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A walk
along the top of the cliffs at Flamborough Head is a birdspotterÂ’s
paradise. The countryside is alive with the cries and songs of a
wide variety of birdlife.
They
include Oyster catchers, gulls, Eider Ducks, Cormorants and wagtails,
as well as blackbirds, swallows, robins, kestrels and wrens.
ThatÂ’s
to name just a few. In a good dayÂ’s outing you could probably
spot about 60 different species. And all in a seven mile circular
walk beginning from the car park at Danes Dyke near the village
of Marton just outside of Bridlington.
 Listen
to Trevor Charlton and Mike Kemp on the walk
Trevor
Charlton is the site manager for the RSPB at Bempton Cliffs Nature
Reserve. This walk doesnÂ’t include Bempton as we turned around
at Flamborough Head.
But
you can carry on a while further to take in Bempton and the amazing
sight of thousands of seabirds, including puffins, nesting on the
cliff face.
Trevor
has been bird watching for nearly 35 years and he can simply hear
a bird call to know its name.
This
walk, on a clear day, enjoys breathtaking views for miles along
the coast. And on a very good day IÂ’m told you can see the
Humber Bridge.
The
walk skirts the edge of the cliffs all the way to Flamborough Head
and the lighthouse. But at a place called South Landing you can
visit a wooded area inside which is a bird feeding station built
by youngsters with the Phoenix Group of the RSPB.
As
we looked through a slit cut out in one of the screens we caught
sight of a male and female yellowhammer, similar in look to canaries,
searching for seeds.
A few
miles along the coast is Flamborough Head with its magnificent stacks
and white chalk-faced cliffs, and itÂ’s the highlight of the
walk.
Trevor
describes the view from its point as “the best on the planet“.
It's also a Mecca for birdwatchers anxious to catch sight of a rare
bird blown on to shore.
ItÂ’s
here you turn back towards Danes Dyke walking through Flamborough
Village.
Perhaps,
though, the best way to end the walk is simply to retrace your steps
along the cliff-edge, especially if you want to catch sight or hear
the songs of the many wonderful birds that make the coast their
home.
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It
is essential for both the success and safety of the walk that
an up-to-date weather forecast is obtained before setting
out.
