Puffins in Yorkshire: First puffin of the season spotted at RSPB Bempton Cliffs on Yorkshire coast

The nature reserve on the Yorkshire coast is one of the best place for spotting rare birds and sea birds in the country.

Puffins are on the red list as an endangered species due to their falling numbers, but they are often spotted at the cliffs on the Yorkshire coast.

The numbers of puffins are falling due to predators eating their eggs and a loss of food made worse by overfishing.

The RSPB at Bempton Cliffs aims to create safe spaces for the puffins to breed and is also compaigning for more protected areas to be created for them to live and breed.

A statement on its Facebook page said: “The first puffin of the season was spotted on the cliff over the weekend. It'll be a little while before they're all properly back on the cliffs but it's reassuring to know they're on their way.”

Puffin and diving gannet cruises are run from RSPB Bempton Cliffs each year, and are incredible popular with bird watchers, tourists and locals. This year, they go on sale at 10am on Friday (Feb 28).

Around half a million seabirds gather at Bempton between March and August to raise a family on the towering chalk cliffs that overlook the North Sea.

As well as puffins and gannets, it is also comment to see kittiwakes and guillemots living life on the edge of the cliffs.