Gannet in flight

Gannet in flight, carrying nest building materials. Photographed at RSPB’s Bempton Cliffs.

The chalk cliffs of Bempton are an ideal habitat for a huge range of seabirds. Owned and maintained by the RSPB, Bempton plays host to over 250,000 seabirds which flock to the white chalk cliffs each year, with numbers reaching their peak between April and August.

About Gannets: Gannet in flight

The British breeding population of Gannets represents 60-70% of the entire world population, with the largest mainland breeding colony at RSPB’s Bempton Cliffs. The birds arrive at the colonies, known as gannetries, from January and leave between August and October. Gannets are easily identified by their distinctive plumage and ring of blue around the eyes, earning them the alternative nickname ‘spectacled goose’. Gannets are monogamous and will remain together for several mating seasons, potentially even for their entire lives. The pairs separate after the mating season concludes and head out back to sea, returning to shore and pairing back up the following year.

You can find more information on Gannets here.