Record-breaking gannet chick braves the cold at RSPB Bempton

As the high winds and seas hit the coast at RSPB Bempton Cliffs, spare a thought for the last baby gannet, still on its nest.

The majority of the reserve’s gannets leave the site by the end of October – with the occasional bird leaving in early November.

The reserve’s previous record for the last chick leaving was November 15.

However, this year, one still remains on its nest, and has yet to start its long migration to West Africa.

An RSPB spokesperson said: “There are around 19,000 pairs of gannets at Bempton, and with a two metre wingspan it is our largest seabird.

“This is the only colony in England and many of the birds are monitored by local volunteers until the birds leave the nest.

“Most of our gannets have left the cliffs by the end of October and our previous record for a chick leaving was November 15.

“Unlike the strikingly white adults the young birds are dark and grey on the nest.

“The adults feed the chick a very rich diet of fish until they are old enough and then just leave them alone.

“At this point the young bird weighs more than the adult.

“It eventually launches itself onto the sea where it is too fat to fly and finishes its development, strengthening wing muscles and losing some weight.

“It’s next meal it will find for itself. Normally our young gannets migrate to West Africa. We hope this bird will leave in calmer weather.”

Go to www.rspb.org.uk/days-out/reserves/bempton-cliffs to find out more about RSPB Bempton Cliffs.