Birding The Cleveland Way – Sandsend to Staithes

Fri 25th Oct, 2024

Birding the Cleveland Way

Growing up on the northern edge of the North York Moors National Park, Richard has always wanted to walk the entire length of the Cleveland Way, to explore the landscape, birds and wildlife along this fabulous National Trail. His plan is to walk a different section every month over the course of 2024 and write a blog in the process. Joining him on these leisurely walks is artist Jo Ruth.  

October – Sandsend to Staithes

On a bright and clear October morning, we drove north from Whitby with a spectacular sun rising out of the sea behind us. It didn’t take us long to realise this section of the trail would be best achieved in reverse, walking from Sandsend to Staithes rather than south from Staithes. With the sun on our backs, the landscape shone and most importantly I could see any bird in the bright blue sky.

Sandsend - October 2024 © Richard Baines

With no disturbance on the beach, the Black-headed Gulls and Mallards were resting peacefully at the head of East Row Beck. Sandsend bay attracts gulls and terns in the late summer and autumn because of the sheltered bay and the calm sea.

Black-headed Gulls - Sandsend October 2024 © Richard Baines

Sandwich Terns prefer feeding inshore on the coast. They bring their freshly fledged youngsters down the coast from breeding sites further north with the dual intention of fattening up before their long migration and it’s a great opportunity to imprint new landscapes in the memories of the young terns.

Sandwich Tern - North Yorkshire © Richard Baines

From Sandsend beach car park, the trail climbs up into woodland on the coastal cliffs. A Grey Heron was perched on a rocky outcrop. This was a great choice as a high tide lookout from which to spot the first exposed rock pools as the tide recedes.

Grey Heron - Sandsend October 2024 © Richard Baines

Watching the heron, we could hear a large group of Long-tailed Tits in the trees behind us. Blue Tits, Great Tits, Coal Tits, Chiffchaffs and a Marsh Tit followed the long-tails in search of food in the autumn leaves.  

Long-tailed Tit - Sandsend October 2024 © Richard Baines

Sandsend Ness is an impressive headland carved by the sea and 18th century Alum mining. The quarries along the trail were dug by hand and shovel over two hundred years ago. The outer section of the cliff to the east of the path is still exposed rock with dark shale dominating the scene. Inland of the trail, a wonderful mosaic of woodland and ponds has developed as nature has been allowed to rewild the old quarries.

Sandsend Quarries - October 2024 © Richard Baines

In Deep Grove Quarry I caught sight of a Green Woodpecker as it silently flew up into a willow tree. Out at sea I could see a group of large gulls feeding in a tight group. I watched the sea under the flock closely just in case there was a whale nearby. Minke Whales had been seen from Sandsend only a few days prior to our walk.

Green Woodpecker - North Yorkshire © Richard Baines

There was no sign of any whales but I could see a large falcon in the gull flock. Not one but two Peregrine Falcons were in amongst the gulls. I expected the gulls to be mobbing the falcons but instead the Peregrines were attacking the gulls. The show lasted a few minutes before the falcons got bored or realised there was no chance of catching a large Herring Gull.

Goldcrest - North Yorkshire October 2024 © Richard Baines

After Deep Grove the trail hugs the coast dropping down again into Over Dale a woodland cut extending all the way to the edge of the cliffs. Goldcrests were calling very close to the cliff edge in a Hawthorn. These tiny birds weighing no more than 6 grams fly hundreds of miles across the North Sea in late autumn to reach our shores. When they arrive, they need to find insect food as quickly as possible so these coastal woodlands are vitally important for their survival.

Above the impressive sea cliffs, we could look down on the wild undercliff below us as the path continued on towards Kettleness. The undercliffs here have fabulous names such as Seaveybog Hill. This must have been a marshy area named when the area was being quarried.  Out to sea a section of the wave cut rock platform is named Fillet Tail and, on a map, it really does look like the tail of a fish.

Kettleness October 2024 © Richard Baines

Kettleness is a big headland pointing due north into the wild sea. A large area of open shale and wild undercliff extends eastwards below the trail. I remember once finding a Little Owl nest in a rabbit burrow on the edge of the cliff just above the waves. A great place for a nest if you can withstand the salt spray and of course the nearby Peregrine Falcons!

Eurasian Curlew - Kettleness October 2024 © Richard Baines

In a cliff top field beyond Kettleness Farm we counted 51 Eurasian Curlew. This was a great sight. They were feeding amongst cattle. The combination of pasture rich in soil invertebrates and large grazing animals was a big draw for these waders. At low tide they would move onto the shore and feed amongst the rock pools. Food at both low and high tides.

Ammonite - Runswick Bay October 2024 © Richard Baines

Beyond Kettleness the trail drops onto the beach at Runswick Bay. This is the most exciting section as the path follows a cut in the rocks down to the sand. Just before reaching the beach, we found a fabulous Ammonite fossil beautifully preserved below our feet. The picturesque village of Runswick is a great place for a rest and of course an ice cream.

Whooper Swans - Port Mulgrave October 2024 © Richard Baines

Walking north towards Port Mulgrave my mind was on migration. October is a great time to see many birds arriving and departing. A small flock of Barn Swallows flew south on their way to Africa. Shortly afterwards we found a group of swans in a ploughed field. Seven Whooper Swans taking a break on their long migration from breeding sites in Iceland. They were most likley on their way to large wetlands in eastern England where they will spend the winter. 

Common Linnets - Kettleness October 2024 © Richard Baines

Back on the cliff top a field of stubble and autumn seed attracted a very large flock of Common Linnets. 600 or more filled the sky above our heads, a very impressive sight. Autumn is a time of plenty for these birds but they must feed as much as possible to survive a winter of diminishing supplies.

Old Nab Staithes October 2024 © Richard Baines

We were slowly approaching our destination of Staithes. Just south of this fishing village is a rocky headland named Old Nab, a good lookout for watching seabirds, whales and dolphins. Access can be made from the cliff path to the lower section of the cliffs on the nab. I remembered with great fondness sitting on the cliffs here watching shearwaters and Minke Whales. Sadly, we had no time on this day for sea watching but I will be back!

© Richard Baines, Yorkshire Coast Nature