Flying in for the summer

(Dan Kitwood/GETTY)

A gannet comes in to land at the RSPB's Bempton Cliffs on the East Yorkshire coast. About 20,000 gannets, which pair for life and can live for more than 20 years, are among the quarter of a million seabirds that return to nest each summer on the 100m high chalk cliffs at Bempton.

The gannets nesting at the reserve make up the biggest breeding colony on the UK mainland. Other regulars at Bempton include kittiwakes, guillemots, razorbills, fulmars and puffins. Above, RSPB members view the nesting visitors at Bempton aboard Yorkshire Belle.