Yorkshire · East Riding
RSPB Bempton Cliffs
Britain's largest mainland seabird colony. Half a million birds nest here from April to August — gannets at arm's length, plus puffins, razorbills, kittiwakes, and fulmars. A coastal boardwalk + 6 viewing platforms make it one of the most accessible seabird spectacles in the world.
Region
Yorkshire
Habitat
Coastal cliffs, seabird colony
Best months
April – August
Famous for
Gannet, Puffin, Razorbill, Kittiwake
What you'll see
The breeding spectacle peaks May–July. Gannets nest at handshake distance from the cliff-top boardwalks — there's nowhere else in mainland UK you can experience them like this. Puffins use the lower grassy slopes; best window mid-June to mid-July. Razorbills + guillemots crowd ledges. Kittiwakes nest on the sheerest faces.
October sea-watch from the cliffs can be exceptional with NE gales — long-tailed skua, sooty shearwater, occasional little auk. Spring + autumn passage brings drift migrants through coastal cover.
How to visit
Free for RSPB members; £8 non-members. Free parking. Café + accessible boardwalks. Six observation platforms on the cliff edge. Family-friendly.
Top species
- Northern Gannet (40,000 pairs)
- Atlantic Puffin (1,000+ pairs)
- Razorbill, Common Guillemot
- Black-legged Kittiwake
- Northern Fulmar
- Migrant passerines (autumn cover)
See live community sightings here
Recent sightings + species frequency chart for Bempton Cliffs.
Open live hotspot →