SENSE OF THE SEASON …

THE KITTIWAKE’S CALL

You may well hear the kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) before you see it. Known for its nasal ‘kittee-wa-aaake, kitte-wa-aaake’ call, this bird is distinguishable from other gulls by its black-tipped wings. Never far from water, it spends winters out on the Atlantic before returning to our shores to nest. Clifftop colonies reach a cacophonous climax in summer at the peak of breeding season, with pairs, which can partner for years, raising their chicks ahead of another winter at sea. rspb.org.uk