THIS month I thought I would report on what can reasonably be described as a ‘rare sighting’ at RSPB Bempton Cliffs, on the east Yorkshire coast; even though the bird in question has been there for a little while and has visited in previous years.

After a period of warm, sunny weather, when it seemed that spring had well and truly arrived, the first part of my visit coincided with a series of very chilly, breezy, steel grey days. Despite the less than welcoming weather, the nature reserve was a busy place. On one day, I arrived fairly early in the morning, only to be ushered to a coach parking area, because the main car park was full. Bempton Cliffs is always a terrific place to visit. It is home to large breeding colonies of Gannets, Razorbills, Guillemots, and Kittiwakes. Puffins are a major attraction, although they can be more challenging to see. However, according to the RSPB staff, they are experiencing much increased popularity at the moment because of another star avian visitor – a Black-browed Albatross.

If you live in the southern hemisphere (yes, unlikely if you are reading this!), you might not be overly impressed. During the breeding season, these albatrosses can be found in large numbers in places like the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and various Chilean islands. However, this one seems to have lost its way. In the northern hemisphere a Black-browed Albatross is a rarity.

The species is not large by Albatross standards but is larger than the thousands of gannets that come to Bempton Cliffs to breed. The reference texts vary somewhat, but suggest a wingspan in the region of 200-240cm for the Albatross and 165-180 for a Gannet. In the air, the difference between the species did not seem particularly strikingly (see photograph of the Albatross flying above a gannet). Perhaps this isn’t a big individual.

The reason for its presence at Bempton is not clear. Could it be searching for a mate? Or perhaps because of this bird’s otherwise solitary existence there are times when it simply appreciates the company of the thousands of Gannets, and other seabirds, that make these cliffs their spring/summer home.

In any event, it would seem that there is a good chance that we will see it in future years. Black-browed Albatrosses are long-lived birds. Although we can’t be certain how old this one is, unless it manages to retrace its epic journey, it could be a regular visitor to Bempton Cliffs for many years to come.

www.wharfedale-nats.org.uk