RFI: quick UK visit in June 2010 (1 Viewer)

Greetings from Cape Town,

Not sure if this is the right place to post this, but here goes anyway...

I hadn't really planned to be in the UK in June, but my brother, who lives in London, has decided to get married then and so, clearly, my wife and I have no choice but to be there then...

Given that we have to be there anyway, we have decided to extend our trip by several days to do a little birding (and, for her, some touristy stuff) while we are there.

We will be arriving in London on Friday, 11 June 2010 and will be spending the weekend with a mate of mine who is based in Essex where we will be birding a number of the local areas. We then have some "free" time from early on the Monday morning (14 June) until the Thursday evening (17 June) when we have to be back in London. This is where the question comes in...

Two species which we would really like to see (and hopefully photograph) while we are there are Atlantic Puffin and White-throated Dipper. I know that they are both not particularly uncommon birds, but somehow, on my other birding travels around the world, I have contrived to miss out on representatives from these two bird families every time and I would really like to tick these 2 families now! Yes, I know there are also Razorbills, Guillemots, etc., but the Puffin just seems like a much better looking bird (IMO anyway).

It has been suggested to me that Bempton Cliffs is the place to go for the Puffins (and obviously a number of other breeding seabirds as well). If we went this route, where would the best and closest place to this be to get the Dipper given the time of year? Would we have to go across to Staffs and, if so, which would be the best site? Given that we only have 4 days, is this trip feasible (we will have a car at our disposal)?

Alternatively, knowing that we can leave Essex on the Monday morning and have to be back in London on the Thursday evening, do you have any other suggested routes that might get us these two species?

Also, whatever route it is that you might suggest, could you perhaps add some other info on other worthwhile birding sites along the way that may be of interest to us as well as possible suggestions for overnight stops / accommodation for the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings?

Thanks in advance for any assistance you can offer.

Kind regards
Trevor

I would not go to Bempton, but take a day to Skomer Island off Pembrokeshire - I personally would rank this island as one of the best birding and photography spots in Europe - an absolute heaven for seabirds, plus Chough and Grey Seal, etc, etc. Plenty of Dipper sites on route if you opt for this, plus you could stop at the Red Kite feeding place on route, another spectacle.

That's a good suggestion from Jos. Note that the Skomer ferry doesn't (or didn't) run on Mondays. Skomer is a lovely island.

Another possibility is to head for Northumberland (plenty of touristy things there along with miles of beautiful beaches) and Puffins on the Farne Islands and you'll almost certainly get Dipper if you head into the hills.

D

Jos Stratford said:

I would not go to Bempton, but take a day to Skomer Island off Pembrokeshire - I personally would rank this island as one of the best birding and photography spots in Europe - an absolute heaven for seabirds, plus Chough and Grey Seal, etc, etc. Plenty of Dipper sites on route if you opt for this, plus you could stop at the Red Kite feeding place on route, another spectacle.

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You could start with an early morning trip to Bempton before moving off and trying the Yorkshire Dales around Bolton Abbey and the River Wharfe several pairs breed around the area. Proberly best place to start would be at the Strid car park and walk up stream towards the bridge not sure its name and you should find them quite easily here.

Thanks for the replies so far.

If we decided to go for the Skomer Island option, how long roughly would it take to drive from Langdon Hills in Essex across to Pembrokeshire? Which would be the best route to take and where, along this route, would the best spots be to stop and look for Dippers? Also, where is the Red Kite spot that Jos is referring to? Is it along this route or would we have to deviate a little to get there?

Any recommendations for a reasonably priced place to stay close to where the boat leaves from to Skomer Island?

Lastly, given the time of the year (mid June), what are weather conditions generally like there and what are the possibilities of the boat trip being cancelled due to weather?

Thanks again.

Kind regards
Trevor

Enjoyed your superb report on your trip to Ethiopia.Hoping to do the same trip early next year!
Bempton is a great seabird cliff,but apart from Gannets you don't get particularly close to the birds and Puffin will not be easy to photograph.In my view one of the best seabird colonies in Britain,and very accessible, is The Farnes.There you will get full-frame shots of Puffin,Guillemot,Razorbill,Arctic,Common and Sandwich Terns,Eider and Shag with a standard lens.Turn up at Seahouses harbour in the morning and take the boat out to Inner Farne.You don't need to book in advance so if you have time you can pick a day when the weather is ideal.Very easy to get to-straight up the M11/A1 from Essex,and plenty of good bird reserves on the way.Try Potteric Carr 2 miles off the A1 at Doncaster and Salthome near Hartlepool on the A19.Red Kites are very visible at Harewood House,again just off the A1 near Leeds.There are a pair of Dippers nesting on Barden Bridge just north of The Strid at Bolton Abbey in Wharfedale.If you sit on the adjacent rocks you can get some half decent shots of the birds as they are used to people nearby. A pair of Grey Wagtails are also there at present.However by mid-June the Dippers will probably have fledged,but should still be around.In the woodland opposite the Strid car park there are several pairs of Pied Flyctacher using nest boxes close to the paths and easy to photograph.

Trevor Hardaker said:

Thanks for the replies so far.

If we decided to go for the Skomer Island option, how long roughly would it take to drive from Langdon Hills in Essex across to Pembrokeshire? Which would be the best route to take and where, along this route, would the best spots be to stop and look for Dippers? Also, where is the Red Kite spot that Jos is referring to? Is it along this route or would we have to deviate a little to get there?

Any recommendations for a reasonably priced place to stay close to where the boat leaves from to Skomer Island?

Lastly, given the time of the year (mid June), what are weather conditions generally like there and what are the possibilities of the boat trip being cancelled due to weather?

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Timewise, not huge difference from Essex to either Bempton or Skomer I would imagine (Skomer maybe 4.5 hours from Essex). For Skomer, the M4 motorway will take you much of the way, then good roads the rest. The Red Kite place does require a detour, it is at Rhayader and they are fed at 2 p.m. every day (or is it 3PM?), but the spectacle is something I think you would appreciate - many many kites flocking in. Dippers are common in many localities on the way to this, can easily pinpoint a few concrete sites should you fancy this option.

There are several boats each day and the boat is rarely cancelled in June, but naturally there is possibility. If you have time, seabird trips are also possible out to Grassholm, a Gannet colony and other isalnds too. Plenty of accomodation in Marloes, just a couple of miles from the headland.

In favour of Bempton...

You can get from Essex to Bempton in about 4 hours (I do the journey regularly and this is the average).

Nearby Flamborough would allow even better views of Puffin and other seabirds.

There may also be the option of an RSPB Puffin cruise (although I would have to check the dates).

Plenty of accommodation in Flamborough and Bridlington.

Above all, you would get a chance to visit Yorkshire. They don’t call it God’s Own County for nothing! o

I have a reliable site for Dipper about 30-40mins from Bempton. A good selection of moorland and forest birds can be found within minutes of the Dipper site. I can give much more info should you decide to visit the area.

Wherever you decide, I'm sure you will get your targets and have great time.

Thanks once again for all the advice.

Looking at the maps and given the short time (4 days) that we have available, it would seem that trying to get up all the way to the Farnes might be pushing it a little, so I suppose the choices are either Bempton or Skomer Island.

From what I am understanding here, it would seem that Skomer would probably be better for photography than Bempton? Although, Mike, you mentioned something about a puffin cruise - if this was available, would it be something that would get one within a decent enough range for photography? It seems that there are no real decent land based photographic opportunities on the puffins at Bempton - is that correct?

It seems that there are going to be equally reliable sites for Dippers in both areas, so that is not really having any influence on this decision. And it also appears that there is not too much difference in driving time from Essex to either of the two sites?

I am also very keen on mammals, reptiles and amphibians - which of these two areas would give more opportunities on catching up with any of these?

Trevor Hardaker said:

Although, Mike, you mentioned something about a puffin cruise - if this was available, would it be something that would get one within a decent enough range for photography?

I am also very keen on mammals, reptiles and amphibians - which of these two areas would give more opportunities on catching up with any of these?

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Skomer boat will get you Puffins and other auks round the boat going into the island and as you leave, plus all the ones on the island everywhere. You can also take a boat trip round the island, going into all the bays.

As for mammals, Skomer offers abundant Grey Seal (maybe photograph only if you take the additional round-the-island boat trip), plus Skomer Vole (look under any discarded roof tiles, etc, round the old farm in the centre of the island). Adders possible along the coastal headlands on the mainland opposite I believe.

Don't be put off by photographing puffins at Bempton, they can be quite easy. And although it looks similar distance on a map I'd say the trip up north over the Humber bridge would be quicker, and you don't need to rely on a boat to see the birds.
But Skomer too sounds good!!

Trevor Hardaker said:

I am also very keen on mammals, reptiles and amphibians - which of these two areas would give more opportunities on catching up with any of these?

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East Yorkshire is pretty poor for mammals. Roe Deer, Brown Hare and Grey Seal should be easy. I also have sites for Water Vole along with the really common stuff. Things like Otter are widespread but difficult. Weasel and Stoat are regular but random.

A Badger watching hide operates in the Summer (just over an hour from Bridlington). I’m not sure if it’s open this year but could check for you. For a small charge you’re almost guaranteed Badgers!

Adder and Common Lizard are widespread in N Yorks. If you are really interested in these I have better sites as they can be difficult to find on the moors. A very good site for Adders can be found in South Yorkshire (perhaps visited on way to Bridlington/Bempton).

South Essex is also good for Adders. Again I can provide more details if you require.

Thanks for all the information provided. Given the short time we have available on this visit, we have decided that the Bempton/Flamborough route is probably the best bet for now. Whilst it may not give the best photographic opportunities, we want to first and foremost get to see the birds and just feel we may be risking things a little too much if we are reliant on a boat trip to an island to get to see the birds. At least this way, we are now land based and guaranteed to at least see the species. Looking at the link to the Bempton discussion that Mike provided, it seems that there may well be some opportunities to at least get some record shots of the Puffins (not that I am inferring that the photos on that link are only record shots – there are some very nice photos of the Puffins there!) We’ll leave a trip to Skomer or The Farnes for our next visit.

Now, all that remains is to find a place to stay. There was a comment in the Bempton link about walking right from the Flamboro – North Landing carpark to get better and closer views of Puffins. Not knowing the area, is this car park near the hotels there (Viking and North Star)? Would it make sense to book into one of these hotels while we are there? I assume that it is then not too far to walk to where the Puffins supposedly are? And Bempton would also be quite close to this?

Mike, I would obviously also be very interested in the Dipper site you mentioned. Other species which I am interested in, although I’m not sure how reliable they might be in the area or in mid to late June:

Red Grouse
Common Eider
Any chance of any Scoters?
European Golden Plover
Wood Warbler
Ring Ouzel
European Pied Flycatcher
Eurasian Rock Pipit
Twite

Also, any more detailed info you have on the possible mammals and herps in the area would be greatly appreciated.

Given that we would be driving north from Essex to Flamborough on the first day, are there are sites not too far off this route which are worth visiting where we may get species that we are unlikely to encounter either in Essex or in East Yorkshire? Or just a generally good birding site along this route?

I’ve also tried to find out some info on the seals, but surfing the net seems to show that most colonies require a boat trip to get to them. Is this correct? Are there any spots for Grey or Common (Harbour) Seals which are land based anywhere in close proximity to where we will be i.e. we can get to see the animals without having to take a boat trip to an offshore colony?

Lastly, any land based sites in the areas we are visiting where we stand a reasonable chance of seeing Harbour Porpoise just offshore?

I’ll just answer a couple of questions while I have a spare few minutes. I will email the site info over the next couple of days.

The cliffs at Flamborough can be easily walked from the Viking or North Star Hotel. Yellowhammer, Skylark and Tree Sparrow are regular here although you are more or less guaranteed Tree Sparrow at Bempton RSPB (only 10 minutes drive from Flamborough).

It’s always difficult to recommend accommodation as everyone has different standards/budgets. However, the North Star is a nice place and does have a website.

Some good (but lower priced) places can be found 10 minutes down the road in Bridlington. Obviously living in Bridlington I don’t stay in the local hotels. However, the Harmony Guest House (Marshall Ave) has been recommended by several people.

In calm conditions Harbour Porpoise can be seen from Flamborough Head, Bempton Cliffs and Filey Brigg. I’ve had great views from the latter site several times. The boat trips offer the best chance of this species, although calm seas are the key.

I’ve never seen Common (Harbour) Seal off East Yorkshire. Grey Seals (mostly their heads) are seen from Flamborough Head, Filey Brigg or even Bridlington North Beach. I’ve never actively looked for seals but usually see a couple when scanning for birds.

Driving any of the country roads around East Yorkshire could turn up Stoat or Weasel, however Brown Hare and Barn Owl are more likely. Roe Deer are very common around Flamborough and are often visible from the Bridlington to Flamborough road. I usually see a couple around Danes Dyke (a woodland with nature trails etc) most days. I’ve seen Badger and Red Fox driving the entrance road to Danes Dyke at night.

Regarding accomodation you could stay at the Best Western Hotel which is in Far Ings reserve. Not sure what will be there but it's a nice reserve, chance of bearded tit and only an hours drive from Bempton.

http://www.bestwestern.co.uk/Hotels/Best-Western-Reeds-Hotel-83853/Hotel-Info/Default.aspx

Puffins at Flamborough can be found on the cliffs to the right of the Fog station below the lighthouse or on the cliffs between North landing and the Lighthouse. In recent years Flamborough has been better than Bempton for Puffin. Rock pipt also breed here but Filey brigg may be a better choice and only 20 minutes north of Flamborough. Forget about Twite , more chance in the Pennines but even there they are not easy. You have a chance of seeing Common Scoter but usually a bit distant. Grouse and Golden Plover can be found on the North Yorks moors near Scarborough. Grey Seal is fairly regular and close in below the Fog station at Flamborogh while Common Seal is also seen. If you base youself at North landing it is a pleasent 2 -3 mile clifftop walk to the Lighthouse. The Viking aslo has 2/3 self catering chalets.

Trevor Hardaker said:

Red Grouse
Common Eider
Any chance of any Scoters?
European Golden Plover
Wood Warbler
Ring Ouzel
European Pied Flycatcher
Eurasian Rock Pipit
Twite

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It depends how far you want to go out of your way - I can give you some good sites for red grouse (near guaranteed), ring ouzel (very good chance if you're up for a walk), golden plover (good chance), all on the South Yorkshire/Derbyshire border. I also know good sites for pied fly and wood warbler in a similar area, but they're tricky to see in June and it may not be worth time out of a busy schedule, and wood warblers don't seem to be around in good numbers this year round my way.

All this is a bit of detour if you're going to East Yorks, though, and some of the North and East Yorks regulars will probably have nearer sites.

As for eider, common scoter and rock pipit, all should be possible on the east coast, and if you chose to do Northumberland on another trip eider and rock pipit would be a dead cert, and common scoter very possible. Northumberland also has a big grey seal colony on the Farnes where you'll get good views of them, although common seals are rare.

Harbour porpoises are also always possible all around the East Coast.

skink1978 said:

The Harmony Guest House (Marshall Ave) has been recommended by several people.

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I've stayed there and it was a very good B&B.