Life On The Edge – Birds of Bempton Cliffs

Steve Race

Steve had a keen interest in wildlife and in particular birdlife and joined the YOC (Young Ornithologists Club) in 1980, and what started out as an interest soon turned in to a passion.

He is currently working for the RSPB at Bempton Cliffs Nature Reserve as Community Education and Outreach Officer.  The main aspect of his job is to visit schools and groups within the local community promoting the RSPB and wildlife conservation. Over the years he has been involved with numerous projects from wader counts for Durham University to breeding bird surveys for the British Trust for Ornithology and seabird research for the RSPB and Natural England.

The Bempton Cliffs reserve, on the Yorkshire coast, protects over five kilometres of sea cliffs and from April to mid-August, these support England's largest population of seabirds. Every year over 200,000 seabirds come to RSPB Bempton Cliffs to breed and raise their young.

Bempton's breeding seabirds are internationally important, making the cliffs both a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Protection Area. The RSPB is managing the reserve for the benefit of its wildlife with a long-term view to upgrading its protection status. Species include kittiwakes, gannets, guillemot, razorbills and puffins along with seals and porpoises.

Life on the Edge is a story of the incredible seabirds at RSPB Bempton Cliffs, driven by the urge to raise a family, they leave the seas and head back to these awe-inspiring cliffs to begin their life-or-death struggle to bring up their young.