Seymour Birdies Diary: A Black-browed Albatross at Bempton Cliffs

10th April 2022

The Black-browed Albatross was blown off-course by storms in the South Atlantic Ocean in 2014 and spent the next few years in and around the Baltic Sea, particularly Denmark and Germany. It first appeared at Bempton Cliffs in 2017 and in 2020, 2021 and now 2022 has spent the summer there.

The albatross frequently leaves the cliffs to go out to feed at sea and when it returns spends much of its time gliding backwards and forwards along the cliff face.

No wonder they are called Black-browed Albatrosses, just look at that make-up!!!!

They make flying look so effortless, without a single wing-beat, just twisting their wings to make the most of the up-draft.

And when I was photographing them they were frequently being photo-bombed by Kittiwakes and Puffins.

And with a wing span of 7-8 feet compared to the 6.5 feet of a Gannet they are not always well-received.

It does eventually make land-fall when it manages to dis-lodge other birds from its favourite spot but even then it is continually harassed by the resident Gannets, so not a particularly harmonious life for a solitary bird.