Bempton Cliffs and Blacktoft Sands

Trev4

Trev4

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Trev
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Hi guys. I am planning a trip to Bempton and Blacktoft in the next couple of weeks. I haven't found out if there are any other reserves in that area to visit at the same time.

Has anyone who has been there got any advice on a visit please (or knows of other reserves in the area). Can I ask what length lenses you found best. I have a 500mm f/4 and a 100-400, plus a 1.4TC. I will be taking all my gear but a little advance info would be useful.

Are there any specific areas in these sites that you found best for bird photography.

Thanks in advance for any advice or info you feel would be useful (y)

Trev
 
Hi Trev,

Ican only speak for Bempton whereI have shot a few times. If you are wanting cliff shots ofnesting or feeding birds, then your 500mm lens should be sufficient on the good old 7D. If you are looking for BIF, then you would easily manage with a 70-200 or a 300mm jobbie.

Hopefully the winds will be offshore during your visit when the incomong birds will almost hover stationary over the cliff edge before dropping in to the nest.

There are a number of viewing spots, but for BIF I have found the best one is the southern most one. Hope this helps.
 
Yellowbelly said:
Hi Trev,

Ican only speak for Bempton whereI have shot a few times. If you are wanting cliff shots ofnesting or feeding birds, then your 500mm lens should be sufficient on the good old 7D. If you are looking for BIF, then you would easily manage with a 70-200 or a 300mm jobbie.

Hopefully the winds will be offshore during your visit when the incomong birds will almost hover stationary over the cliff edge before dropping in to the nest.

There are a number of viewing spots, but for BIF I have found the best one is the southern most one. Hope this helps.
Click to expand...

That's just what I was looking for, thank you Bob (y). I usually have the 500 on a tripod, but its a lot to carry around if there's long distance or steep climbs. Did you find the general access to the cliffs fairly easy going to carry a camera etc. on a tripod?
 
Yes. You enter the reserve through the RSPB shop and there are well surfaced paths to the cliff top. The cliff top path is not so smooth, but no problem if you are wearing decent walking boots.
 
Yellowbelly said:
Yes. You enter the reserve through the RSPB shop and there are well surfaced paths to the cliff top. The cliff top path is not so smooth, but no problem if you are wearing decent walking boots.
Click to expand...
Thanks again Bob, that's a great help (y)
 
hi trev
enjoy the trip to bempton,it a stunning place
there are also boat trips that go out to the cliffs so you can get a very different and much closer view of the birds
youll also be in a better position to get panned shots of the birds flying back to the cliffs with beaks full of sand eels ect

if you are over there dont forget to go to filey, filey dams nature reserve is a stunning little gem of a place also go onto filey brigg
park car on top and walk down the steep hill or walk round the beach if the tides out
the brigg get an an amazing amount of birdlife passing through, obviously the time of year dictates the species you will see
the migration times are best for wading birds, there are also seals to be seen either basking on the rocks at the end of the brigg or in the water around

have fun

chris
 
chris marren said:
hi trev
enjoy the trip to bempton,it a stunning place
there are also boat trips that go out to the cliffs so you can get a very different and much closer view of the birds
youll also be in a better position to get panned shots of the birds flying back to the cliffs with beaks full of sand eels ect

if you are over there dont forget to go to filey, filey dams nature reserve is a stunning little gem of a place also go onto filey brigg
park car on top and walk down the steep hill or walk round the beach if the tides out
the brigg get an an amazing amount of birdlife passing through, obviously the time of year dictates the species you will see
the migration times are best for wading birds, there are also seals to be seen either basking on the rocks at the end of the brigg or in the water around

have fun

chris
Click to expand...

Cheers Chris, as its an area I haven't visited before this is useful info and I appreciate you taking time to reply, I'll be taking a look there for sure (y)
 
Stick to the bottom RH viewing platform Trev, the bloody tourists can't be bothered to walk down there and you will have a much better time :D
 
Neil B said:
Stick to the bottom RH viewing platform Trev, the bloody tourists can't be bothered to walk down there and you will have a much better time :D
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Agreed - and there's a good rocky ridge with Gannets nesting just below the view point and then a grassy cliff top where they sometimes hover as they come in [as a previous poster mentioned].
 
no probs trev
filey dams is the last remaining freshwater marsh in the region, great birdlife, and anphibians inc great crested newts

here is link to an ariel shot of filey brigg
its a great place to visit if you can get out of bed before the sun comes up
there is also a hide at the bottom of the cliffs run by the local ornitholo group
you need to be a member to get a key, but lots of them are quite freindley people, might let you sit in with them while they are there ;)
http://providerfiles2.thedms.co.uk/eandapics/YS/1710775_1.jpg

at the end of a long day in filey go up into the town and grab fish and chips
the chippy with the big yellow lifesize fisherman outside is the best one in my opinion then walk across the road into the gardens on top of cliffs to sit and eat them looking out over the beach

chris
 
At Bempton cliff turn left and follow the path until the fence runs out... then you can sit yourself near the edge in the long grass and the gannets will come within a few yards of you.
 
Thanks for all the info everyone, its really appreciated and is a good guide. My visit has been put back for a week or so unfortunately due to a family health problem, and I need to be close at hand for a time to offer support, but my visit is definitely on, its somewhere I have been longing to go to for some time and I'll be using your advice for sure (y)
 
I'm thinking of having a ride over to Bempton tomorrow. Has anyone been recently and knows what the Gannet population is looking like? I did the Farnes and puffins last month, so less bothered about the little guys.

Can you get up close with the Gannets there or is it a case of just peering over the cliff tops?
 
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