Bempton Cliffs corncrakes and other birds, 8 July

Gannets at Bempton Cliffs from Alan Gates on Vimeo.

8 July.

This morning along Cliff Lane, whitethroats and linnets. Skylarks singing.

Like yesterday about a mile away, I hear a corncrake calling. As the two calls where at such a distance from each other, this may indicate the presence of at least two corncrakes inland from Bempton Cliffs bird reserve.

A RSPB representative says that they are trying to attract corncrakes to the area with bird friendly agriculture. However, they themselves had not heard corncrakes yet. Earlier, quails had been attracted to the farmland here.

Tree sparrows on Bempton Cliffs viewpoint fences.

Scores of black caterpillars on stinging nettle and grass. Peacock caterpillars.

Near the RSPB parking lot, chaffinch and dunnock singing.

Like always in summer at Bempton Cliffs, gannets, puffins, and other seabirds. Rain and thunder today prevent me from seeing more of them.

Sometimes it rains; which means slugs and snails on roads.

Farmland bird populations across Europe are at their lowest levels since records began, new figures reveal: here.

Wildlife flocks to dairy farm habitats: here.

August 2012. Profitable farming and increasing the populations of threatened wildlife can go hand-in-hand, says the RSPB. The Society has shared its 12 years of experience of managing an arable farm, where crop yields have stayed competitive and, against the national trend, numbers of farmland birds have tripled: here.