RSPB Bempton Cliffs in East Yorkshire has become the first nature reserve site in the UK to carry out ‘structured watches’ to monitor marine mammals in the North Sea, the BBC reports. Looking for minke whales, dolphins and grey and harbour seals, 28 volunteers will take part in the project called Shorewatch.
A partnership between RSPB and Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) it’s hoped that the data gathered will “help strengthen” understanding of how “cetaceans use the English coastline and how best to safeguard them,” according to Katie Dyke, the Shorewatch co-ordinator.
She added: “The high cliffs give excellent visibility, and the volunteer team has been so committed. We’re not only recording vital data but also inspiring people to care about marine life on their doorstep.”
Bempton Cliffs are perfect for this project offering a natural vantage point 300ft. The whole thing works by Shorewatch volunteers using specialist marine binoculars to scan the sea for ten minutes and then logging their findings into a dedicated app. This data is then used by experts for national research and conservation strategies.
RSPB Bempton Cliffs is famous for its seabirds. Around half a million seabirds including gannets, kittiwakes, guillemots and razorbills make it their home each year as well as around 3,000 puffins which come to breed at the cliffs each year.
Dave O’Hara, the reserve manager, said: “Visitors travel from right across the UK and overseas to see seabirds in their thousands here, but they also have the chance to spot something spectacular out at sea too. We hope to become just as famous for sightings of whales, dolphins and porpoises.”
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Feature Image Credit: Unsplash
