Seabird cities
Gannet, guillemot, razorbill, kittiwake, puffin, fulmar. East & west coasts, Northern Isles, United Kingdom.
Best time: 20 May – 15 Jul (May to July). Where: Bass Rock, Firth of Forth, RSPB Bempton Cliffs, Yorkshire, Farne Islands (National Trust) (United Kingdom). Time of day: Colonies call all day.
- Partly on your own
- Entry fee
- Binoculars helpful
- Sound 5/5
Open it in the interactive calendarSunrise and sunset listening times for the day you pick, and the map.
When is the best time?
Peak: 20 May – 15 Jul. Late May to mid July (puffins leave by early Aug)
Active from 1 Apr to 15 Aug (April to August) in a typical year.
Time of day
Colonies call all day; the densest, cleanest sound is from first light to about 09:00 before boats and visitors, and again in the last 2 h before sunset when birds return from fishing.
- Early colony: 30 min before sunrise → 09:00
- Evening return: 2 h before sunset → sunset
What will you hear?
A wall of seabird calls: gannet grating, kittiwakes calling their name, guillemot growls, puffin burrow moans, sea and wind below.
Binoculars?
Binoculars helpful. Bempton and Hermaness cliffs bring birds within 20–50 m; binoculars for gannets and puffins on far ledges.
Where to go
- Bass Rock, Firth of Forth — The world's largest northern gannet colony; landing trips via the Scottish Seabird Centre (limited dates). Map
- RSPB Bempton Cliffs, Yorkshire — Mainland access; gannets, puffins, kittiwakes. Map
- Farne Islands (National Trust) — Terns attack visitors — wear a hat. Boat landings are timed and busy. Map
- Hermaness NNR, Unst, Shetland — Remote, wild, and windy; bonxies dive-bomb on the moor. Map
How to go on your own, and what it costs
Bempton Cliffs: mainland cliff path with viewpoints, RSPB entry fee for non-members, open dawn to dusk from the reserve car park. Hermaness NNR: free, open at all hours — ferries to Unst, then the boardwalk from the Burrafirth car park. Bass Rock and the Farnes are boat-only: Scottish Seabird Centre boats from North Berwick, the licensed boats from Seahouses harbour (Inner Farne landing plus National Trust landing fee).
Cost: RSPB Bempton £8 adult peak / £4 off-peak for non-members (2026); Hermaness free; Bass Rock landing £200, catamaran cruise £32; Inner Farne landing £32 + NT landing fee (2026).
Free or no-guide alternative: Hermaness NNR on Unst is a free, walk-in gannet, puffin and bonxie colony open at all hours; Bempton is a cheap mainland alternative (free for RSPB members).
Who runs access
- Scottish Seabird Centre – Bass Rock boats (NGO) — Bass Rock Experience (landing, 16+) and non-landing cruises from North Berwick, April–Sept.
Field-recording notes
Wind and surf are constant — full blimp plus fur, and use cliff-edge shelter. Drones are banned on the reserves and disturb the birds. Check for avian-flu closures before travelling; landings on Bass Rock and the Farnes have been suspended in outbreak years.
Sources
Similar spectacles
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More: all spectacles in the United Kingdom · puffins · gannets · seabird colonies · the United Kingdom in May · the United Kingdom in June · the United Kingdom in July