In Pictures: Gannets gather at cliffs for rituals of love and nestbuilding

Gannets and other birds gather at Bempton Cliffs on the Yorkshire coast to find a mate, settle down and have chicks.

Nesting gannets at Bempton Cliffs (Danny Lawson/PA) (PA Wire)

Love is in the air as gannets gather for what they hope will be a summer of love.

Bempton Cliffs in Yorkshire is a hotbed for seabirds to indulge in courtship rituals, nestbuilding and, hopefully, producing offspring.

Around 500,000 birds gathered at the beauty spot which offers spectacular views, plenty of access to food and nesting materials, but not much privacy.

Gannets do not have a monopoly on the cliffs with razorbills and herring gulls also staking a claim to territory with puffins and guillemots also in the neighbourhood.

As might be expected, clashes do occasionally break out among the birds with so much at stake and so little space.

Nesting material is close at hand for the birds who have all that is needed for what they hope will be a productive summer.