Yes I got straight through. I phoned at 09.30 on a weekday. The phone number is for RSPB Bempton Cliffs so you could alternatively try RSPB HQ who may be able to help? Just to confirm the original number is (01262) 85 09 59.

Steve

[plaxtonman]

Alternatively Mark, the leaflet they sent me has a postal form. If you send me your address via PM I'll post the form to you.

Steve

[digi-birder]

I've been on one of these trips for the past two years and can thoroughly recommend them. I'll see if I can make one of the above dates.

It is sometimes difficult getting through to anyone on the telephone number given.

[markgriff]

Hello Mark

Yes I got straight through. I phoned at 09.30 on a weekday. The phone number is for RSPB Bempton Cliffs so you could alternatively try RSPB HQ who may be able to help? Just to confirm the original number is (01262) 85 09 59.

Steve

Steve,

Cheers for that. Phoned at 9:30 on the dot and got straight through. I've never birdwatched from a boat before, so this is new territory for me!

Is it scopes and tripods or are the birds generally close enough for bins to be sufficient. Plus if I do bring the scope, what's the best option, tripod, hide clamp, monopod?

Many thanks,

[alan_rymer]

Steve,

Cheers for that. Phoned at 9:30 on the dot and got straight through. I've never birdwatched from a boat before, so this is new territory for me!

Is it scopes and tripods or are the birds generally close enough for bins to be sufficient. Plus if I do bring the scope, what's the best option, tripod, hide clamp, monopod?

Many thanks,Mark

I have only had a couple of hours trip around Skomer.
There is no way any of the scope supports would work if on the deck or clamped to the vessel in any way. The only thing I could see working is a shoulder pod!. But best guess is that Bins will be enough!.

[digi-birder]

Is it scopes and tripods or are the birds generally close enough for bins to be sufficient. Plus if I do bring the scope, what's the best option, tripod, hide clamp, monopod?

Many thanks,

I would leave the scope behind if I were you, Mark. You can usually manage with bins as the birds do come close to the boat. The tripod would not be upright for very long, if it's a choppy sea!

[Rob Smallwood]

Definitely bins only - but pack your 'scope and trpod so you can get to the nearby hotspots of Flamborough, Filey etc either before or after.

I was on one Bridlington trip where we could see the ringers at Flamborough as a crowd in the distance knowing they were releasing a Blyth's Reed Warbler - doh!

[markgriff]

Many thanks for the tips. Just hope it's not too choppy out there. Wouldn't want to miss the birds because I spent half the trip leaning over the side of the boat!!!

Cheers,

[digi-birder]

Many thanks for the tips. Just hope it's not too choppy out there. Wouldn't want to miss the birds because I spent half the trip leaning over the side of the boat!!!

Cheers,

Just don't have a big plate of fish and chips before the trip!!

So, if everyone is going to be on the 3rd October trip, I'll try and get to that as well, depending on the house-move situation.

[plaxtonman]

Mark

As others have pointed out it is bins only, the last time I was on this trip we had Sooty Shearwater and Pomarine Skua within 6 metres of the boat. Which trip is everyone doing - I'm on the 4th September and 3rd October?

Steve

[Rob Smallwood]

Just don't have a big plate of fish and chips before the trip!!

Lightweights!
We always go to the cafe at the car park entrance for a full breakfast (and often first skuas throught the window) before going - we've not topped up the chum yet!!

[markgriff]

Mark

Which trip is everyone doing - I'm on the 4th September and 3rd October?

Steve

Steve,

Myself and one of my pals are booked on the 19th September, so you'll have to let us know how the 4th went before we go.

Cheers,

[Hotspur]

im gonna try and get myself booked on one, not sure when, gonna have to consult the diary! Probably mid sept.


p.s. are BF 200 club points likely on any particular date? ;)

[jada dulo]

I went on the Bridlington cruise on Aug 21st , was pretty good had 2 Purple Sandpiper on the harbor wall and lots of Sandwich & Common Tern just around the harbor area . Out at sea had 2 Great Skua following the boat for a short time while Arctic Skua were much further out ! Manx Shearwater came quite close for reasonable views .
Will probably take one of the later cruises next year as they seem to attract the slightly rarer species !

[digi-birder]

Will probably take one of the later cruises next year as they seem to attract the slightly rarer species !

Such as BF members!

are BF 200 club points likely on any particular date?

I think the 3rd October trip might be a good bet!

[birderxl]

Owing to a recent spate of power cuts at Bempton, the Cruise Booking Line (01262 850959) has lost messages. If anyone has problems, you could call the RSPB Visitor Centre at Bempton on 01262 851179, leave your name and number with the staff there, who will inform the Cruise Bookings Co-ordinator. There are only 15 places remaining on the Sept 19th cruise. I go on most of these boat trips, and have done for the past 15 years or more. Yes, some can be 'quiet', but you never know what's lurking out there! See you on the boat?

Trev

[Rob Smallwood]

If anyone is booked on Saturday (4th) afternoon's trip - I'll see you on the quay! I'll be there with my mate Ben, wife Dette and 8 year old son Luke (who is hoping for calm weather and Basking Sharks!).

[geedub]

Looking forward to meeting any BF members on the 3rd October trip. See you there!

[DunstableDick]

All

I have been on several 'Bridlington pelagics' over the years. I must beg to differ with the veiws of you all - I thought they were pretty rubbish.

I know this is going to cause a bit of a stir but they were more a social gathering of grannies and rspb members groups who were more interested in sampling nthe food and tea provided on board. I felt sorry for Trevor Charlton, one of the leaders, who got roped into it.

I also question the attachment of 'pelagic' to this trip - it's more a leisurely cruise a couple of miles out of Bridlington harbour in the hope of seeing 1 or 2 species of shearwater and the odd skua.

Good views though of birds

Good luck on the Oct pelagic - a bit of a bizarre (late) date for an east coast pelagic. I'm sure you will see a Guillemot or two


DD

[birderxl]

Okay, birders sit on Flamborough Head, gazing through 'scopes watching birds between 1 and 2 miles offshore. So, why not join an RSPB seabird cruise? They simply provide an ideal opportunity for birders of any age or experience to observe seabirds at close range. The Yorkshire Belle actually takes us up to nine miles east of Bridlington Harbour, about four miles due east of Flamborough Head. The general passage of skuas and shearwaters occur between 1 to 3 miles out to sea, therefore often no need to go farther, unless an active trawler is within reach.
Feedback from our passengers, whether they are top birders, 'grannies or RSPB Members Groups', is that they nearly all have a good time (those who don't were probably seasick!).
Some cruises are better than others, it's a game of pot-luck! Best birds occur a day or so later than a strong north-westerly blow. Sadly the RSPB can't predict the weather or have any control over tide times, but whatever the weather or time of day, there is always the possibility of a rare seabird passing by for those wanting to see one, and for others, it's a great experience - even in early October!
Sorry to see 'DunstableDick' rubbishing the cruises, but he has obviously sailed on the quiet ones!
Hopefully I'm on tomorrow's fully booked cruise, Sat 4th Sept (150 passengers) and will be very pleased to speak to BF members if they make themselves known to me.
Sightings from each cruise will be posted on Birdguides.com etc.

Many thanks

Trevor

[Rob Smallwood]

DD

I don't think that you are too wide of the mark in your description, but I think you are missing the whole point.

Because of the very nature of these trips they won't attract the very serious birders hoping for a stray Wilson's (they will all be on Scillonian or even North Shields trips, or sat on the Western coast of Ireland finding their own).

The trips can be quiet, but equally can produce excellent views of birds not seen regularly or well by all - especially those living away from the coastal hot spots.

What I have found on the trips that I have been on (one or two per year for a few years now) is that the leaders are very grateful for extra pairs of "experienced" eyes to help out. The more there are looking (not just hoping to see) the more is seen.

I'm not hoping for anything "mega" tomorrow (but you never know?!) - but will be satisfied with good views of any Skuas or Shearwaters.

I also hate to say this - but those tea drinking RSPBers don't half contribute towards conservation and bird protection with their purchases from the shops, catalogues and contributions towards RSPR land aquisition.

These are definitely at the softer end of the Pelagic scale, but enjoyable and worthwhile non the less.

See you tomorrow Birderxl - you'll recognise me - I'm birder XXL !

[Rob Smallwood]

PS - I happen to have two spare tickets for tomorrow's sold out trip - anyone interested can PM me.

[jada dulo]

Well put Rob ! I dont consider myself an experienced birder but I am a fair birder ! And I certainly appreciated the Bridlington cruise as I simply dont have the time to drive to a decent coastal site and then spend many hours looking out to see in the vain hope that I see something good and be able to confidently identify it !!
So , to go out on a cruise and get within a few feet of both Skua's and Shearwater's was well worth the 4 hour drive ! Plus , the whole 'choppy sea ride' was excellent fun ( and I have a deep-rooted fear of ( deep ) water ) .... plus I never had a drop of tea !
Keep up the good work I say - it is well appreciated , by most .

[Jasonbirder]

Don`t knock `em - as everyone knows i`m always chasing round after rarities and the whole RSPB Tea and Scone scene is about as far from my ideal day as it gets, I spend alot of time seawatching and have probably (No make that definately!) seen hundreds if not thousands of Atctic Skua`s Great Skua and Sooty Shearwaters (The 3 most likely seabirds to be seen on this trip) Bearing that in mind I can confidently say that I have never had better views of Sooty Shearwater than I did when I went on this trip - they were fantastic! Plus only its a couple of hours long and leaves you with the rest of the day in East Yorkshire....Flamboro`, Filey or Spurn anyone?

[plaxtonman]

Having started this thread, I have the pleasure to announce that having left the Old Moor Wetlands at 10.45 (giving me 2.5 hrs to get to Bridlington), thanks to the A614 not moving between the M62 and Holme upon Spalding Moor, I missed the boat by 10 minutes! You may all laugh at my expense while I go off to drown my sorrows! :-C
Steve

[Rob Smallwood]

Steve,

You will probably have seen from the reports that you missed a good, if not outstanding trip on Saturday.

The highlights for many were (in no particular order) many Harbour Porpoise, a fairly confiding Black Tern, a super raft of Little Gulls with a few well marked immatures suggesting a better breeding season for them than for the local birds, a reasonably close up Bonxie, a very confiding juvenile Arctic which gave chase to the larger gulls following the chum as well as a couple of more distant Arctic's, 4 Red-throated Diver, and all the usual local breeding seabirds including a few Puffins to please the less "pelagic" orientated birders.

A Purple Sandpiper connected with the boat about a mile out anf flew around a couple of times as if looking for a ledge to land on.

There were people of all birding types on board, some I suspect far better birders than me, certainly many around the front where I was who were glad of some help with both finding and identifying the birds, and getting a much pleasure from sorting the Guillys from Raxorbills than from the Skuas.

I for one will be back, hoping for better weather (for the birds) whilst secretly hoping it doesn't get too rough!

Thanks go to the local RSPB folk and crew of the Yorkshire Belle.

PS - my 8 year old son can now confidently id Kittiwake, Gannet, tell winter Guilly and Razorbill apart and had a thoroughly great time on his first trip - so hopefully in 20 years or so will still be interested and involved.

[birderxl]

Thanks Rob, Jada and Jason for your comforting comments. Sorry to hear Steve just missed the trip! Last minute family commitments meant I didn't make it either - though it was a fairly quiet trip. The weather during the week was not on our side, however, we are on northerlies today at Bempton and easterlies expected for the rest of the week. This means the next two cruises (aka pelagics - as the cruises are 'performed on the open sea' per Oxford Dictionary) on Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th, both at 9am, may be a little more rewarding. These give you time to get off the boat at 12.30 and get to the rarity on Flamborough Head (hopefully Bempton Cliffs RSPB reserve!). I'm doing the commentary on Saturday and will likely be on Sunday's too. Call 01262 850959 to book (only few tickets left for Sat and plenty at moment for Sunday).

Cheers

Trevor

[digi-birder]

I've been on a couple of these pelagics, and 'grannies and rspb members groups who were more interested in sampling the food and tea' it was most definitely not. Everyone on the trip appeared to be enjoying the birds (and, for some of them, getting a soaking at the front of the boat!). Of course some were taking advantage of the refreshments, but I wouldn't say that this was their prime objective.

If they're so rubbish, why go on 'several' of them?

Trevor, are there many places left on the 3rd October trip/pelagic? I'm trying to leave it a bit late, as we have a house move imminent, so I don't want to book anything definite yet. How late can I leave it? I know that it's the last trip - is that one usually a good one?

[MarkHows]

I have been on several of these pelagic trips, I take my girlfriend who is not that good at seabird ID and not interested in sea watching, she really enjoys the trips, the directions to the birds are excellent and she has been able to find the birds easily a far cry from the Scillonian trip we went on this tear where she missed some birds because the directions were poor.

I have seen some good birds on these trips, Sabines, Grey Phalrope, 3 skuas, 2 shears and all the common auks and gulls. I go after rare birds like may others but enjoy seeing some of these birds close up and for the £9 or so it is it is good value. As Jasonbirder said visit Spurn or Filey etc. after and make a whole day in that part of Yorkshire.

A lot of people put a lot of effort into running these trips and they deserve our support, if you can do better then organise one yourselves!!

[MarkHows]

went on Sundays trip, the birds spotted were
Sabines gull 2 (juveniles), 2 Sooty Shearwaters, juvenile Black Tern, 100 Little Gulls, 2 Purple Sandpipers, 3 Great Skuas, 10 Arctic Skuas, 5 Puffins and 70 Common Scoters, 5 Red Throated Divers. lots of auks, gulls, shags, gannets and cormorants and lots of harbour porpoises

Another excellent trip

[chris3871]

Another BF member off on the 3rd here.

Sounds good really, I don't care what we see as long as its close and allowing me to take its picture! I'm easily pleased.

[MarkHows]

Another BF member off on the 3rd here.

Sounds good really, I don't care what we see as long as its close and allowing me to take its picture! I'm easily pleased.


The sabines and the sooty shears were super close, a couple of the skuas and divers were close and all the gulls, I am sure someone got some decent pictures. Everything else was a little to far for photo's

mark

[birderxl]

Yes, it was a good trip on Sunday. Little gulls and gannets too were most photographable. There are about 50 places available for the last Seabird Cruise on Sunday 3rd October at 12.30pm. To book or reserve a place, please call 01262 850959 between 9am and noon on Wed, Thurs or Fri this week.
Winds are veering through to the south tomorrow with westerlies expected over the weekend (according to Metcheck.com). Not ideal for pushing anything new into the North Sea, however, still little gulls around so possibility of another (or same ) Sabine's? Early October can turn up a few surprises - see you on Sunday?
Cheers
Trevor

[plaxtonman]

I'll be there, trying not to miss the boat this time! I note the Baird's Sandpiper is still at Flamborough today so that might be the morning sorted out if it stays!

Steve J

[birderxl]

Hope you make it Steve. There ought to be a few other goodies to view before the boat sails on Sunday. Y-browed warblers and red-breasted fly at Spurn today .... Bempton (my local patch) tomorrow?
Cheers
Trevor

[chris3871]

GGRRRRRRRR! Its bloody cancelled! How annoying....where was that Baird's Sand exactly? I think we'll go see that instead.

Adverse blinking weather conditions...Huh! :storm:

[plaxtonman]

Hi Chris

Go into Flamborough vilage, head due south to South Landing. It is there 99% of the time.

I'll see you there!
Steve

[chris3871]

Hi Chris

Go into Flamborough vilage, head due south to South Landing. It is there 99% of the time.

I'll see you there!
Steve

Sorry, never got there on the end. We went to Flamborough, but I had mum with me, and while shes willing to go on the boat, she's not fussed about stuff like that. Annoying- but oh well, we went for a walk in selwicks bay; it was alright.