Finders-in-the-Field: Black-browed Albatross, Bempton Cliffs, July 2020
With an all too brief gap in my work diary, and favourable wind conditions, I'd arranged a day birding with my good birding friend Jason Higgins, a day out at Bempton Cliffs. The light North Easterly wind was pushing the birds up the cliff giving eye level photo opportunities with the throngs of Gannets, Razorbills , Puffins and Guillemots.
We started at the North West end of the reserve and slowly worked our way South East towards Staple Nook. Leaving the official RSPB reserve we went to the wilder parts of the cliffs with no platforms or fencing in the hope of more photo opportunities. It was at this point we split for a short time, Jason concentrating on the birds on the cliffs and I was wanting birds, any birds, in flight. The North easterly breeze was pushing the birds up the cliff and occasionally they would hang in the air before landing on their nesting ledge.
At around a quarter past four, I was admiring the spectacle of the throng of seabirds in front of me, when quite remarkably an Albatross rose upwards from beneath the cliff and appeared right in front of me, no more than 10 feet away! I saw the head, clearly defined brow and large, pinky coloured bill. My shock quickly turned to elation and the sudden realisation that I needed to get my friend onto it, who was sitting out of sight, about 30 metres away.
"Jason.....Jason" his head popped up into view, "Albatross..........Albatross" and I pointed in its direction which was roughly following the line of the cliffs, no doubt making the most of the onshore updraft. He got onto it as it passed over him and it looked like it was heading towards a large group of Gannets that were assembled on the grassy cliff tops, North of Staple Nook, His reaction was jumping up and down and punching the air. I know how much he wanted it, having dipped out on the Bempton bird from a couple of years ago. He ran towards me and, after calming down a little, he asked me if I had got any shots. I quickly went through my camera, to find I had got a few which I blew up for any details.
Jason, who is familiar with Black-browed having seen many of them in South Africa immediately called it as Black-browed Albatross. Having confirmed the identity, he rang RBA and informed them of the news.
We walked towards where we thought it may have landed, having met up with a birding couple and told them the news. I pointed them to where we thought it may have gone down, and it was indeed still there, flying around among the Gannets. I was struck by the uniform blackness of its back and wings and quickly got the couple onto it. We all walked back towards where we thought it was, frustratingly we could hear, all the Gannets calling but were unable to see them below the cliff. We continued walking to the next platform, by which time a few of the Flamborough lads had turned up, checked the images on the back of my camera and began scanning the large group of Gannets in all hope that it had landed among them. After five or so minutes, a call went up, "It's here" Only its head was visible as it was obscured in the throng. I was pleased and relieved that others had got onto it. It flew out from the cliff, and with a shake of its wings continued on its way. It was reported a short while later at Hunmanby and a short while after that at Filey Brigg but not again. It was hoped that it may have gone round in a big loop and appeared once more among the Gannets.
I feel extremely lucky to have been in the right place at the right time and to have been in eye to eye contact with such an amazing bird.
Gary Vause
3 July 2020
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