Bempton birds – coming in to land
Landing makes flying seem easy:
I love the way this Guillemot is dangling its feet, like two paddles, to provide enough drag:
This Herring Gull is spreading its tail to brake its flight:
I like the rotation of the body as it pitches itself:
This one is keeping its feet tucked in until the last minute:
A Razorbill comes in to land and has a widespread gait with amusing paddle feet just like the Guillemot:
They have very stiff tail feathers to help brake their landing. They change their angle of attack to slow themselves down and then pitch themselves on the perfect spot:
The most elegant of all is the Kittiwake.
Kittiwakes have an uncertain future. They are now on the IUCN list of British birds facing global extinction. It’s been caused by plastic waste, pollution, global heating and overfishing.
It has a perfect tail fan and a glorious wing shape. There’s no need for it to paddle its feet. It has immaculate control:
I hope they’ll be around for people to appreciate for many years to come.
More birds at Bempton Cliffs
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Bempton birds – eyelids Blinking birds. Gannets are everywhere at Bempton Cliffs. I'm hoping to get a good look at their eyes. Gannets' eyes… read more
Bempton birds – staring at the sky Gannets look astonishingly alien, don't they? They're not inhabitants of this world. When they display to one another they point… read more
Bempton birds – nesting materials A Kittiwake flies past with some grass in its beak. It looks like its nest needs reinforcements: They sometimes carry… read more
Bempton birds – violence and aggression It's not all mutual preening and sweetness and light at Bempton Cliffs. It's a difficult life, perched on a ledge… read more
Bempton birds – Gannets, Gannets, everywhere Try going to Bempton and getting a photograph without a Gannet in it. Try it. Go on. Here's a Puffin… read more
Bempton birds – eggs and chicks galore There are hundreds of thousands of seabirds here at RSPB Bempton Cliffs. I particularly love the Kittiwakes. They're such delicate,… read more